My Evening Commute

[Dickie]

Was not my finest. It started OK as I stopped off at Bikenetic to see Dirt and talk new cross/commuter tires as mine are completely shot and flatting all the time. Dirt was not around but Jan was glad to help out. I left informed but without new rubber for now. Back on the WOD and being careful to elude the dreaded FCPD I slowed at the Grove St. crossing only to be passed by a dude with absolutely no regard for the stop sign. He flew through the intersection just as I was getting clipped in without even a look. He then pulled the ultimate DB move, passing (and nearly clipping) two woman with strollers as they crossed paths with a gentleman walking towards them… yep, four abreast with him at speed. The gentleman yelled and put his hands out for protection and the ladies screamed. I slowed, apologized for his behavior and chased the scum down. As I got next to him (and gestured for him to remove his headphones) I became possessed by a sudden calmness (weird). I decided to politely explain what I had just witnessed and suggested better methods for future situations… he tolerated my intrusion and then I flatted. DANG IT! Luckily it was directly in front of the “Free Air” station on the WOD so I rolled my bike to the station, leaned my steed against the air machine (you can see where this is going), started taking off my back pack when I watched my bike slowly roll forward and fall against the pole…. result:

Needless to say, wasn’t a great ride home.

Topic

[PotomacCyclist]

I was drafting off of a Segway peloton. Ten Segways and a CaBi. Sounds like the opening line of a joke, but it was really the opening line of a furious rush of speed. 5 mph baby!

[vern]

Oh Southeast Breeze, my new secret, sexy afternoon lover…

[PotomacCyclist]

I’d like to register a complaint. I am not getting enough protein via gnat vacuum intake (i.e., my nose and mouth). If I had eaten all of the gnats out there today, I would have only taken in about 1,500 grams of protein. That’s not enough for a hard-pedaling cyclist. CaBi bikes are heavy. I need more protein!

[KLizotte]

@PotomacCyclist 85481 wrote:

I’d like to register a complaint. I am not getting enough protein via gnat vacuum intake (i.e., my nose and mouth). If I had eaten all of the gnats out there today, I would have only taken in about 1,500 grams of protein. That’s not enough for a hard-pedaling cyclist. CaBi bikes are heavy. I need more protein!

Please start eating some of the wasps and other biting bugs around here; they are bigger and have lots more protein. I’ve been bitten twice while biking in unmentionable places 😡

[Fast Friendly Guy]

@pfunkallstar 84070 wrote:

Was not stellar last night. Got a flat in front of the Lincoln Memorial at which point Glargon Lord of Sky Tears decided to rain more of his despair down upon me. The culprit – a fricking shark tooth – EXPLAIN THAT ONE SCIENCE!

Sharknados…Obviously!

[cvcalhoun]

I know they call it the Rock Creek Trail, but I thought having the trail under Rock Creek was a bit much! I started out thinking it was just a large puddle on the trail. But when my pedals (and my shoes) started going under the water with each stroke, and I realized that there was a fairly serious current in that water, I decided it was the better part of valor to get off the trail and just walk my bike on the grass at the side of the trail.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5643[/ATTACH]

[cvcalhoun]

I know they call it the Rock Creek Trail, but I thought having the trail under Rock Creek was a bit much! I started out thinking it was just a large puddle on the trail. But when my pedals (and my shoes) started going under the water with each stroke, and I realized that there was a fairly serious current in that water, I decided it was the better part of valor to get off the trail and just walk my bike on the grass at the side of the trail.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]5644[/ATTACH]

[OneEighth]

@KLizotte 85496 wrote:

while biking in unmentionable places

Must. Not. Snark.

[PotomacCyclist]

I posted on the Missed Connections thread a couple weeks ago about the guy who passed me and a runner heading straight into the blind turn on the MVT going southbound, just as you pass the parking lot at Gravelly Point. There’s a short incline and the blind turn at the top, next to the GW Parkway. I had slowed up behind the runner because I wasn’t about to pass while going into the blind turn. There’s no way to avoid a collision if someone happens to be riding in the other direction at that exact spot, and no way to see if there are any cyclists heading your way.

Good thing he didn’t do that tonight. No one made passes going into the blind turn tonight, but there was a good amount of bike and pedestrian traffic. As soon as I reached the top of the small incline, I saw a cyclist in the other lane. Immediately behind him were two MOTORCYCLES. I couldn’t really say anything because they were Arlington County police officers. At least they were riding slowly, under 10 mph. Strange.

They didn’t seem to be in a hurry. But maybe the cyclist was leading them to something near Gravelly Point. Or the cyclist had nothing to do with the motorcycle cops.

[Rockford10]

… was fantastic last night. The hail that started just as I got to the top of the Idylwood climb on the W&OD was a nice touch. Riding the rest of the way home through the deluge and only being able to keep one eye open was inspiring.

I’m glad I went to church on Sunday!

[consularrider]

@PotomacCyclist 86001 wrote:

I posted on the Missed Connections thread a couple weeks ago about the guy who passed me and a runner heading straight into the blind turn on the MVT going southbound, just as you pass the parking lot at Gravelly Point. There’s a short incline and the blind turn at the top, next to the GW Parkway. I had slowed up behind the runner because I wasn’t about to pass while going into the blind turn. There’s no way to avoid a collision if someone happens to be riding in the other direction at that exact spot, and no way to see if there are any cyclists heading your way.

Good thing he didn’t do that tonight. No one made passes going into the blind turn tonight, but there was a good amount of bike and pedestrian traffic. As soon as I reached the top of the small incline, I saw a cyclist in the other lane. Immediately behind him were two MOTORCYCLES. I couldn’t really say anything because they were Arlington County police officers. At least they were riding slowly, under 10 mph. Strange.

They didn’t seem to be in a hurry. But maybe the cyclist was leading them to something near Gravelly Point. Or the cyclist had nothing to do with the motorcycle cops.

Well, an ELITE rider in a light blue jersey with a black backpad decided to pass me headed northbound at that blind curve this morning (also didn’t call his pass) and almost wiped out a southbound cyclist. I couldn’t hear what that cyclist said, but it wasn’t swearing.

[vern]

What sucks…getting a flat on a drizzly day when your racing home because it is your son’s birthday.

[Fast Friendly Guy]

@Rockford10 86732 wrote:

… was fantastic last night. The hail that started just as I got to the top of the Idylwood climb….deluge and only being able to keep one eye open was inspiring.

I’m glad I went to church on Sunday!

That’s why goggles are always part of my reading

[Fast Friendly Guy]

@Rockford10 86732 wrote:

… was fantastic last night. The hail that started just as I got to the top of the Idylwood climb….deluge and only being able to keep one eye open was inspiring.

I’m glad I went to church on Sunday!

That’s why goggles are always part of my rain gear. Hope you made it home okay.

[cyclingfool]

@vern 87020 wrote:

What sucks…getting a flat on a drizzly day when your racing home because it is your son’s birthday.

BUMMER!!! ((((((

I don’t get flats often, but they always seem to happen at the worst possible time, not that there’s ever really a good time to get a flat.

[Author]

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