[cvcalhoun]

I’ve found that since I’ve gotten these, people have seen me even if they haven’t been looking out for me:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001RTL5L6/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5qYmTASQ6Wc

@83(b) 67580 wrote:

The problem with the outdoor riding in winter is more the lack of light than the cold. I hate being out with traffic in the dark, even lit up like a Christmas tree. It’s okay downtown for my commute, which is mostly bike lanes and slower streets. But further out (especially east of the river) I worry people aren’t looking out for you. And don’t even get me started on the ninja runners. The ART is ten kinds of dark in places and no one uses lights.

[cvcalhoun]

Hmm… If I’m coming via CCT and the Key Bridge (in order to avoid Arlington Memorial), would this shortcut still be an option? And how easy is it to follow? I’m a bit nervous about trying to find two different and unfamiliar “unnamed roads.”

@dasgeh 78426 wrote:

Since you’re not on my team, I recommend cutting through the Pentagon — either the West side via the 27 “trail” or the East side via Columbia Island Marina & LBJ grove — then taking Army-Navy. Here’s a version

[cvcalhoun]

Sorry, but when I’m doing 35 miles in a day with a 60-year-old body and a 65-pound bike, I’m not looking for hills to increase the challenge!

@DismalScientist 78417 wrote:

I have no idea why you would not return the way you came. Taking the WOD to Custis just adds miles. If you want to do that, you might as well make a side trip to White’s Ferry.:rolleyes: The shortest way involves taking the Washington Blvd bike path/sidewalk and Army Navy Drive between Memorial Bridge and Shirlington via the Pentagon.

Of course, if you really want to have fun, you can take the CCT to the rough hiking trail down to Chain Bridge. Go up 41st Street and south on Military Road and Quincy to the southern Arlington Blvd bike path. Simply turn south on Park Drive to the WOD. Rumor has it that there may be hills this way.:rolleyes:

[cvcalhoun]

Thanks to all who responded! I was thinking CCT to Key Bridge, and then down the MVT from there might be easier than Arlington Memorial Bridge (and the former is also a route I’m very familiar with, which is always a plus). But it’s nice to know that even my aged body and overweight bike (not to mention aged bike and overweight body) probably won’t have a lot of trouble with FMR.

[cvcalhoun]

Thanks to all who responded! I was thinking CCT to Key Bridge, and then down the MVT from there might be easier than Arlington Memorial Bridge (and the former is also a route I’m very familiar with, which is always a plus). But it’s nice to know that even my aged body and overweight bike (not to mention aged bike and overweight body) probably won’t have a lot of trouble with FMR.

[cvcalhoun]

It looks like I may need to make it to Shirlington (from Bethesda) on Friday. From Google maps, it looks like my best route involves the MVT from Arlington Bridge to the Four Mile Run trail, then up Four Mile Run. Two questions:

1. What are the conditions on those trails at this point?
2. How steep is the Four Mile Run Trail? I use an old Trek hybrid that weights 65 pounds with all the accessories I have attached to it, and my experience has been that some of those trails into Virginia from the Potomac go more or less straight up, which can really affect the amount of time I need to allow, but I don’t believe I’ve ever actually been on FMR.

[cvcalhoun]

FWIW, the paved parts of the CCT in Montgomery County were in pretty good shape by yesterday afternoon. The same could not be said for the DC portion. The entire trail was covered in rutted packed snow and ice for a good portion of the way between Massachusetts Avenue and the tunnel.

@sethpo 77934 wrote:

Here’s the letter sent from MoCo Councilman Berliner and four other Councilmembers to Parks Dept about plowing CCT.

http://imgur.com/K6eoeMS

Key graph:

“Specifically, I would like to request that you prepare an estimate for snow removal and winter maintenance on the trail in time for the Transportation, Infrastructure, Energy and Environment Committee to review that figure during the Council’s budget deliberations this April.
In my opinion, not maintaining the Capital Crescent Trail does not only a great disservice to residents who rely on the trail for commuting purposes, but also to the County’s goal of being a more walkable and bikeable community.”

If you use the CCT, please send email thanks to Berliner and other signees:

councilmember.berliner@montgomerycountymd.gov
councilmember.andrews@montgomerycountymd.gov
councilmember.Riemer@montgomerycountymd.gov
Councilmember.Branson@montgomerycountymd.gov
councilmember.Leventhal@montgomerycountymd.gov

Hopefully, this is progress and not just fluff. We’ll see.

[cvcalhoun]

True. But even if someone manages to pull ahead of our team, I don’t think they’ll find a way to reattach that 11 lbs.

@consularrider 77969 wrote:

Don’t get cocky yet, we’ve still got four weeks to go.

[cvcalhoun]

Before I started BAFS, I was riding twice a week, for a total of 30 miles a week. Since BAFS began, I’ve ridden every day, for a total of over 60 miles a week. I had lost 8 lbs. in the year preceding BAFS; I’ve lost 11 lbs. (with no changes in diet) since BAFS began. Being on the winning team is just a bonus!

[cvcalhoun]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4786[/ATTACH]

[cvcalhoun]

I can’t imagine why you didn’t ride on such a lovely day!

@vvill 77336 wrote:

I couldn’t post this in the Post Your Ride Pics thread, since I didn’t actually ride.

[cvcalhoun]

Something about this challenge is clearly having good effects. I’m down from 210 to 200 as of this morning. By comparison, I’d lost only 7 lbs. in the whole preceding year!

[cvcalhoun]

@UnknownCyclist 76805 wrote:

What?… FDR grew “hemp?”

He grew Amaranthus cannabinus, or water hemp. I’m pretty sure that attempts to smoke the stuff would be about as rewarding as trying to smoke a piece of hemp rope.

[cvcalhoun]

@cvcalhoun 76799 wrote:

I think you may have to give us a hint on what this is?

@Steve O 76801 wrote:

You’re joking, right?

Well, the White House itself was disallowed in the very first post:

@Mikey 74751 wrote:

The White house or other POTUS site that is not specific to any one president will not work.

So I was trying to figure out what specific feature would be associated with Obama. Given the clarification (and the fact that things named either Barack or Obama are not exactly plentiful in these parts), I’ve gone ahead and liked it.

And apparently I was not the only one who was confused, as the first picture got no likes, and the second one got three very quickly.

[cvcalhoun]

I think you may have to give us a hint on what this is?

@dasgeh 76795 wrote:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4710[/ATTACH]

Obama

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