Cycle Across Maryland (CAM) Weekend 2005
CAM stands for Cycle Across Maryland. It is provided each year in late June by One Less Car, web site www.onelesscar.org. It's a three day weekend with bike rides ranging from fifteen mile beginner's rides up to a challenging century ride. A different assortment of rides is offered each day.
For the last two years it has been based at Mount Saint Mary's College near Emmitsburg, MD. The rides no longer travel across Maryland, although they do range out from the college in different directions each day. Some of them go up into Pennsylvania. Perhaps it should be renamed Cycle Around Maryland?
Here's how Mount St. Mary's looks from the start/finish for each of the bike rides. Attendance looks sparse in this picture, but I understand about 600 riders signed up for this year's event.
The organizers do a great job of putting together nearly everything a bicycle vacationer might want for the three days.
Some of the amenities are:
- On-site camping facilities
- College dormitory rooms available for a small fee
- Optional Meal plan that covers breakfast and supper each day - plenty to eat
- Interesting presentations, seminars, and demonstrations each day
- Bicycling themed movies each afternoon and evening
- Swimming Facilities
- Optional post-ride massage
- First Aid Station
- Rest stops with refreshments and porta-johns along each bike route
- Sag vehicles that patrol the bike routes
- Various events: Ice Cream Social, Open House, Finish Line Celebration
- Nifty swag including a cool t-shirt, pin, century badge, books, etc.
 |
 |
The Rides
Bandwidth Notice: The remaining three pages have plenty of photos!
After trying some shorter rides last year, I decided to go for the maximum this year and chose the longest ride offered each day.
The three rides can be roughly described as:
- FRIDAY - 61 mi. - Great scenery, including three covered bridges; some gently rolling hills
- SATURDAY - Century - North to PA and Gettysburg; some mile-long climbs, long, flat finish
- SUNDAY - 46 mi - Recovery day in MD; some rolling hills and a visit to Taneytown
The natural beauty of this area provides opportunities for great photos!
Well, on with the show.