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Good turnout at Vienna Thursday Coffee Club; dcv and Rob L. were also there; still getting their coffee when I took the photo.

Team X was well represented!

From left to right, Greg (Team 7), Subby (Team X), Accordioneur (Team X), Robert C. (Team X), Mike P (Team 9), MVW (Team X) and me (Team X).

Liz

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@hozn 134670 wrote:

Just to follow up, the rides are all using lat/lon-based weather now. So this is as good as it’s gonna get unless we can find a more accurate/better-coverage API for weather data.

Thanks! I moved way up on the coldest ride leaderboard (can’t remember where I was; now I’m #30). Still neither under- nor over- performing on Freeze Points — I blame it on those rides in Florida last month. :roll eyes:

Liz

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@hozn 134583 wrote:

Also for the sake of API economy we use a location name if we can — e.g. “Vienna, VA” — rater than lat/lon. Though it appears that wunderground often just resolves these to DCA, whereas we would get more granular data, but no reuse, if we always used lat/lon.

Yep, this was my problem last year, and I assume this year — I can get no traction on the “Coldest Ride” leaderboard. I live in Vienna, where my thermometer tells me it can get quite cold, but last year hozn confirmed my data defaults to DCA. I seem to be similarly mired in mediocrity on the Freeze Points chart.

But more data is always fun, even if it has its limitations. Thanks vvill.

Liz

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Well sure, out-cute the Dutch royals, now that the crown princess is old enough to ride herself to school.

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Behold:

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2002 Bianchi D.I.S.S. from Craigslist. Already came with commuter friendly gearing. So far I like it a lot — no troubles with the local hills.

As always, thanks so much for your help!

Liz

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@vvill 132838 wrote:

Get a flat-bar (low geared) single speed with good tire clearance. Easy to ride, less maintenance, cheap chain replacement. If you get disc brakes, see if you can get wheels that will be interchangeable with your existing bike(s). That way you could have at least a front studded wheel that can go between bikes (I have this on my beater and CX bikes).

This is genius — but I guess the question is, if I am using this bike to commute to Metro, will I be able to get up the Tapawingo hill on the single speed? I can do an experiment with my geared bike, but what gear should I have it in to compare it to a single speed?

And are there reasonably priced bikes available that are SS and disc brakes? Or am I looking for a used frame and putting it together myself?

Liz

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Gosh, I think I’ve only found small amounts of money here and there. Maybe I’m not looking too closely.

Slightly off topic, but this reminds me that when I was a kid, my mother often went running in a University of Michigan sweatshirt. I spent a large part of my childhood under the impression my mother was a Michigan alum. Much later she corrected my impression and admitted she found the sweatshirt while out running in the woods.

Liz

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Definitely not the spirit of Freezing Saddles, but I was in Florida over the weekend. The first three photos are in Celebration.

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This is near Disney’s Hollywood Studios with the Tower of Terror in the background. It was enough terror for me trying to stop the bike with coaster brakes with dead legs (one day after running a marathon). The things I do for Team X.

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Liz

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And I see he has started a thread already. So you can hash it out there.

Liz

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@dkel 131269 wrote:

So who is Captain of team 9? I wasn’t at happy hour, so I don’t have a name tag to tell me.

dkel — Vicegrip was Acting Captain, just to assemble the troops tonight. I wrote a note on the back of his name tag that you were willing to fulfill the duties but could not be there tonight. Perhaps you should contact him to figure out who will carry forth the duties for the duration of the competition?

Liz

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@Raymo853 131160 wrote:

Name tags? Do we need name tags? I suggest we have them and I have a pack of small ones and sharpies I can bring.

Yes, there will be name tags and if you haven’t already heard, THAT IS HOW YOU WILL KNOW WHAT TEAM YOU ARE ON.

If you rsvp’d here, on Strava or to me personally by 7 a.m. this morning, you will get a lovely Mail Merge-ized printed name tag. If you rsvp between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m. today, you will get a name tag in my occasionally legible handwriting. If you rsvp later than 4 p.m. or come without rsvp’ing, you will be writing your own name tag (supplies provided) and wandering around aimlessly hoping to find someone with a team list.

Liz

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@lordofthemark 130826 wrote:

You could put QueenoftheMark and PrincessoftheMark on their name tags, though I think they will kill me if you do.

Oh, we can do better than that.

Liz

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Hello Crazy Winter Bicyclists:

If you are planning to attend the happy hour, even briefly, or if you think there is a good chance you might, please RSVP as soon as you can using this thread. I am making name tags and the tags will indicate your team. The only way to know what team you are on is to RSVP.* So don’t hesitate.

Also, if you are bringing a spouse, kid or random hanger-on, please indicate their first name.

Team 14 wins the spirit award so far — seven of their members have confirmed attendance at the happy hour. But Team 17, what’s up?? Only one confirmed attendee?! Don’t let poor [redacted] be all alone crying in his or her beer!

Thanks much.

Liz

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Just a reminder — tomorrow is the first collection date if you have a bike (or more) to donate. Thanks.

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Thank you everyone, for your comments. I tried to respond privately to a couple of you, but technical difficulties prevented me from being able to “send.”

I am reluctant to identify the shop and mechanic by name, but I have always been under the impression from those in the know that he is very well respected (whether he is an expert at wheels . . . I can’t say).

Anyway, back to the shop it went and after some tweaks it is rolling again. Maybe in the long run a new wheel will be needed, but we’ll see if we can baby this one along for a while.

Thanks again.

Liz

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