[Henry]

Anyone else from Team 13 planning to go to Hains Point final night ride this Saturday? I’ll be there (and aim to make it to midnight, but who knows).

Henry

[Henry]

Finally got over to DHS to get this posted in the final week of BAFS:

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[Henry]

Folks:

Sorry for the delayed response. Have had many emails and a couple of phone calls about this issue. Here’s what I learned:

The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority has straight forward process for Memorial Benches along the W&OD. For $2,200, they’ll install a bench and plaque, and would work with us to find a suitable location.

Naming the bridge for Pete (or anyone) would be much more difficult process and is not as straight forward.

NVRPA Executive Director Paul Gilbert said in an email to me, “the Rt. 29 Bridge is on NOVA Parks land but is a VDOT Bridge. So who can name the bridge would need to be researched. We had another group of people that wanted to name the bridge for a deceased NOVA Parks employee* who did a lot to create the W&OD Trail. But since the bridge belongs to VDOT that did not move forward.

“Our policy for naming things is that the person must have made substantial contributions to the regional park system. The former NOVA Parks staff that helped create the W&OD would have fit that category. Pete would not qualify under this measure. I think naming this bridge for Pete is extremely unlikely to happen.”

(* The Nova Parks employee was David Hobson. Peter Harnik told me he had been advocating for this but was shut down early for the reasons Paul Gilbert stated, and is no longer pushing the effort.)

So “unlikely” does not mean “never”. Assuming it’s a VDOT facility, you can see Heidi Mitter’s comments earlier in the thread about the process. Mary Hynes is an Arlington rep on the CTB and basically confirmed they would need Arlington County Board support before acting.

I spoke with Arlington County Board member Takis Karantonis. For them to act, he says they would like require a public process of some kind (he’s not sure what exactly) but he would be willing to meet to discuss how to get that process started if a group wanted to go this route. I think a similar resolution from the City of Falls Church could really strengthen the case. I don’t live there and don’ know any of the elected officials, so it would help to have a Falls Church resident lead this effort on a parallel track.

Regarding the money bridge signage, no one has told me what amount would be required.

I see three options:

1) Do nothing and we all remember Pete in our own private ways.
2) Work with NVRPA on a memorial bench along the W&OD.
3) Begin the longer and uncertain process of trying to get the bridge named for Pete.

The third option could face opposition on several fronts: From NVRPA (on principal), from the Staff group wanting to name it for David Hobson, or from unknown source who thinks there is a more suitable honoree we don’t know yet.

If there is a core group of people who would like to pursue options 2 or 3, I will set up a virtual meeting for us to get organized on how to proceed.

Please respond to this thread if you are interested in helping with this effort.

Henry

[Henry]

@LeftyLaura 214973 wrote:

We have our logo!
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Those are some mad Photoshop skilz!

[Henry]

You would think that since they named it after me, I could convince Ft. Myer to open the gate, but, alas, no.

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[Henry]

Thanks. FYI, the other thread is for Team 17 and has been changed.

Henry

[Henry]

Looks like we got 2 “Team 13” threads going.

I think if you post a link to the Strava Group, it’ll make this one official and we can just let the other one wither away.

Henry

[Henry]

@Jessica Hirschhorn 213244 wrote:

Beth, If you plead to HENRY (the Supreme Leader and Head Honcho and also totally all around nice guy) HE (and only HE) has the power to change your title and eliminate the error of the team number.

Regards, Jessica

Fixed it. Proceed
Henry

[Henry]

Welcome back!

And as the Washington Senators used to say, You Gotta Have Heart!

Henry

[Henry]

REMINDER:

Freezing Saddles Happy Hour is tonight, Thursday, 1/13, from 6-7pm. See link in first post for registration to Zoom.

Teams are set and breakout rooms have been formed.

Here’s the final agenda
– 6:00: Informal arrival – Wait for Stragglers
– 6:05: BAFS Welcome Message – Henry
– 6:07: Registration Updates – cvcalhoun
– 6:09: Pointless Prizes Briefing – Serdar
– 6:11 Pointless Prize – 2021 #publicartfinder – Boomer2U
– 6:13 Happy Hour Raffle Prize – Chuck
– 6:14: Team Assignments – Merlin
– 6:24: Open Breakout Rooms for Teams – BA Staff
– 6:58-7pm: HH adjourns – Henry

[Henry]

@LhasaCM 212717 wrote:

They do try to recover stolen/lost bikes like that when they can – if nothing else but to salvage any working parts. However, like a lot of places, they’re understaffed on the operations side so don’t always get to reports in a timely fashion. Given the location (3 miles from the nearest bikeshare station), that makes it that much harder to fit into the work queue. Of course, that doesn’t explain any run-around/lack of response, necessarily, on the customer service side. Curious – did you call them or contact them via other means?

Not that it applies here, but if there were a bikeshare station nearby, docking it and then reporting it needing service at the dock would be the ideal way of “returning” it to them.

Am also a little surprised by this as I know they’ve sent vans as far as Leesburg to retrieve a stolen bike (though that one was being held at a shop). Twitter notices to @Bikeshare are usually effective. Agreed the best “return” method is to dock it and lock it.

Henry

[Henry]

Have reports that Bluemont Connector Trail is clear. Has anyone ridden Four Mile Run Trail yet? Also assume Mt Vernon Trail has not been touched by snow clearing equipment. 3 years ago they started clearing some connecting trails near Memorial Bridge, but only a couple hundred meters in various directions. Any updates are appreciated.

Henry

[Henry]

It is. Welcome.

Henry

[Henry]

It appears to be counting and generating its daily Tweet. It’s been reported and David Patton is checking on why the display is dark. Will post update when I get it.

In other words, we have Top Men working on it.

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Henry

[Henry]

Have we set a BAFS Cabal meeting yet?

[Author]

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