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

[consularrider]

@huskerdont 133658 wrote:

You call that a wind? Didn’t even blow me off me bike going back across Key Bridge. It’s not a real wind unless I have to put a foot down.

Just be glad you aren’t in the Cheyenne, WY area.

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[DismalScientist]

Well, it looks like Arlington is in the running.:rolleyes:

[S. Arlington Observer]

@huskerdont 133658 wrote:

You call that a wind? Didn’t even blow me off me bike going back across Key Bridge. It’s not a real wind unless I have to put a foot down.

Yes, by day’s end I was aware of that. I think some of us experienced transient mid day squalls. I thought it was a sustained change. Sorry.

[huskerdont]

@S. Arlington Observer 133692 wrote:

Yes, by day’s end I was aware of that. I think some of us experienced transient mid day squalls. I thought it was a sustained change. Sorry.

Nah I thought it was a decent enough headwind, not generally being a fan of them. I was being a bit facetious. Dry sense of humor comes across poorly online.

[vern]

I don’t think my bike has ever been dirtier after a commute than it was tonight. I just cleaned the wheel rims and break pads, wiped off the drive train and sort of wiped down the rest of the bike. Tons of sand from riding on the streets. I had sand in my hair and on top of my helmet when I got home…sand everywhere like when you go to the beach.

And the fog was brutal heading into western Fairfax County, especially at dusk and dark.

[Boo Boo]

What a cool ride. Parts of the WOD were like riding through a cloud with all the fog from the snow melt. That was fun.

[Steve O]

@kcb203 134177 wrote:

I thought this was supposed to be a warm rain, not a cold rain. What happened to the forecast for 65 degrees?

@Steve O 134200 wrote:

No kidding! I brought my sandals and shorts for the ride home. Seems it will be a tad less pleasant than anticipated.

Actually, not so bad. It was not raining during my commute and, although it was not 60 degrees, it was in the low 50’s: not cold. So the shorts and sandals worked out okay after all.

[Crickey7]

I should warn riders of a rather impertinent field mouse that scampered across my path last night, while I was passing the National Cathedral.

[KWL]

… was not good. I’ve had worse, but it involved two flats. The second was about a mile from home so I just decided to hoof it. Nothing more depressing than walking next to a vehicle that has the capability of going much faster if in proper condition. It turns out there was a slit in the tire just above the bead that caused the tubes to blow out. Sorry for the short Freezing Saddles miles this evening.

[bentbike33]

@KWL 134333 wrote:

It turns out there was a slit in the tire just above the bead that caused the tubes to blow out.

If this bike has rim brakes, check that they are not running too close to the tire generally, and that your rim does not have a flat spot.

[bobco85]

Stopped by the Bluemont Park Glacier on my way home today. It is quite something to witness even 2 weeks after the snowstorm.

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[KWL]

@bentbike33 134372 wrote:

If this bike has rim brakes, check that they are not running too close to the tire generally, and that your rim does not have a flat spot.

This was spot on. Thank you. Even with long reach Shimano calipers, my ’92 XO-1 has always been at the limits of the brake arms. The brake blocks had worn down enough they had gotten to the fatter part and started slopping over the top of the rim on one side, creating a nice sharp razor edge. Of course I have a complete set of Velo Orange brake shoes in the basement but was just too lazy to notice the developing problem and do something about it. That could have prevented my walk home. Lesson learned – clean and check the sloppy weather bike more often.

[bentbike33]

@KWL 134538 wrote:

Even with long reach Shimano calipers, my ’92 XO-1 has always been at the limits of the brake arms.

If you replace ever the wheels, you might try 650C rims. The brakes would work better, but your tire choices would become extremely limited.

[Steve O]

@bobco85 134392 wrote:

Stopped by the Bluemont Park Glacier on my way home today. It is quite something to witness even 2 weeks after the snowstorm.

I had my own run-in with the Bluemont snow mountain/glacier.
After the Team 12 (& friends) HH on Friday, I took the wooded path home instead of the W&OD. Then suddenly there was an 16-foot high pile of snow in my way. And no good way around it either. I didn’t take its picture, though.

[DrP]

@Steve O 134546 wrote:

I had my own run-in with the Bluemont snow mountain/glacier.
After the Team 12 (& friends) HH on Friday, I took the wooded path home instead of the W&OD. Then suddenly there was an 16-foot high pile of snow in my way. And no good way around it either. I didn’t take its picture, though.

I decided to see how bad it was yesterday and rode up to it from the south (or is that east?). I tried both sides and the creek side is the easier to go around. The trail is still mostly there. There is one bit that you need to walk your bike around through some mud, but it isn’t far. The side closer to houses and the road requires all hilly grass/mud.

[Author]

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