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@PotomacCyclist 137461 wrote:

The pollen is going to be bad.

I always thought if Virginia needed a new tourism slogan, they could use: “If you have a pollen allergy, you’ll find it in Virginia.”

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@huskerdont 137407… it may still be a good idea to include it on DC’s vision zero map. [/QUOTE wrote:

Apropos in that the reason for the accident is that the cars created a “zero vision” situation for the cyclists.

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@Emm 137397 wrote:

I think so…I may try this evening and hopefully not die. So take the lane/sidewalk going westbound on Maine after 9th st until you hit a light that goes into the fishmarket. Then cross over, and take the eastbound sidewalk. Does that sound right?

Exactly. Yesterday there was a lot of cherry blossom traffic on this route, however, so you might consider the Case Bridge routes suggested above by Steve O and mello yello. My bike won’t do the switchbacks, so I’ll be braving the crowds. But after the cherry blossoms are gone, things should lighten up and return to normal.

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@Emm 137350 wrote:

Question on this because I’ve been considering this route so I want to make sure I understand what you’re saying–do you ride on the eastbound sidewalk from 9th to ohio drive along maine ave? That seems like a long way on the sidewalk, but after yesterday’s nuthouse on the mall, I think it may be worth it to try…

I find mornings are never bad, even during Cherry Blossom Festival, but then again I get to work between 7:30-8, so tourists aren’t that bad yet along the mall.

Please bear with me, it’s a little hard to explain verbally, and Strava never manages to capture it accurately because of the bridges interfering with the GPS signal, so I won’t bother referring you.

Because of the construction, the sidewalk on eastbound Maine Avenue starts (stops) at the easternmost entrance to the SW Waterfront fish market where a (probably temporary) traffic light has been installed. I take the lane on westbound Maine Avenue (or the sidewalk if the lanes are hopelessly jammed) and go left at the traffic light into the fish market entrance and proceed westward on the “eastbound” sidewalk. It’s probably 2/3rds of the way between 9th and Ohio on the sidewalk, but the sidewalk is broad (it was widened when they removed a car lane from Maine Ave. but DID NOT put in a bike lane several years ago?!?) and usually does not have many peds on it. I stay on the sidewalk on Ohio until the crosswalk just before the entrance to Haines Point, then take the right lane on Ohio/East Basin Drive to the 14th Street Bridge trail.

Does that help?

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@SurlyTed1187 137335 wrote:

I recently moved to N. Alexandria (Arlandria), and work in Takoma Park, MD. It’s a 13.5 mile commute in the mornings if I come the most direct route. I’m
finding as the weather is improving, the crowds of tourists are growing around the tidal basin/national mall/white house.

As I come off the 14th street bridge, I have to navigate my way past the TJ memorial, Tidal Basin, National Mall, and White House.

What alternatives during this part of the route have you found to avoid the large crowds of clueless tourists as they visit the monuments, and other sights?

If you’ve got the route worked out between the Mall and Takoma Park, that would be good because I can’t help you there. To get from 14th Street Bridge to the Mall, you could go past the Zone of Perpetual Construction on Maine Ave. and work your way up to 7th Street. 7th is on the west side of the Air and Space Museum, but otherwise relatively far from the biggest tourist attractions.

In the morning, I take Maine Ave. to 9th, to G St. SW (one-way east) to 7th. In the afternoon, I go from 7th to 9th via Capitol Square Pl. (a “private” road with speed bumps, but not gated). To go west on Maine Ave. you must ride on the Anacostia Riverwalk (a.k.a., the “eastbound” sidewalk) because there is no place to turn left onto Ohio Drive from Maine Ave. westbound. This seems to avoid most of the Cherry Blossom madness.

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@PotomacCyclist 133724 wrote:

Off the top of my head, I know that current and former players like Alfred Morris, Tyler Clippard and Caron Butler are enthusiastic cyclists.

http://www.bicycling.com/advocacy/people/forward-thinker

Alfred Morris just signed with the Cowboys. Maybe he’ll do the Dallas BTWD.

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@rcannon100 137293 wrote:

I also dont own a smart phone. I have this work issued thing. I think it was made by Canadians. Its not smart. It has no apps that can reasonably be used with Strava.

Before my agency issued iPhones, I used this on the Canadian-made device: https://appworld.canadians.com/webstore/content/50491/?lang=en&countrycode=US. I would start recording, put the device in its holster, slip it into my bag, ride, and upload the data to Strava at the end of the ride. It worked fine for recording rides. I think I lost only one ride because the device rebooted in the middle of the ride after a software update.

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@consularrider 136949 wrote:

Yes Emm, go over to the dark side.

Hopeless wedgie-rider.

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@Emm 136936 wrote:

I’m dealing with a really painful hip…]

From the looks of your bike, it seems you must bend your hips pretty far while riding. Many years ago, I had some hip trouble because I liked to ride with aero bars on a streeted-up mountain bike. I noticed that riding a recumbent exercise bike during the winter (no Freezing Saddles for me until this year) did not bother my hip at all because it did not bend as much while pedaling. So, I started riding a real recumbent, and my hip got better. I know going bent would be a radical change that would subject you to no end of ridicule in the greater cycling community, but it might be the key to you continuing to enjoy cycling, including going fast (I’m number 23 for average speed in FS2016, not bad for a grey-bearded recumbent rider).

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@huskerdont 136898 wrote:

They’ve added a coat of paint to one side of Trollheim. Coupla cones marking the area, closing the right side going upriver just after the junction. Easy enough to see at 2:30, but don’t know if they’ll still be blocking it after dark, and it is crowded out there.

Cones still there this AM. I wonder why NPS isn’t painting the Trollheim curves as well? The more slippery the better, I would think.

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@Tania 136719 wrote:

Me: “Good morning! Passing on your left.”

Woman: Raising your hand to acknowledge except you also give me the finger.

Perhaps she would have preferred an unannounced pass at high speed close enough to feel your air wake.

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@Tania 136697 wrote:

Holy mother of buttercups, I hadn’t realized just how spoiled I’d become biking through the city at 6:30am rather than at rush hour (thanks metro).

Gah.

Based on the wardrobe selections I saw in the mornings last week, and this being the first week of Daylight Savings Time, I expected a Ninja Festival on W&OD and Custis this morning. But no, I was surprised by only one jogger and his invisibility was enhanced by the drizzle collecting on my glasses.

My point Tania, return to the Dark Side. In a few weeks it will be light at 6:30 again, but traffic will still arrive later.

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This one is along the Patrick Henry Drive retaining wall at Four Mile Run (view from the W&OD).

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11206[/ATTACH]

Where are the rest?

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This is the last one I know of. It’s along the Patrick Henry Drive retaining wall at Four Mile Run. Anyone know of another?

[ATTACH=CONFIG]11205[/ATTACH]

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…was with Shawnofthedread

https://www.strava.com/activities/513656712

I had no idea.

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