OUTDOORS Spoke Spoken Here Enjoy a bike-seat view of Maryland, from coastline to mountain crest. Left to Right: Trail riding in Patapsco State Park; Biking in North Beach W Top Trails BY BRENNEN JENSEN Whether your brand of pedaled pleasure is a quiet journey along a leafy bike path, an ambitious cross-country road trek, or a pulse-pounding plunge down a muddy mountain trail, Maryland has you covered. With hundreds of miles of mixed-use cycling trails, including numerous rails-to-trails conversions, you are never too far from biking bliss. The bucolic, 21-mile Torrey C. Brown Rail Trail follows the historic Northern Central Railway from suburban Baltimore to the Pennsylvania border. At nearly 185 miles long, the spectacular C&O Canal Towpath connects Washington, D.C. to Cumberland along the Potomac River. Enjoy gorgeous riverside vistas and admire the historic lockhouses as you wheel along in leafy splendor. The BWI Bike Trail loops for 11 pleasant miles around the airport, providing great spots to watch the planes land, before intersecting with the Baltimore Annapolis Trail and continuing on to the state capital. The Indian Head Rail Trail, meanwhile, cuts a 13-mile swath across some of the loveliest undeveloped land in Charles County. Biking Camaraderie Want some company in the saddle? All are welcome to Baltimore’s monthly Bike Party, a spirited mass ride where the main goal is to have fun. All manner of annually organized cycling outings, races, rallies and fundraisers can be found throughout the year and across the state. Consider the Sea Gull Century and Soft Shell Metric Century (both in Salisbury) or Southern Maryland’s St. Mary’s Century. The Ice Cream Century in Frederick and Washington counties has various lengths—and all bikers get free ice cream. Tour de Frederick offers various mileages and fundraising opportunities, and Baltimore’s Tour Dem Parks, Hon! has riders rolling between the city’s loveliest parks. After a day peddling Baltimore’s many cycle trails, dismount and unwind at the quirky HandleBar Cafe in Baltimore’s Fells Point, which offers pizza, beer and bike repairs all under one roof. Swap the saddle for a bar stool in this unique, bike-friendly venue. ✥ Easy Riding and Challenging Cycling For those looking to hit the road, Maryland’s varied terrain—from flat to mountainous—offers something for bikers of all abilities. The Viewtrail 100 connects numerous small towns on the easy-pedaling Eastern Shore, while Biking Carroll County has 10 different loops through rural, rolling hills. For a thigh-burning, gear-changing outing, take on the Catoctin Mountain Challenge from Gambrills State Park. And for fat tire fans, Patapsco Valley State Park near Baltimore, Rosaryville State Park in Upper Marlboro, and Rocky Gap State Park in Allegany County are just some of the places offering stump-jumping, mud-splashing mountain bike thrills. 34 ✥ VISITMARYLAND.ORG | 1-877-333-4455
Maryland Official Visitors Guide 2017: Page 34
