BBC Selects New President Pat Lapensee

The Executive Board of the Baltimore Bicycling Club voted Pat Lapensee in as president of the BBC for 2020 at their bi-monthly executive board meeting, Thursday, January 9. Pat has been a member of the BBC since 1991.  He was instrumental in planning the 50th Anniversary Celebration Rides & Party in June 2018, even smoking pounds of salmon for the event.

Pat is an avid cyclist, having ridden in Spain, France, Italy and Canada as well the U.S. from North Carolina to New York. You can often find Pat enjoying rides in the BBC’s 13-15 MPH ride category. Or in his bike downtime, Pat likes to hit the links or try new recipes in his gourmet kitchen -- two of his other favorite hobbies. When not indulging in his hobbies, Pat is a software engineer for Raytheon.

Pat lives in Sykesville with his wife Denise Huson who is also an experienced cyclist and long-time BBC member and their schnauzer Klinger.

Annual Dinner

The BBC Election dinner and awards celebration was held on November 16^th, 2019 at Oregon Ridge Lodge.  Dinner, desert and socializing was enjoyed by all.

Ed Cahill, past president presided over the evening.

The following board was voted in for 2020.

Vice President: Gloria Epstein

Treasurer: John Isaacs

Secretary: Ellen Hochman

Members at Large: Gary Brandon, Rich Burns, Peter Crosby, Marg Draper-Harris

Past President: Ed Cahill                

Many outstanding volunteers and ride leaders were recognized.The BBC would not be successful without its strong volunteers.

Read more: Annual Dinner

2019 Instructional Ride Series

The 2019 Instructional Series successfully concluded with the hope of launching the biking future for approximately 30 individuals who each participated in up to seven group rides. The participants learned about bike handling skills, how to do minor road repairs, as well as about equipment and clothing.  Participants could choose between a short, medium, or a longer route at each group ride.  Early on, the short/medium/long rides were about 10/16/20  miles long.  Later in the series, the rides were extended to about 18/25/35 miles.  Ride locations started on the NCR and B&A/BWI trails then shifted to the roads near Greenspring Station, Jacksonville, and Sparrows Point/Ft. Howard.

Read more: 2019 Instructional Ride Series

BBC riders highlighted in "Carroll County Times" article 1/2/20

Riding into 2020: 29th annual Mount Airy Bicycles ride

 .....“The weather is extremely variable. Last year it was raining and I didn’t come out. A few years ago it was pretty darn cold,” said Ed Cahill, of Ellicott City, who was preparing to take his vintage red Mercian bike on the road. “This year it’s actually pretty nice.”  It was Cahill’s third time participating in the Mount Airy Bicycles annual, “I’ve ridden every day this year“ ride, but it was the 29th anniversary of the event, which draws new and experienced cyclists out for their first ride of the new year.

BBC riders at this event included:  Ed Cahill, Jane and John Cole, John Eckard, Steve Feldman, Mike Harris, Denise Huson, Rob Keiser, Pat Lapansee, Pat and George Macnabb, Becky and Jim Matsakis, Mary and Barry Menne, Renee Rees, Carol Russell, Alice Smith, Stacy Spivak, and Darren Waugh... and perhaps others.

Photos (P. Grout): Denise Huson of Sykesville checks her 30-mile route and Pat Lapensee is starting out from the parking lot.

The Greencastle Great Escape – Still Great!

In June we held our fifth annual Greencastle Great Escape, and I’m happy to report that it is...still great!  Especially this year.  Temperatures never got above 81, the humidity never above 50 percent, and – except for a bit of cloud cover Friday morning – the skies were mostly clear.  And, best of all, despite a forecast suggesting otherwise, there wasn’t so much as a hint of rain the entire weekend.

Read more: Great Escape 2019