If you're participating in the Bristol-Myers Squibb Tour of Hope DC Fundraising Ride, doing the 50-mile route, and asking to be informed about shuttle services to the start line as I did, what was your reaction when you read this passage in an informational email that we all received last week?

As you know, shuttles will be made available for your convenience to transport you to the ride start locations. Many of you selected the shuttle option upon registration. However, as you will see from the shuttle schedule below, departures to the 50-mile ride start in Howard County from the JW Marriott will depart between 4:30 - 5:00 AM. If you wish to reconsider driving to the ride start, there is ample free parking on the campus at Howard County Community College. You will then be shuttled back to your car at the college campus after the Grand Finale activities on the Ellipse.

You probably asked yourself, "Are there any hotel options close to the start?"

Yes. Marriott has a number of good options. Search using the city "Annapolis Junction, MD". The rates drop on Friday night in some of these hotels because they house government workers and contractors during the week.

Hilton has a hotel in Columbia, MD. I would recommend choosing the "Search all brands" option on their site when doing a search.

Kathleen and I are staying at one of the Marriott properties and driving our car to the start. Kathleen is going to meet me at the finish at The Ellipse, so she will probably drive from the start to a Metro station and take the train in to Washington. We will have other family there with us as well.

As a reminder, the start locations of the Tour of Hope DC Fundraising Ride and an approximate map of the 50-mile ride course can be found on here on Operation Gadget.

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