Let’s Bike the Purple Line! (No Drop Ride)

[bobco85]

I’ve been thinking of doing this as a group ride with the Bicycle Fun Club for some time, and now that the weather is a bit nicer, I’m ready to go forward with it. Let’s bike the future Purple Line route!

Saturday, April 22
Meet at 9:00 a.m. at Georgetown Waterfront Park spiral maze
Rolling at 9:15 a.m.
Route: https://www.strava.com/routes/7990217
Expected length: 42.3 miles in 4-5 hours (including breaks and a stop for lunch)
Fitness/experience: some hills, should be comfortable riding in traffic
Weird clothing requirement: Wear Purple (as much as you can find!)

The ride starts at Georgetown Waterfront Park and uses the Capital Crescent Trail to get to the western terminus of the future Purple Line in Bethesda. The route attempts to mimic the actual light rail path (I will point out station locations) as it travels between Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, Langley Park, College Park, and eventually its eastern terminus at New Carrollton. After that, highlights include DC’s Eastern Boundary Stone, the Marvin Gaye Trail, and the Anacostia River Trail before ending at the Jefferson Memorial. (FYI, a portion of the route is on University Blvd which we will use the sidewalk for)

I figure somewhere around College Park would be good to take a break for lunch, but I am not familiar with the dining aspect of the area. Any suggestions?

Topic

[streetsmarts]

I was thinking of hitting a goodwill. I don’t think I have purple stuff!

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[LhasaCM]

@streetsmarts 158833 wrote:

I was thinking of hitting a goodwill. I don’t think I have purple stuff!

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I’m always struck (and disappointed) by how few purple cycling clothing items they make for men. Women – purple as far as the eye can see for jerseys, jackets, socks, shoes, whatever. It’s such a struggle…

[Emm]

@LhasaCM 158834 wrote:

I’m always struck (and disappointed) by how few purple cycling clothing items they make for men. Women – purple as far as the eye can see for jerseys, jackets, socks, shoes, whatever. It’s such a struggle…

Find someone who does Team in Training. The leukemia and lymphomas society’s color is purple, so most of the team kits are purple. I just got a lovely purple jersey from a friend who rides on a team. Unfortunately, I’m out of town so I cant make this weekend’s ride to show it off

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[LhasaCM]

@Emm 158870 wrote:

Find someone who does Team in Training. The leukemia and lymphomas society’s color is purple, so most of the team kits are purple. I just got a lovely purple jersey from a friend who rides on a team. Unfortunately, I’m out of town so I cant make this weekend’s ride to show it off

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That’s a good idea. There’s also this year’s Bike To Work Day shirt, though that doesn’t help for tomorrow. Regardless, I am not worried about lacking purple clothing – as a proud Northwestern alum, purple is a staple of my wardrobe. It’s just been a struggle to get to this point with cycling-ish gear

[drevil]

@Emm 158870 wrote:

Find someone who does Team in Training. The leukemia and lymphomas society’s color is purple, so most of the team kits are purple. I just got a lovely purple jersey from a friend who rides on a team. Unfortunately, I’m out of town so I cant make this weekend’s ride to show it off

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Methinks y’all aren’t being creative enough

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I do have a lot of purple bike clothing, including lycra, which I’d totes rock if I was going. Instead, we’re going to the March for Science tomorrow. Have fun!

[LhasaCM]

@drevil 158874 wrote:

Methinks y’all aren’t being creative enough

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I do have a lot of purple bike clothing, including lycra, which I’d totes rock if I was going. Instead, we’re going to the March for Science tomorrow. Have fun!

I can’t pull off either of those looks, and I don’t think anyone wants me wearing any lycra…

[lordofthemark]

@drevil 158874 wrote:

Methinks y’all aren’t being creative enough

[ATTACH=CONFIG]14632[/ATTACH]

I do have a lot of purple bike clothing, including lycra, which I’d totes rock if I was going. Instead, we’re going to the March for Science tomorrow. Have fun!

Oh that reminds me, my balaclava. But I don’t think I will wear that tomorrow.

[bobco85]

@drevil 158874 wrote:

Methinks y’all aren’t being creative enough

[ATTACH=CONFIG]14632[/ATTACH]

I do have a lot of purple bike clothing, including lycra, which I’d totes rock if I was going. Instead, we’re going to the March for Science tomorrow. Have fun!

Everyone needs to screencap and bookmark this post as a reminder that drevil will need to dress like Barney in a future group ride/race where MANY pictures will be taken 😎

Also, I’d say that we’re going to bike circles around you, but I know that many scientists at the march would correct that to convex polygons.

[drevil]

@bobco85 158889 wrote:

Everyone needs to screencap and bookmark this post as a reminder that drevil will need to dress like Barney in a future group ride/race where MANY pictures will be taken 😎

Haha! Already done, but can’t find a pic. The problem was the outfit was made for a 3 year old, and on an adult it was very kid-inappropriate

If I can find another, I’ll wear it for your next purple line ride, but I’m not sure if you really want that!

[Bob James]

I will be there tomorrow morning. I have purple socks and partly purple jersey. I will not be wearing a barney costume.

Thanks for organizing Bobco.

*changed mind. Can’t work up the courage to be in the rain with 50F temps for 12-14 hours.**

[bobco85]

It was a wet ride, but in the end, 5 of us brave and purple-clad folks rode the route that the Purple Line will take if/when/hopefully/maybe/definitely it is built. My feet officially stopped being wrinkled sometime Saturday night. Bad ass points and my thanks go out to Judd, komorebi, LhasaCM, & lordofthemark for joining me on this tour of all things purple!

Also, LhasaCM was the best-dressed as he had more purple on than even myself (and purple is my favorite color!).

(left) Selfie at the start; (right) a generous passerby saw me struggling to get the earlier photo and offered to take this pic (many thanks!)
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(left) we stopped at Bobby’s Burger Palace in College Park (New Mexico burger with queso sauce, green chiles, and pickled red onions was delicious, and I loved their chipotle ketchup); (right) group pic after we completed the Purple Line route at New Carrollton
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(left) on the way back, we stopped at the East Boundary Stone where I was surprised to see the metal fencing gone; (right) you can tell the part of my leg that was protected by my sock from the road spray
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While riding with Judd across 14th Street Bridge, I saw a couple of flashing emergency lights on the VA side of the river on the GWMP with an ambulance having headed SB, so I went to check it out and saw this. Note the missing chunk of the grey car’s right hood.
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For the next Metro-themed ride I want to lead, I’m thinking something a little more on the VA side of things probably in June (I first need to ride the route again to figure out needed adjustments). I’m feeling a little… silver-y about it 😎

[Author]

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