Bike Doctor Frederick
Grand Fondue

Presented by Bike Doctor Frederick & Dirty Kitten Productions;

Hosted by Orchid Cellar Meadery & Winery; Benefiting Heartly House

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****CLICK HERE FOR FULL 2026 EVENT INFO****

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Join us at Orchid Cellar Meadery & Winery on Saturday, October 24th for a casual and fun, yet challenging ride on a variety of terrain (road, gravel, dirt). The routes begin in Middletown, MD and tour through various parts of Frederick County. Be prepared to ride a mixture of terrain both on and off-road (pavement, gravel, trail)!

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Event entry includes: Custom routes (along with GPS files and cue sheets), stocked aid stations (Half & Grand routes only), event glasses with ONE free drink per participant served at Orchid Cellar following the ride (for participants 21 and over only), ride snacks, live music, and various prizes/giveaways!

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Registration opens May 1st (entry fees increase on 7/1, 8/1, 9/1, 10/1):

• Grand Fondue - $50, $55, $60, $65, $70

• Half Fondue - $40, $45, $50, $55, $60

• Mini Fondue - $30, $35, $40, $45, $50​

NO refunds, transfers, or deferments. All no-show registration will be donated to Heartly House.

 

Start Times: 7:00-8:30am (Grand); 9:00-10:00am (Half); 10:00-11:00am (Mini) 

*Ride times are “rolling” which means you can start anytime during your designated time slot. This is to spread out arrival for parking and check-in, as well as keep ride groups smaller on the roads. The venue will open at 6:30am (Grand Fondue riders may start as early as 7:00am). Please do NOT arrive before 6:30am. 

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Location: Orchid Cellar Meadery & Winery - 8546 Pete Wiles Rd, Middletown, MD 21769

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Distance & Elevation: Mini - approx 25 miles & 2,000 ft elevation; Half - approx 50 miles & 5,500 ft elevation; Grand - approx 100 miles & 10,000 ft elevation

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Difficulty: Mini (moderate), Half (challenging), Grand (extremely challenging)

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Terrain (mixed-surface): pavement, gravel, and some optional trail sections

*Road bikes with narrow tires are NOT recommended

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ALL route info, GPS files, cue sheets, and maps will be posted HERE the week of the event (link below). The routes are NOT fully marked with signage so make sure you load the GPS files onto your device or print out a cue sheet and map to bring with you: 

https://ridewithgps.com/events/509455-2026-bdf-grand-fondue

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Aid Station: Half (50 mile) & Grand (100 mile) routes ONLY @ ThorpeWood Lodge - 12805A Mink Farm Rd, Thurmont, MD. The ThorpeWood Aid Station will be open 10am-3pm. NOTE - This is a different location from the last few years. Voluneers will be stationed at the Lodge pavilion not the Barn. Turn at the large ThorpeWood sign (look for Dirty Kitten flags at the entrance). There will be optional water stops along the Half & Grand routes. 

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Support: Pre-Ride bike check & support provided by Bike Doctor Frederick

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Photography: Bruce Buckley will be taking photos throughout the day (available for purchase)

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Live Music: Matt Stowell Music (2-5pm) 

 

Food: La Carreta Tacos y Tortas food truck on-site (12-6pm) or bring your own

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Drinks: Mead, wine, and seltzer served by Orchid Cellar (absolutely NO outside alcohol permitted) alcoholic drinks for 21+ participants only; non-alcoholic options are available 

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Bake Sale: Assorted items will be available for purchase (donation-based) before and after the ride - participants may contribute a baked good item in return for a registration credit OR select merchandise (speak with Alex, Event Director)

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Gear Swap: Bring lightly used cycling gear, parts, and accessories to donate or swap/trade (no "For Sale" items). Leftover items will be donated to a local cycling nonprofit organization (i.e. Bikes for the World or Phoenix Bikes)

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Medical: Provided by On the Trail First Aid (Wilderness First Aid, Standard First Aid, CPR/AED)

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Contacts: Alex & Chris Howell - Dirty Kitten Productions (fondue@dirtykittengravel.com) 240-215-4818; Bike Doctor Frederick (bikedrfrederick@gmail.com) 301-620-8868

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This event benefits Heartly House in Frederick, MD: A non-profit organization that provides services, free of charge, to survivors of domestic abuse, sexual assault, intimate partner violence, human trafficking, and child abuse. Heartly House also works to develop community awareness programs and prevention education in the area. Proceeds from this event will be donated directly to Heartly House. You may choose to make an additional donation during registration.