[eminva]

Hello All — I just had to drop off the Bike Arlington A team, so there is a highly coveted spot available on this elite team. Act fast!

The reason I had to drop off is a good one. Some of you may remember a few months ago that I was unsuccessful in getting my employer to offer Bike Commuter benefits. At the time, I didn’t raise the issue with the other members of my company peleton because most of them were demoralized by an upcoming office move to Rockville that would make bike commuting extremely difficult or impossible for most of them. The National Bike Challenge got me thinking — what if I registered our company and asked the few cyclists I know at work to register (specifying their workplace in the registration), so that at the end of the competition I would have some data to give the company about how many committed cyclists they have on board? I sent an email to 6-10 fellow cyclists, explaining everything I just said, and asking them to forward it to others at the company who cycle.

The response was unexpected. It turns out there are A LOT more cyclists than I realized and so far, a number of them have accepted my invitation. One of my fellow cyclists formed a company team, so I switched over to that team. I don’t think we will be challenging on the team leaderboard (although I do have high hopes for the X-large businesses category), but my goal is bike commuter benefits and a more bike friendly company overall, so hopefully we will be successful in a different competition.

Best wishes to all participants!

Liz

[eminva]

As if the neighbors needed any more evidence that we are those crazy bicycle people!

Liz

[eminva]

If a pedestrian is distracted and walking into my path (sometimes directly head on!), I give a usual “On your left” or “On your right,” then take evasive maneuvers, and if all that doesn’t work, “heads up!” in a sharper and louder tone.

For imminent mortal peril involving a motorized vehicle, especially one with a loud diesel engine, what I seem to default to is a surprisingly loud and deep “Hey!” Not very inspiring that that’s the most I can come up with when my life is passing before my eyes.

For the self proclaimed “speed demon” (yes, I heard him call himself that) who clipped a plastic bollard while passing me too closely on the trail, sending it into my front wheel, I regret that my automatic response involved, as my mother would put it, taking the Lord’s name in vain.

Liz

[eminva]

@americancyclo 18544 wrote:

Lead by example and others will follow.

Welcome aboard, shpadre, and this topic has come up often on this forum. I think americancyclo distills our collective wisdom well with his last point. Or, as another frequent forum participant, Dirt, puts it, aspire to “love and respect all mankind.”

Liz

[eminva]

@essigmw 18371 wrote:

The Arlington B team is rising! Pretty soon we will pass the A-team.

For the record, I’m all for healthy competition from The Arlington Bees or Cees (where are the cees, by the way?). But will do my best for the A’s.

I also noticed I am five places behind Gary Fisher in the individual standings. THE Gary Fisher. How cool is that?

Liz

[eminva]

Another team has pulled ahead of Bike Arlington A on the national leader board. And they only have seven members. Yikes!

Also, a team calling themselves “Hungary” is nipping at our heels. I looked at their names, and even a workout by one of the team members, and they do appear to be IN HUNGARY. WTH? I thought it was the National Bike Challenge?

Guess I really do need to bring my A game here . . .

Liz

[eminva]

I am glad to see so many people geeked out about this. I grew up a mile from the back gate of the Johnson Space Center. I am still incredibly inspired by it.

I missed it this morning — was getting ready for a meeting. But I saw the Enterprise at Ellington AFB in 1978, so there is that.

Liz

[eminva]

@essigmw 18207 wrote:

B team is now Full, and has moved up to 10th place.

Time for a C-Team! Who will start it?

Liz

[eminva]

On the main page for the Challenge, there is a message board. People have been writing in with technical problems and it seems the organizers are receptive to trying to solve the problems. So if you see something problematic, speak up and maybe they can fix it. It is possible they can get all the wrinkles ironed out before the real contest starts (at least I think they are trying).

Another alternative is to just enter it manually each night. The interface is very simple.

One thing vvill noticed is that with the endomondo app, it is possible to watch someone else live on the site. You actually see them progressing on their route. So all you early birds, when you get bored at work after 3 or 4 hours, can watch me riding through Arlington.

Liz

[eminva]

Dave, I have an iPhone and have been running both cyclemeter and endomondo, the application used for the challenge. It works fine, though the battery seems to be running down a bit faster.

As an alternative, you can manually enter your mileage, and there is a way to designate your commute it you do the same mileage each day. They’ve made it pretty easy, so that the contest appeals both to the super enthusiast and the casual cyclist alike.

Please sign up, everyone who’s not already in! Bike Arlington can support multiple teams. We may be #1 in the team category, but look at the state and municipality leader boards. I mean, Kalispell, MT is ahead of us! We can and do do better than that.

Liz

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I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?5k3zgo

[eminva]

Yes, agree with everyone — excellent company, refreshments and swag! Thanks very much Ann and Bike Arlington!

Good also to meet some more of you. Hope to see you again soon, and say hi if we cross paths on the trails or roads.

Liz

[eminva]

They are now working between Sandburg and the I-495 bridge. They had me walk my bike that whole section because they were positioning their trucks for paving. Trail closed between Sandburg and Gallows; now open west of Gallows.

Liz

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I am here: http://tapatalk.com/map.php?cp53a0

[eminva]

Congrats on the new bike. Post a photo!

Liz

[eminva]

@hencio 18043 wrote:

Curious if police involvement will make thing better.

Well, sorry to sound like a cynic, but given that one of the bikes stolen belonged to the former mayor who was largely responsible for the meteoric rise of the current Chief of Police, I suspect there will be some high level interest in the investigation.

I agree that it is very strange a door would be routinely left unlocked at a place known to house nice stuff.

Sorry for everyone who lost a bike.

Liz

[eminva]

I enjoy it when people post pictures from their bicycle adventures in exotic locales.

Great photos, Pete — I like how your shadow is visible in the lower left corner of the last photo, holding the camera (I assume that is you?).

Liz

[Author]

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