Post your ride pics

[bobco85]

This morning, I decided (after getting annoyed enough at my floor lamp falling over on me while I’m asleep one too many times) to bike with my trailer to IKEA in College Park. Even though I live in Arlington, I chose the College Park location over the Woodbridge location because it is closer and safer featuring a lot more bicycle infrastructure. Usually my IKEA trips require a car, but I’m glad I was able to prove that you don’t need a ton of steel to get stuff from the Swedish magic store.

This is the route I took: https://www.strava.com/activities/251718767

[IMG]http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7787&stc=1[/IMG]
only one at the bike rack

[IMG]http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7788&stc=1[/IMG]
I was not going to pass on their delicious meatballs! (Swedish meatballs, mashed potatoes with gravy, lingonberry sauce, and tomato basil soup)

[IMG]http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7789&stc=1[/IMG]
loaded up and ready to go home

[IMG]http://bikearlingtonforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=7790&stc=1[/IMG]
lugging it all home (next to Long Bridge Park on my way to Eads and 4MR)

[ShawnoftheDread]

My kid wants a loft bed, but I think I’d need a bigger trailer.

[Dirt]

18 people makes for a dang challenging mountain bike ride to lead!!! It was a lot of un thougn.

[KayakCyndi]

@Dirt 107835 wrote:

18 people makes for a dang challenging mountain bike ride to lead!!! It was a lot of un thougn.

I spy El Mar Ti! Wish I could have joined you all!

[Greenbelt]

Awesome ride! That intersection of Route 1 crossing the beltway is pretty nasty, between Cherry Hill and Ikea. I usually cross under the beltway on Rhode Island and the cut back over through the Ag library access roads to get back to Route 1, or go all the way up to Sunnyside and double back. Might have to jump a curb or two, though, and with the trailer…

[bobco85]

@Greenbelt 107838 wrote:

Awesome ride! That intersection of Route 1 crossing the beltway is pretty nasty, between Cherry Hill and Ikea. I usually cross under the beltway on Rhode Island and the cut back over through the Ag library access roads to get back to Route 1, or go all the way up to Sunnyside and double back. Might have to jump a curb or two, though, and with the trailer…

Luckily traffic was moving slowly, but I did not like getting between IKEA and Cherry Hill in both directions. For each, I took the center lane until I passed the last exit ramp and then moved into the left lane (to get in position for a left turn to IKEA) or right lane (to get into position for a right turn onto Cherry Hill). It’s definitely not for the feint of heart!

Then again, trying to turn from Cherry Hill onto the Paint Branch Trail was also a little hairy as it involved me having to signal my intent (sticking out my left arm) for the last 100 feet and then about 15 more seconds standing still so that cars would not queue up behind me (and probably lay on their horns) while waiting for oncoming traffic to clear enough for me to make my turn. Not helping was the fact that the Paint Branch Trail crossing is just after the road goes from 2 lanes to 1. I can’t imagine how any trail user would ever be able to cross that road.

[Greenbelt]

@bobco85 107839 wrote:

Luckily traffic was moving slowly, but I did not like getting between IKEA and Cherry Hill in both directions. For each, I took the center lane until I passed the last exit ramp and then moved into the left lane (to get in position for a left turn to IKEA) or right lane (to get into position for a right turn onto Cherry Hill). It’s definitely not for the feint of heart!

Then again, trying to turn from Cherry Hill onto the Paint Branch Trail was also a little hairy as it involved me having to signal my intent (sticking out my left arm) for the last 100 feet and then about 15 more seconds standing still so that cars would not queue up behind me (and probably lay on their horns) while waiting for oncoming traffic to clear enough for me to make my turn. Not helping was the fact that the Paint Branch Trail crossing is just after the road goes from 2 lanes to 1. I can’t imagine how any trail user would ever be able to cross that road.

To cross the beltway, the only feasible roads are Cherry Hill the other direction (toward Montgomery County), Rhode Island Ave (good), and Cherrywood Lane (good but sort of hard to access from the trail system) in Greenbelt. Further south, Goodluck Road is OK but not great. Crossing the beltway on the state roads, Route 1, 201, etc. is not advisable. Pedestrian facilities on 1 and 201 are absent or terrible also.

[CaseyKane50]

@PotomacCyclist 107098 wrote:

The DC/Arlington region does have a lot of spectacular sights, with all the monuments, memorials, museums, White House/Capitol and more. I think a lot of people tend to forget about them because they are trapped inside office buildings and cars all day. I never really saw a lot of those sights until I started riding again.

Speaking of monuments, here is a video I made in January while riding by some of the monuments downtown.

[video=youtube_share;-XqPWj-psOU]http://youtu.be/-XqPWj-psOU[/video]

[bobco85]

@CaseyKane50 107914 wrote:

Speaking of monuments, here is a video I made in January while riding by some of the monuments downtown.

[video=youtube_share;-XqPWj-psOU]http://youtu.be/-XqPWj-psOU[/video]

Wow, I’ve never seen so few people around the monuments save for the occasional winter blizzard conditions! Your video is a nice biking tour of the monuments…

…however, at 4:58, you skipped the George Mason Memorial (if you had gone straight onto the sidewalk instead of turning left toward the Jefferson Memorial). Poor George Mason; he gets no love!

[CaseyKane50]

@bobco85 107933 wrote:

Wow, I’ve never seen so few people around the monuments save for the occasional winter blizzard conditions! Your video is a nice biking tour of the monuments…

It was a cold work day.

…however, at 4:58, you skipped the George Mason Memorial (if you had gone straight onto the sidewalk instead of turning left toward the Jefferson Memorial). Poor George Mason; he gets no love!

Dang, I have been by that memorial so many times and have never bothered to stop in.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]7799[/ATTACH]

[bobco85]

I made a video of my bike ride with the trailer to IKEA (College Park). So far, the 50 mile trip there and back (I chose a flatter but longer route home since I’d have extra weight in the trailer and my stomach) is the current longest I have made with the trailer. That distance should increase later this year!

[video=youtube_share;6fecFc1t-kI]http://youtu.be/6fecFc1t-kI[/video]

[Boomer Cycles]

Yesterday’s Sunset over Lake Audubon in Reston as I was out on my #BAFS2015 1000th mile ride.

[dasgeh]

@Boomer2U 108323 wrote:

Yesterday’s Sunset over Lake Audubon in Reston as I was out on my #BAFS2015 1000th mile ride.

I love how you’ve perfected the “lift your bike and take a selfie” move. Thanks, FSSB #3

[jrenaut]

DC wasn’t nearly freezing enough for me, so I had to go somewhere colder. Or maybe I’m just in Michigan to meet my new niece and celebrate my father-in-law’s 75th birthday. Borrowed a bike to get my ride in.

[Boomer Cycles]

@dasgeh 108333 wrote:

I love how you’ve perfected the “lift your bike and take a selfie” move. Thanks, FSSB #3

Practice makes perfect, particularly when at your happy 😊 place.

[Author]

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