Save the date? Holiday markets ride to DC, Saturday Dec 10.

[Greenbelt]

The details aren’t finalized, but I wanted to post a “Save-the-Date” notice for a holiday shopping ride that we’re currently plotting from College Park to DC, on Saturday, December 10th.

We’re planning on leaving from Proteus bikes in College Park in the mid-morning, hitting Eastern Market in DC for some Christmas shopping and lunch, and then riding from Capitol Hill over to the Downtown Holiday Market, which is on 8th Street by the National Portrait Gallery. We’d head back to Maryland probably around 2pm or 2:30 and get back the shop for instant recovery cookies by 3:30pm or so.

The round trip would probably be about 35 miles. (14-15 miles down to Eastern Market, 3 or 4 miles over to the downtown market, and 15-16 or so miles back. We’ll stay on side roads and trails, and on bike lanes in DC. Our route will be along my usual commuting route, which is pretty flat and doesn’t go on any heavy traffic roads. It’s not a supported ride, but we’ll stick together or in groups. Metro will be our back up if the weather turns nasty or if people want a shorter ride. (Bikes are allowed on Metro all day on weekends, and the route goes along the Green and Red lines all the way to downtown.)

Maybe people from other parts of the area would like to meet up with our group in DC for some craft shopping and lunch? When we did our little cargo ride last month, a group rode all the way from Virginia to meet up — that was amazing! I don’t know if you guys are crazy enough to come all the way out to Maryland again, but it would be fun to meet up in DC with people or groups coming from other directions at some points.

I’ll post details and maps and stuff on this thread later, after we get all the times and details worked out. In the meantime, would welcome comments or suggestions for the ride. But for now, save the date!

-Jeff

Topic

[Greenbelt]

I put up a notice in Greenbelt Patch with details for local riders. We’ll be leaving from the New Deal Cafe at 9:30am to head over to the ride. Looking forward to seeing people tomorrow, either on the whole ride or along the way. Now I just need to remember to get off work in time to make cookies tonight.

[acc]

I have looked forward to this so much, thank you for planning the route and organizing this event. I will be at Proteus tomorrow at 10:00.

ann

[Riley Casey]

Quite a crowd here at the Eastern Market and the bike racks are almost full. A good day for a ride.

[eminva]

I’m at the Portrait Gallery holiday market hoping to meet the gang here. Unfortunately, not much in the way of bike racks that I have scouted out.

—
I am here: http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=38.897527,-77.022954

[Greenbelt]

Hey, good to see everyone today — glad we could meet up! Was a nice day for a ride. Thanks for coming out. -Jeff

[Riley Casey]

Many thanks to you Jeff for masterminding what turned out to be a fun ride ( even though I only took part in the shopping portion :rolleyes: ). Great to meet so many denizens of the forum in person.

[acc]

Had a great ride yesterday, many thanks to Greenbelt for planning the route and bringing the cookies that made it possible for me to find the motivation to get out of bed on a cold morning. I met so many intelligent, funny people it was wonderful and the Bike Forum folks are even better looking than they are online.

Christmas shopping on a bike forced me to be more disciplined. I learned several things.
1. Credit cards don’t weigh much and fit easily into a backpack, bring them.
2. I discovered my love and regard for people I buy holiday gifts for has a limit of four ounces. I’m not carrying anything that weighs more than that.
3. I also discovered my love and regard for people does not extend as far as I thought it did. Some people didn’t make the final cut, my backpack is only so big, my back is only so strong. Therefore, I wish to extend fond wishes and holiday greetings to Dirt, Tim Kelley, and Blacknell. Remember, it is not the size of the present but the thought that counts.
4. Everyone else will receive bike T-shirts I found in the markets yesterday. Grandma is getting a lovely one that has a big blue bicycle with a mustache where the handlebars should be. I know she’ll love it.
5. The funniest moment yesterday was when about 20 of us tried to crowd into a very small coffee shop, I believe that is the closest I will ever get to being part of a flashmob.

Happy Holiday Trails,
ann

[KLizotte]

@acc 11869 wrote:

5. The funniest moment yesterday was when about 20 of us tried to crowd into a very small coffee shop, I believe that is the closest I will ever get to being part of a flashmob.

And all in lycra and funny helmets I’m sure. My eyes, my eyes! The regular patrons must have thought it was an alien invasion. Giggle.

[SilverSpring]

Greenbelt and Proteus Bikes,

Thanks much for hosting a great ride. I saw trails and routes I’d never known existed (even more when I got lost and had to rejoin the group). A lovely (if windy) day for a ride.

[Greenbelt]

Some video clips from Saturday’s ride (well, mostly from Saturday’s ride anyway, but that’s a long story):
[video=vimeo;33555252]http://vimeo.com/33555252[/video]

[eminva]

Thank you Greenbelt and Proteus! Had a great time joining you for part of the day and finally getting to see the inside of Proteus. I also really enjoyed your trail network up that direction. Thanks again.

Liz

[Greenbelt]

Got a few stills from the ride:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]526[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]527[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]528[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]529[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]530[/ATTACH]

[Greenbelt]

And one more:
[ATTACH=CONFIG]531[/ATTACH]

[Author]

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