[brendan]

I ROCKED the ride back from Herndon tonight! Even the flags at the W&OD/Lee Highway intersection were snapping to attention (that is pointing east, flapping violently) in honor of my awesomeness…

B

[brendan]

@vern 108262 wrote:

I had a late morning commute and had the same experience. But the wind is already becoming wicked out of the north and west.

Indeed. After crossing Maple avenue in Vienna heading west early this afternoon, where I usually encounter the beginning of a fun two mile downhill, I instead hit a wall of wind that nearly stopped me on my tracks. I had to push through a bit and get down off the peak of the hill to be able to coast at all.

Today’s commute out to Herndon was almost as long as the longest ice and snow commutes earlier this winter.

B

[brendan]

@Alcova cyclist 108234 wrote:

Columbia bike is a terrifying place to ride, and the path along Rte 50 is far from adequate or complete.

What constitutes a “federal worker”? E.g. is a contractor with a PIV card considered a “federal worker”?

This contractor would like to know.

B

PS – Punctuation, blah.

PPS – a PIV card looks identical to a CAC card, maybe they’re considered the same? I also wonder what the definition of “cleared contract personnel” is the context of the FAQ (up to date on background investigations? Or cleared for site access?).

[brendan]

@dasgeh 108108 wrote:

Bikey duvet cover, and on clearance!

http://www.thecompanystore.com/spring-ride-percale-sham/dv17-ps-c14.html?start=22&cgid=cs-clearance-shams#variations

Why do bikes need duvets? Do they get cold?

B

[brendan]

@Tim Kelley 108101 wrote:

Pics or it didn’t happen!

It was *really* dark out and I didn’t have a proper camera, so the only pic I had was a very very dark semi-blur of some lyrics don’t stop believin’ with a vaguely grassy fuzz texture to the letters, which may have been deleted due to the cheesiness factor.

I’ll make sure to bring a real camera next time.

B

[brendan]

Depending upon the (atmospherically unloaded) tire pressure, and which side of the moon, I think we’d want to take a look at the phase-change curves involved with the particular gas mixture we’d be using too. E.g. “At [earth] atmospheric pressure, liquid nitrogen boils at −195.79 °C (77 K; −320 °F)…”

B

PS – I believe the astronauts had heaters in their space suits…oops wrong, no heaters in the suits…it’s all about the insulation and reflective outer layer…they planned all EVAs for lunar dawn…neat.

[brendan]

I hereby decree February the 10th to be “Skidding Saddles” day.

B

[brendan]

Last summer we rode the GAP and towpath from Pittsburgh to DC. Several weeks before our trip, the NPS resurfaced a few miles of the towpath east of Whites Ferry that had been pretty horrendous for over a year (and marginal at best for years before that).

It was significant work, they trucked in soil and rocks which was then placed and packed down.

I will say this: After four plus days of heavy hauling*, the newly repacked miles were very much appreciated.

Brendan

* and while a laptop, lithium power box, video projector, PA system and set of wireless mics were somewhat of a ridiculous thing to carry bike camping, having projected-onto-the-hillside karaoke hour at the hiker biker campsites made it worth it.

[brendan]

@Steve O 107958 wrote:

I used to ride up all the time–every day, in fact. The last day I did so was September 10, 2001. My best gate-to-gate time up the hill was 3:03. I don’t think it’s a Strava segment.

I also haven’t ridden through the gate since before 9/11.

[brendan]

@radarider 107948 wrote:

In light of these facts, it is apparent that the entire infrastructure of the 184.5 mile canal/towpath is doomed to collapse into disrepair, ruin and decay.

So…knobby tires?

B

[brendan]

I met your dad yesterday when a friend drove him by to help him pick up a loaner trainer…which I suspect he’s not ready to jump on *quite* yet [give it a few more days and listen to the doctors’ advice…].

It was nice meeting such a positive and cheerful guy, esp. considering the recovery process.

B

[brendan]

As an aside, having read up a bit on the methodologies of foreign tax sheltering, my “favorite” evil move was transferring corporate patents/trademarks and other so-called “IP” to off-shore companies/subsidiaries created by your company, then paying those new entities exorbitant licensing feeds to use the very same patents/trademarks and other so-called “IP”. That way the profit converts to expense (in the U.S.) and re-emerges as profit in a much lower tax rate country.

Then, adjust (er, I mean “renegotiate”) the licensing fees yearly (or as necessary) to avoid U.S. corporate taxes regularly.

Brilliant!

B

[brendan]

@dasgeh 107946 wrote:

This is an issue with Arlington National Cemetery too. People are allowed to ride bikes down the hill but not up. DoD has given some lame excuses but they don’t hold water. The best I can guess is they don’t want people working out in the cemetery (though big tour buses are fine).
At some point, the lives of the living are more important than the perfect silence for the dead. Where there are no other safe alternatives, we should be allowed to ride through. Reasonable restrictions make sense, which could include no “working out”. Be respectful or don’t use that route.

Which hill?

The last time I rode into Arlington Cemetery proper (vs. skirting the edge transiting Iwo Jima<->Memorial Bridge), I told a staff member I was visiting my grandfather. He said, “oh yes, feel free to bike to the site, but keep the bike on the pavement”, gave me a map and marked my grandfather’s spot on it for me.

B

[brendan]

Beautiful day, but definitely a bit chillier on the western part of the W&OD (as well as once the sun went down on the way back to DC).

B

[brendan]

@rpiretti 107564 wrote:

Oh, how I missed everyone on the Forum. Hope everyone is well. I took a quick look and saw what was up and thought I’d share what my Velo Orange looks like these days. A little different as the roads down in ‘Bama are a little rough! Here I was riding some utility trails on our red clay. No more shiny fenders and rear rack. Oh, and 42mm tires. Having a tough time selling that rear rack down here. Rock on guys. [For some reason it’s displaying as a tiny pic, just click on it]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]7771[/ATTACH]

I take it there are nazgul on bikes on the hill above your bike?

B

[Author]

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