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OK gang. Here’s the deal. Tom said he could probably accommodate ~15-16 of us with being able to bring our bikes inside. But since this will be the first time doing something like this, he’s not absolutely sure. If you have a bike that you’re fine with locking up, there are bike racks out front on the sidewalk. So I need to know who wants to do this. Even if you’ve previously responded, please confirm. I need a firm head count by Thursday. Guest riders (even from other teams) can be invited by a team member, but Squadra Quattordici members have first dibs.

NOTE TO WOULD-BE INFILTRATORS: Please consider this an invitation-only ride. Not that we don’t like the rest of y’all, but Tom is doing me a favor by letting us invade Duffy’s and I don’t want to repay the favor by having a larger crowd than he’s expecting/can accommodate. Appreciate your consideration and understanding.

Based on previous messages, here’s who said they’re interested. But, again, please re-confirm. Thanx!

Me aka Chuck (plus maybe 2 guests)
streetsmarts aka Jeanne
lossomes aka ???
rockford10 aka Kathleen (plus maybe 3 guests)
f148vf aka HF
cmj7gh aka Chris

Here is the plan:

Leave from Java Shack in Arlington http://commonwealthjoe.com/pages/the-java-shack at 1030. If you want to score Coffeecatting points, get there early enough to be able to roll at 1030. I’ve mapped out a ride on Strava https://www.strava.com/routes/7396076 that’s ~17 miles from Java Shack to Duffy’s. You can download TCX or GPX file if you want to put it on your Garmin or other GPS device. Involves a lap of Hains Point that we could skip based on group consensus. Relatively easy ride. No big climbs. Bike trail and city streets. Riding “easy” with some stop-and-go in the city, we should be able to get to Duffy’s by noon-ish. Indulge in wings and your choice of beverage (just remember you have to ride back!) Not discouraging a group ride back, but I’m fine with everyone making their way back via the best route based on where they’re going. I will probably go back via U Street to Florida Avenue to P Street and then shoot down to the G’town waterfront to come back into Arlington via Memorial Bridge.

Ride rules:

This is a fun/social ride. I would like to keep the group together, which means we strive to ride as fast as the slowest rider. I have no problem riding slow. Safety first. And obey all the rules of the road, e.g., stop lights, stop signs, etc. Not interested in having to call emergency responders or someone’s family members. It’s not a big deal if you’ve not done group rides before but if you’re not an experienced group rider, please message me so we can “talk” and I can make sure you know rules/etiquette for riding in a group to make sure you’re both safe and comfortable. I can’t stress enough that this is really important. Almost all mishaps in a group ride are not because someone isn’t a good enough rider, it’s because they don’t know how to ride in a group. OK, off my soapbox.

Finally, since many of us don’t know each other (I’ve only met Kurt, Helen, and HF at the BASF2017 happy hour and Chris from a Rev ride last year) please let me know who you are (beyond your forum name) and what you’ll be riding. If you want to let me know what a comfortable riding pace is for you too, that would be good too. I’m chuxtr here but Chuck in real life and Chuck Pena on Strava. I’ll be riding a Felt FC (with flou pink handlebar tape). Not sure what kit. Will depend on the weather. But based on current long-range forecast that I know can change between now and then, most likely will be wearing my flou yellow Gore jacket.

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@Vicegrip 153178 wrote:

Fellow 14 Chris J spells it out. https://www.strava.com/activities/837095819

And he had to ride in reverse order of the spelling to do it! Chapeau!

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@jrenaut 152669 wrote:

You now have an official scoreboard under the Pointless tab – Points per Mile

Hey gang! I was looking at a calendar and by my count, BAFS2017 is 11 weeks long (plus 2 days). So I’m upping the minimum number of ride days from 30 to 33, i.e., 3 ride days a week on average.

Thank you again, jrenaut, for the official scoreboard on the Freezing Saddles website.

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Rockford10 and f148vr –

I’ll ping everyone early next week to get a firm commitment and know how many riders.

Can I get an idea of everyone’s riding “level” so I can figure out how best to make this work as a group ride. FWIW, I’m an ex-racer who doesn’t commute and just rides to ride for fun. I’ll be riding my road bike for this ride. I’m more than happy to ride “slow.” If you look at most of my rides on Strava, you’ll see that on a lot of my rides (on my road bike) my average speed is often ~14mph. Especially during the winter, I don’t worry too much about wanting/needing to go “fast.” And during the riding season, I ride lanterne rouge on the Revolution Cycles Sunday group ride, i.e., at/off the back with my pal Jess as last wheels to make sure no one gets dropped.

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NOTE TO ANYONE NOT ON TEAM 14 THINKING ABOUT INFILTRATING THIS RIDE …

The owner of Duffy’s is a friend of mine and doing me a favor letting us have the back room and being able to bring our bikes inside (for those of us who are riding bikes we don’t want to lock up outside … there are bike racks on the street out front for those that do). I’ve asked him how many people he can accommodate and will let y’all know how many that is. Depending on how many Team 14 members (plus any friends they invite) commit to this, I’m more than happy to have other BAFSers join us within our limit. But no “just show up” riders because I have to know in advance how many of us to let Tom know so his staff will be prepared for us. Not trying to be a jerk, but the last thing I want is more people than can fit.

Appreciate everyone’s understanding.

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Bummer. Already have stuff on my calendar for tomorrow after work.

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Can I get a show of hands of who’s interested in riding to Duffy’s next Saturday (January 28)? I know our dear leader Kurt probably can’t. I think critical mass is probably 5 or 6 of us. I will probably ask my wife and one other friend if they want to join us. I will find out from Tom how many of us (with bikes) he can accommodate in the back room. I know it’s big enough for all 11 of us and a few more.

The plan probably looks something like this … Since we’re all starting from different locations (assuming everyone is riding from home), meet in Arlington. My suggestion would be Java Shack for a pre-ride espresso (for those doing the coffeecatting challenge). Departure at 1030 so anyone who wants to caffeinate get there early enough to be ready to ride at 1030. I put together a route on Strava from Java Shack to Duffy’s that’s ~17 miles. I can send you either a GPX or TXC file if you want to load on your Garmin or other GPS device (just let me know your email). Definitely an easy ride. Over Memorial Bridge and one lap around Hains Point. Then Maine Avenue to M Street to the Anacostia Riverwalk Trail. Up to Benning Road. Benning to Florida to Vermont. City riding so not so fast. Social. Ride as fast as the slowest rider wants to ride so we keep the group together and no one gets lost. We can make up the route back to Arlington, but probably something like U Street to Florida to P and through G’town and over Key Bridge.

Just need to see what the weather does.

If we decide to do this, I’ll need to confirm who’s riding by next Thursday so I can let Tom know on Friday how many of us to expect.

THANX!

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@Steve O 152800 wrote:

If you are open to infiltrators, then be sure to add your ride (and wings eating) to the FS Official-ish calendar, now appearing on the Freezing Saddles home page.

I have to be able to give Tom a relatively accurate head count so he/his staff know how many of to expect. So don’t know that it really lends itself to infiltration.

That said, if team members want to invite a friend or two (either from another team or someone who isn’t doing BASF), that would be OK as long as I have a head count beforehand. Will determine if we have critical mass and firm up next week.

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Let’s see if we can make the 28th work. I’ll give Tom a heads up now that we may be there. But be warned that I’m a “fair weather” rider. I can brave the cold but I don’t ride in the wet. Yes, I’m a wimp! Been there, done that as my much younger self. My much older self not so much interested (especially the cleaning the bike part afterwards).

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kwarkentien;152779 wrote:

not sure what i’m supposed to do to claim my “points” but here’s my multi challenge entry doughneuring/coffeeneuring/sockneuring with bonus inaugural-themed donut.

winner!

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@bykgrl 152710 wrote:

hi I don’t usually do anything on the forum, and I’m not sure how to join the group on Strava? I’m Helen Huley, I don’t think I have a nick name on Strava.. ! I was at the happy hour and look forward to meeting everyone else! Im not huge in miles but I’m trying to at least do a daily sleaze..

We’re attempting a dry January (aghhhh 🍻🚫) but up for beers soon! I work Saturdays (my husband & I own Bikenetic) but could probably do a ride here and there on Sundays.

Thanks!

This is our team page on Strava: https://www.strava.com/clubs/250726 Request to join and Kurt will approve you. All your rides on Strava starting January 1st should automatically get counted towards our team total.

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@jrenaut 152669 wrote:

You now have an official scoreboard under the Pointless tab – Points per Mile

So cool and thank you very much!!!

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If we want to do a team ride to Duffy’s for wings one weekend, Tom told me these dates would work:

Sunday 1/22 between noon – 2 pm (big NFL games after starting at 3)
Saturday 1/28 (totally open)
Saturday 2/4 (totally open)
Saturday 2/11 (totally open)
Sat or Sunday 2/18-19 (both totally open at this point)

He’ll let us occupy the back room and we can bring our bikes back there. Let me know if y’all (or at least some of y’all) want to do this.

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@lossomes 152596 wrote:

perfect. and we’re positive on the spelling, right? once i tattoo this across my back there’s no turning back

Spelling is correct. You can go to the tattoo parlor.

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@streetsmarts 152593 wrote:

OK Here’s my guess. SKWAD-ruh kwa-tor-DEE-chee

That’s right!

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