GuyContinental
Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
GuyContinental
Participant@Brendan von Buckingham 26875 wrote:
Hey Guy, get outta my head.
We also “liked” Em’s post at the same second… of course, you are trying to kill the guy by sending him downtown, I’m trying to provide a relaxing nature tour
Participant@ebubar 26836 wrote:
Wow, thanks for all the suggestions! My inclination was to go the trail routes and avoid downtown until I can maintain a higher average pace.
It sounds like I’ll need to work on my hill climbing abilities. As it is, I’m tired after just riding up Maple Avenue between Philadelphia and the Metro!Another way to start out is the one-way commute- it sounds like you take the metro now so on day 1 ride to work and take the metro home, on day two, take the metro to work and ride home. Rest on day three (if you need it) and then repeat or do a round trip. You’ll iron out the commute and improve fitness. It would help to have a secure place to leave your bike of course (or lots of locks). An added bonus is that if the weather turns you can always just bail on the ride and take the train.
I did exactly this when building up to my current 50 mile commute (after a few years mostly off the bike). It took about 3 months before I added multiple round trips and then a few more months before I abandoned the one-way. I’m still a bit shy of 5 days a week (a la Ccrew who does 55+, 5x a week) but if I had the desire I could probably do that now without ill effects.
Participant@DismalScientist 26832 wrote:
Speaking of walking with you bike over your shoulder, this is the path from the Chain Bridge directly to the CCT. http://maps.google.com/?ll=38.930504,-77.111921&spn=0.056019,0.035148&t=h&z=15&layer=c&cbll=38.930615,-77.111987&panoid=3xh1mliTHLM9SppnanO-zg&cbp=12,55.26,,0,5.77 Not pleasant, but doable if you don’t have gear.
LOL… all the years I’ve been doing the CCT to Chain Bridge connection I’ve never actually done that. I’ve thought reallly hard about it a few times but the trestle to C&O to Chain Bridge really isn’t bad. I’m amazed at how bad the CCT to Key and Chain Bridges connections are- great biking infrastructure on both sides at both locations and no clean way to connect.
Participant@eminva 26848 wrote:
Tell me what you’ve got to work with . . . microwave? refrigerator? stove? I’ll look at some recipes to see if there is anything that can be put together in a limited culinary environment.
Liz
I have lots of fridge storage and a microwave plus 1 bowl and 1 spoon (ok, I have a plastic spork that I’ve been saving for emergencies) and whatever else I need I can bring in.
As Tim said, the ideal approach would be to cook for leftovers at home but lets just say that my wife and I are on incompatible diets and forcing mine on her isn’t going to work out. Also, I can’t stand backpacks/paniers and avoid them if I can by driving 1-2 days a week (with armloads of clothing) so bringing leftovers rarely happens except on non-riding days.
The best option is probably sandwich makings, I could keep all the fixings for a 6″ tall Dagwood and pile on the avocado & cheese… mmmmm
ParticipantOK- you “can” absolutely head downhill and do the downtown traffic thing (many people do) but if you are just starting out (which you are) and you happen to have a great trail network nearby (which you do) that avoids basically every light and the bulk of driver stupidity I’d recommend that you start there even if it is longer and has more climbing. It might take longer, but it will be much prettier and leagues safer…
Participant@eminva 26811 wrote:
This sounds like a cyclist who could be in the market for The Feed Zone Cookbook.
Liz
Does it cover lunch? I couldn’t find a review that went into detail. Lunch is my problem… a) I hate it for some irrational reason and b) when I ride I need to stay on-site so have to stock up on staples at the office.
ParticipantWelcome!
That commute sounds fun! Although I would prefer the Georgetown Branch (GBT) to Cap Crescent (CCT) to heading all the way downtown through traffic. I did (essentially) the opposite from Clarendon to Silver Spring for about 6 months and never really minded the gravel on the GBT despite running 23mm road tires. Going via Chain Bridge presents some “character building” climbs and (if you want to stay off the road) a section on the C&O path but is a good bet until the Glebe section which could be exciting/stressful at rush hour. The Custis climb will keep you on trails and away from traffic which makes it a nice alternative.
As Tim suggests, you should head out and try both- maybe hit Chain Bridge on the way down (cross the trestle on the CCT, descend the stairs to the C&O, head upstream about 1500m and then up the ramp/stairs to the bridge) then up 41st (muhahaha) linking up with Glebe (there are also lots of back, bike-friendly ways to get to the Rosslyn-Ballston corridor from Chain Bridge). On the way back go down Custis to Key and work your way down to the CCT.
On time- you’ll need to experiment- both directions have some sustained climbing; Chain Bridge probably has more. You also have to add some time for the weird little interchanges on/off the CCT. For comparison, I think that it took me 45 minutes door to door to get 12 miles to Silver Spring (via Custis) and about 40 to get back (~16 mph avg)
Participant@baiskeli 26793 wrote:
Great advice, Ann. I noticed the same thing myself in this heat. You can have plenty of water, but the heat will still kill you if you don’t eat enough. Easy to forget because it’s not as obvious.
And I used this thread as justification to eat:
1 banana- 100
2 yogurts- 240
2 granola bars- 200
1 bag veggie chips- 130
1 lean cuisine (I’m cheap…) – 250
3l water
= 920 calories via all-day grazingI’m probably still (well) short on protein and calories in general- riding 3+ hours a day at my height, age and weight I probably need in the neighborhood of 5,000 calories to stay on top of weight loss… yikes, I need to take advantage of my next “car day” to scoot to CostCo and buy some nuts and maybe a block of cheese.
(Oh and the “LFP” in question is indeed Lake Fairfax)
Participant@consularrider 26782 wrote:
It seemed to me that there were lots of people on the W&OD from the Custis intersection to Glencarlyn, and on the MRT from Glencarlyn to the airport. Also lots of people on the MVT, but traffic moved fairly well on the GW Pkwy.
Legions of folks out in Reston/Herndon on the WO&D- most crowded weekday morning that I’ve seen it (excluding BTW day)
Participant@creadinger 26718 wrote:
Wednesday morning ~6:30am heading west on the Custis out to Loudon county for a long ride. Seriously?? You running club punks think the S-curve of death is the BEST place to do hill repeats in the morning?! Really? Your club organizers can’t find ANY other hills to run their 20 trainees up and down? Jesus Christ.
Surprisingly you all seemed relatively organized. Except for the dumb lady at the top who pulled a Crazy Ivan on me.
Ha! I ran into that same horde on their way there via EFC and see them frequently on points in between- 30+ runners in a gaggle. They generally do an ok job of braying “bike!” when being overtaken but almost never have appropriately visible gear much less blinkies. I really wish that the organizers would emphasize some of the really dangerous trail behaviors (Crazy Ivan) and set a good example by requiring lights.
On a related note- I understand that there is a NVPA restriction on organized groups of over 15 people using the trail without a use permit, not that I’m going to be the one to throw stones but I might think about it if I witnessed what Creadinger did…
Participant@Starduster 26732 wrote:
lights designed to the German StVZO standard.
It’s a good point- I have no good way of dimming my winter dual Nightrider set-up short of my hands (which works well) so I generally have them pointed down and off trail right lest I blind people in places where I need my hands on the hoods.
Was blinded by my first 500ln strobe of this morning… sigh. I. Hate. Strobes. On. Trails.
Participant@acc 26737 wrote:
I was so focused on staying hydrated in the heat I miscalculated my chow. There I was riding along terribly proud for having enough water on the bike.
“Ride, ride, ride. I can ride when it’s hot. That’s because I’m super smart.” Boink.
“OMG, I’m going to die. Right here. Now. I am an idiot.”
No joke- I totally and absolutely know better but I really almost keeled over on Friday 10 miles from home. Same deal- hydrated like mad all day (feeling smug) but ate a grand total of 300 calories all day and then went for a wee 10 mile CX jaunt through LFP in the middle of my 25 mile commute on a pretty hot day. Bonked really really hard after the Hunter Mill climb on the WO&D, limped home and was sick & lethargic most of the weekend. No good.
Can’t speak to the skirt but the first tri I did I wore bike shorts with a stretched waist for the swim… actually I only wore them for part of the swim. Oops.
Participant@baiskeli 26657 wrote:
I live right at the intersection of the W&OD and Bluemont Junction trails–I am the Junction Keeper.
Tell me that you live in the caboose…
Participant@Arlingtonrider 26647 wrote:
Please put info on your profiles rather than here. Commuting by kayak would be cool! I think I read a WaPo article a couple of years ago about someone who does that.
Cabin John or Brookmont to DC via the Potomac in the am and then up the canal (when full) in the afternoon. It’s kind of a PITA honestly- on the river side you have to get out of your boat at Brookmont dam, on the canal side you have to get out at a bunch of locks. I don’t know anyone that does it every day (it’s pretty time consuming) but lot’s of folks that have done it a few times. There’s a rumor of a guy that used to live in Cabin John and work at the CIA- He’d cross the Potomac in a canoe. If you had a place to put the kayak, a commuter could probably do the same from Alexandria to National Harbor… maybe down the Anacostia?
ParticipantIt’s clearly been too long since I looked for lights…
$5 for 80 / 250 ln
-
AuthorPosts