[Dirt]

You’re right…. The pinch point you identified is not a very pleasant place to ride. In the past I’ve done one of two things: Ridden the path with the pedestrians along the Jefferson/Tidal Basin area, or cut over to East Potomac Park and taken the path that leads up into L’Enfant Plaza. I then ride down to either Independence or ride along the mall, depending on my mood and traffic.

Neither alternative is great. I seem to have a higher tolerance for playing with traffic than most.

[Dirt]

Last night’s work:

This morning the work was done, the pavement was pristine and the line was painted perfectly. Great job by those doing the work. I won’t miss the steel plate. My jingle bells will ring a little less.

Love,

Pete

[Dirt]

Dang it! I’ve been preempted.

I use THESE. They’re expensive, but DANG are they convenient. I hook them on the side of the grocery cart and just bag stuff directly in them.

Have you thought about making cat food container panniers? (You’re welcome, Mr. Smarty Pants.)

Love,

Pete

[Dirt]

All is not lost. My guess is that this is a threaded hole that goes into the tube, rather than a tab that sticks out from the frame.

Before drilling the hole bigger, I might try the magic of red loctite. That stuff holds pretty dang well if the screw is able to get any purchase at all. The upper bolts really don’t carry much load. They just hold the rack in the correct place.

Eventually if the hole gets completely stripped and is 100% useless, you can get a strap that goes around and essentially adds a tab that you can bolt the upper mount to. They’re definitely strong enough for upper mounts.

I hope that helps a little.

Pete

[Dirt]

Steel plate is gone. I’ll resist the “have bike, will whine” tendency and say that the job is pretty dang good. The new patch was really soft yesterday. I chalk that up to it being really hot and the pavement being fresh. Just be aware as you cross it that if the day is hot, the pavement will be soft.

[Dirt]

Is this one of the upper holes? the ones below the saddle or are you talking about the rack bosses that are located by the rear axle?

[Dirt]

@mamaonabike 890 wrote:

Let me know if you do the Conte’s ride with cargo bikes et al. I’ll show up with baby on the BoBike seat. We’ll blow bubbles, too.

Awesome!!! Sounds like a great ride.

[Dirt]

Wow that conversation went downhill quickly. Not really surprised.

[Dirt]

Perfect. We can dream.

Have a good weekend y’all. I’m gonna go dance with buses for a while.

[Dirt]

Where’s Maxine when we need her? That empty holster comment really needs her delicate touch.

[Dirt]

Yeah. I kinda figured that it was. I’ve only lived in Falls Church for a dacade and a half and I’m still fuzzy on where it starts and ends. Thanks Mark.

[Dirt]

I love comment areas like that. They renew my faith in mankind.

[Dirt]

I rode W&OD from Vienna to Custis, Custis to Rosslyn and Mt. Vernon to Memorial Bridge this morning and the trail was clear except for the runner who was trying to break off a branch that was hanging down around a blind corner just west of Glebe road on the Custis trail. I got a much needed whack in the face and probably deserved it.

I’ll ride the other half of the Gwand Tour of Arlington on the way home tonight. Last night after the worst part storm the underpass near Bluemont was at least 2-feet deep when I rode through it. Luckily I was going downstream. The good news is that my Ortlieb panniers and cat-litter bucket panniers really are waterproof.

[Dirt]

It was painted up this morning when I rode by. I figured something was going on with that. Thank you for the update, sir.

[Dirt]

I think there’s a plan there. Show up for the Conte’s ride on some form of bike that is not normally seen in their set. It would give me a good excuse to actually retrieve my Swiss Army bike from mom’s garage in Colorado.

[Author]

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