[Dirt]

@DismalScientist 2797 wrote:

Here a link to the appropriate rut to be paved:
http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=22205&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=60.50566,135.263672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Arlington,+Virginia+22205&ll=38.896876,-77.067209&spn=0.001845,0.004128&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=38.896762,-77.06716&panoid=wdfm6-BEP7xr92xnG7r8vw&cbp=12,196.29,,0,9.91

If you move around streetview, it is clear that joggers already use this route. It is unclear if this is an official jogging route because I can’t tell whether they are wearing ear buds.

Awesome that this was captured. It perfectly shows the problems. Thank you.

[Dirt]

I got rear ended last year by a cyclist who was texting at one of those intersections. I was laughing too hard to be pissed off.

[Dirt]

Maybe Arlington is too. I didn’t stop to see what was written on the car. I just saw flashing lights. Sorry for the confusion.

[Dirt]

The barrier was intact on the ride home, so my guess is that the gaps that I saw this morning was the work of some bandits.

[Dirt]

The barriers had been opened up for this morning’s commute. Not sure if our outcry was heard or someone took things into their own hands. There were gaps that you could ride through though.

[Dirt]

A few things to thing about: During nice weather, this is an EXTREMELY busy part of the trail. That particular 90 degree turn is very narrow. I doubt a novice cyclist could navigate it and say on their side of the trail. I know for fact that a recumbent could not make that turn. It also pops trail users out into traffic in the parking lot from behind a tree. South-bound trail users are sent into the parking lot with car traffic coming from behind them.

It requires a level of care and attention that drivers, runners, walkers and cyclists in this area are not known to display.

Perhaps it will be a learning experience.

[Dirt]

We could just let the body count do the talking.

Totally joking, folks. I had to say something negative so that I can channel all of my constructive comments into my e-mail to the Park Service. As a cyclist, I’m only capable of communicating constructively for brief periods before I have to go ballistic on someone. Sorry that it had to be y’all.

Hugs and kisses,

Pete

[Dirt]

You can still hop that curb. You’re just gonna need a LOT more momentum. That wall goes all the way over to the bridge railing.

Edit: Oops. I forgot to say. I love and respect all mankind.

[Dirt]

It gets worse. This is no longer an intermittent barrier. It is now a solid one that you cannot traverse. The new traffic lane for the Mount Vernon Trail no longer includes using the south end of the parking lot.

[Dirt]

That area has always been kinda bad. People coming in from weird angles and the flow of pedestrian/cyclist/runner/tourist traffic doesn’t lend itself to really looking out for others. Hopefully slowing people down and having people (all users, not just cyclists) think more about the lanes and how they move will help.

[Dirt]

Thank you Liz!!!! Your contribution is much appreciated!!

[Dirt]

Thanks y’all.

The ride was great, definitely a lot of fun, and not without some unexpected challenges. The cool thing was that we raised close to $20,000 for Bikes Belong, we met a lot of great people along the way and I finally found a way that I can be a bicycle advocate using my legs instead of my mouth and brain.

Thanks for all who donated. I believe I ended up being the #3 fund raiser for the ride.

Sincere thanks for all the support.

Pete

Tim Johnson and Jeremy Dunn mugging for the camera… Somewhere in the industrial area south of Philly.

[Dirt]

I so wish I still had my pedal-powered clown car.

[Dirt]

@WillStewart 2684 wrote:

How do people lock up their non-foldable trikes? With a U-lock in the back, and a cable for the front two wheels?

That’s how I do it.

[Dirt]

I use that combo a lot when I need to do shopping on the way home from work. I sometimes do a variant on that… Starting in Rosslyn at the eastern end of the Custis:
Cross over I-66 on Nash.
Turn Right on Key and head up the hill.
Left on Quinn
Right on Wilson
Right on Rhodes
Left on Key
From Key you can turn left on many different streets to get back over to Wilson depending on where you want to go. If you just want to ride through, you can wind through Jackson and 13th and work your way around to Fairfax Drive and up to Custis.

It is kind of a nice way to ride through the neighborhoods.

Have fun.

[Author]

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