October 5:  Owings Mills to Rockville  51.8 miles

The heat wave from the last two days has gone off to sea.  Sometime during the night it said goodbye and sent in a cold wave to replace it.  We woke to a nice 68 degrees, but by the time we had finished breakfast it was already 65 and headed downward.  The forecast was rain by the afternoon, but we were confident that it would be late afternoon after we had already arrived at our next destination.  Oh life is so great when you live in total positive thoughts!!  Maybe it is sometimes a little simplistic but hey, it works!!

After sharing the six lane highway with rush hour traffic headed to Baltimore five miles, we turned (of course left!) onto a residential street that twisted and turned through eastern Maryland subdivisions.  Like the day before we passed through areas named after former settlements of long ago and which are now just signs labeling an exclusive community.  Such names as Marriotsville, West Friendship, Glenela, and Dayton are all grand neighborhoods.

One that was interesting and still seemed to hold true to its original name was Ward's Chapel.  Sitting high on a hill at a crossroads was literally Ward's Chapel complete with cemetery in the rear.  Other than that one, however, there is little signs of the former village.  Modern development has consumed the land and the homes reflect the economic status. 

Brookville is the exception to this modernization.  The town has been in existence for over two hundred and fifty years.  Built into the side of a hill the town still is home to its original homes and buildings.  Quaint and beautiful, it also holds a historical significance.  Brookville in 1814 was the capital of this nation for one day!!  The British were charging into Washington, DC with the full intend of burning the White House and the Capital -- President Madison at the time packed up his official family and cabinet and fled to Brookville.  For one full day, the town was declared the official capital of the nation.

Dolly Madison, at that time with the British threatening to destroy all the artifacts within the White House, stayed back momentarily in order to remove all the presidential paintings housed within the White House.  Her mission was to preserve the art as well as the history.  We can thank her for still having those beautiful portraits that hang to this day in the White House.  

During the Civil War the town was also a milestone.  It seems that the Confederate Army had captured 125 Union wagons and the personnel including black former slaves.  The general in charge would not allow the prisoners food or water as he marched them south.  As they entered the valley and started across the stream in an attempt to enter Brookville any black who tried to drink from the water was shot --  the whites were not.  The two white Union officers among the group convinced the general that pardoning all the prisoners at this point would save the Confederate army a lot of time.  Pardon granted and the Confederates moved on.  This move saved many black and white lives. 

Next stop on the tour -- lunch at a great restaurant sitting at just the right corner when you are cold and hungry.  The place, itself, would be great to anyone, but for six hungry, tired, cold bikers it was wonderful!  The proprietor, Carol Anne Quinn, was fabulous.  She immediately welcomed us into her establishment and served us some of the best Maryland Crab Soup we have ever had.  If you are ever in the area, try Dave's -- an American Bistro.  Address:  5500 Olney-Laytonsville Road, Olney, MD 20832.  Carol Anne and her partner, Judy Carter have a gold mine going there.  Great food, super hospitality!!  

From there full and happy, we rode into Rock Creek Regional Park with the hopes of finding the bike path that goes all the way through Washington, DC.  We are staying outside the city tonight, but originally thought this would be a great way to avoid traffic.  Washington, DC traffic can be horrific.  Big problem:  we found the trail, but had no idea on which cross street to exit in order to get to the motel.  No one wanted to ride another 20 miles into the city only to find out that we would have to ride back out.  So back out on the main roads and rush hour, but we are getting so good at "taking the lane".

Tonight is Rockville -- itself an historical town.  http://www.rockvillemd.gov/historic/historybrief/historybrief.html

The weather is turning against us, but we make it through.

Halloween Has Arrived!!

Frankie and Mark Enjoying Another Hill!

Peg:  "No More Hills!!!!!"  Frankie and Mark:  "Okay!"

Jan:  "Hey, Peg, Looks Like My GPS Says That We Won't Have Any More Hills -- HA!  HA!"

YES!!  A Coffee Break Indoors!

 

Sue in a Tunnel of Trees

Mark:  "Nancy, That's Mine -- I Rode The Hills Today, Not You!!"