Freezing Saddles February Side Competition

[americancyclo]

Does the entirety of the Strava Art have to be within the boundaries of ArlCo?

[Tim Kelley]

@americancyclo 76366 wrote:

Does the entirety of the Strava Art have to be within the boundaries of ArlCo?

Yes.

With the exception of doing something really cool like making a huge drawing that spans from Leesburg to Baltimore to DC or something like that.

[cvcalhoun]

You know, we’ve had previous complaints that Maryland is the red-headed stepchild of this competition. For example, the bridges competition was simple for Virginians, many of whom crossed bridges on their way to work, but required us Marylanders to travel many miles just to get to a bridge. I’ve assumed until now that this was unthinking, not deliberate. But seriously, you don’t think that requiring that all entries take place in Arlington disadvantages us Marylanders?

[rcannon100]

Arlington county is sponsoring sorta this side bet. Seems reasonable.

And there is no barrier to MD creating its own challenges, right? Its an all volunteer driven game.

[Tim Kelley]

@cvcalhoun 76446 wrote:

You know, we’ve had previous complaints that Maryland is the red-headed stepchild of this competition. For example, the bridges competition was simple for Virginians, many of whom crossed bridges on their way to work, but required us Marylanders to travel many miles just to get to a bridge. I’ve assumed until now that this was unthinking, not deliberate. But seriously, you don’t think that requiring that all entries take place in Arlington disadvantages us Marylanders?

As much as we’re a regional player, BikeArlington’s mission is to promote people riding bikes in Arlington. So yeah, come visit us here!

Also, here’s the Maryland side competition: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?6539-The-Maryland-centric-Pointless-Prize-Prize

[Fast Friendly Guy]

@Tim Kelley 76364 wrote:

So, here’s the competition:

-Create a GPS drawing of bicycle by riding a route and recording it with Strava
-It can be any style of bike, the only limitation is that it has to take place in Arlington
-Upload to Strava
-Post the ride link to this thread
-You’ve got two weeks (closes at 11:59pm on February 17th) and then Chris and I will vote on our favorite
-The winner will receive a $25 gift card to their favorite bike shop in Arlington
-Be creative and have fun!

Tim, The BICYCLE ART idea is a winner. I think I’m personally going to make the deadline, but I know others want to try their hand, and the reason we’re all feeling added pressure is that snow forecast. It’s going to make roads needed for the drawing impassable for days!

How about a one week extension?

[Mikey]

@Fast Friendly Guy 77200 wrote:

Tim, The BICYCLE ART idea is a winner. I think I’m personally going to make the deadline, but I know others want to try their hand, and the reason we’re all feeling added pressure is that snow forecast. It’s going to make roads needed for the drawing impassable for days!

How about a one week extension?

How about plowing the trails

[Fast Friendly Guy]

Freezing Saddles Side Challenge: Bike Arlington Strava Ride Art

Date: February 11,12
[IMG]http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4744&d=1392261920&thumb=1[/IMG]

Strava Ride URL http://www.strava.com/activities/112955803
Forum Posting: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?6492-Strava-Ride-Art
Miles: Drawing Only: 42.6 miles
Miles: Full Ride 61.3

Detail: Pedals
[IMG]http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4746&d=1392262238&thumb=1[/IMG]
Detail: Down Tube and Arlington Cemetery path
[IMG]http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=4747&d=1392262240&thumb=1[/IMG]

Comments:
I’ve been thinking about doing a bicycle for some time, but Tim’s challenge got me going. I rode streets and neighborhoods in Arlington I’ve never seen before AND the temperature NEVER once got above freezing during my rides!

In four separate trips, my drawing took me on Arlington streets, roads, highways, alleys, and cutting across parks, yards, fields, construction areas, and cemeteries. I lifted my bike over, and then climbed, 4 separate fences, 3 highway jersey barriers, and 2 walls! To do the rear part of seat and chain stays, I had to ride the winding roads through Arlington Cemetery to the intersection of Grant and McClellan Drives to mark the rear wheel hub, which lines up perfectly with Arlington Blvd and Fairfax Dr for the rest of the stays. I counted on the weekend to finish my artwork, but the impending snow storm, forced me to do multiple rides per day to make Tim’s deadline. The first flakes fell within hours of finishing!

[Raymo853]

My protest to the geographic limit is this art from Suitland MD. I only noticed the shape after uploading this sleaze ride.
http://app.strava.com/activities/111575632

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4750[/ATTACH]

[vvill]

@Fast Friendly Guy 77247 wrote:

In four separate trips, my drawing took me on Arlington streets, roads, highways, alleys, and cutting across parks, yards, fields, construction areas, and cemeteries. I lifted my bike over, and then climbed, 4 separate fences, 3 highway jersey barriers, and 2 walls! To do the rear part of seat and chain stays, I had to ride the winding roads through Arlington Cemetery to the intersection of Grant and McClellan Drives to mark the rear wheel hub, which lines up perfectly with Arlington Blvd and Fairfax Dr for the rest of the stays. I counted on the weekend to finish my artwork, but the impending snow storm, forced me to do multiple rides per day to make Tim’s deadline. The first flakes fell within hours of finishing!

Very brave! I stared at Google Maps for a few minutes and saw a similar bike pattern there, then decided it was well beyond me to ride on some of those roads around the rear wheel (that and I have never ridden much around there so I’d get lost easily).

Also, I have to ask – how did you combine the multiple ride files into one “ride”?

[eminva]

Very well done, FFG! Did you do a “pause” to get the back of the diamond frame (through the cemetery)? I was playing around with this and thought the diamond frame, not the wheels, would pose the biggest challenge if you go with that style of bike. Arlington is not built on a grid. This is hard. I am amazed!

I once rode on Washington and Columbia Pike when going from work to the Cinema and Drafthouse — quite the hair raising adventure.

I’ve got the schematic in my back pocket for my entry, but I would need an extension from Tim — couldn’t get to it before the snows due to having to play Florence Nightingale for my recuperating husband. Oh well, this is very well done, I couldn’t top it, although I was going in a little different direction.

Liz

[Fast Friendly Guy]

@eminva 77276 wrote:

I once rode on Washington and Columbia Pike when going from work to the Cinema and Drafthouse — quite the hair raising adventure.

Liz

Thanks, Liz. I hope you follow through with your bike art plan. You know how much I admire your work. As for busy roads..the worst were (by far) doing the rear wheel: Route 50 from Memorial Bridge to Courthouse Rd, then Washington Blvd Rt to Columbia Pike. Columbia Pike and Glebe were no vacations either! It’s a miracle I didn’t get a flat going through some of the mud and debris at those construction areas! A few of the dearly departed must have perked up a bit as I cut overland routes through those cemeteries! Ah the sacrifices we make for our art.

[Fast Friendly Guy]

@vvill 77267 wrote:

… then decided it was well beyond me to ride on some of those roads around the rear wheel (that and I have never ridden much around there so I’d get lost easily).

Also, I have to ask – how did you combine the multiple ride files into one “ride”?

Will, Never underestimate yourself. I’m sure you would fare well with any plan you picked, though you’re right about the scary factor on the rear wheel. It would have been even worse if there wasn’t a bike route along Washington Blvd, from the Pentagon to Memorial Bridge.

There were only two pauses in the entire drawing
1) connecting rear hub from Arl Blvd and Fairfax Dr
2) taking the lump out of the rear wheel at the Airforce Memorial on Columbia Pike near the Pentagon

Everything else was on roads, trails, highways, fields, yards, parks, and of course, cemeteries!

How to combine multiple rides? Make sure each next ride starts where the previous ride ended, then use Garmin’s Basecamp to do a “track join” I also use Basecamp to delete the non-art connectors in the full ride (e.g. to and from my home, my ride through Arlington Cemetery, etc). If your’re interested, I’d be happy to exchange Strava Ride Art tips and techniques! We could meet at coffee, say Hump Day at Shirlington.

[vvill]

Thanks for the kind words. I don’t think I’d enjoy a ride just for the art though, if the ride wasn’t at least decent. That rear wheel route… I’m not quite that dedicated to Strava art! Ah, Garmin Basecamp, nice. I hadn’t heard of that before. I think I will stick to stuff I can draw/ride more easily though.

Connecting the rear hub like that was definitely a wise choice given that a bicycle is such a strictly defined shape.

[Tim Kelley]

@Fast Friendly Guy 77200 wrote:

Tim, The BICYCLE ART idea is a winner. I think I’m personally going to make the deadline, but I know others want to try their hand, and the reason we’re all feeling added pressure is that snow forecast. It’s going to make roads needed for the drawing impassable for days!

How about a one week extension?

Sure–a one week extension. So the deadline is now 2/24!

[Author]

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