Disclaimer: This 52-Mile Three Covered Bridges and Gettysburg Battlefield Tour recap contains affiliate links…

 

An Independence Day Tradition

Driving to Maryland for a covered bridges bike tour on Independence Day morning has become as much of a tradition as running the Firecracker 5K in past years. Friends are always welcome, and this year two friends were able to join us for a fun-filled morning on a new course. The mostly backroads route covering Maryland and Pennsylvania farm country not only took us across three covered bridges, past beautiful farms, and an abundance of farm animals, but also through the historic Gettysburg battlefield.

After about an hour drive we met at Thurmont Community Park in Thurmont, MD with plans to roll at 7:30 AM. It was a beautiful 71° morning with sunshine, blue skies, puffy white clouds, and lower humidity, not bad for July 4th. It warmed gradually over the course of our ride to 87° (feels like 91°) and partly cloudy as we pulled back into the parking lot at the Thurmont Community Park. We’d even had a quick 1-minute refreshing rain shower during latter half of the ride.

 

But First, Mechanical Issues

I mentioned above that we planned to start at 7:30 AM, but due to mechanical issues with my bike, it was 7:50 before we actually rolled. When my husband tried to put air in my rear tire none would go in and no matter how hard he tried the valve wouldn’t open. One of our friends offered to help and suddenly the valve popped off in his hand as the rest of the air escaped from the tire. Luckily our other friend had a pair of pliers and the guys were able to screw the valve back into the tire.

While my tire was flat, images of having to turn around and drive home had me concerned that our fun day wouldn’t happen. Having not planned to recap our ride, I didn’t think to take any pictures of the pre-start escapades.

 

Ride Overview
  • • Ride Name: 53-3CoveredBridgesThurmontGettysburgBattlefield
  • • Location: Thurmont and Emmitsburg, Maryland and Gettysburg Pennsylvania
  • • Start/Finish: Thurmont Community Park
  • • Course Type: Skinny Loop
  • • Course Surface: Paved
  • • Bike: Specialized Roubaix Comp
  • • Distance: 52.31 miles
  • • Time: 3:38:52
  • • Average Speed: 14.3 MPH
  • • Maximum Speed: 34 MPH
  • • Elevation Gain: 2,418 feet
  • • Elevation Range: 333 to 591 feet
  • • Temperature Range: 71° to 87° (feels like 91°)
  • • Ride with GPS: Link to turn-by-turn navigation cue sheet
  • • Course Map:

 

Fun Pictures From Along the Way

Most of the following pictures were taken with my iPhone (affiliate link); however, a special shoutout goes to my husband Bill who captured pictures while riding with his Insta 360 camera (affiliate link).

Having not planned to recap our ride, I didn’t think to take any pictures of our start. Early on during the ride, though, I decided that since we were riding a new course, I would recap it.

Approaching Loys Station Covered Bridge 7 miles into our ride…

 

The guys had pulled ahead and were waiting on the other side of the bridge…

Photo credit: Bill

With comfortable temps and more downhill than up, I was averaging 16.7 MPH ten miles into the ride. My friend Rob, though, was absolutely hauling it and had to keep stopping to wait for the rest of us. On one of those stops, I snagged our first group picture.

Shortly after stop I ran off the road because I was hugging the grass as a huge truck passed. When my front tire hit the wet grass I went into a slide, and shockingly rather than panicking, steered into the slide. I finally stopped up a hill and in someones front yard. Luckily, I didn’t crash, but was a little shaky for a few minutes.

 

A few miles down the road I watched as a large herd of goats ran out of their beautiful red barn as we approached. Unfortunately, a car was behind me patiently waiting to pass, but I didn’t have a place to pull over or I would have let him by and stopped to take pictures of the goats who were by this time kicking merrily and frolicking in the field.

Fourpoints Bridge over Toms Creek 13.6 miles into the ride…

Photo credit: Rob

Once again I missed another great photo opportunity when two longhorn cattle ran away from the fence toward the center of their field as we approached.

The farmer girl in me couldn’t resist stopping for a picture in front of this corn field. This farmer’s corn was definitely knee-high by the 4th of July (an annual goal for my dad). It wasn’t until years later that my brother read that the old saying refers to corn being knee-high when the farmer is sitting on a horse.

Photo credit: Dave

We stopped to refuel on Toms Creek Church Road 14.5 miles into the ride…

 

Shortly after starting up again, I pulled over long enough to take pictures of a few farms…

 

25.5 miles into our ride we entered Gettysburg National Military Park (Gettysburg battlefield)…

State of Pennsylvania Monument…

 

The Angle, where on July 3, 1863 Pickett’s Charge made it across the field into Union lines making it one of the most famous attacks of the Civil War…

Photo credit: Bill

Remnants of the stone wall built by local farmers prior to the civil war…

 

The North Carolina Memorial…

 

The Virginia Memorial…

 

Shortly after leaving the battlefield, we stopped at Rite Aid in Gettysburg to buy water and Gatorade. In hindsight, I should have gotten and extra bottle of water to put in the back pocket of my jersey.

Sachs Covered Bridge 32.5 miles into the ride and closed to vehicular traffic…

 

Beautiful red barns…

 

One of the few times I was leading the way…

 

Dark clouds ahead which eventually gave us a 1-minute cooling off with steady rain…

Photo credit: Bill

Vigilant Hose Company in Emmitsburg 40.8 miles into the ride…

 

We entered the Mount St. Mary’s University campus 43.7 miles into the ride after a steady climb…

 

After emptying both of my 20-ounce bottles I desperately needed water. We stopped at a water spigot next to the Mount St. Mary’s athletic fields – the handle was blue so I hoped it was potable water. I’d seen red handles on other outdoor spigots so I guessed/hoped blue is potable and red isn’t. While writing this recap I checked and indeed that is how it’s coded.

Roddy Covered Bridge 50 miles into our ride…

 

With just over two miles to go, I was pumped to get back to the community center and finish our ride. Shortly after taking this picture, I jumped on my bike and led the way. Back at the parking lot, we loaded our bikes and quickly changed into dry clothes. Unfortunately, our friends had to rush off to other Independence Day events and weren’t able to join us for lunch.

 

Garmin Stats

Post-ride Garmin (affiliate link) picture…

 

Garmin map and graphs…

 

Final Thoughts on the Ride

It was nice to get out with friends to kick off Independence Day. I appreciate that even though the guys are much stronger riders than I, they’re willing to keep it chill and wait for me at turns if they’ve ridden ahead. I’m pretty sure, though, that they’re camels because they don’t go through as much water as I do and they never need to stop for potty breaks.

We’ve been lucky and had very cooperative weather all three years we’ve done a covered bridge ride. Much of the ride is in the open and the sun beating down could be brutal.

 

Questions:
  • • Do you have any Independence Day morning traditions? ~ For several years I ran in the Firecracker 5K and for three years have ridden a covered bridges route.
  • • Were you aware of the outdoor water faucet handle color coding? ~ It was partly an educated guess and dumb luck for me.
  • • Do you stop and relax occasionally to fuel or take pictures, or barrel on through when on a long run or ride? ~ Pictures, always pictures, unless I’m racing!

 

Disclaimer:  This post contains affiliate links which means if you click on the blue product link and then make a purchase, I will receive a small commission for referring you. You will pay no more or less for the product; however, Amazon will show their gratitude for my referral by paying me.