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@Dirt 11362 wrote:

You obviously haven’t seen the kind of damage a kitten can do.

Good point. I was thinking of simply handing them the kittens, not dousing them with water from my water bottle and tossing them in the driver’s window.

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I’m still not sure that giving these people a kitten is a good idea.

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@elcee 11197 wrote:

I’ve been looking for the legendary Michelin tire levers but have not found them locally nor at my usual on-line retailers

Not the “standard” 3-pack, but: http://www.bicyclebuys.com/tires/TireTools/0100065

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@Dirt 11145 wrote:

I have gotten to know all the WMATA bus drivers along my commute.

I’ve gotten to know all the WMATA bus drivers on my morning commute, but there is only one bus. On the way home, there are just too many on Columbia Pike. (The OmniRide driver I usually see on the way home knows me, though.)

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I use a Crank Brothers Speed Lever. I was looking for a pic and found a
video demonstration that shows how it works. It runs about $7-$8.

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@KLizotte 11119 wrote:

and polarized, protective glasses. So yeah, I’m the one technically wearing “sunglasses” in the middle of the night.

Why? I virtually always wear glasses, but I wear clear glasses whenever it’s too dark for sunglasses. I never thought about polarized glasses.

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@DaveK 11103 wrote:

Huh, I went through there not a minute before that (I remember yelling something at you going down the ramp to TR Island) and he wasn’t there then. I do remember thinking there was absolutely nobody on the trail that day. There is the pullout on the park side he could have used instead to sit and watch the intersection, but I’m just glad they were out there doing enforcement.

Except that he would have to cross the lanes of traffic to get to the right lane and nab the “right on red” violators. This way, he comes out on the crosswalk — when I have seen him. I don’t know if it’s the same officer, but I’ve seen a patrol car parked there a number of times , but much closer to the intersection. (Usually around 3:30 p.m.)

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@Arlingtonrider 11056 wrote:

Only if you want to.

That’s probably all the encouragement he needs. (Can someone tell his wife to hide her lipstick?)

Alas, lipstick won’t help at 3:00 a.m., but there’s no traffic, then, either.

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@Overtone 10921 wrote:

Perhaps the cycling community should march on it (roll on it??) and perform an exorcism.

Only if you can get Dart Drug, Orange Julius, Waldenbooks, JC Penney’s, and Hecht’s to come back. (Well, I guess you can get Macy’s to simply change their sifgn….)

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You’re supposed to give them a kitten?

While I am sure that would be unexpected, I don’t think I want to ride with kittens. What happens if they get loose? Cat herding is difficult as it is, but on a bike? Yikes!

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@eminva 10891 wrote:

For drying shoes, I recommend:

http://www.dryguy.net/DG10.html

Old newspapers work great, too. Just stuff the shoes with newspapers and let them absorb the water. You might need to change the newspapers after an hour or so. The newspaper can still be recycled.

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@rcannon100 10868 wrote:

Has anyone seen plans for this. I am specifically wondering if there will be a way to get across Maine Ave. Currently cyclists in SW on Maine and 12th Street, come up Maine to Treasury, and then have to cross Maine to get to the Jefferson to the 14th St bridge. The crossing of Maine Ave is harrowing, and I know I have seen reports of people getting hit. Anyone know if they are solving this problem as a part of this project?

I have not seen the plans, but I don’t believe it will change any crossings, other than the entrances to the fish market, marina, etc. It’s widening the sidewalk along Maine Avenue SW.

I’ve tried to find out their revised completion date, but I’ve gotten no response. If I send another e-mail, I’ll ask about crossing Maine Avenue SW.

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@pfunkallstar 10851 wrote:

I think we need greater snobbery in our local bike shops – it should be all out class warfare as soon as you enter the door. But seriously, I would recommend pretty much Papillion and Papillion alone in terms of local bike shops, then maybe Spokes. I’ve strolled into a few too many shops where my bike didn’t meet some ethereal standard of quality.

Greater snobbery on behalf of the customers or the bike shop personnel? I’ve run into some snobs at Papillion several times — never Bailey or any of the people working there. The funniest was several years ago, when this guy was trying to impress a female cyclist. I had come in and was not wearing anything cycling-related gear and I think I had my daily commuter with me, which is an old Giant Yukon. I’m just standing there and listening, trying hard not to laugh, while she looks bored. (Bailey was finishing some work on her bike.) The guy was saying something about how he rode a lot and had just bought second bike. She wasn’t impressed. He turned to me and asked me, in a voice dripping with snobbery, how many bikes I owned. When I told him I had five, not counting a spare frame, he shut up. The woman saw the opportunity to start talking with me and he soon left. (If I’ve ever mentioned the loon who preferred riding on the MVT, after midnight, without any lights, that was her.)

I second the recommendation for Papillion. While I can do just about anything I need to do, I’ll often take a bike in just to give them the business. Since it’s not a chain, I believe in supporting my local bike shop.

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I guess I taje the “Kindergarten wet pants backupy” approach, because I tend to treat rain the same way I treat riding in July — I wear a differnt pair of shorts and jersey home. I do have a fan blowing on my wet clothes to dry them out, so I could wear them, but usually I wear the other clothes.

On the other hand, I can’t seem to remember to bring in a second pair of socks. I think I’ve done that twice in the last ten years to so. Normally, if my socks get wet in the morning, I skip the socks in the afternoon, unless they are dry — if it’s cold and I’ve switched to wool socks, I’ll wear thoes if they are still damp.

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@gtownbikedude 10789 wrote:

I’m gathering information about bike buying habits of people in the area

“Road” bike buying habits.

Most of my bikes are moutain bikes. While I technially have a road bike (a Surly Cross Check), I don’t ride it even once a week. (Heck, it spends more time on the trainer.)

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