[5555624]

@LilBit 7265 wrote:

I sweat like crazy.

Join the club. In the summer, try to wear clothes that dry quickly. I find that some mountain biking jerseys look more like “normal” shirts, yet dry out quicker.

In the winter, wear less than you would wear otherwise. If you’re riding, you should feel a little cool when you step outside. All too often, people bundle up and end up sweating — wear less than you would if you were standing around waiting for a bus. Layers, too, dress in layers.

[5555624]

@baiskeli 7271 wrote:

I don’t think it would cause car congestion, there isn’t enough traffic to do that.

I’m not so sure about that. I’ve seen it backed up due to one lane being blocked. I don’t care, either way, but at certain times of day, I think it will cause congestion.

[5555624]

@baiskeli 7202 wrote:

My evening commute avoids this crossing altogether. Maybe I should do the same in the morning. Death is not an option for me right now, I’m too busy.

My evening commute now avoids it altogether, too. If I am not going all the way up to the Custis Trail, which I do twice a week, I take the tunnel at the Humpback Bridge.

My morning commute is too early for traffic.

[5555624]

I tend to avoid using a backpack for this reason. (My main bike has panniers.) If I am just carrying a laptop in my backpack, my illuminite vest will fit — tightly — over the backpack and me. If the backpack is full or it’s winter and I’ve got layers on, I do have a blinky with 180-degree range.

I normally only use one rear light, but in those cases, I’ll usually use two. (I have one on the end of my rack and on my seat post.)

[5555624]

@Greenbelt 7071 wrote:

My favorite are the folks who powerwalk against the flow in the bikelanes. In groups sometimes. With a sidewalk right next to them. I’m sorry, but they’re jerks.

Anyone going against the flow is easy to deal with — I get off my bike and stand next to it. Between my bike and I, I can pretty much block most of the bike lane and make them go out and into traffic or onto the sidewalk. If they say something, I just comment that since they are not supposed to be in the bike lane, I just want to make sure they don’t have to deal with a moving bike and get hurt.

[5555624]

@OneEighth 6992 wrote:

I don’t think tire size really plays that much of a role.

I commute with a MTB and 26×1.95 tires, not knobby, and rarely have a problem.

Last week, I asked about tires in the discussion about the “boardwalk at the north end of the Mount Vernon Trail. The same day, the September issue of “velo” arrived and in the “Ask a Pro” column mentioned, “If the course is wet, unpaved, or technical, your pressure should go down….”

Wider tires or lower pressure means a larger surface area in contact with the ground, which should mean better traction. (It means more friction, so higher pressure would reduce the surface area and mean you could go faster.)

[5555624]

The only difference is that when it rains, my bike gets wet, too.

[5555624]

On the eastern end, they have also closed (and blocked) the sidewalk long Maine Avenue at 9th Street SW. I saw that as I was heading up to Banneker Circle to head over to Hains Point.

[5555624]

Work continues on the left lane. The right lane is open.

The sidewalk is now closed. The sign heading westbound is parallel to the circle at the end of Water Street. The sign heading westbound is right after you come under the railroad bridge. (When they first placed this sign, yesterday, it was further west and a lot people would have missed it.)

[5555624]

@DSalovesh 6908 wrote:

From the Tidal Basin to the waterfront fish market there are 3-4 ramp crossings where nobody wants to stop and they’re not paying good attention to bicycles, whereas Independence or Jefferson take advantage of some signals and are fine for all riders.

Once off the bridge, since East Basin Dr SW is one-way, you need to cross onto the trail/sidewalk on the memorial side. You take that until East basin Drive SW turns into Ohio Drive SW. There’s a mid-block crossing that is usually not too bad, since the light at Maine Avenue SW causes enough gaps. Alternatively, just ride down to Maine Avenue SW. After that, the only ramp crossing has a traffic light and is No Turn On Red.

@DSalovesh 6908 wrote:

Fair enough. I’ve driven through there far more than I’ve ridden. But starting with balletgirl1980’s apparent reluctance to ride Columbia Pike I figured it doesn’t really matter what connects there if she doesn’t want to use that road. I defer to others to say if that’s feasible or not…

My interpretation was she wants to avoid the exit ramp for Washington Boulevard/I-396 on Columbia Pike. I can understand that. If I rode in four or five hours later, I’d want to avoid it, too. On the other hand, I am not sure I’d ride the sidewalk — on either side — there, either.

[5555624]

@DSalovesh 6901 wrote:

Cross into DC, continue around Tidal Basin and up 15th

Once across the Geroge Mason Memorial Bridge, just head past the Jefferson Memorial and down to Maine Avenue and to M Street SW. It’s a lot more straightforward than going around the Tidal Basin, etc. It’s also an easy ride — except during the afternoons of Cherry Blossom season.

@DSalovesh 6901 wrote:

The big swing up to Lee adds a few miles compared to a route on Columbia Pike, but there’s just no happy way through between the Pentagon and the cemetery.

Define “happy way.” There may be no “happy way” to get to the Pentagon via Columbia Pike, but the route between the Pentagon and Arlington National Cemetery, especially to get to the George Mason Memorial Bridge (14th Street) is easy. There is a nice trail between the Pentagon and Route 27. Other than crossing the exit from Route 27 to the North Pentagon Parking Lot, there are no crossings of Route 27 or the GW Parkway.

[5555624]

Odd places? I resemble that… This is essentially my commute, although I start a few blocks east of you and stop just short of and don’t go under the 11th Street Bridge. (I’m tempted to make some :wrong side of the tracks” joke.)

If you’re not comfortable riding on Columbia Pike, hop on the sidewalk (on the north side), to go under Washington Boulevard and up past the Sheraton. At that point, if you’re on the sidewalk, get back on the street and go left on Orme Street (pass the Sheraton) and head down Southgate Road. At the bottom of the hill, at the intersection of Southgate Road, Columbia Pike, and South Joyce Street, make a left and get on the trail that runs along the north side of Columbia Pike.

Take the trail towards D.C. Pass under Route 27 and then make a left and go past the restrooms for the Pentagon Memorial. The trail then follows Route 27 and the perimeter of the Pentagon.

If you want to take the 14th Street Bridge, follow the trail/sidewalk along the exit to the North Pentagon Parking Lot. At the bottom of the hill, head straight along the parking lot towards the river. Cross the bridge to Columbia Island and then take the tunnel under the GW Parkway. Follow the trail up and onto the Mount Vernon Trail. Go over the Humpback Bridge and then right to get to the 14th Street Bridge.

Once across the bridge, pass the Jefferson Memorial, go down to Maine Avenue. Take Maine Avenue to M Street SW and then head straight. (Don’t laugh, a few months ago, at 6th and M St SW, I was asked how to get to the Navy Yard and when I said go straight and pointed down M Street, they got lost.)

One thing to note, to get home, you may need to go up to Banneker Circle, cross the Case Bridge, and come out through Hains Point. As noted elsewhere, they are beginning some construction along Maine Avenue SW, from the 14th Street Bridge to the 12 Street Bridge. The sidewalk will be closed at times.

Having said all that, I actually take Memorial Bridge in the mornings. (With about one exception, everyone on this forum is asleep when I ride in.) I do ride this route when I ride straight home, although I take S Ode St from Southgate Road to Columbia Pike and then take the Pike and not the sidewalk. Oh, in the afternoons, I usually take L Street SE, from 8th St to the alley before Half Street.

Any questions, feel free to ask.

[5555624]

@Joe Chapline 6851 wrote:

5555624: I was making some changes to the forum templates this morning, that may have something to do with it. I’m finished with that for now.

Nope, it’s still as described. I think it’s Opera/Windows. (I’ve found a number of little annoyances since I upgraded Opera to 11.x.)

[5555624]

When I browse to the main page (http://www.bikearlingtonforum.com/forum.php), I get the yellow text box (“If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ. You must register to post…. “). Today, I didn’t bother to log in, before reading some posts.

I typically read posts by opening threads in new tabs. I had already replied to a couple of threads before I realized I had not bothered to log in. On each of the open tabs, I am logged in. (When I log in, I do check the box to keep me logged in.) If I go back to the main page, from one of these tabs, I am logged in.

If I open a new tab/window and use the URL, I get the yellow text box and have the log in boxes. (As I am posting this reply, I opened a new tab, pasted the URL and got the yellow text box.) If I do log in, I get the “Invalid Redirect URL (http://www.bikearlingtonforum.com/forum.php)” error message. It seems I am getting that message when I log in, but I am already logged in. Yet another Opera/Windows glitch.

[5555624]

I don’t mind riding in the rain, as long as I’m prepared for it. (I keep my helmet cover and light rain jacket stuffed in a pannier, so I’m always ready on my commute.) What I don’t like is dealing with the wet gear at home or the office.

[Author]

Posts