[G-Daddy]

Hey Gang,

Ken Gordon here, a.k.a. G-Daddy. I’m a would-be high mileage guy who keeps getting waylaid by injuries [audio NSFW], business travel, and the occasional head cold or saddle sore.

Trying to gear up for race season, and riding outdoors is great to keep up that bike handling. Last summer (Aug 2024) I completed a Detroit-to-DC ride in 5 days, which was vindication for the same attempted ride July 2023 which ended at the Ohio-Pennsylvania border with two fractured ribs.

I live south of Reston and work from home. Trying to get these miles in has been killing me with the W&OD and Fairfax County Parkway trails out of commission. 1-2 hour rides through the subdivisions and cul-de-sacs are just a nonstarter, but I’ve been doing them anyway and counting the days until a reasonable thaw.

I’m a family guy first and foremost. Our two daughters are grown and out of the house, and my wife is a football FANATIC so these days I’m a football widower spending most of my time on the bikes or fixing them.

I’m currently planning a coast-to-coast solo ride, likely in 2026. A big part of the planning process is route design—I like wide shoulders, low speed limits, and lots of room to escape right of the shoulder if needed. 3 out of 3 is a dream segment, 2 out of 3 is preferred, and at least 1 out of 3 is a must. It takes time to scope out the route mile-by-mile on Google Street View. I’ve been planning my path since August—so far I’m 60 miles east of Memphis. Across the Mississippi and almost home!

Can wait to meet my teammates at a team group ride or (W&OD permitting) happy hour that we can reasonably get to. Introduce yourselves here or on Strava. And to the Secret Group Member #13 in our Strava Group, I will find you! I have a particular set of skills…

[G-Daddy]

I think this year’s Freezing Saddles is a solo event  😐

At midnight we’re 20% of the way to the finish line, and we haven’t met our teammates yet  😯

[G-Daddy]

I would respectfully also recommend rethinking the outreach strategy. At the opening happy hour, I saw you and gleefully shared my intention to donate later that evening. Your immediate (and only) response was to shove a QR code in my direction and to command me to donate now. Candidly it was a bit offputting. I know it’s about the cause and not about my feelings. So I’ve donated to a similar, worthy organization instead.

I’ve raised a lot of money for charity in my day. I was taught a long time ago that sometimes donors simply want to hear “thank you.”

[G-Daddy]

@pedrocz 222207 wrote:

Hi, all! I’m Pete Czapiewski, and this is my second year doing Freezing Saddles. I’m a retired engineer, and current bike mechanic. Most of my rides start in the early morning, before the wind picks up, and leaving from Alexandria/Fort Hunt VA. In addition to FS, I’m active in the National Capital Velo Club and Potomac Pedalers Touring Club, doing road, track, cyclocross, gravel, and mountain bike rides or races.

Pete I looked you up in the USA Cycling database. Quite an impressive palmarès!

[G-Daddy]

Hi Team,

This is G-Daddy, a.k.a. Ken. Glad to be aboard! I’m back on the bike after recovering from a 4 day hospital stay in the aftermath of getting crashed out in a bike race last summer. (I’ll confess, that is indeed me shouting “OH F***!” in the video.) I’ve been riding more each week, and hope to contribute more to the team as time passes.

This thing is a lot more fun when we’re a team and not just a bunch of names on a scoreboard. Glad to see our leader Alan is ahead of the game with his post above and getting us started on Strava—thank you! So where should we hang out to chat gang? (Here, Strava, email, group text, WhatsApp, Facebook group, ???) I’m game wherever, just hoping we pick something and use it. Looking forward to meeting everyone.

[G-Daddy]

@cvcalhoun 221258 wrote:

Reflective clothing!!!! I wear this jacket. It is way more visible to cars than any kind of light set-up.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]29175[/ATTACH]

Thanks for posting this. I checked it out from your link and picked one up—absolutely love it!

[G-Daddy]

Tuesday Jan 10th 5:15pm convoy from Herndon-Reston-Vienna to the BAFS kickoff happy hour in Falls Church.

Details: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?21005-FS-2023-Opening-Happy-Hour-Tuesday-Jan-10-Clare-amp-Don-s-Beach-Shack-Falls-Church&p=222040#post222040

[G-Daddy]

@Boomer2U 222006 wrote:

ARLANDIA convoy to BAFS2023 Happy Hour:

Come one, come all, be there… or not

5:30pm – wheels roll from S. 4MR Park at the end of Commonwealth Ave [URL] https://maps.app.goo.gl/ojS3wRK2pjwqgE3t5?g_st=ic%5B/URL%5D

5:45-ish pm – Flyby (no stop) W&OD and Colombia Pike (near Phoenix Bikes) [URL] https://maps.app.goo.gl/UYW3EJD1DYYsYhAJA?g_st=ic%5B/URL%5D

6:00-ish – Flyby (no stop) Caboose on W&OD near Bluemont Park pavilion & tennis courts bathrooms https://maps.app.goo.gl/dmcME2Pa9jC4nqQW6?g_st=ic

6:25 pm – Arrive Clare & Don’s Beach [emoji905] Shack

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I’m pleased to report that the ARLANDIA’s sister line HERSTONNA will also be departing Tuesday evening from its terminus at Green Lizard Cycling—appropriately situated at the historic Herndon Station (https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=152) on the old W&OD rail line. The route will be entirely on the W&OD and chevroned side streets in Falls Church (except, of course, the last 20 yards or so).

Come one, come all, be there… or not. I’ll be the tall guy on a yellow & red Émonda ALR (https://tinyurl.com/m3ane3av) with a yellow helmet, yellow bar tape, and yellow saddle with the longest seatpost you’ve seen in a while.

5:15pm – wheels roll from the front of Green Lizard (https://goo.gl/maps/a2dRhsmp6THpRvF27)

5:30-ish pm – Flyby (no stop) W&OD and the onramp from Bike Lane in Reston (https://goo.gl/maps/jvcGruXBG95cdAFd8). Big parking lot and easy access to the W&OD. (Worth asking if it’s okay to park—I’m sure it would be, they’re pretty chill). Great coffee & beer for a pre-happy hour. Will be rolling by the onramp—look for the yellow bike/helmet.

6:00-ish pm – Flyby (no stop, uhhh unless it’s red) crossing Maple Avenue in Vienna at the the Vienna Town Green (https://goo.gl/maps/pyCQUZgaYgnDAfic7). Pay attention here, from some reason cagers (people who drive cages to work) like to run this light when W&OD has the green.

6:25-ish pm – Arrive Clare & Don’s Beach Shack

—

The HERSTONNA will be proceeding at a friendly yet functional zone 2 pace—good for conversation and great for off-season base volume. Cat 6 racers have a separate ride planned using the Dulles Toll Road lane 3. See you on the morrow!

[G-Daddy]

I’ll be there, masked & outdoors, and riding 15.8 miles from Herndon to join. On a work night. With plans to get up as usual at 4am the next morning. I’m just glad it’s closer than the 2020 happy hour in Crystal City, to which I rode 25 miles.

Gee, I notice in Google Maps that Clare & Don’s is only a 15.2 mile ride from Bethesda via Crescent Trail and the W&OD… :p

[G-Daddy]

I was so upset by the process I almost asked for a refund. At the very least I think the people who run this thing should have their pay docked.

_
I know from professional experience that navigating Strava’s UI is no ride through the park. All the steps are necessary to make it work for us—I’m grateful that people were willing to take it on to create this frozen fantasticness for all of us. The rest of it is necessary for all the pieces that need to be in place for this thing to work for 250 unaffiliated randos to ride together. And the instructions are brilliantly written; even I can follow them, and I’m an idiot.

[G-Daddy]

Hey everyone, this is Ken. Second BAFS, first was in 2020. Posting to make sure I still can and to bump my total post count to an unfathomable 12. Looking forward to freezing my saddle off!

Also, THANK YOU to all the volunteers who keep this thing on track!!

[G-Daddy]

Suspect arrested.
https://fcpdnews.wordpress.com/2022/09/10/wod-trail-suspect-arrested/?fbclid=IwAR35EZtPB0Qpv7oq1O-LCe_PO-oJ0z57zeD3Fw-1TIwfjaUDGhNNbs_M2Ek

[G-Daddy]

Took me 3 min because it’s a short survey as promised

[G-Daddy]

@Toubob 196931 wrote:

Not MY team. It is the teams, team.

And yet you signed up as team captain for a bike competition. :confused: It’s a leadership role like it or not. People counting on you for this stuff!

[G-Daddy]

Are you sure it’s for team 4? Team 4 already has a Strava Group, led by team captain @drbullet. There is another thread for this team: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?15812-BAFS-2020-Team-FOUR-FOUR-THE-WIN!&p=196770#post196770

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