[SarahBee]

@komorebi 202758 wrote:

Great idea for a PP, SarahBee! I’m planning to organize a group ride to Meadowlark’s Winter Walk of Lights on January 1, since it sounds great and I’ve never been. Stay tuned for more details.

Thanks komorebi. This PP was inspired by the many lovely light art rides you’ve organized in the past!

[SarahBee]

@rcannon100 202733 wrote:

Well. The Mean-Girls* can correct me. And for all I know I am getting this horribly wrong.

Not long ago, in the distant past, we squabbled about “Team Slackers.” Team Slackers was specifically supposed to be people who wanted to play reindeer games but not compete for miles. The people on Team Slackers and its captain were very happy with the arrangement.

But even tho the people who were on Team Slackers were happy, others… were not. For thousands of reasons. And the short of it was, it was very patronizing.

In the kerfluffle, Team Slackers got put on the leaderboard even tho we had asked not to be. And we didnt care. We were not competing.

But the Mean Girls saw a loop hole in the game. the Mean-Girls ride beastly miles. And they did not compete in the Freezing Saddles team competition. So all of there strava winter miles were building up…. but invisible to the FS leader board.

But they knew, nothing stopped them from joining Team Slacker.

So….. the day before the end of the competition, the Mean-Girls joined Team Slacker en masse. This put Team Slacker in first place by like 4x miles on the leader board.

I thought it was hilarious. It was the true spirit of Freezing Saddles. It was a good joke. And it meant nothing. The #1 team was still #1 – its just that Team Slackers had pulled a funny one – and just ignore it.

Oh but did it piss people off. And I am sure telling the story, someone will step up and say how awful it was.

Freezing Saddles is a game. That’s all it is. It was always meant to be fun. The Mean Girls reminded us of that. I thought it was simply wonderful.

* That is the name Pete Beers game them, so there!

Where is the flipping Elite button???

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[SarahBee]

FS2021 Lite Brite Prize

This year I’d like to sponsor a prize I’ll call Lite Brite.

Rules:
1) Submissions must occur during FS2021
2) photos must be your own
3) you may submit as many entries into any of the categories as you wish.
4) photos must either feature your bike or be taken while riding your bike

I’ll be awarding points for the following categories, but only the best will win per category:
1) Brightest bike light display
2) Reflective tape/reflector art
3) Best team light theme
4) Best / most outrageous hi viz outfit
5) Best public art light display e.g Georgetown, Zoo Lights, Meadowlark)
6) Best reflective body art (e.g. reflective paint, safety skin, etc.)
7) Best 15 second or less light/reflective video submission.
Best natural/atmospheric light (e.g. sunrise, sunset, fireworks, Northern lights, fire, moonlight, etc.)
9) (and by popular demand) Brite Lite a ninja- document providing a ninja with bike lights so they aren’t a trail hazard
10) Most Lit Doggo- because doggos are cute and I pander. Extra points if dog is up for adoption. You win the category outright if you adopt doggo, commit to taking care of it for its lifetime, and put a light on it.

Points will be based on a combination of forum likes, level of difficulty, and artistry, so totally subjective

[SarahBee]

@cvcalhoun 202674 wrote:

If you decide you want to be a Friend of BAFS (formerly known as Slacker), let me know and I will delete your registration. You become a Friend of BAFS by signing up for the Freezing Saddles 2021 Strava club and authorizing Freezing Saddles to read your miles, but not registering.

Thanks for clarifying how one might un-register/become a Friend of BAFS. Please un-register me so I can be a Friend. Also worthy of note is that being a Friend of BAFS doesn’t preclude you from participating in any Reindeer Games.

[SarahBee]

@Boomer2U 202634 wrote:

Thank you to those who are organizing Cranksgiving2020, when both the logistics and need are greater than ever.

Can you tell me if the trivia/scavenger hunt will be specific to a geographical area, so that I can plan a route accordingly?

Or will the answers/clues be geographically neutral?

FYI, I have registered on Eventbrite and will join a team (Babes & Babe Magnets on Bikes – BBMOB) that will contribute items to Food Drive For ALIVE in Del Rey as part of this year’s virtual Turkey [emoji884]Trot.
https://www.visitdelray.com/thanksgiving/

Others are welcomed to join the BBMOB team. Logistics still being ironed out!

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Not too late to register for Cranksgiving NOVA 2020. This year we have food drive drop off locations in NOVA, MD, and DC. Scavenger hunt clues are live as is the liability waiver and instructions. Since this is a one day event 11/21 and the weather promises to be spectacular, you could do both Cranksgiving on 11/21 and Turkey Trot on 11/22 or anytime until their event is over on 11/29! To register, click on the EventBrite link in Judd’s post!

[SarahBee]

@cvcalhoun 202651 wrote:

I don’t know that we need any special rules for this. People have gotten sick or injured in past years. Unless someone gets knocked out for almost the whole season, we just assume that this is a hazard of the game, and is likely to affect all the teams more or less equally. I would assume that either illness or quarantine would be treated in a similar manner.

We also tell people not to be stupid. For example, don’t go riding if you can’t do it safely. This year, we hope that people will not ride when and where there is a chance of infecting anyone or getting infected. I don’t know how you enforce that. I would, however, point out that this is not the Grand Prix. Even in a normal year, the “big” prizes tend to be things like decorated paper plates. This year, I’m not sure how we’ll be able to give out physical prizes at all. I would hope that people would remember that it is not worth jeopardizing your health, the health of your coworkers, or the health of anyone else in order to win a paper plate.

Those are great points, Carol. Perhaps people in similar situations who are still going into work and have a high chance of exposure should not register to be on a team and potentially drag their team points down. Would you recommend they join friends of Freezing Saddles or Team Slacker? Or is sitting out this year the safest choice?

[SarahBee]

@smb9600 202620 wrote:

I also liked the point system last year! I echo teams based on location to make it easier for folks to get together for rides/gatherings if they wanted. It may also be helpful to allow participants to chose if they would like to be on a team that will host safe/socially distant rides/gatherings or not (if those are still allowed this winter!) Additionally, team size may want to be capped at 8-10 in case the sizes of group gathering are limited again.

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I wonder how teams can be assigned to be flexible enough to accommodate people who may have to quarantine for 14+ days due to contact exposure or due to positive test results. CDC frowns upon those people leaving home and potentially infecting others. Not naming any names, but some may still be commuting into work part time in buildings with those who refuse to wear masks…. rhymes with “Minotaur Sassly” and “Minotaur Stand”?

[SarahBee]

I’m so inspired by everyone’s suggestions. In addition to an epic Komorebi ride and awesome accordioneur gig, I was inspired by the Nightmare Before Christmas to come up with a Halloween Bike Challenge:

Halloween Bike Challenge:

1) get costumed & masked up
2) make mini treat bags filled with candy, hand sanitizer, etc.
3) load up treat bags in your bike trailer/panniers/etc.
4) grab a small group (5 or less) of equally dressed up costumed friends or family members in masks, socially distanced, and no contact drop off treat bags door to door.
5) photo scavenger points for
A) best/safest Covid costume
best small group costumes
C) most treat bags dropped off
D) best socially distant photo of dressed up kiddos
E) best Halloween bike rig decor
F) best not your home Halloween decorations encountered on your ride

Team Halloween challenge prizes for the top 3 teams:

1st place team receives:
1) a $20 gift card to your LBS if choice for each member (up to $100 value)
2) + matching donation (up to $100) to Phoenix Bikes

2nd place team receives:
1) $20 gift card to Clare & Don’s Beach Shack (where accordioneur’s gig is) for each member (up to $100 value)
2) + $10 matching donation to Phoenix Bikes per member (up to $50)

3rd place team receives:
1) my eternal gratitude
2) hopefully a very fun time
3) bragging rights

Post your photos & stats to this thread by midnight 10/31 & I will evaluate points to determine winning teams, which will be extremely subjective.

[SarahBee]

@chris_s 202433 wrote:

I’ve been batting around the notion for a bike photo scavenger hunt. Have it happen on a particular day, but have the required photos be generic enough that people wouldn’t be likely to end up in the same spots.

People could form small teams with people they are already in a germ pod with. Photos could be submitted digitally and displayed on a web page for the scavenger hunt so everyone could check out each other’s entries. Maybe a small team of judges could ensure each photo meets the requirements, etc. Could be a fun fundraiser for a worthy charity sort of like last year’s Cranksgiving. Maybe some local sponsors would be up for donating prizes for the top 3 teams or something.

I’d be totally game to help make it happen, but certainly couldn’t do it alone.

Chris, this is an awesome idea that would be great for something like Cranksgiving! May I nominate you to this year’s Cranksgiving executive team? I’m going to set up a Zoom meeting soon. This is a great idea!

[SarahBee]

@ursus 202408 wrote:

Did they also build an extension along Gallows? That seems more important than Sandburg. I can see from the tweet that they have made a bike lane along Iliff and put every bollard in northern VA to use. :rolleyes:

Edit: Never mind. It is all explained here https://www.novaparks.com/parks/washington-and-old-dominion-railroad-regional-park/updates/wod-trail-detour-sandburg-st-to.

Nope- Gallows is still pretty garbagey as far as bike lanes go. It’s such a missed opportunity to build and “urban style mixed use development” in Merrifield, but not have the urban multi-modal connectivity to make it really engaging and vibrant. Who else loves crossing 29 by bike??? [emoji43]

[SarahBee]

@ursus 202393 wrote:

Agreed, but IMHO, it was worse south of Virginia Ave.

Yeah, okay, it was all awful

[SarahBee]

@dbb 202391 wrote:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]21694[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]21695[/ATTACH]

Work is progressing on the cycle track on 4th Street NW & SW across the Mall.

The District seems to be continually beefing up the barriers between the track and the traffic.

What an improvement! The ball-busting pavement on 4th between Independence and Virginia Ave was jarring. Now it’s smooth as silk. Still some taxis and construction vehicles blocking the lane at times, but overall massive improvement. Thanks, DC!

[SarahBee]

1) I want to first acknowledge the organizers for this event. This is a critical issue that needs to be addressed. I do have some questions about the messaging:
2) This ride will be escorted by on-duty police officers who will armed but primarily tasked with controlling challenging intersections. Based off the objectives of the Ride are we:
A) sure that the officers assigned agree with the messaging and
are the organizers aware of and comfortable with the perception to the community of a event supported by police officers (maybe) or assigned to support the event (maybe) who will be armed because they are “on duty”?
C) How would the perceptions noted in be perceived by the greater Arlington community and/or the cycling community
3) I’m all for organized rides to support important causes, but this instance I feel that public perception and clear messaging of intent is even more critical.
4) Given that there is documented under-representation of non-Caucasian’s inclusion in cycling. How does this event try to overcome that obstacle in participation? How do we make Bike Arlington events more heterogenous and more representative of actual Arlington demographics?

Personally, I like the idea of the ride but have a lot of heartburn going on a bike ride with anyone armed, police or otherwise.

Thank you for hearing me out.

[SarahBee]

@Judd 202362 wrote:

Steve O,

Can I borrow your bike rack to mount on my bike trailer?

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Sweet trailer, Judd!

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[SarahBee]

An amazing ride! Had a wonderful time with the 9am crew. Explored new places; saw art I had breezed by before, but never stopped to enjoy; and learned some local history. Thanks to organizers and BPAC!

[Author]

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