Happy Car-Free Day!

[Certifried]

@Rod Smith 31951 wrote:

Sorry about that. I know you were hurting but you kept catching people and dropping them…

man, you were awesome. I appreciate the push, I probably would not have finished the entire ride if you hadn’t been encouraging me along. The amazing chain work you did on that poor fellows bike was awesome. Mcgyver here also broke his derailleur, and fixed it with a STICK. Then rode the rest of the ride in one ring up front. 😎

[jopamora]

Oops, turns out I forgot to sign up.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@Certifried 31953 wrote:

man, you were awesome. I appreciate the push, I probably would not have finished the entire ride if you hadn’t been encouraging me along. The amazing chain work you did on that poor fellows bike was awesome. Mcgyver here also broke his derailleur, and fixed it with a STICK. Then rode the rest of the ride in one ring up front. 😎

I thought I’d catch up with you, but the closest I came was on Nebraska as I was headed toward Arizona and you were heading back toward AU (recognized the BA jersey!) I almost just said screw it and skipped the ride altogether, but I sucked it up and rode up there at the last minute. Started around 915 and finished right at 5pm with JDAntos and his wife, who were fantastic company.

[Rod Smith]

I think when that girl asked my name, she wanted to hear me say, “I’m Bicycle Repair Man!”
[video=youtube_share;rxfzm9dfqBw]http://youtu.be/rxfzm9dfqBw[/video]

[Riley Casey]

I bought my shopping pannier with a 24 pack of Negra Modelo in mind. Of course it means filling the other pannier pretty full for balance but hey balance is what it’s all about, right?:cool:

@acc 31930 wrote:

I lack the skill and balancing ability to carry two six-packs home on a bike. So I will keep my car for now. :p

[Amalitza]

@Rod Smith 31948 wrote:

Did you carry that in a car? I’m impressed!

I have a pick-em-up-truck. I carried it in that. :p

(so, technically, i suppose i did not drive my car today. I was not truck-free, but I was car-free!)

[MV Clyde]

I’m feeling guilty ’cause I caught a ride with my wife this afternoon in her Prius to go out to lunch. It’s a hybrid so I guess I only feel half guilty. Other than that, I was totally car free today.

[creadinger]

I was not car-free yesterday. In fact I probably drove more than usual. I had to work and wasn’t in the mood to bike in, and even less so in the rain (slight chance). I got screwed on the way home though when police shut down Suitland Parkway for some reason. It took me an hour to get home when it usually takes 30 minutes on WEEKdays! Then we went out to Del Ray for dinner with a friend who’s visiting and took the car for that too.

Anyway, I rode in today so I’ll be car-free today instead.

[consularrider]

I did manage to avoid the car on Saturday (had signed the pledge a looooong time ago, but never got the pizza coupons ). I got in 88 miles total by riding to Best Buns in Shirlington on my way to the 50 States ride. I saw dbb and Zanna at the start (got to ride with Zanna for the first couple miles), and ran into bluerider at the Mellow Mushroom post-ride party. I spent much of the first 20 miles riding with three random people, one on a fixie, one on a single speed, and one who just happened my stolen electric rose 1985 Bianchi Campione D’Italia. Somehow that bike made it from Mexico City to Ft Collins, CO sometime in the past 20 years.

[dasgeh]

@eminva 31932 wrote:

Lesson learned: while I’m lucky that bicycling for transportation is feasible for me five days a week, the other two will be really tough. Suburban and exurban infrastructure has a looooong way to go. While my husband and I never set out to construct a car based life for our son (we only have one car, after all), you’d almost have to forego all extracurricular activities to make that work.

We were just talking about that this weekend — with our kid still a toddler, we have a pretty easy time sticking to Arlington for extra-circulars* (preschool, music class, swim class, gymnastics, library) — all very bikeable. However, as soon as we think about leaving Arlington/central DC, the idea of biking becomes more difficult (and with a little kid, the distances to DC can be too difficult). So is there any hope? As the toddler becomes a kid, then a middle school student and even a – gasp – teenager, will we be able to stick within bikeable range of central Arlington?

*Of course, on Saturday, car-free day, we were headed to a birthday party in McLean, and couldn’t find a route that was safe/short enough to get there on bikes. So we drove.

[eminva]

@dasgeh 32002 wrote:

So is there any hope? As the toddler becomes a kid, then a middle school student and even a – gasp – teenager, will we be able to stick within bikeable range of central Arlington?(

Well, speaking only from my own experience, that depends on what interests your child develops and how determined you are. Most of our life is within an easy bike distance, even though we live a bit futher out that you. For example, my son’s music school is just five blocks from home, although this particular concert venue was quite a drive. You’re always going to have that concert that’s just a bit too far, the birthday party in McLean, etc. If you are okay with having to drive on the occasional weekend you should be okay.

Also, it will be a lot easier if you stick to local schools. Don’t know what your intentions are there.

Now if your child develops an interest in some obscure form of renaissance music that can only be studied in Ellicot City, MD, I’m afraid you are out of luck.

Liz

[Author]

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