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Alright, I think if we all post our SSN’s and addresses the hackers will probably go away and we can talk about bikes again.

So if everyone could post theirs below…. Thanks.

I’d post mine, but I work for the gov’t, so they already have all my info. No need to be redundant and create more work for them having to clean up their data and stuff. Right? Right.

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@83(b) 126240 wrote:

Edit to add a followup thought: The church is apparently being represented pro bono by DLA Piper. I genuinely can’t believe that the firm allowed a letter this objectively terrible to go out on their letterhead.

Liberty University law grads have no shame when it comes to conflating religious, constitutional and civil rights. They must have a few on their payroll somewhere.

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@TwoWheelsDC 126168 wrote:

IME, having done Col du Telegraph + Galibier (7% for 7.5 miles, a short descent, then 7% for 11 miles) and Alpe d’Huez (8% for 8.6 miles) back-to-back, it’s less about the legs and more about managing your HR. I think I used 30×25 for the entire ride (occasionally upshifting a couple cogs to stand and climb), which is a much lower gear than I’d need for even much steeper hills, but it allowed me to to keep a steady (and incredibly slow) pace and maintain a steady HR that was well below my LTHR.

You’re right, for that duration it’s an aerobic thing so you can’t outrun your breath. Do you remember what speed your comfortable gear got you? That’s another thing I want to figure out. Is my comfortable speed, 4mph? 6? Maybe I can sustain 8, for a little while and drop back down to 5 to catch my breath, etc…

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@Rod Smith 125969 wrote:

Ilchester in Patapsco, riding distance from home. 0.5mi 10% https://www.strava.com/segments/8308975

There are a few more there similar length but not as steep.

Yeah I’ve seen Ilchester. I avoided riding up it by wading through 18in deep ice water for 50 yards in early March. I’m really just looking for a 7-8% hill to get a feel for how that incline makes my legs feel, and what gear is most comfortable over a longer duration.

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Thanks for all of the links to strava segments, but how accurate is that elevation data? Is it more reliable than rwGPS?

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Definitely do it. Obviously the number of days you take is up to you, and just depends on how hard you want to push yourself. How you design the route will be pretty important too. Can you follow a pre-mapped route like the ACA Atlantic Coast route for most of it?

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@Emm 125697 wrote:

The detour through crystal city didn’t add any time to my commute–I was surprised since I expected at least a few minutes to be added. I think using the service road helped. I think it’ll add a few min on the way home because of that stupid block that only goes 1 way, but worth it to avoid the mulch. Plus it brings me right by Jimmy Johns…

I’m going to be annoying/delighting my wife a lot more the next few months as I pick up dinner for me/us in Crystal City on the way home. I could go for some We The Pizza, or a Good Stuff Burger right now in fact. And Jimmy Johns is so fast and easy. You don’t even need to worry about locking up.

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@BTC_DC 125688 wrote:

Wood chips were surprisingly easy to ride on with skinny tires, but then dismounted due to traffic and people walking their bikes going both ways.

I think it is a worthwhile project, especially under the metro bridge where the trail is inches from the road. I am always worried in the winter about black ice on that little stretch and potentially going down and sliding into oncoming traffic. I do not actually recall ever encountering ice there, but provides peace of mind given the stakes are a bit higher with the off chance of sliding into a head on collision.

Straightening the path around the tree will also be nice.

So probably worth the short-term detours over the long run, and Crystal Dr. is a good option in the meantime.

Yeah, I wasn’t aware of the realignment they were doing to make thing better. I figured it was just a way to mess with us trail users.

Anyway, I’ll be going up to Crystal City at least for the next few months. I really wish the underpass there was wider than 1 lane.

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MVT along the airport south of Crystal City spur.

Does anyone know what’s going on with the 3 detours that are being set up there?? I was appalled to see that they’re lining the detours with wood chips! That’s going to be terrible for skinny tired bikes to ride on. I think I’ll just get on at Crystal City instead.

Any info on when they’re making the closures and for how long would be very much appreciated.

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@lordofthemark 125287 wrote:

I agree. An intermediate approach is to use the general travel lanes north of E. Glebe, and the MUP south, but then great care must be exercised in the transition between road and MUP (as in other similar transitions) I admit I have only biked in this area on a weekday once, and do not know what traffic conditions are usually like. When traffic is very light, taking the lanes is less stressful, and dealing with East Glebe from the MUP is easier.

My justification for taking the road south of E. Glebe is that huge playground. I’d rather deal with some cars than mix it up with a horde of kids playing and generally not paying attention (nor should they have to) to the fact that cyclists are nearby. Besides, who puts a MUP right next to a giant playground? On weekends I’ve seen it PACKED with kids and adults and strollers, so in my opinion it’s best to just avoid all of that and stay on the street.

If you’re wanting to continue on the MUP to Braddock, there are other places to get on it farther south.

On second thought, alongside a MUP seems like the perfect place to put a big playground… except if people expect that MUP to be used by bike commuters who want to get from A to B and not dawdle along the way, or deal with random, unpredictable obstacles. Hence why Gravelly point is such a freaking mess on nice days, and the TJ memorial area sucks during the cherry blossoms.

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@GovernorSilver 125248 wrote:

Yikes. I’ve had a habit of crossing on the north-side crosswalk but will probably start using the south-side, to avoid being in the path of cars turning left to head north on Potomac Ave – unless there aren’t any cars approaching on E. Glebe of course.

I think this should give you a clear indication to not use the “MUPs” (sidewalks) and crosswalks in this are at all! Use the street. The side streets are low speed and low trafficked enough to take the lane. Potomac Ave is 2 lanes, so take the right lane. If a driver wants to go around they can easily do so.

I’ve never ridden on the path in that area, and never will because of crashes like this, where 1 second of inattentiveness by a driver results in serious injury. At least on the road you are front and center and visible. Hopefully she will recover fully. Has the news picked this up at all?

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@TwoWheelsDC 124803 wrote:

Below 60 gets the knee warmers (which might look like tights from a distance), and if highs don’t get out of the 60s I just wear knickers. The tights don’t come out until much closer to freezing.

You’re right, some of these things look similar even though they’re for very different thermal regimes, and it’s hard to tell thickness too… but I did pay special attention as I passed them.

They were definitely wearing athletic jackets, and they definitely had full length cycling tights/pants on, and mid-weight gloves. I couldn’t tell if any had a hat on underneath the helmet. But it was much more than you might have had on, with a long sleeve jersey, and knee warmers. Another great point – assuming these guys were commuting, they know that the afternoon will be warm, at least in the 70’s, which is definitely t-shirt/shorts weather. Being a little chilly in the morning isn’t so bad when you know the afternoon is going to be warm.

These guys are probably just 3 examples of the people who won’t be on the trails come November.

It must be nice knowing which temperatures you like to wear certain items or layers. I pretty much need to re-figure it out every year, so I spend a lot of time being too cold or hot as fall progresses.

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The past two mornings I’ve seen a couple of guys wearing jackets, full gloves, and full length leggings. It was upper 50’s/low 60’s this morning. It’s on the cool side of t-shirt and shorts weather for me, or normal people might wear a long sleeved shirt.

But what the heck are these full-on winter gear guys going to do when it gets colder and then actual winter??

As Chris_S just said, it was glorious this morning! This weather is what makes the 4 months of summer disgustingness worth it!

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@Terpfan 124590 wrote:

I forgot to mention watch out a black Honda Accord with license plates DD 8372 driven by this maniac: [video]https://youtu.be/k5lvx79uazo[/video]

Unfortunately it was toward the end of my filming segment otherwise I would have his license plates in the same film (i dont have fancy editing software). I caught up with him at the traffic light that he’s slowing down for in the video and got a clear shot of his license plates. It looked like he was dressed in a blue WMATA uniform. I decided not to engage as people who pull those kind of stunts don’t have any regard for life and it’s not worth escalating.

Holy shit that’s close. Did you report to the police? What do we do again in these situations where dick bags drive dangerously without an actual collision? What finally prompted me to get a camera was a bag of trash who raced me to a stop light so he could right hook me from the left lane as I was entering the intersection. I never got a plate number though.

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I think I’ll be “essential” and therefore still have to come to work. I had to last time. Frickin sucks working while you know all the idiots in congress hate your guts. Here’s to changed rules and maybe some actual time off if there’s another congress-can’t-do-their-job-so-the-rest-of-us-suffer government shutdown.

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