[PeteD]

That was a lot of fun today, though the middle part where I couldn’t find a good train to wheel suck was a bit more of a chore than when I was sitting 5th or 6th wheel for the most of the day.
Saw Rod at the start, then let the crowd and my aversion to riding in a big peleton pass me for most of the first lap (at least up until Wilson Blvd turn around).
Saw Kathy a couple times in Crystal City, then caught up with Rod again on lap 6 (or was that 7). He stopped to take a call, so I latched onto Vicegrip’s wheel for the last run up the hill, and then hung on to Dickie’s for most of the run back into Crystal City, and then, figured since this was the end (no one was coming the other way), it was time to empty the tank on the last 4 corners, and I’m not sure who got the sprint there at the end, but it was the capstone for a fun ride today!

[PeteD]

@Tim Kelley 53803 wrote:

You like the Danny Shane? Did you pick that up locally or order online?

I got this one at their booth at Bike Expo NYC before the Five Boroughs tour. I found one at FB-Clarendon on the Clearance rack, and grabbed that asap. It’s a snug fit in the L for me, which is really good now that it’s not winter and I don’t need layers. Since all I have to compare it to is Primal and Sugoi, I prefer it to both of those.

[PeteD]

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Finally made it today. Was a cramp fest almost the entire way back home.

[PeteD]

Me: Riding from Shirlington to Purcelleville and back, on my way up to Leesburg.
You: Suicidal Squirrel.

This was not a missed connection. I felt really bad for the rest of the ride, knowing I was going to have to encounter you again on the ride back from Trail’s End.

You: Trio of boy short wearing women runners approaching Gallows road, right as the crosswalk light changed to go.
Me: Yelled several times above the din of your Beats Audio(tm) headphones so that I missed all three of you and your Crazy Ivan. Please pay better attention next time, you’re not the only people on the W&OD.

[PeteD]

I’m registered for the ride, and would love to do my turn at the front for everyone. Going to do the 6 laps, as long as the legs hold out.

[PeteD]

@txgoonie 53473 wrote:

I used to live on 12th St. S.http://goo.gl/maps/TF0LL The 12th St. S that intersects with Columbus St. Not the one that connects with S. Frederick. And continuing West…not the one that connects with Quincy or S. Glebe or Courthouse Rd. or S. Queen or S. Hayes or S. Eades. Between Rte. 7 and the Potomac you could hit a dozen 12th St. Souths that I didn’t live on.

I could not get food delivered.

That reminds me of my favourite subdivision that I ever delivered pizza to: Lockwood Meadows…http://goo.gl/maps/PtlO4

[PeteD]

Tried one out first hand last month.

[PeteD]

The descent on Rt 43 is now known as “The Scariest 9 minutes of my life.”

–Pete

[PeteD]

From this weekend – Storming of Thunder Ridge:

[PeteD]

Spotted rcannon just north of Bluemont Park, then again at the EFC BTWD Stop, as the wife called and turned me around to come home…

[PeteD]

@vvill 52517 wrote:

I never thought I would own a pair of Rosslyn BID shades. Best swag though? The BikeArlington cap.

I did like the cloth Tysons Corner Commuter Bike Map that was being handed out in places. Makes me think I’m the Avatar in an Ultima game now….Ok to get from Trinsic to LBC I need to come up Gallows…

[PeteD]

Got to Tyson’s late, was there at 8:35. Only a couple people there, one was having is CAAD10 looked at by the REI wrench.

[PeteD]

Now, this wasn’t my first time biking to work, but my first Bike to Work Day…

Started Out Nice and Early (for me) at 7am.
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Headed off towards Ballston… I had to get a Bike Arlington water bottle!
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Made my way into the parking lot, man was it packed.
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Those FeXY guys make quite a spectacle too.
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Saw some familiar faces too.
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Left Ballston, headed towards Tyson’s. Tim thought that I could make it by 8:30, as long as I didn’t stop too long or hit any bad red lights. I got dropped by the FeXY guys on Wilson, but made up the time on the Custis, only to get dropped by them again at Lee Highway & W&OD. But then hey, my bike + gear weighed 3 times any of their bikes. 😎

Stopped briefly at the Falls Church Stop on West St. Had a nice chat with the bike cop there. He appreciated my conspicuousness, as I had two head lights and really bright tail light, in addition to the light on the back of my helmet. I mentioned that I’m a very paranoid rider, having a wife and a child to provide for at home.
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Made the slog up Virginia Lane, and coasted down into the Merrifield Stop at about 8:20. Picked up my registered-for Tshirt. They had Bagels and Beer… Root Beer that is.
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Rode up Gallows, with an ever increasing pack of swag and waterbottles now. I should have put my bike on the scale the folks from Inova Fairfax hospital had at the stop. Turned right towards Tyson’s corner mall, and made fun of the folks on Route 7:
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Made a right into the mall proper, then a left into the bus stop hell at the parking deck, almost got right hooked by someone who couldn’t wait 15 seconds behind me. Yay for cars dropping people off at bus stops.

Got to the LL Bean stop at 8:35:
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Rode back across 7 on International Drive/Gallows (not that bad), and was a bit disappointed to be the only bike in the parking lot. My coworker Ian did show up 20 minutes later, having ridden in from Herndon, stopping at the Reston and Vienna BTWD stops.
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Swag:
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[PeteD]

I commute up Gallows from W&OD, but am lucky to stop at Boone, so I’m at the southern perimeter of Tysons. I was thinking of going up and to LL Bean stop at the mall, first getting to Ballston to get some of that sweet sweet Bike Arlington Swag.

So the best route there I think from the trail is up the Gallows bike lane, and then turn right on Gallows Branch, go across the bridge over Rt 7, then down around to LL Bean, which is over at the Bloomingdale’s end of the mall. It’s not that bad as long as you do it before 9am, before all the shoppers start showing up.

I used to work at Microstrategy, and yea, it is a bit of traffic hell, but the earlier you can do that the better.

[PeteD]

Me: Guy riding up the Lyon Village / Lee Hwy corkscrew.
You: Guy walking up the trail.

When I said “On your left.” in a polite tone, I didn’t expect you to assume the position against the cement retaining wall. I’m just this guy riding home on the Custis, not the po-po, and you are not a meat popsicle.

[Author]

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