[krazygl00]

I’m reading his post not that he’s only done those three rides since November, but that those are the longer standouts among numerous rides of shorter distances that he didn’t bother mentioning. That’s just my sense of what he’s saying. In that case, yeah, bike fit would be the key.

[krazygl00]

Passed Arlingtonrider somewhere on the 4MRT/MVT on Friday afternoon. Shouted out HNNG KFRRRRRRNGIIIII! Well, that’s probably what it sounded like to her.

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@chris_s 87891 wrote:

Are you being attacked by a seething swarm of cheetohs, or is that a really shaggy orange rug?

It’s a Cheetos Tub, and he’s about to jump in.

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We also plan to be there in a bit (2pm-ish). Should we even bother bringing bikes or just socialize? I have no idea if Yards Park is even bikeable from the VA side w/ a child trailer. (Originally I mistakenly thought this event was at Potomac Yard).

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@jnva 87056 wrote:

I’ve seen a lot of weird things happen during my commute, but watching a man undress in front of the police and then get tazered several times tops them all. W&OD between Va lane and Shreve rd.

Bath salts are awesome!

P.S. Pics Or It Didn’t Happen (POIDH)

[krazygl00]

This is part of my regular commute. Your route is spot-on except Vista Drive is labeled as better for biking than Bellview Dr.

From Four Mile Run I would take the little trail that goes past the playground with the big train. Otherwise if you exit via the park parking lot on to Manchester you have to climb higher only to descend down to 50.

It depends on your level of comfort, but I really think you’ll be ok on Glen Carlyn without riding on the sidewalk. It is pretty wide and traffic never seems that bad or hurried. The intersection at Rt7 can get a little crowded. South of Rt7 it is divided by a median but also pretty low traffic.

By the way, the best Pho I’ve ever had is located here and is very close by your route. We go there all the time!

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@Brendan von Buckingham 86516 wrote:

Bikes with dashboards.

My God that is awesome! I’m still trying to figure out where it begins and ends, but like anything majestic, organic and expansive, its entirety is incomprehensible in one glance.

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@dkel 86426 wrote:

The polar vortex didn’t even slow me down (#BAFS), but the pollen might be my undoing:

(Picture of Zombie)

I’ll be calling the ophthalmologist, and if I have to go to her office, I think I’ll drive.

You’re infected. You stay away from me because I will not hesitate to stake you.

Wait, am I getting my genres crossed?

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@VikingMariner 86329 wrote:

Yeah, I would never use a flashing headlight at night. Think about it; I would not be able to see or focus on the way ahead.

He may be referring more specifically to using flashing red rear lights. Use of them on the MUPs is a common subject here. Fine in traffic but on a dark MUP without cars, it is actually pretty annoying and better to keep them on “steady”.

But while we’re on the subject of courtesy, there’s lots of bad and bogus bike riding tips out there. The biggest farce I’ve seen in 45 years of cycling is the “Lance wannabes” ejecting snot and spit in such a way that it hits the rider behind. On a Spokes group ride last month, someone did that to me–snot on my shirt. Speaking as someone that has gone through survival training and used it in the field, the last thing an athlete should do is eject precious fluid anywhere outside of the body that isn’t urine. You have extra snot and spit, swallow it unless you have a team of people following you in a car passing you drinks. Just my two cents. Let’s see how many people that sends into another tizzy.

First off, this is the DC metro area, not the desert. You cannot swing a dead cat around here without hitting some form of watering point. If your Cat6 numbers are going to fall off because you stopped for water, bring another bottle. Second, if that 0.1oz of snot in your nose translates into any meaningful amount of hydration, you’re probably dehydrated and should get off the bike. Now, spitting? You might have a point. And if you do either of those with cyclists behind you you deserve a well-placed kick in the junk.

But in 45 years of cycling, that’s the biggest farce you’ve encountered? Where were you for BioPace chainrings? Y-Foil frames?

Regarding sexism, I did not say this earlier because my old eyes struggle typing on a phone, but the gentleman, who called me out in an ungentlemanly way (the irony was not lost), was absolutely correct. I’m a huge sexist, but not the way he probably thinks. I think women are superior to men; they are smarter, more mature, empathetic, decisive in extreme circumstances, and make better leaders than most men. Moreover, they have the capacity to endure much more physical pain than the men I’ve seen in the DC metro area. I weep for women that date in the metro area, but I digress from the awesome subject of cycling. Forgive me for the digression and my sexist ways. By the way, I have never seen a woman complain about a bike light and I probably never will.

:rolleyes: <--- eyes rolling.

Honestly, you don’t need a set of written rules for the bike trail. What is needed is common sense. Common sense says you don’t run down a mother with a baby carriage. Common sense says people with baby carriages should not take up the entire trail. Same goes for running red lights. Problem is that 25 percent of people out there lack common sense. No rule book or self-appointed police are going to change that; such is life.

If as you say, 25 percent of people out there lack common sense, then yeah actually you do need a set of written rules for the bike trail.

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@cyclingfool 86292 wrote:

cycling fool, jr. just turned two. For a few months already, though, he has been stringing together words like, “Dada bike ride work.” When grad school classes were still in session he was even more creative, something to the effect of “Dada bike ride work class.” He really only conceptually understands what the first two words/terms (Dada and bike ride) really are, but it’s a blast to listen to. He also knows which shoes are my SPDs, and when I ask for my bike shoes in the morning, he brings them to me.

Other words in his arsenal: chain, pedal, wheel

That’s adorable.

[krazygl00]

Max, my two-year-old: Dad?
Me, wearing bike clothes: Yes, Max.
Max: Dad, are you going to work?
Me: Yes, Max.
Max: Dad, are you going to work on your bozziggle?
Me: Yes, Max.

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@cyclingfool 86261 wrote:

You: My chain. “Squeak squeak”
Me: I’m sorry. I’ve been meaning to clean and lube you for a few days, and the wet ride home yesterday was apparently enough to force you into enough of a rage to take to publicly embarrassing me. I’ll clean you tonight, I promise!

I didn’t realize how noisy my drivetrain was until I cleaned it this morning before the commute. “Hmm, what is that sound I’m hearing?” “SILENCE!”

[krazygl00]

I think my wife (whom you have met at one of the 3rd Thursdays, Dasgeh) and I are going to try to make it to the ride with our two little ones in the trailer! I have an overnight maintenance (IT) to do this Sunday, so it depends somewhat on whether it goes too late into the not-so-wee hours of the morning.

[krazygl00]

@KLizotte 85606 wrote:

Can someone post what the condition of the WO&D is between Shirlington and the Custis cutoff this afternoon? Would like to go but will not portage through water, thank you very much.

I crossed the W&OD at Bluemont this morning at about 8:45. The creek was high but not that bad. I’ve seen it worse. Some standing water on the trail but still easily classified as “puddles”. I think you’ll be fine.

Ugh, and I cannot make BHFWDHH. My wife’s birthday night out is tonight and we’re going bowling (not my favorite pastime ). Have fun!

[krazygl00]

Back in my day, we ALL had cycling shoes. They were called sneakers. They featured Dual-Sided Pedal Entry technology, unless you upgraded to what were called Toe Clips. Toe Clips were a performance upgrade that cut off circulation to the toes and were engaged by the user reaching down – while moving – and cinching a leather strap, making emergency disengagement nearly impossible.

Back in my day, if you lived in a small-ish town there was one bike shop. It carried Schwinns. It also carried an odd assortment of Italian racing bikes with unpronounceable names, razor-thin tires and metric-sized everything. These were apparently stocked for transplanted Europeans and were completely out of your price range. You didn’t even go into that part of the shop. You’re getting the Schwinn, dude.

Back in my day, you learned to patch tubes because by God a new one cost your entire weekly allowance. Patch kit contents, in order, full manifest: 1. Glue. If you wanted patches you cut squares from an old tube beyond repair and carried a small square of sandpaper.

Back in my day, my first “road bike” (a Schwinn Traveler ca. 1983) came with a kickstand. I considered it a right of passage when I removed it, meaning I was the only one of my friends who had to find a place to lean his bike. It also necessitated one of the coolest upgrades of the day, a Flickstand.

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