[Mark Blacknell]

There is no such thing as “fast easy evac” onto the GW Parkway after the fireworks. Seriously, if you drive and park along the parkway (legal or not), you’re in for a long sit in your car. Throw your bikes in the car, go park in Crystal City, and then roll up the trail to whatever spot you like. As noted above, you’ll be picking your way through crowds on the way out, but you’ll be in a position to just jump on 395/110/whatever isn’t GW Parkway after.

(If you’re headed there early enough, the parking lot on the Pentagon side of the footbridge to LBJ park may be a good idea. But it’s probably one shared by many other Washington area fireworks fans. It’s a good staging point if you have picnic stuff you want to keep in the car, and it won’t force you onto GW Parkway later.)

[Mark Blacknell]

When I pass you on MacArthur, I will not call my pass. If you look closely, however, you will notice that I will briefly extend the three fingers on my right hand. Generally this occurs at an angle that is perfectly perpendicular to the radius line through my hand’s position in the drop bar. That will be my acknowledgement of you.

You’re welcome.

[Mark Blacknell]

@dasgeh 52899 wrote:

Do you mean having raised crosswalks? Maybe, though I don’t love humps. Regardless, Arlington has made it very clear it does not want to do anything that resembles “traffic calming” on “arterial” roads, like Lee Hwy.

Oh, I wouldn’t quite say that. When I first moved here, Wilson Blvd was wider and much less ped-friendly. Arlington County has narrowed it over the years, and (slowly) improved the sidewalks, etc. I expect that will continue past Ballston (west) in the future, to boot.

Lee is harder, of course, because that’s VDOT controlled. Perhaps (hopefully?) Arlington will end up taking that over from the state the way it did Columbia Pike and we’ll see some progress. Assuming that Columbia Pike will eventually get sorted out, Lee Highway strikes me as the next transportation corridor that will need a major overhaul. It certainly has the raw ingredients to make it something great, too. I imagine your neighbors will go nuts over it, though.

[Mark Blacknell]

Got a chance to visit the Bixi mothership this past weekend:

[Mark Blacknell]

@rcannon100 52202 wrote:

I dont respond to road rage. At all. Ever.

Little girl flippin’ you the bird disagrees.

[Mark Blacknell]

It’s just another version of the same tiresome harping from the Church of the Vehicular Cyclist that’s been going on for years. The Nazi reference is almost inevitable.

[Mark Blacknell]

@jrenaut 50819 wrote:

My grandmother took her car there for years (lived by Vacation and Lorcom) and always thought it was a good shop. That’s a great area – my wife and I were seriously considering moving there until we became so enamored with our daughter’s DC public charter school.

Let’s note – someone just explained that they were going to move to Arlington, but they stayed in DC because of the school. (Being very serious here – that’s so great to hear.)

[Mark Blacknell]

Kenny Powers says “Forget you guys!”

[Mark Blacknell]

@GuyContinental 50157 wrote:

Xnay on my iznessideabay!

Right, because then we’re going to have to talk about VC-directed “improvements” to businesses

[Mark Blacknell]

@baiskeli 50150 wrote:

Wasn’t fair – no hints were offered. I still don’t know WTF you’re talking about.

Oh, this just made it 10x better.

[Mark Blacknell]

@jabberwocky 50148 wrote:

I just don’t agree that so much blame lies with Strava. I mean, strava inspired crashes?! You take responsibility for yourself. If you’re chasing a strava segment and crash, thats your own dumbass fault (and I say that as someone who has had far more than his share of crashes as a result of being a dumbass).

I’m not concerned about the dumbass who crashes chasing the Gravelly Point segment. I’m concerned about everyone else on the trail. This reminds me of another conversation about imposing the external costs of choices on other people . . .

[Mark Blacknell]

Ayhsmb.

[Mark Blacknell]

I’m thinking she belongs to the guy that used to run the Arlington Pediatric Center.

[Mark Blacknell]

@jabberwocky 50104 wrote:

The reality is that the people who would blow a light across a major highway to get a pointless virtual trophy would probably be doing it without Strava anyway. Its not like those people suddenly came into being when Strava came onto the scene.

No, they didn’t all come into being, but I’m fairly confident that Strava expanded the pool.

[Mark Blacknell]

@GuyContinental 49987 wrote:

For me, I wish that Strava would pivot a bit from the 1%er KOM obsession and more towards community building (ride matching, grassroots competition tracking- e.g. BAFS) and information sharing/building (segment owners/”mayors”) and credibility (durable, non KOM accomplishments). The KOM plays a great aspirational role but is becoming less and less what it’s about for me.

I think Strava works pretty well as a social medium already, no? It has frequently turned people that I’d only know by kits/bikes into real names, and those real names into conversations. It’s let me ask others about roads I know they’ve been on, and certainly found me a lot of interesting rides. It’s also been a great way to keep up with/encourage/heckle friends around the world on their riding. I’m not a KOM/placing chaser, but Strava’s been a great plus for me (despite all of the dumbassery I think it *does* encourage).

One point of yours that I quite like, though, is the idea of identifying segment creators/owners. There are a number of segments out there that I’m pretty sure wouldn’t be created if someone had to own up to it.

(And like I do every time I talk about Strava, I always recommend checking out http://www.ridewithgps.com. Doesn’t have Strava’s app or marketing budget, but it has the best mapping out there, and is better for finding rides in new areas. Also trying very hard on the social side.)

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