Just a pause to say hello`

[JQCyclist]

As the title says, I’m just taking a second to pause my exploration of the forum to say Hello …. so ….. Hello!

I have been riding for years in the area and only found out about this forum thanks to my convoy leader on BTWD. Now I have a new thing to distract me when I open up a browser

About me, I guess.

I tend to keep to myself in large groups, I’m a people watcher. That said. I like to do charity rides whenever I can. This year I have done the “End Hunger” in Calvert County and the Tour de Cookie. I want to do the SMECO 75 this coming Saturday. I’m registered for the MS Chesapeake Challenge, and will be riding in RAGBRAI this year. Oh, and I also like to commute as often as work allows. I also like to make videos of the rides that I do, why not right? I won’t use this post to spam my videos but if anyone is curious I’ll do a reply.

What else….I’m not sure. I tend to use my time on a bike as a ‘zen moment’ I have found that when I get on my bike I feel empowered and am able to destress from whatever is going, for a little bit at least. I think I’m a friendly cyclist in that I try to say hi, wave a hand, or give a head nod to anyone I see on the trails.

Well anyway, again, Hello everyone and see you in the forum and on the trails.

[bobco85]

Welcome to the forum! You’ll find LOTS of stuff to distract you (weekend rides, coffee clubs, pics/vids from folks, the usual trail etiquette nonsense, bike parts up the wazoo, and more) here!

As far as meeting folks, I recommend checking out the numerous coffee clubs that occur on every day of the week and the happy hours, too. Here’s a list of coffee club gathering spots: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?7078-Weekly-Coffee-Gatherings&p=159432#post159432

Based on your commute, I’d say you should try the CCCC (Crystal City Coffee Club) on Tuesdays, the Hump Day Coffee Club (Best Buns in Shirlington) on Wednesdays, and WTFCC (Whole Thursday Foods Coffee Club at the Whole Foods in Crystal City) on Thursdays.

As for bike videos, the more, the merrier! I’ve got a decent backlog spanning the last couple of years, and it’s nice to see the different perspectives that fellow cyclists have when going on various rides.
@JQCyclist 160777 wrote:

What else….I’m not sure. I tend to use my time on a bike as a ‘zen moment’ I have found that when I get on my bike I feel empowered and am able to destress from whatever is going, for a little bit at least. I think I’m a friendly cyclist in that I try to say hi, wave a hand, or give a head nod to anyone I see on the trails.

Ditto to this for me; I’ve found cycling to be a very calming experience, especially after a long day.

Hope to meet you sometime!

[KLizotte]

Welcome JQ,

Thanks for saying hi! Sounds like you fit well within the DMV cycling community. I highly recommend attending a few social outings to be able to match faces with avatars, recognize folks at organized rides, etc. Helps makes the forum more personal. You will be surprised by how many people you recognize while riding after a while (Judd seems omnipresent!).

[Birru]

Welcome to the forum!

@bobco85 160789 wrote:

As far as meeting folks, I recommend checking out the numerous coffee clubs that occur on every day of the week and the happy hours, too. Here’s a list of coffee club gathering spots: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?7078-Weekly-Coffee-Gatherings&p=159432#post159432

Yup, I just started showing up at social events during Freezing Saddles 2017. Seemed to work out ok!

[Judd]

@KLizotte 160792 wrote:

Welcome JQ,

(Judd seems omnipresent!).

I am the Santa Claus of biking.

I see you when you’re biking.
I know if you’ve been good or bad.
So call your passes for goodness sake.

[Steve O]

@Judd 160800 wrote:

I am the Santa Claus of biking.

I’m sort of the opposite of that; at least that’s what I’m told.

I am, though, on a quest to go to every single coffee club at least once, so if you start coming, I’m bound to meet you sometime.
Also, check out the calendar on http://www.freezingsaddles.com

[huskerdont]

@Steve O 160803 wrote:

I’m sort of the opposite of that; at least that’s what I’m told.

Krampus?

[Judd]

@JQCyclist 160777 wrote:

As the title says, I’m just taking a second to pause my exploration of the forum to say Hello …. so ….. Hello!

I have been riding for years in the area and only found out about this forum thanks to my convoy leader on BTWD. Now I have a new thing to distract me when I open up a browser

About me, I guess.

I tend to keep to myself in large groups, I’m a people watcher. That said. I like to do charity rides whenever I can. This year I have done the “End Hunger” in Calvert County and the Tour de Cookie. I want to do the SMECO 75 this coming Saturday. I’m registered for the MS Chesapeake Challenge, and will be riding in RAGBRAI this year. Oh, and I also like to commute as often as work allows. I also like to make videos of the rides that I do, why not right? I won’t use this post to spam my videos but if anyone is curious I’ll do a reply.

What else….I’m not sure. I tend to use my time on a bike as a ‘zen moment’ I have found that when I get on my bike I feel empowered and am able to destress from whatever is going, for a little bit at least. I think I’m a friendly cyclist in that I try to say hi, wave a hand, or give a head nod to anyone I see on the trails.

Well anyway, again, Hello everyone and see you in the forum and on the trails.

Welcome to the forums and the cycling community. In addition to the excellent advice for making biking friends (who you can hit up for donations) I’d also suggest using Strava and joining some of the groups. I’ve made a few friends through Strava and turned some acquaintances into very strong friends. I’d recommend Bike Arlington strava group for starters.

I’d also mention that there’s a google calendar of cycling events, but I don’t want to steal Steve O’s thunder. I’ve found that showing up to stuff has been great for expanding my social network. Offering open invite rides has been even better.

[Judd]

@Steve O 160803 wrote:

I’m sort of the opposite of that; at least that’s what I’m told.

You’re a mean one…. Steve O… you’re a dirty, rotten soul…

[JQCyclist]

@Judd 160806 wrote:

Welcome to the forums and the cycling community. In addition to the excellent advice for making biking friends (who you can hit up for donations) I’d also suggest using Strava and joining some of the groups. I’ve made a few friends through Strava and turned some acquaintances into very strong friends. I’d recommend Bike Arlington strava group for starters.

I’d also mention that there’s a google calendar of cycling events, but I don’t want to steal Steve O’s thunder. I’ve found that showing up to stuff has been great for expanding my social network. Offering open invite rides has been even better.

Been using starve for a bit now – Joshua Hoover – and just now joined the Bike Arlington group, thanks for the suggestion.

Yeah a new group to hit up for donations for rides (like the MS one coming up haha) is always helpful, although I probably shouldn’t typed that, oh well.

I don’t drink coffee, which means I’m not really a cyclist I think, so cafe stops haven’t been my thing but I think I might pop in to some just to meet and greet people.

[komorebi]

@Judd 160800 wrote:

I am the Santa Claus of biking.

And you thought he was joking:

@JQCyclist 160828 wrote:

I don’t drink coffee, which means I’m not really a cyclist I think, so cafe stops haven’t been my thing but I think I might pop in to some just to meet and greet people.

I’m not much of a coffee drinker either, but I still find that the morning coffee clubs are the best way to start the day, see friends, hear about their cycling adventures so that I can add things to my bucket list, debate trail etiquette, and so on. Welcome to the forum, and I hope to see you at coffee club sometime soon!

[bentbike33]

@JQCyclist 160828 wrote:

I don’t drink coffee, which means I’m not really a cyclist I think, so cafe stops haven’t been my thing but I think I might pop in to some just to meet and greet people.

Then the club for you is Hump Day Coffee Club at Best Buns in Shirlington on Wednesdays. The coffee is nothing special (with the possible exception of the iced coffee with frozen-coffee ice cubes), but the baked goods are fabulous.

[Judd]

@JQCyclist 160828 wrote:

I don’t drink coffee, which means I’m not really a cyclist I think, so cafe stops haven’t been my thing but I think I might pop in to some just to meet and greet people.

There are also usually baked goods if that will entice you.

[JQCyclist]

@Judd 160833 wrote:

There are also usually baked goods if that will entice you.

Baked goods entice me far too easily, hence the reason i need to get on my bike more often.

[Kitty]

Yay!!! Welcome welcome welcome! You sound like you would fit in here like a chain to a cassette! I wandered in a few summers back when trying to sell a bike, and have been here ever since. It really is something how many fun activities there are in the cycling space–before I found the forums it seemed like a solitary activity. Boy was I wrong.

@JQCyclist 160777 wrote:

I also like to make videos of the rides that I do, why not right? I won’t use this post to spam my videos but if anyone is curious I’ll do a reply.

Great! We’ll be losing our resident videographer, BobCo, to the siren call of the other Washington. :p

Anyhoo, thanks for saying hello!

[Author]

Posts