15 St Cycle River

Bike salmon riding up stream on 15 St

The 15 St cycle track is up and running. It is a protected bicycle lane in the opposite direction of traffic and sharrows in the direction of traffic. Greater Greater Washington has some nice coverage.

This past week, I’ve rode up and down 15 St a few times to try it out. Most days I fight traffic on 16 St or 14th St. Skipping 14th St allowed me to avoid the intersection of left turning death carriages from Maryland, buses that can’t decide what lane to be in, and the rocky mountain range of pavement. Skipping 16th St allowed me to breathe; 16th is packed, but it’s the fastest option to and from work.

I think the cycle track is a great project, but the lane is off to a bit of a rough start. It’s kind of ugly, there were some cars parked in the lane, and I only saw bike salmons using the contraflow bike lane. There are some nice signs, but it will take time for people to understand the patterns.

I’m still curious who plans to use the contraflow lane on a daily basis. Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and Mt. Pleasant is the biking center of the District. CoHo and Mt. P  residents probably won’t use it, since 15 st North of U St only goes away from U St, taking a left off of 16th St onto T St is bold, and getting out of the bike lane on 14th St seems like a waste of time. For those in Adams Morgan who have to come East of 15th St will get some use out of it.

Anybody plan to use 15th St lane everyday?

Tweed Ride this Weekend

Tweed ride this weekend. Looks like fun.

We’ll begin our ride at 11:00 am on 8th and H Street N.E. behind the great bank. There’s an appropriately appointed photo studio that has been preparing to capture respectable images of our fashionable participants.

We’ll end our ride on 14th and U where Marvin will provide us with nourishment, libations and fine soul. Non riders are welcome to join us in the festivities. If you need any more details on why you should spend a fall Sunday with us in your finest tweeds, you’re making too much of a fuss of things.

RSVP on Facebook.

 

Indian Summer Sunday Ride

Sunday’s weather was a cattle call for everyone to run out the door and romp in any direction by any mode they sought fit. Runners, Nordic walkers, rollerbladers, and cyclists flooded the streets in one last attempt to soak up sun. In the past, I’ve made the mistake of trying to enjoy these days by riding some of DC’s nice tree lined paths: Capital Cressent, W&OD, and Custis trail. Moments after navigating around geriatrics stammering three abreast, double-wide strollers, and tuned out cyclists, I bail on the trail and get back on the country’s bumpiest roads.

This time I skipped the kiddie pool and stuck to the roads. Everything was fine as usual until Georgetown. Turns out I don’t know Georgetown as well as I thought. I found myself on Foxhall Rd instead of MacArthur Blvd. Foxhall is fairly trafficked, but has some nice hills. I might use this route to get out of the District more often. I swung a left down Arizona Ave and made it back out to MacArthur to join the Lycra clad jesters. I rode up to Great Falls. Orange leaves dusted over the roads and painted the forests. Then, on Falls Rd, I headed over to River Rd for a ways and back down MacArthur. I finished at the the lap pool over looking the Tidal basin and Potomac – Hains Point.

After smelling the BBQ, hearing the cheer of family and friends grilling out on the Point, and studying the technique of tourists funneling hot dogs into their mouths on the Mall, I got the kind of stomach rumbles that could only be quelled by a burrito.

I headed up hill to my space-aged bachelor pad, cleaned up, and grabbed a burrito. Pretty good Fall ride.

Where’d you guys go?

How to Lock Your Bicycle

By Charles Hagman

Bicycle theft is a problem.

Yesterday, I was walking 12th St downtown, and I saw this wheel locked to a street sign at 12th and H st NW. My guess is that it used to be a bicycle locked to sign. Unfortunately, it looks like the rider only locked the wheel. A thief, then, quick released the wheel and walked away with a frame and rear wheel in about 20 seconds. Less time then it would take to get your keys out and remove the u-lock. This is not a one time incident. This couple in Columbia Heights had eight bikes stolen in two years. This Toronto man was caught with 2,865 bicycles.

The best thing you can do is learn how to properly lock your bicycle. If it’s not locked down eventually it will get stolen. Lights, seats, wheels, anything really. Removing the front wheel each time, might be overkill for a quick run to the grocery store; however, at a minimum your frame, the most expensive component, should be locked to something that’s not going anywhere.

In terms of what to lock you bicycle with, cable locks are pointless; they prevent fourth graders from getting your bicycle, but that’s about it. Invest in the best u-lock you can buy. Do not get a u-lock with a round key, they can be picked with a bic pen.

My u-lock has a square 13 mm schakle (you’d have to cut through both sides to break it free) and a flat key. If I didn’t buy the best I could, I’d always wonder. The lock is from Germany and tough to find (City Bikes carries them). Slate has also published reviews of locks rating them by security, ease of use, and value. They recommend the Kryptonite New York Fahgettaboudit U-lock which is more widely available in the US.

If you’re parking at work, ask if bicycle parking is available. If it’s not, ask if they can put rack in the garage. Ask again. And last resort if secure and accessible indoor storage is not available, you can lock your bicycle outside. But lock it properly.

For the most part, locks are a deterrent, but why make your bicycle the low hanging fruit to a thief. And seriously, you don’t want to be made fun of by Hal.

LA Doctor and Cyclists Clash

The LA doctor who, last 4th of July, slammed his break in front of two cyclists sending one of them through his back windshield has been convicted of mayhem, assault with a deadly weapon, battery with serious injury and reckless driving causing injury. He faces up to 10 years in jail when sentenced on December 3.

Happy Halloween

Went to the Halloween ride last night. The ride started in Dupont Circle

Rolled through Georgetown

to Farragut and back.

Bike from Pittsburgh to DC

Missed this last week while traveling for work.

The NYTimes wrote about biking the Great Allegheny Passage from near Pittsburgh to Cumberland, MD. A while back USA Today wrote about biking the C&O canal from Cumberland, MD to DC.

If you combine the two bam! you’ve got a trip from Pittsburgh to DC.

Bike Faster than the Metro

Cool write up in the Post about a commuter who bikes from Vienna to White Flint and it’s faster than the Metro. I wonder what route he takes.

Going the Distance at Any Age

You’re never too old to ride.

Lan Yin “Eiko” Tsai, 84, rides 150 miles in high heels and a turtleneck on a old fashion purple singlespeed in to fight MS. (via Cyclelicio.us and CNN)

A tiny 84-year-old woman wears a neat, green turtleneck dress and an embroidered jacket. On her feet is a pair of high-heeled pumps. Her salt-and-pepper hair peeks out from the helmet that indicates she is, in fact, a participant in the bike ride. Her old-fashioned one-speed bicycle is purple, with a large wire basket on the front that carries her belongings and her number for the ride.

From the age of 67 – 85, Robert Mettauer has ridden over 70,000 miles. His goal ten miles a day.

Mettauer likes to be active, because of the health benefits. “Age doesn’t have to stop you,” he said in an interview Tuesday with the Times. “At any age you can do things. Today I’ve already put 10 miles on my bike, and (my lady friend and neighbor) Shirley (Thomas) and I are going out to paint my house. She’s 83 and I’m 85. It’s not hard.”

Halloween Themed Rides in DC?

Halloween is this Saturday. Elliot with E.T. in the crate is the best bicycle themed costume I could think of.

Any others?

Does anybody know of any costumed Halloween rides in the Washington DC area? The closest thing I could find is a costumed critical mass in Baltimore. If you’re in the area, more info here.

UPDATE: There is a DC ride. The critical manners ride this Friday at 6 PM meet in costume at Dupont Circle. Now I know that  Marty McFly rode a skateboard and the occasional hoverboard, but since that’s my costume this year I’ll be wearing it. (via WashCycle)