No Bike DC for 2013 – So Roll Your Own

[Mark Blacknell]

As you may already know, there will be no Bike DC ride in 2013. It’s disappointing to many of us for many reasons. One of that biggest reasons for me, personally, is that Bike DC was an ideal opportunity for “curious but concerned” cyclists to get out and feel the joy of rolling down DC and Arlington’s roads in a safe environment.

Unless you happen to be friends with a motorcycle gang that are experts at managing rolling road closures, chances are you can’t recreate the closed course on your own. But you *can* take it upon yourself to find a few friends that have always been saying that they wanted to go for a ride, and get them on one. Find an interesting route, plan to stop for lunch along the way, and make it a ride designed around their maximum enjoyment of being on a bike.

Make it easy. Make it fun. Make it a day in May.

Over to you.

Topic

[Tim Kelley]

Sad news. That was always a fun event, even during the rainy years and the really hot years.

That being said, I hope the Arlington Fun Ride is bigger and better this year! This is the perfect opportunity for that ride to really grow and blossom into it’s own full scale event.

[consularrider]

Ok, so now I can do the Cap to Cap on the 11th instead.

This has been an ongoing issue over the past couple years. They can do lots of road closures for running events, but can’t do two a year for cycling (the other is the Air Force Cycling Classic)? Sigh. :rolleyes:

[Dickie]

I think in protest we should gather a bunch of elite-clad local cyclists, rent the bar-bike-trolley for the day and follow the original route as slow as possible while doing jello shots. Once the local authorities have to deal with the major traffic back-ups they will reconsider Bike DC 2014!

[vvill]

Excellent idea. The bar-bike-trolley could even be used to manage rolling lane “closures” so you could have riders behind the trolley.

[bobco85]

That’s very disappointing, but can’t we have it later in the year? I don’t understand that the event being cancelled for May means being cancelled for the rest of 2013. Also, I really wanted to do this ride since I missed out last year (stupid vacation trip to Florida that I enjoyed because I got to bike while down there but really wanted to do both!).

[Drewdane]

@Mark Blacknell 46438 wrote:

As you may already know, there will be no Bike DC ride in 2013.

To whom can we express our disappointment and request that this excellent event be reinstated in 2014?

[dasgeh]

@Mark Blacknell 46438 wrote:

As you may already know, there will be no Bike DC ride in 2013.

What’s the story, Morning Glory?

@Tim Kelley 46440 wrote:

That being said, I hope the Arlington Fun Ride is bigger and better this year! This is the perfect opportunity for that ride to really grow and blossom into it’s own full scale event.

Is there an opportunity here for the AFR to go out onto the streets? Cycliovia on Wilson/Clarendon?

[Tim Kelley]

@dasgeh 46490 wrote:

Is there an opportunity here for the AFR to go out onto the streets? Cycliovia on Wilson/Clarendon?

I know that many parts of the County government support this. There just needs to be some funding provided and some buy in and support from local businesses and residents.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@dasgeh 46490 wrote:

Cycliovia on Wilson/Clarendon?

Oooooh, can we get one on Washington Blvd in Westover!? Maybe link it up with the Sunday farmers market at the library. Farmers market, outdoor music at the beer garden, and maybe animal rescue events at the parking lot at Lost Dog/Stray Cat…I’m getting giddy just thinking about, yet sad thinking about how it will never happen.

[dasgeh]

@TwoWheelsDC 46498 wrote:

Oooooh, can we get one on Washington Blvd in Westover!? Maybe link it up with the Sunday farmers market at the library. Farmers market, outdoor music at the beer garden, and maybe animal rescue events at the parking lot at Lost Dog/Stray Cat…I’m getting giddy just thinking about, yet sad thinking about how it will never happen.

Arlington Fun Ride 2013, sponsored by WABA? http://goo.gl/maps/83Uz3

[consularrider]

@dasgeh 46508 wrote:

Arlington Fun Ride 2013, sponsored by WABA? http://goo.gl/maps/83Uz3

I think you need to go all the way to Rosslyn so we can get the climb back to Courthouse (approximating the GW Pkwy climb). Maybe install a tow rope from the Metro to Safeway? I know I saw an article about one in the past couple of years, but can’t find it now.

[Greenbelt]

[video=vimeo;42099356]https://vimeo.com/42099356[/video]

[dasgeh]

Actually, if we can think “outside the box”, why not this: http://goo.gl/maps/6F2vD (ignore the start/end on the map — start/end in Rosslyn — also take Old Lee Hwy instead of Old Dominion by HB Woodlawn))

Basically, start in Rosslyn, GWMP to Spout Run to Lee Hwy to Patrick Henry to 18th to Westover, then Washington Blvd back to Clarendon back down to Rosslyn. We could do the reverse, but I like this because (1) the uphill is much more gentle and (2) the second half goes through a lot of retail, where hopefully we can encourage people to get off bikes and shop/eat/etc.

As a bonus, this route passes by the Italian Store, Casset’s and Heidelberg…

[baiskeli]

@Dickie 46443 wrote:

I think in protest we should gather a bunch of elite-clad local cyclists, rent the bar-bike-trolley for the day and follow the original route as slow as possible while doing jello shots. Once the local authorities have to deal with the major traffic back-ups they will reconsider Bike DC 2014!

I’m in!

[Tim Kelley]

@dasgeh 46534 wrote:

Actually, if we can think “outside the box”, why not this: http://goo.gl/maps/6F2vD (ignore the start/end on the map — start/end in Rosslyn — also take Old Lee Hwy instead of Old Dominion by HB Woodlawn))

Basically, start in Rosslyn, GWMP to Spout Run to Lee Hwy to Patrick Henry to 18th to Westover, then Washington Blvd back to Clarendon back down to Rosslyn. We could do the reverse, but I like this because (1) the uphill is much more gentle and (2) the second half goes through a lot of retail, where hopefully we can encourage people to get off bikes and shop/eat/etc.

As a bonus, this route passes by the Italian Store, Casset’s and Heidelberg…

Not having to deal with VDOT for road closures would probably make things a lot easier. That cuts out Fairfax and Lee Highway…

[Author]

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