vvill

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  • in reply to: The National Bike Challenge is on! #941217
    vvill
    Participant

    Any $ I save is spent on bike stuff, but I’m not in it for the money anyway…

    I used to have a gym membership, but I never seemed to have the time to properly use it. Hard to pop out for a lunch workout when you know you have to get back to your desk. Much easier to get your daily exercise in when you have to get to/from work as part of it. And it’s a ton more interesting too.

    I won’t be surprised to see the A-Team break the top 20 once Zanna logs her miles and now we have consularrider and americancyclo back full-time!

    in reply to: But Wait! It’s not over yet! #941198
    vvill
    Participant

    I didn’t bring my vuvuzela home until yesterday (I had more than a backpack of swag…) and I was surprised how easy it was to play. My 3 y.o. loves playing it…

    in reply to: The National Bike Challenge is on! #941172
    vvill
    Participant

    I just sleep on the couch anyway, it’s easier that way. 😎

    My daily commute time in less than 12 months has gone from <60 mins (driving) to 75 mins (hybrid drive/cycling) to 90 mins (cycling both ways) to 110-120 mins (cycling both ways, not the most direct way but more miles). :D

    After the National Bike Challenge is over I may cut back on the miles again, and when winter hits I may even do some hybrid commute days again…

    in reply to: OneEighth Sighting #941169
    vvill
    Participant

    I think that was the first time I’ve ever legitimately just happened upon another BikeArlington soul out riding – excepting Bike to Work Day.

    in reply to: Junk in the trunk #941103
    vvill
    Participant

    I just use backpacks, and make sure they have a chest strap (or two, even).

    I only carry a backpack on maybe 1 out of 5 or 6 commute days, and it’s just work clothes so it’s not heavy. My day-to-day stuff fits in my pockets/etc.

    in reply to: Inept Commuter Given Mechanical Aid #941073
    vvill
    Participant

    I’ve never used CO2/canisters. I usually just carry a pump although the last three rides I’ve done I haven’t had any inflation device (I need to figure out a way to attach my pump easily on my folding bike).

    vvill
    Participant

    @txgoonie 20136 wrote:

    Isn’t the runner actually in the correct spot, i.e. running against traffic? Salmoning is really a term reserved for bikes going the wrong direction, no? I’m not saying that moving into the road was the correct thing for her to do, but at least she put herself in the right position to be able to see what was going on.

    Yeah, I guess. I was using the term just as a descriptor. Nothing about right/wrong.

    I do still find the incident puzzling though. There definitely is a sidewalk down that whole stretch (I rode on part of it this morning in the rain!), and using earbuds doesn’t seem to make sense if you’re going to run on the road and then get p’o’ed at cyclists for not moving out of your way into traffic with more than a few seconds in advance. I guess she expected me to take the lane for her as soon as I saw her. From the way she shouted it sounded like she had the volume up high (like how some people talk too loud on phonesets when they can’t hear well).

    Anyway, it’s all forgotten now :D every day is another commute!

    in reply to: group ride in rock creek park? #941024
    vvill
    Participant

    Check here as well
    http://www.bikearlington.com/pages/maps-rides/group-rides-clubs/

    I think Revolution Cycles (Clarendon/Georgetown) and The Bike Rack (in DC) both do Sunday AM rides through there
    http://thebikerackdc.com/community/group-rides/

    I’m not 100% sure though – never been on either ride – check with the shops.

    in reply to: Riding with headphones – yay or nay? #941017
    vvill
    Participant

    @acc 20064 wrote:

    Without the music the entire “running thing” is so abominable music is the only thing that makes it even moderately tolerable.

    I feel like this cycling on the W&OD past Vienna sometimes.

    The only time I’ve employed music on the bike in the last year or so was out on a solo ride to Purcellville, and I used supra aural headphones (ones that are designed to sit on your ear – as opposed to in your ear, or over your whole ear) as mini speakers. I hooked them on the front of my undershirt/jersey near my collarbone pointing outwards. Worked pretty well – you couldn’t even see them as I had a long sleeve layer over the top. The sound only has to travel <1 ft to reach your ears, but you are not blocked from outside sound, and there are no cords to worry about. Obviously the sound quality isn't great but it doesn't really matter in this situation.

    in reply to: But Wait! It’s not over yet! #941016
    vvill
    Participant

    Yeah I saw a bike cop warn quite a few cyclists while I was at the Grove Ave stop, but I assumed he wouldn’t be writing up anyone, and he looked a bit apologetic about it.

    I got some awesome socks from the Tri360 folks (photo courtesy of Dirt). Most appropriate for something picked up for free on Bike To Work Day.

    in reply to: Solutions for commuting gear in the office? #941014
    vvill
    Participant

    Happy to say the shower worked wonders on the helmet straps. They almost look new.

    But after the next day’s ride (which happened to be 97 miles), the funk smell came back – it was in the padding. The padding is detachable though, so I hand washed that separately and it’s all good now. It all got an extra rinse cycle this morning anyway.

    in reply to: But Wait! It’s not over yet! #940966
    vvill
    Participant

    Any poor souls still at work reading this – yes, Tri360 has a stop there with cookies, Gatorade, and… socks, warmers, etc! Very swag-worthy. I ran into Tim there! And then dbb at the West Falls Church stop.

    The BikeArlington newsletter that was sent out a few days ago confirmed the Tri360 stop but yeah it wasn’t listed as a stop on the official BTWD site.

    in reply to: Riding with headphones – yay or nay? #940965
    vvill
    Participant

    Bike cop at W&OD/Grove Ave this afternoon was asking passing riders to take out both earbuds. One lady questioned “both?” and he said yep.

    in reply to: Bike to Work Day – Best Pitstops #940901
    vvill
    Participant

    @Jason 19967 wrote:

    Two girls promoting vegan/veggie stuff in latex cabbage bikinis at Federal Triangle. Yes I am serious. On my ride in at 7:00, even fewer people out than normal. Strange. At 7:30 at the Ray Gun there were very few people, when I took a friend out later to pick up some stuff (biker too) it was super packed. Guess I am an early riser?

    There were 3 PETA (I think?) girls at Reagan wearing very little with something like this written on them… don’t eat meat eat me 😮

    As far as volume I actually saw one person riding on what looked like a hybrid/MTB northbound on 309/Old Dominion towards McLean. I rarely ride on that road as the shoulders are tiny but I did this morning since I left home close to 6am. Generally I didn’t notice any increase in numbers until I got to Ballston and then of course Rosslyn, which was indeed packed.

    in reply to: First Bike to Work Day #940890
    vvill
    Participant

    @Lt. Dan 19937 wrote:

    Yup, first time commuter this morning, and I’m hooked!!!! My commute was from the gainesville area up to just west of Route 28 in Chantilly. The roads I took consisted of mainly 234, 29, and finally Pleasant Valley Road. I did stop to help two other first timers- The first was dehydrated, and had NO WATER!!! Gave him my free B2WD bottle, that I had filled up with gatorade at the pit-stop; and the second was a nice lady with a flat tire… When I asked where her spare or patch kit were, she had neither :confused: Slapped on a quick patch, aired her up, and she was on her way again!!!

    We couldn’t have asked for better weather this morning either!!! Sunny, 60 degrees, and minimal wind!!! Wow what a morning!!!

    Nice! My first proper commute to work (in the DC area) was as part of a bike to work day convoy a few years ago.

    Before then I considered it too dangerous/tiring/long to ride (and I was on a heavy MTB with knobbies).

Viewing 15 replies - 2,536 through 2,550 (of 2,822 total)