Did I not get the memo? Half of Virginia Started Biking Today

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  • June 11, 2012 at 1:03 pm #911488
    pfunkallstar
    Participant

    Holy biker hordes Batman! Evidence!

    1. Mass of confused bikers waiting at the W&OD Lee Highway crossing – strange – usually I’m alone….there were at least 10 bikers.
    2. Clearly newbie guy sprinting down towards Custis trail junction, not quite passing seasoned cologne-guy. Nothing more embarrassing than trying to pass, riding on the left for a bit, and then failing.
    3. Two women riding side by side talking about how nice it is to get out on a bike – down near Rosslyn.

    There must have been three to four times as many bikers out today compared to Average Monday, which I despise anyways.

    Welcome biker friends!

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  • June 11, 2012 at 1:22 pm #942552
    sjclaeys
    Participant

    Yes, lots of fun this morning:

    1) Arlington County van parked on the Custis Trail at the intersection with the W&OD at 7:30. A conveniently dangerous place to park.
    2) Cat 6 racers passing on the right at the Custis Trail intersections near Rosslyn.
    3) NPS cones in the middle of the cut-out for the sidewalk in front of the Jefferson Memorial.

    Nonetheless, a nice ride overall.

    June 11, 2012 at 1:22 pm #942553
    consularrider
    Participant

    Hmmm…
    Seemed like a pretty normal fair weather Monday to me. I must say I was surprised at how many people were out on bikes on the MVT yesterday between noon and 1 pm. I’d say about ten bikes to every one runner. What is that phrase about mad dogs and Englishmen…?

    June 11, 2012 at 1:25 pm #942556
    Dirt
    Participant

    It was really nice this morning. It was cool to see so many people out. Happy people on bikes. :D They’ll clue and and figure stuff out. I had fun with Mr. “I’m gonna pass you then slow up immediately as many times as I possibly can” this morning. The count got to 4 before I tired of the game. Cool thing was that he announced his passes every time. Super nice guy…. just really wanted to be in front of me and move slowly. Perhaps I was the one that didn’t get the memo. :D

    June 11, 2012 at 1:57 pm #942564
    JimK
    Participant

    I almost hit a bunny on the W&OD just south of the Custis intersection. It sprinted beside me for about ten feet then cut in front without signalling. It did not have a bell.

    June 11, 2012 at 2:07 pm #942567
    jrenaut
    Participant

    @JimK 21761 wrote:

    I almost hit a bunny on the W&OD just south of the Custis intersection. It sprinted beside me for about ten feet then cut in front without signalling. It did not have a bell.

    F@*#ing bunnies are a menace.

    June 11, 2012 at 2:08 pm #942568
    eminva
    Participant

    Alas, I have to be back in Vienna and presentable (to non-Lycra clad types) by 7 pm which is not consistent with bike commuting for me. Metro is as bad as you remember.

    Liz

    —
    I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?vcfj2s

    June 11, 2012 at 2:10 pm #942569
    creadinger
    Participant

    I didn’t see so many bikers, as much as just weird craziness.

    -1 From the MVT at the airport – the traffic on the GWP was terrible this morning! Good day for a ride

    -2 The cones blocking the cut-out in front of TJ have been there for a while. If they don’t want people to salmon up the road, why do they put cones there?

    -3 The usual guy yielded to me again on the Douglass Bridge. I really need to get that guy back, it’s just that he just hops off his bike like 100 yards before we pass each other.

    -4 Heading up the hill on Mass Ave SE, a car started backing out of their driveway without looking. If I didn’t see it, I would have gotten squashed. The most surprising thing though was that a dumptruck driver coming down the hill saw this potential collision and slowed down in case I had to swerve out around, and honked his horn probably to alert me and the driver that something was up. Wow! I give dump truck drivers a lot of well deserved crap, but this guy was top notch. We gave each other a wave after I got around the car.

    -5 A DC work truck towing a diesel generator was driving all erratically in SE. He did not seem capable of making a left turn onto 36th St from Alabama, and then pulled a U-turn at Suitland Road, and proceeded to honk at #6, even though he and everyone else clearly had no idea where he was going.

    -6 I saw a white cyclist heading up Suitland road for probably the 2nd time ever (was that Certifried?).

    June 11, 2012 at 2:40 pm #942576
    Greenbelt
    Participant

    I had a very nice looking young woman (blonde, not that it matters) stop me at the corner of 18th street NE and Bunker Hill Ave to ask me if I know where Bunker Hill Ave was. I was speechless — all I could do was mumble and point at the street sign.

    June 11, 2012 at 2:45 pm #942579
    jopamora
    Participant

    Same for Maryland. I got a very late start and I was surprised at how many bikers also had a late start today.

    June 11, 2012 at 2:52 pm #942581
    ShawnoftheDread
    Participant

    I had the opposite experience on the MVT this morning, about 8:30. I hardly saw anyone.

    June 11, 2012 at 3:02 pm #942583
    TwoWheelsDC
    Participant

    I got a later start than usual (645, probably early for most people I suppose) and thinking back on the ride in, I am surprised at how few riders I saw, particularly between 14th St. Bridge up the MVT and riding up the Custis. I think I saw about 3 cyclists on Military, but then I probably went 4 more miles without seeing another bike.

    June 11, 2012 at 3:07 pm #942586
    KLizotte
    Participant

    The next time I get off the George Mason Bridge and see that stupid cone in the handicap ramp to the bike trail heading into DC, I’m going to move it. I mean seriously, what are they thinking?! If we keep moving it, perhaps they will get the message.

    June 11, 2012 at 3:29 pm #942595
    DaveK
    Participant

    Nothing important happened today.

    June 11, 2012 at 4:19 pm #942603
    Megabeth
    Participant

    Hrm, I didn’t see any other cyclists but me out there this morning on the way to Rosslyn. However, it was strangely smoggy/dusty a lot more than usual around the construction sites, so perhaps everyone was hidden in the “mist”?

    June 11, 2012 at 4:42 pm #942608
    vvill
    Participant

    I saw less commuters than average today, surprisingly.

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