Colorfest informal ride Thurmont, Md. Oct. 8-9

Thought it would be cool if any of you forum members in southern PA, northern Virginia or Maryland wanted to get together on the weekend of October 8-9 in Thurmont, Maryland for a group ride. A lot of people turn out for this event in the beautiful Catoktin Mountains north of Frederick, Maryland and south of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It is when leaf change is at it's peak and the mountains are a glory! This is very near Camp David, where the presidents go for a weekend getaway. Lots of vendors and it is when everybody does a yard sale. I'll be there and I am hoping to see Tinsmith and Tim Boelner who is going to try to make it from Baltimore... How about you, Crazy Horse? It would be great to meet you finally. Anyone else? I caretake a rural property near Thurmont, so if anyone wants to pitch a tent and stay the night... there's plenty of room and great mountain roads for bike riding.
SB

Catoctin Colorfest
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Oct 08, 2011 - Oct 09, 2011

More than 360 stands of juried arts & crafts; two areas, all within walking distance. Shuttle buses available.

Category: Arts-Visual
Location: Community Park, Activities Grounds
10 Frederick Rd
Thurmont, Maryland 21788
County: Frederick County
Event Hours: Sat-Sun, 9am-5pm
Region: Capital Region
Phone: 301-271-7533
Website: http://colorfest.org
Google map

Since I live just up the mountain from Thurmont, the whole weekend is good for me. We can co-ordinate time and place when we get closer to that weekend. Hope you can make it!
SB

I'm having a lot of trouble with my internet connection and this will be my third try at responding to this post. The satellite connection here has given up, I have purchased a Verizon 4 G device and find it is not much better. This part of the Cotactin mountain range is difficult for communications apparently.
The dog and I did a ride through Thurmont this morning and it was an incredible crush of humanity on foot and in vehicles. I have learned since that many of the locals avoid it as much as possible. What was once a quaint community celebration of leaf change with music and food has become a mega yard sale descended upon by people who travel some distances to attend. If you like crowds and enough yard sales to make your eyes spin around I guess it is fine. I'm a forest dweller from the north woods of Minnesota and found it overwhelming.
I know, I'm the idiot who suggested this in the first place. The only good part of the dog and my ride was outside of town where there is an old covered bridge from Civil War days on a back road with a rushing stream of water making music of the best kind. Moosh and I shared our sandwich and for me a can of beer and for her a drink of stream. It is this and the beauty of the hills in leaf change that I had envisioned for this group ride which never materialized. While the Thurmont area and near by state park are perfect for biking, Colorfest weekend makes it all very difficult in my opinion.
Virginian, I hope your pedal ride with friends in the area was a lot of fun. The weather was perfect, for sure. Perhaps another time we can arrange a group motorbike ride when Dan is in town (out of state right now), I'm not out of computer and the town isn't out of room.
SB