[Judd]

1/20/2022 Mead

My sadly empty mead bottle from Maryland Meadworks which sits next to the kitchen bike.

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[Judd]

1/19/2022 Bubble Tea

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[Judd]

Website was really easy to use. 20 seconds to order.

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[Judd]

1/18/2022 Pie

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[Judd]

@JorgeGortex 213357 wrote:

https://www.arlnow.com/2022/01/13/national-brand-trek-bike-to-buy-local-shop-spokes-etc-ballston-location-fate-unknown/

I don’t know about you, but I am bummed about this. A local shop group swallowed by Trek. We’ll lose more diversity to a corporate giant focused only on their own gear. Maybe some good employees too. (i.e. Bill Mould for one).

I’m reminded of the joke: How do you make a small fortune running a bike shop?….. Start with a large fortune.

My understanding of the market is that a lot of bike shops started in the 70s and 80s and there’s not a really good exit strategy for bike shop owners that want to retire. There’s not a good line of people with a lot of capital wanting to invest in bike shop ownership. Trek has bought out a lot of bike shops rather than have them go out of business and lose a significant retailer. It’s kind of a bummer. After Revolution Cycles sold to Trek, I stopped going since the service costs increased and the selection of accessories decreased.

Trek stores are pretty cookie cutter, so this is probably a net loss. I visited a Trek store in Copenhagen and it was pretty close to walking into the store in Arlington except they sold wheel locks.

[Judd]

MEGA ULTRA POINT OPPORTUNITY!

Donate blood and save a life. Anyone who rides their bike to donate blood in the month of January will receive 50 points, which would instantly put you near the top of the leaderboard. If you’re unable to donate blood (I’m not eligible because I lived in England and am full of mad cow disease) I’ll award 30 points if you donate $30 to the American Red Cross (or another blood service) in the month of January and post proof of donation.

[Judd]

MVT in good shape between Four Mile Run and LBJ. A little bit of slushy ice on the bridges near the airport. I cleaned off the flooding debris on Four Mile Run as it joins the MVT.

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[Judd]

@Steve O 213890 wrote:

I did find these photos of me riding on 1-inch thick snow/ice-covered streets that had been packed down by cars (photos were taken in different places in different years).
Dispel the notion that riding a bike requires special balance (track-standing, OTOH, requires balance). A moving bike is a very stable machine and you can use that to your advantage.

My riding one handed did not require any special skills (or “balance”) more than anyone else. It just requires faith in the laws of physics. Your bike will stay up if you trust it to and follow the techniques outlined below.
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Asterisk – as many of us who have been passed seemingly effortlessly by Steve O on an 8% grade climb, Steve O is part mountain goat. YMMV riding on snow and ice.

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[Judd]

1/17/2022 Dumplings

I left District Dumplings a few minutes before Boomer arrived.

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[Judd]

And don’t forget to snap a picture or two to earn some Freezing Saddles Gives Back points. Thanks to everyone participating and thanks to Jeff for organizing.

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[Judd]

1/16/2022 Beer

Trail adjacent brewery New District Brewing.

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[Judd]

1/15/2022 Donut

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[Judd]

@Mtansill 213628 wrote:

From the Proteus Velo Club/Greenbelt:

Hi, Jeff L here. Instead of Monday lunch laps in the Greenbelt Park, I’m going to do a ride from about 11am-2pm on Monday MLK day to scout, and, if needed, clear snow and ice from some of the trouble spots on the Anacostia River Trail System in Prince George’s County. I’m assuming we will get 2-4 inches of new snow and slop on top of the existing snow- and ice-covered bridges that will need to be cleared, and I want to clear that before the next deep freeze turns it into glacier. My main objectives are the known trouble spots: wood bridges, the sidewalk by Charles Armentrout Road, boardwalks, etc. Not trying to plow the entire trail system — the sun and the still-high trail surface temps will take care of the main sections of trail, and the cities do plow many parts of the trolley trail.

MEETUP: 11am, Proteus Bicycles parking lot (the bike shop is closed on Mondays). Probably rolling around 11:15 to 11:30 depending on coffee (see below under RSVP)
ROUTE: South on the College Park/Hyattsville trolley trail to the NW Branch trail, then south on the ART to the boardwalk past the Bladenburg Marina, then turnaround north on ART and NE Branch trails back to College Park.
DISTANCE: Total of about 20 miles RT, with frequent (I’m assuming) stops to clear snow on bridges and other trouble spots.
BRING?: A shovel! Not necessary if you just want to ride, and I will try to bring two. But there will lots of shovel stops if it snows several inches. If it turns out that we don’t get additional snow, we can just stop at the few remaining trouble spots that currently exist, particularly the boardwalk at Bladensburg, the wood bridges on the NE Branch, and (possibly) the new boardwalk section on the Indian Creek trail in Greenbelt. If it turns out that the snow changes to all rain and washes away even the existing trouble spots, then we can leave the shovels at Proteus and just have a nice ride!
RIDE: If it’s snowy on the trails, a mountain bike or street bike with wider tires and some tread will be better than a road bike with slicks.
RSVP: Not necessary, but if you can let me know you’re coming here on this thread or at Strava (jeff lemieux) If enough people come out, Annie may open the Proteus Brews coffee shop for us at 11 for pre-ride hot beverages.
WEATHER: I’m hoping it will be above freezing by 11am on Monday, but it will be pretty cold and could get breezy later in the day. Bring an extra layer just in case!
TEAMS: All teams welcome!
NOTE: If you’ve never taken a shovel on a bike, it’s fun and exciting! Some can fit scoop side first in a large pannier, or can be strapped to a backpack. I don’t recommend the one-handed carry while riding, particularly if the trails are snowy or slushy. A good idea to test your system in a safe place beforehand.
-Jeff

NOTE FOR JUDD: Will participating in this event count towards receiving any bonus points?

MEGA BONUS POINTS are available for anyone who participates in this event.

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[Judd]

1/14/2022 Squirrel

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[Judd]

Happy to be on the team. Good to meet folks on Zoom tonight. I’m Judd. I live in Del Ray in Alexandria. I did my first Freezing Saddles in 2016 and have played every year except 2021. My first Freezing Saddles was pretty difficult figuring out clothing, but I had lots of help from the forum. Most of my friends are from riding bikes and from participating in Freezing Saddles. I love bikes (I have 8!) and enjoy silly themed rides. I’m a founder and the President of the Friends of the Mount Vernon Trail and I’m out leading volunteer events nearly every weekend. I also do a bike tour with a group of friends every year. I’ve ridden the Natchez Trace, Erie Canal and an awesome loop through Pennsylvania.

[Author]

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