AlexRenew waterways ride in Alexandria, 6/29

This topic has 15 replies, 8 voices, and was last updated 6 years, 1 month ago by Judd.

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June 8, 2019 at 8:37 pm #921270

komorebi
Participant

AlexRenew would like to answer the question: what happens to your water after it goes down the drain or toilet?

This ride will follow the path our water takes in an effort to learn about the wastewater recovery process and how AlexRenew works to improve water quality in our local waterways. We’ll head up to the Four Mile Run Education Station and follow a route that will take us past the Potomac Yard Pump Station and the AlexRenew Wastewater Recovery Campus. We’ll also pass near one of the outfalls that AlexRenew will be remediating as part of its RiverRenew program. Come ride and gain a deeper appreciation of what our water transformers do every day to protect our waterways.

When: Saturday, June 29, at 9:00 a.m.
Where: Meet at the main entrance to AlexRenew, 1800 Limerick St, Alexandria VA 22314. The route is about 8 miles, with a mix of trails and low-stress streets.
Who: This no-drop ride is organized by Alexandria’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (and yours truly!) and is open to everyone.

Details and registration at http://bit.ly/WaterwaysRide. Registration is encouraged, but you are also welcome to join the ride on the day of. Let’s ride!
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June 9, 2019 at 12:27 pm #1099227

Judd
Participant

I’m signed up! The info that I learned about AlexRenew on the Earth Day Ride was super interesting and I’m looking forward to learning more about how Alexandria handles waste and stormwater.

June 27, 2019 at 1:52 am #1099486

komorebi
Participant

Bump! Don’t forget, the ride is this Saturday. Also, the AlexRenew team has offered to give us a special behind-the-scenes tour of one of the pumping stations. Hope to see you there!

June 27, 2019 at 2:53 pm #1099493

CaseyKane50
Participant

I understand that the end of the ride will include the opportunity to get tacos and beer.

June 27, 2019 at 7:11 pm #1099497

creadinger
Participant

@komorebi 191438 wrote:

Who: This no-drop ride is organized by Alexandria’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (and yours truly!) and is open to everyone.

Are you sure you don’t want to make this a keep up or be dropped ride and make everyone sprint between stops? Haha. Sorry. It just sounds funny that an educational tour-style ride could be competitive essentially.

Sorry I’m busy this weekend but otherwise I’d join. And I wonder if they’d be willing to take our monthly payment while we’re there? ours is a teeny bit late. oops.

June 27, 2019 at 10:31 pm #1099502

komorebi
Participant

@creadinger 191817 wrote:

Are you sure you don’t want to make this a keep up or be dropped ride and make everyone sprint between stops? Haha. Sorry. It just sounds funny that an educational tour-style ride could be competitive essentially.

That’s there mostly to reassure the people who worry that they aren’t fast enough to keep up. I’ve gotten a few questions from newer or less confident riders concerned about being left behind or slowing the group down. If there’s a better phrase or way to encourage those riders and let them know they’re welcome to join, I’m all ears.

June 27, 2019 at 11:44 pm #1099503

Judd
Participant

@komorebi 191822 wrote:

That’s there mostly to reassure the people who worry that they aren’t fast enough to keep up. I’ve gotten a few questions from newer or less confident riders concerned about being left behind or slowing the group down. If there’s a better phrase or way to encourage those riders and let them know they’re welcome to join, I’m all ears.

This ride will have five marshals to make sure everyone is safe and no one is left behind no matter what pace they ride.

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June 27, 2019 at 11:45 pm #1099504

Starduster
Participant

Look, I face the same dilemma on my Papillon Casual Coffee Rides. I am *all* about reassuring a rider who might be intimidated by a serious-looking rider. We are trying to grow ridership, are we not? And maybe you can inspire a new rider to take on Loudon County gravel someday.

Plus my wife would give me holy hell if I dropped her.

“We leave no one behind.”

June 28, 2019 at 2:16 pm #1099524

mstone
Participant

it really all depends on how slow we’re talking about AMIRITE?

June 28, 2019 at 4:33 pm #1099535

Judd
Participant

@mstone 191840 wrote:

it really all depends on how slow we’re talking about AMIRITE?

No. I think all of the marshals have volunteered for a judicial ride at some point which sometimes go a blistering 4-5 miles per hour.

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June 28, 2019 at 5:16 pm #1099536

scoot
Participant

@Judd 191852 wrote:

No. I think all of the marshals have volunteered for a judicial ride at some point which sometimes go a blistering 4-5 miles per hour.

In fairness, it’s important to ride deliberately whenever you have to deliver a written legal opinion afterwards.

June 28, 2019 at 6:15 pm #1099538

Steve O
Participant

@Starduster 191824 wrote:

Plus my wife would give me holy hell if I dropped her.

Only if she catches up.

June 28, 2019 at 6:34 pm #1099541

mstone
Participant

@Steve O 191855 wrote:

Only if she catches up.

I miss the ELITE button

June 28, 2019 at 6:46 pm #1099544

Judd
Participant

@scoot 191853 wrote:

In fairness, it’s important to ride deliberately whenever you have to deliver a written legal opinion afterwards.

Apparently Apple doesn’t know that Kidical is a thing.

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June 29, 2019 at 11:36 pm #1099549

komorebi
Participant

Thanks to everyone who braved the heat and came out for the ride! It was great seeing you all. A few pictures:

Stopping at the pumping station and educational area at the junction of 4MR and Commonwealth Ave:

I had no idea that the building between the basketball and tennis courts on the Potomac Yard Trail is actually a pumping station that goes deep underground:

Learning about the River Renew project that will fix the combined sewer outfall problem:

Artistic toilets!

More photos on Flickr.

June 30, 2019 at 2:29 am #1099551

Judd
Participant

Great ride today. We got to check out the displays in the lobby at Alexandria Renew and also go inside one of the pump stations.

Fish tank at Alexandria Renew:

The pump house in Potomac Yard Trail. The pumps are about 30 feet down and pump the water up about 10 feet.

Ear plug dispenser at the pump house.

Rich from Alexandria Renew at the Combined Sewer Overflow on Hoofs Run. Notice the yellow sign warning of the danger. Alexandria Renew is engaged in a project that will reduce the number of overflow events every year from over 160 to just 4.

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