My Evening Commute

[Dewey]

@DrP 178512 wrote:

Decided to wait until the rain tapered off a bit last evening to leave work. It was a great ride and watching the power in that water was amazing.

I don’t blame you it was torrential, there a video on Reddit of the flooding along the W&OD of some cyclists wading through water.

[mstone]

@Dewey 178513 wrote:

I don’t blame you it was torrential, there a video on Reddit of the flooding along the W&OD of some cyclists wading through water.

ew. bleach shower!

[DrP]

This evening was an adventure, a kind of fun one.
I checked the radar and it looked like I might make it to Ballston without being rained on, but possibly rain the last bit. I left my office – no rain. I got to my bike 5 min later and it was pouring (that wasn’t on the radar!). So off in the pouring rain. A bus on Army-Navy drive comes up along side me and honks. He appeared to be asking if I wanted to get on and continued when I shook my head (I am already drenched). It was nice of him, but the bus that close and honking was a little disturbing. The rain stops less than a minute after the bus passes.
Four Mile Run was fine. Dark clouds in the distance, but no real rain and the stream was low – like there had not been rain all day. “Not too bad a ride,” I think. Four Mile Run is still low (I continue on that trail) as I enter Barcroft Park. Still low as the trail goes away from stream by the shelter and play area. After the uphill as I am approaching S. George Mason, I start to hear the stream and look over. Well, that is definitely not low and I will need to move to the W&OD at Columbia pike – I missed the cresting water and that might have been cool to see. The water was just below the trail at the S. George Mason underpass, but likely that changed soon.
Up to the W&OD. Streaming water here and there, but nothing bad, raining, but not bad. Each look at Four Mile Run and it is getting higher and higher. Well, I can tell that going under Carlin Springs Rd won’t be possible (Wilson wouldn’t be either, but that was not my plan today), but figure I can cross the road. Several people were waiting under rt 50. Not wanting to trudge through mud to Carlin Springs, I cross to Four Mile Run Trail and cross the road. I incorrectly decided that I could stay on Four Mile Run Trail, but wow. The tiny feeder stream is HUGE and there is no crossing the little bridge by the playground. Back to Carlin Springs and over to W&OD. Heavier streams crossing the trail, but doable (if I can see the yellow line through the muddy water, it cannot be too deep, I figured. Yes, my bike needs some attention now). Bluemont trail and Ballston were all fine, aside from too much rain.
I was soaked, but the water and air were warm. Watching Four Mile Run rise is just amazing and if I didn’t know where all the water tends to go and the ways around, I might have joined the folks under rt 50 for a while (or backed up a bit and take other roads). It was fun, although it did take quite a bit longer to get to my destination than usual.

[dasgeh]

@DrP 179777 wrote:

Not wanting to trudge through mud to Carlin Springs,

We really need to build that little connector trail from the W&OD to Carlin Springs. I vote we call it the “Jay Fisette spurt”.

In the future, if you’re on Carlin Springs at Kensington/where the W&OD connector *should* be, you can just take Kensington to get to the Bluemont, like in this map.

[Crickey7]

Decisions, decisions. The front light died on the way in this morning. So, do I: risk spontaneous combustion by riding before sunset cools off the outside, or ride after sunset, and risk not seeing/being seen from the frontal direction, and associated injury and death?

[bentbike33]

@Crickey7 180548 wrote:

Decisions, decisions. The front light died on the way in this morning. So, do I: risk spontaneous combustion by riding before sunset cools off the outside, or ride after sunset, and risk not seeing/being seen from the frontal direction, and associated injury and death?

Based on yesterday when it was about 90 when I left the office around 5:00 and 86 when I took the trash out in the dark at about 8:15, but without specific knowledge as to your spontaneous combustion point, I would recommend riding in the daylight.

[lordofthemark]

@bentbike33 180549 wrote:

Based on yesterday when it was about 90 when I left the office around 5:00 and 86 when I took the trash out in the dark at about 8:15, but without specific knowledge as to your spontaneous combustion point, I would recommend riding in the daylight.

I generally spontaneously combust after about the fifth time someone posts to NextDoor that someone who is afraid to walk on a narrow sidewalk, protected by only a one foot wide verge from traffic going 38MPH or higher, “should take Prozac”. Keep me off certain parts of the net, or away from flammable materials.

[mstone]

@lordofthemark 180550 wrote:

I generally spontaneously combust after about the fifth time someone posts to NextDoor that someone who is afraid to walk on a narrow sidewalk, protected by only a one foot wide verge from traffic going 38MPH or higher, “should take Prozac”. Keep me off certain parts of the net, or away from flammable materials.

I’m pretty sure nextdoor is where people go when they’re done commenting on wapo bike articles.

[SolarBikeCar]

The short days and no moon makes it pretty dark on the W&OD especially in areas without streetlights. Near Reston I slowed as I saw a flash of color moving in the opposite lane. As I got closer I could identify 5 people all in dark clothing spread across the trail. One person was pushing a stroller with a child up the center line of the trail. Behind and to the right walked a man holding a child. On the left was the 4 year old child meandering up the middle of the left lane. Fortunately the 4 year old’s coat had some color as I picked up on it well before the others were revealed. Usually joggers have shoes with refection but these people were in dark colors head to toe. I usually ring my bell as I get close to this area because of the trail intersections but the warnings produced no visible reaction. Even the brake squeal as I slowed down didn’t phase them. When I got a few feet behind the meandering child in the passing lane they finally begrudgingly collected the family to one side of the trail so I could pass. This ninja family was a stark contrast to the joggers lit up like Christmas trees that I usually see.

[rcannon100]

Started furlough ride on a beautiful 60 decree day. Ended ride at Bikenetic with a repair estimate two feet long.

Yup.

Pete says i can attribute it tomy vigorous training routine. :rolleyes:

[mstone]

@rcannon100 185110 wrote:

Started furlough ride on a beautiful 60 decree day

I thought the decrees weren’t scheduled until later tonight

[lordofthemark]

The weather was really nice, but in addition to the usual DC hassles, there was a trifecta of cluelessness near Shirlington Road – one from each mode.

First was the close pass by a “cyclist”. The widest part of the Four Mile Run trail, approaching the I395 underpass, and he passes “in my personal space”. Then slows down for some reason – I passed well across the yellow line (perhaps he did not realize that is allowed?) and said “That’s how we do it”

Then there was the driver stopped in the crosswalk. Despite there being well over a car length empty in front of the crosswalk behind the next stopped car. I waved her forward and she moved up.

Now I am always nice to pedestrians on the bridge there, but this woman who was standing blocking the entire path while speaking on her phone, looking out at the stream, I still think deserves a prize for cluelessness. To her I just said “excuse me”

[Drewdane]

As is typical for the first really nice day of the season, The Clueless were out in force last night. Still wasn’t enough to harsh my buzz, though.

[DrP]

Well, today I was glad that I commute via bicycle. Rode out of the parking garage and saw that Army-Navy drive was completely backed-up heading towards the highways and the air smelled smoky or something. Then noticed that Washington Blvd was all backed up heading into the city, Rt 50 was all backed up both directions, I-66 all backed up heading into DC. I had a fast, lovely commute home.
Upon return I heard about the overturned tanker on 495 and several other accidents. Wow.

[Steve O]

@DrP 189321 wrote:

Well, today I was glad that I commute via bicycle. Rode out of the parking garage and saw that Army-Navy drive was completely backed-up heading towards the highways and the air smelled smoky or something. Then noticed that Washington Blvd was all backed up heading into the city, Rt 50 was all backed up both directions, I-66 all backed up heading into DC. I had a fast, lovely commute home.
Upon return I heard about the overturned tanker on 495 and several other accidents. Wow.

No kidding!! I did not know why either, but I exchanged happy comments with my fellow bike commuters along the way. Chatted with one lady at the top of the Rosslyn hill who had walked from DuPont Circle. I suggested she get herself a bike.
It seemed similar to me as the day the suicide jumper closed the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

[Author]

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