Missed connection

[baiskeli]

This is my version of a “missed connection” post…

You: headphones, no helmet passing me on the right in the bike lane on Clarendon Blvd. the morning of May 9 about 8 am.

Me: riding safely as usual

You should call your damn passes – especially when passing on the right. I could have swerved right into you.

Dumbass.

Topic

[Dickie]

Just saw a 4′ black snake stretched out across the W&OD near the HWY 28 overpass. By the time I stopped to snap a pick it had hurried off the trail…. makes me a little nervous to see how fast that sucker moved!

[MRH5028]

Me:

[DaveK]

@MRH5028 53724 wrote:

Me:

We ran across a black racer on the trail last weekend and some giant person who frequents this board quoted the whole scene…

[rcannon100]

Me: (Heading to TdF) I Hate Riding on the trails during the weekend

One mile later on Custis near Rosslyn

You: Airhead walking across intersection floating from right to left, taking up all the curb cut

Me: Look up! Look Up!

You: Duh?? You mean other people exist in the universe????

Me: Glad I have a hybrid (executes a very smart curb hop)

One Mile Later

My Bike on 14th St Bridge: PSSSSSSSSSSSSSSHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Me: Rats

Half Mile Later at the Jefferson, in the Shade, with bike parts everywhere

Me: What the hell???

Seems during my very expensive bicycle overhaul this winter, by LBS forgot one more thing (this is the second thing I found they did not replace right). They sold my this nice new rim with these inverted spoke thingys. So instead of having the spokes stick through the rim, there is this dimple inverted thing. Oh I cant explain it. But, um, they did not put rim tape on it. SO It goes like this. When I executed my very smart curb hop, that was enuf pressure to force the tube rubber into the spoke dimples. There were lots of these like pimples in the tube. And with enough time since the curb hop, one of the pimples popped.

Tried to patch it – twice – with my spiffy Bike Arlington patch kit. But the rupture was too big. The patch was not going to hold. So I limped to Capitol Hill where I got a new tube.

Got to TdF just in time for last call. PPPPPPPTTTTTTTHHHHHHH

[ATTACH=CONFIG]2999[/ATTACH]

[KLizotte]

Your LBS owes you rim tape, a new tube, beer, and an afternoon back. I wouldn’t trust them to work on my bike again.

[PeteD]

Me: Riding from Shirlington to Purcelleville and back, on my way up to Leesburg.
You: Suicidal Squirrel.

This was not a missed connection. I felt really bad for the rest of the ride, knowing I was going to have to encounter you again on the ride back from Trail’s End.

You: Trio of boy short wearing women runners approaching Gallows road, right as the crosswalk light changed to go.
Me: Yelled several times above the din of your Beats Audio(tm) headphones so that I missed all three of you and your Crazy Ivan. Please pay better attention next time, you’re not the only people on the W&OD.

[Jason B]

Me: Solo rider doing Skyline
You: the gazillion black and orange guys making a buzzing sound that sound like a fleet of alien space craft.

They were everywhere. Been wondering where they been hiding.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]3002[/ATTACH]

[DaveK]

@Jason B 53762 wrote:

Me: Solo rider doing Skyline
You: the gazillion black and orange guys making a buzzing sound that sound like a fleet of alien space craft.

They were everywhere. Been wondering where they been hiding.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]3002[/ATTACH]

They are definitely at Fountainhead, that’s for sure.

[baiskeli]

@KLizotte 53605 wrote:

Me: Jealous

I won’t complain if you ride shirtless.

[dasgeh]

@KLizotte 53752 wrote:

Your LBS owes you rim tape, a new tube, beer, and an afternoon back. I wouldn’t trust them to work on my bike again.

Can you let us know which LBS this was?

[dasgeh]

@ronwalf 53686 wrote:

Yesterday was all about snakes and their modeling debut?

I saw one last Thursday (? maybe Wednesday) night on my way home. It was curled just off the trail at the bottom of the hairpin turn of annoyance to the Roosevelt Island parking lot. I didn’t see it until I was passing it, but it was a big sucker. I said “oh, a snake” to no one in particular, but the 5 or so cyclists in my vicinity all gave me weird “what did you say? were you talking to me?” looks.

[dasgeh]

@Jason B 53762 wrote:

Me: Solo rider doing Skyline
You: the gazillion black and orange guys making a buzzing sound that sound like a fleet of alien space craft.

We were down in Southern Maryland at a little “beach” on the river (Greenwell Park). There was an odd sound coming from over a hill to our right. I took the baby for a “please fall asleep” walk and decided to explore. We saw a few as we walked along the trail around a bend. Then suddenly, the trail split and the sound got louder. It definitely sounded like a trap was set, and taking either fork would have been perilous (damn you, Hunger Games!). Having a baby strapped to my chest, mommy instinct set in, and I turned back.

And I feel like a total wuss.

[baiskeli]

[in bad Australian accent] “A cicada ate my baby!”

[KLizotte]

@dasgeh 53812 wrote:

Can you let us know which LBS this was?

I don’t know which LBS Rcannon was using; I was speaking in general terms I’m afraid. I, too, am curious as to which LBS it was though.

[aflapr]

If I’m going to call others out, I need to call a foul on myself…

Me: Heading east on the W&OD at the Sandburg Street intersection.
You: Attentively driving near the path crossing.

The parked cars blocked my view of the road, but I should have come to a complete stop or slowed my roll. I was able to use both brakes to stop before entering the road, but I’m sorry I caused you to panic stop. Thanks for paying attention and I deserved the “horn”.

[Author]

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