tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4434017290715948022024-03-19T00:26:15.654-04:00DC Bike CommuterTips, tales and commentary from a daily, year-round bicycle commuter in Washington, D.C.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-19522017644589740432019-03-26T15:38:00.000-04:002019-03-27T21:36:45.268-04:00The four stages in a bike riding career1) No other cyclist is allowed to pass you or even to linger in your slipstream. All are vanquished.</br></br>
2) You can confidently hang with anyone else you see on the road, as long as they don't mind your drafting off of them</br></br>
3) You realize the innate value in finding and maintaining your own personal pace on rides</br></br>
4) Cyclists no longer blow past with an "on your left", but rather, slow down to say, "it's so nice that you still manage to ride!"Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-58240863944558818482017-06-23T09:43:00.000-04:002017-06-23T09:43:50.802-04:00Smiling down on us from tube heaven<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
I installed this tube on my front wheel 2012 and during its 18,000 mile life, I invested an entire patch kit in it. It was hard to say goodbye to it this morning when the valve stem tore open.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL48oZdwRWL_y7oj95dJRcKL2D0NQlW5ROLJVO-BVK35_gEzWo4qNffk5ObGQJMqJPwAd7wHeGsGDuSnjjgOgcTO6jG2eRNn1IRdbCAEGJhg2pkxQ3goQdlrX-Zd257PNCAtuAk2CaJLvBF7I/s1600/FullSizeRender.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1600" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL48oZdwRWL_y7oj95dJRcKL2D0NQlW5ROLJVO-BVK35_gEzWo4qNffk5ObGQJMqJPwAd7wHeGsGDuSnjjgOgcTO6jG2eRNn1IRdbCAEGJhg2pkxQ3goQdlrX-Zd257PNCAtuAk2CaJLvBF7I/s400/FullSizeRender.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-34850040503523780532014-11-07T14:32:00.002-05:002014-11-07T14:33:52.100-05:00Bike Lock Fail<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5LAtwgyCx3dkThsP_LU3JlVf11oRUiDn2xWf912aQCrwpW9oLi5Z9kYErvgSSQBQdvk7dn_4RLZ3nIYV-V6b2ZyHSkKpP0c8BMrd0YTC9wAk2ttL6buurVcLkp7CLu8-VljIZGhLORGlIp0/s1600/IMG_1749.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjD5LAtwgyCx3dkThsP_LU3JlVf11oRUiDn2xWf912aQCrwpW9oLi5Z9kYErvgSSQBQdvk7dn_4RLZ3nIYV-V6b2ZyHSkKpP0c8BMrd0YTC9wAk2ttL6buurVcLkp7CLu8-VljIZGhLORGlIp0/s1600/IMG_1749.JPG" height="320" width="239" /></a></div>
<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-21611517672103755922013-08-17T23:35:00.000-04:002013-08-19T13:03:15.802-04:00And with luck there will still be some for my kids to inherit<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Phil Wood grease, purchased from Ann Arbor Cyclery in about 1978.</div>
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I couldn't have imagined then that this mundane purchase, one of a thousand or so similarly forgettable items I must've also bought that year, would follow me around for 35 years and that in 2013 I'd still be using it to lube pedal threads. (A bit less remarkably, I still have the Campagnolo Nuovo Record low-flange front hub that I got that same day, but it hasn't been ridden in years. Lots more use out of the grease.)</div>
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I don't rebuild many hubs or headsets nowadays, so I don't pull this out of the tool bag very often and there's a good chance it will last me the rest of my life.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PHaBKNzFBlAx5x9fNLVwIC0_CXy_-0Wljmspx57utn1kY1eLoh_9axsaY2OeSJI7Tko1zVQnSrnxpNysffKN4vE2oNlFMsOEkuBmyTDjkQrseL1fMGFUBsvqwll7v4gWN8-CLvL3GCLF5k8/s1600/IMG_9125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2PHaBKNzFBlAx5x9fNLVwIC0_CXy_-0Wljmspx57utn1kY1eLoh_9axsaY2OeSJI7Tko1zVQnSrnxpNysffKN4vE2oNlFMsOEkuBmyTDjkQrseL1fMGFUBsvqwll7v4gWN8-CLvL3GCLF5k8/s400/IMG_9125.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-62168510110221820472013-07-02T23:32:00.000-04:002013-07-02T23:35:39.005-04:00The King is dead! Long live the King!Top photo: Brooks B-17 Special saddle. Installed March 1999, retired July 2013 (terminal tear in the metal nose). 36,500+ miles over 14 years of near-daily use.<br />
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Bottom photo: Brooks B-17 Special saddle, installed July 2013. (It's a good 3/4" shorter than the older saddle, which had stretched out over the years.) Check back in 2027 for a performance comparison.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrCkP_BdklO793XcJM_FgWnvhkvgetjkO_pGUMaVfriNfwVL0-0oJghsCQr86qPK7n4B6FIvgS0dToFAk7_5ycUHKnM0ocAYw7A3ukIMh9jkNrRN_h9jppqJzUko79Ny1k6QMIqHdQRxROPE/s1600/DSC01638.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBrCkP_BdklO793XcJM_FgWnvhkvgetjkO_pGUMaVfriNfwVL0-0oJghsCQr86qPK7n4B6FIvgS0dToFAk7_5ycUHKnM0ocAYw7A3ukIMh9jkNrRN_h9jppqJzUko79Ny1k6QMIqHdQRxROPE/s400/DSC01638.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUykfIcUnyayoARWq_wdFmQuyTqLCaIaGWCpp8QvJ_irAT06FHeSsb4TLoF3r46tlpl9SyqWhXWqck_Yvm7qDI898_TrIhBl0Ps0PFOuNJVW1-rin5S6lOZCIJ07ai1fRq3ri_70Xo_T5vWSk/s1600/DSC01639.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUykfIcUnyayoARWq_wdFmQuyTqLCaIaGWCpp8QvJ_irAT06FHeSsb4TLoF3r46tlpl9SyqWhXWqck_Yvm7qDI898_TrIhBl0Ps0PFOuNJVW1-rin5S6lOZCIJ07ai1fRq3ri_70Xo_T5vWSk/s400/DSC01639.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>
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(I may yet try to have the original repaired. The leather was still supple and strong.)</div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-61446083506675412862013-06-09T10:00:00.000-04:002013-06-09T10:01:57.511-04:00Moscow bikesharingI was pleasantly surprised to see that Moscow - which seems like a pretty treacherous city for cyclists - has a bike rental system. This sign translates roughly to, "Map of parking locations", "Bike rental network of Moscow".<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_h-Aj35_O8KEGbcMzZcf_BYVMtq56BAY2xlz-y1-Iegnw9b5K-7PGRYUAKc_lhLPk6esEgBJVKASC_fWRYXEFP_Hm4l88JbbAajRk5KOgNzDhQ9VD1du9TVBFP8WCUxDo9Mo23CwTTA5IvYk/s1600/IMG_8349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_h-Aj35_O8KEGbcMzZcf_BYVMtq56BAY2xlz-y1-Iegnw9b5K-7PGRYUAKc_lhLPk6esEgBJVKASC_fWRYXEFP_Hm4l88JbbAajRk5KOgNzDhQ9VD1du9TVBFP8WCUxDo9Mo23CwTTA5IvYk/s400/IMG_8349.jpg" width="296" /></a><br />
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The rack was well stocked -<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49YW99-G52LpoAUdSfH9Ph_CyVVYc0jEBDBtvwK1wmsAmYG4SU70sC7dxm_9UDq9QWMxE0lr87mtlRpVutAEu2t3eWD2SZEQalD_at9aiY3_V7PCcT6hKDtijj2iT0MrGMKo4o_asp3vsV2c/s1600/IMG_8348.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi49YW99-G52LpoAUdSfH9Ph_CyVVYc0jEBDBtvwK1wmsAmYG4SU70sC7dxm_9UDq9QWMxE0lr87mtlRpVutAEu2t3eWD2SZEQalD_at9aiY3_V7PCcT6hKDtijj2iT0MrGMKo4o_asp3vsV2c/s400/IMG_8348.jpg" width="300" /></a><br />
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but prospective customers might find the twisted metal to be a little off-putting -<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5OE9F95mG3lfuNz707OsDrH7HERgDMkfHBrfwqQlnBUOfmzC1HyeoeOYxTFnvLH_UgGvj16rSborrfM9ayeEW_SQmIjTzglCG6hp0CAZ0w-8Wgjs9yrfn_Tf7jsD4ddaWWqhmG5dAUBLy4Y/s1600/IMG_8350.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="306" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjh5OE9F95mG3lfuNz707OsDrH7HERgDMkfHBrfwqQlnBUOfmzC1HyeoeOYxTFnvLH_UgGvj16rSborrfM9ayeEW_SQmIjTzglCG6hp0CAZ0w-8Wgjs9yrfn_Tf7jsD4ddaWWqhmG5dAUBLy4Y/s400/IMG_8350.jpg" width="400" /></a>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-54545229405754404592012-11-04T19:44:00.000-05:002012-11-04T20:06:36.240-05:00Stanley 1913 One-Hand Vacuum Insulation Bike Mug – first impressions of a thermos (finally!) made for bicycle water cages<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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Sometimes I find myself on ride that is only one cup of hot coffee
short of perfection – maybe a sunny, cold, dry winter commute, or a fall
neighborhood tour with the kids. In
pursuit of the elusive Perfect Ride I’ve been casting about on and off for
years for a thermos that fits a standard water bottle cage. It’s not an easy thing! Most everything I encountered required
either a custom cage, a handlebar mount, a lot of duct tape, or some other
ugly jury-rigged compromise. But recently
I stumbled across the Stanley 1913 One-hand Vacuum Insulation Bike Mug. I bought one and got my hands on it
yesterday. Here are my first
impressions:</div>
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First off, it’s indented at just the right spot, and snaps
into the bottle cage easily and firmly – no adjustments necessary. The thermos body is all metal and quite
durable, and looks as though it will be easy to clean. (Which apparently you have to do
by hand – “not dishwasher safe”.)
I expect that the smooth metal exterior will quickly
become scratched and discolored by the cage, but I don’t mind a well-used look
on a well-used thing.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqS44gBV_pFrwUbxAGC-qE6Bv_YoCjA6pbJmWxVaKVGvWEY9JqRzRqB9BU0dUQvE7vraxRHQhdIVsM_QkXCTXYz8LKdBVjrRcBk6tzV7tLm2uKzSoUI_c3-SX8G6kqucL-JgoCOUt9Y_Oo-M/s1600/IMG_7393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbqS44gBV_pFrwUbxAGC-qE6Bv_YoCjA6pbJmWxVaKVGvWEY9JqRzRqB9BU0dUQvE7vraxRHQhdIVsM_QkXCTXYz8LKdBVjrRcBk6tzV7tLm2uKzSoUI_c3-SX8G6kqucL-JgoCOUt9Y_Oo-M/s400/IMG_7393.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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The lid isn’t quite as finely tailored to a cyclist’s needs,
though in fairness Stanley did seem to try, and I’m not sure they could have
done better. My favorite travel
mugs have a little a reservoir in the lid that holds a bit of the hot coffee
and lets you sip from it as it cools.
This lid has only a narrow opening that’s triggered by a pushbutton in
the rear. It’s – well, okay having
to push the button. The problem is
that the narrow spout concentrates the hot liquid on one small spot on your
lips and, if the coffee’s still hot from brewing, it’s painful. I don’t much
care for this design but I get why Stanley did it this way – these thermoses
are made to be used by moving cyclists, and a “dead-man’s lid” with no
reservoir makes a certain sense. When
the bottle’s in the cage, it won’t leak at all. And hot liquid won’t get spattered all about if a cyclist hits
a bump or loses his grip on the thermos while drinking from it.</div>
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After 20 minutes the coffee’s probably cool enough to drink
easily anyhow.</div>
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Finally, Stanley included a little “mud guard” on the lid, a
little piece of plastic that covers the opening and keeps grit away. To drink, you rotate it over to one
side. I’ll probably just leave
this piece at home – I’m not going
to be taking the thermos off-road as it is, plus the piece is held to the lid by
its own tension and it’s much too easy to imagine trying to twist it and
instead causing it to pop off and spring away in an unknowable direction.</div>
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The thermos comes in three colors – black, silver and a
weird bright blue they call “cobalt”. You can find it on Amazon for $25-30. I’ll report more on it after I’ve used it a bit.</div>
<!--EndFragment-->Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-84646192859182644552012-09-14T15:26:00.000-04:002012-09-14T15:26:12.843-04:003401 Water Street, N.W.Here's a fun progression that's been pretty much invisible to auto commuters; the location is Water Street, N.W., Georgetown, a few hundred feet from where the CCT empties out.<br />
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Hibiscus Cafe put up a nice mural here some time in the early 1990s. I never actually ate there - the first time I tried, it was a Monday and it was closed; and by the time I tried again, it was closed for good.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRgJxXLtzF9BsD1-RNKb1M4xnXhtq5P-RTK8bl2ERj70k68MAkh1XexI7sPR1U45aYaPZO-vAgTMTdtVmACMCQYIWlycAdQUKWbkBZ2LdjWAwoOyBqr05LwxTd1r1rHzKot4rQ0_AhRVv-rY/s1600/DSCN0025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhRgJxXLtzF9BsD1-RNKb1M4xnXhtq5P-RTK8bl2ERj70k68MAkh1XexI7sPR1U45aYaPZO-vAgTMTdtVmACMCQYIWlycAdQUKWbkBZ2LdjWAwoOyBqr05LwxTd1r1rHzKot4rQ0_AhRVv-rY/s320/DSCN0025.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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A fitness center / gym then occupied the site for a few years. They closed in maybe 2007. I liked that they never put up their own signage.<br />
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Only in March of this year did it occur to me to photograph the murals I'd been riding by for more than a decade, and good thing too because just a couple weeks later they were gone! An outfit known as the Water Street Project moved into the space and painted over them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHVwwV9QjnAIqTREDw_hNnoNLqVfRZZJ4hWSu6SA_Mkk0mECkNyvBY_imP4Y15Ty6yCKXWEeZ7BX1npPlFT6C4KSjE-tCW3jYjbIpJR6YubXu7IE3q08Nqf-oZGKJ8QVCTG6D3WeDD7YDQAQ/s1600/IMG_6762.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYHVwwV9QjnAIqTREDw_hNnoNLqVfRZZJ4hWSu6SA_Mkk0mECkNyvBY_imP4Y15Ty6yCKXWEeZ7BX1npPlFT6C4KSjE-tCW3jYjbIpJR6YubXu7IE3q08Nqf-oZGKJ8QVCTG6D3WeDD7YDQAQ/s320/IMG_6762.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">After only a couple of weeks the site was vacant again, the mural whitewashed altogether. It seemed like an awfully quick demise for the new tenant but later I learned it was only a 10-day project, a flash gallery of some sort. I wish they hadn't painted over the (IMHO) much more attractive and interesting Hibuscus murals for something that was going to come and go so quickly.</span></div>
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Within just a few days the new folks had put up their own sign - uninspired, but at least informative. Malmaison is (according to the Georgetown Dish) going to be a "dessert bar and lounge". I am not sure when it's scheduled to open. Time will tell whether they come up with a more interesting exterior motif. I doubt though that it'll last as long as Hibiscus's great effort, though.</div>
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-50956374386005829192012-08-31T09:48:00.000-04:002012-08-31T09:48:09.928-04:00Sic Semper Tyrannis<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEi0Nux5-MlgjTqWhPY-xqA9iYivIH-MXV-EEu-pQGTGPVXCxaBu0LyJHOvjJ9ebsws4MNfN96frlKIeYp3P6igAKOBB1BGVRrIGuWi5_jOguxqc79c1tp_S4Hf2M-U8Y-cCMdG-y21-XSCnU/s1600/Image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEi0Nux5-MlgjTqWhPY-xqA9iYivIH-MXV-EEu-pQGTGPVXCxaBu0LyJHOvjJ9ebsws4MNfN96frlKIeYp3P6igAKOBB1BGVRrIGuWi5_jOguxqc79c1tp_S4Hf2M-U8Y-cCMdG-y21-XSCnU/s400/Image.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-8946902582884008822012-04-26T20:37:00.000-04:002012-04-26T20:37:59.006-04:00More mysterious CCT signage<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88CFIVv13USdpmczkf7MJFBHlhyphenhyphenYGpqR7Ccdy0qKWyzOV4_tGun1soNnW_vBMbNq327hRndjRWtgc_JQwfDAppz7a-NfKQq7W3E65hc0D63dw1GCvXGC-WZuE358wSvVjMuxSgzov25zuQFk/s1600/IMG_6524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj88CFIVv13USdpmczkf7MJFBHlhyphenhyphenYGpqR7Ccdy0qKWyzOV4_tGun1soNnW_vBMbNq327hRndjRWtgc_JQwfDAppz7a-NfKQq7W3E65hc0D63dw1GCvXGC-WZuE358wSvVjMuxSgzov25zuQFk/s400/IMG_6524.JPG" /></a></div>
It always starts slowly like this. Before you know it they'll be coming for our handlebar-mounted Kindles -Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-77733409406104031872012-03-05T09:30:00.004-05:002012-03-05T09:37:14.892-05:00Who is this for?I mean, it seems to me than anyone driving a car on the CCT is unlikely to be deterred by a sign. Even if it is in an unusual and arresting shade of yellow.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagrc71lIfAiKloWBSQw8a145hEbKOuOQOpkLCmbtwa_Kr6yLGkv7-sIPIPyyV72HSrivb9X2ogOrVECWztvSg3lIhPNcH-51QBPt3-Calhxuyy-Xa_sUvmFbwhuSicA6-QvZsyHHT45hvRZQ/s1600/IMG_5974.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhagrc71lIfAiKloWBSQw8a145hEbKOuOQOpkLCmbtwa_Kr6yLGkv7-sIPIPyyV72HSrivb9X2ogOrVECWztvSg3lIhPNcH-51QBPt3-Calhxuyy-Xa_sUvmFbwhuSicA6-QvZsyHHT45hvRZQ/s400/IMG_5974.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716421481378646210" /></a>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-10326789128794579432011-11-10T06:46:00.001-05:002011-11-10T06:46:45.882-05:00DarkI love riding in the dark, the way it opens up in front of you and closes up behind you, and all the rest of the time you’re as good as invisible. I suspect that one of the things I like deep down about bike commuting is that for half an hour every morning and evening I move through a busy and crowded world without altogether being a part of it. Biking to work is the next best thing, I think, to being able to fly 15 feet off the ground.<br /><br />Anyhow, dark enhances this illusion. Remarkably, my fore and aft lights don’t diminish it much, perhaps because even with them I’m only a bright dot at a hundred yards or more.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-10482842677054588832011-02-28T12:13:00.003-05:002011-02-28T12:16:31.884-05:00Unsettling seductivenessIt’s February 28 and today I rode to work in shorts and a summer jersey. At mid-morning, it’s 71 degrees. Ten days ago temperatures reached the high 70s here, a record, and I was overdressed riding home in wool.<br /><br />I really enjoy shedding my heavy and cumbersome winter riding clothes, and feeling for the first time in weeks the wind and sun on my arms and legs. Still this weather gives me the creeps; it’s frightening to contemplate what it may foretell. When it’s said and done I’d really prefer another month of crummy, gray, dreary – but seasonable – weather.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-2020288547932282722011-02-03T09:36:00.005-05:002011-02-03T10:11:59.594-05:00I love the bikeDowntown Washington DC. Morning rush hour. Connecticut Avenue closed from the Washington Hilton all the way down to E Street in anticipation of a motorcade - but who still gets to ride down the middle of the road?<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3bFnoFG7V-s_hxqdZ-kItkl1d_vIT49ubbJu-Bhfqh_o9t2Z1c26DeMtCrOZQQO9TAaTC6mPU8IP9FL50SAuQXaskWeFq0lYhtCvG79g6RuQ89yfFCENyrb42ZN8Gt37LKMrOWXVdKxD4uY/s1600/photo.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV3bFnoFG7V-s_hxqdZ-kItkl1d_vIT49ubbJu-Bhfqh_o9t2Z1c26DeMtCrOZQQO9TAaTC6mPU8IP9FL50SAuQXaskWeFq0lYhtCvG79g6RuQ89yfFCENyrb42ZN8Gt37LKMrOWXVdKxD4uY/s400/photo.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5569480656461888114" /></a>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-89865558991604428662011-01-12T11:31:00.007-05:002011-01-12T13:55:09.127-05:00From the Archives - CCT under constructionIn 1995, the Capital Crescent Trail above the Arizona Avenue bridge was still under construction. I took a ride one day to document the progress. At the time the trail was a bit of a secret, and it was a great adventure to be out on it. Nowadays riding along the trail is pretty ordinary, and the adventure is seeing how it looked in its early stages. Here are three photos from the uphill segment of the trail between the bridge and the Dalecarlia Reservoir buildings. We start with an impassable Arizona Avenue bridge:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMjcqMR7NYmKnJLU8k7o8oG3mNPC_ds_aqu20F7bTyjq-Bc0VX7SEmAkRhjeLvZcGzIRvFHI-_uebAyEHDm-wErtXaKJY-c7Ac5bS8VSZNSxFCz2qknivy3ZqcOFGOLvtRxhPdQie_8zdPE4/s1600/cct1.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 216px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifMjcqMR7NYmKnJLU8k7o8oG3mNPC_ds_aqu20F7bTyjq-Bc0VX7SEmAkRhjeLvZcGzIRvFHI-_uebAyEHDm-wErtXaKJY-c7Ac5bS8VSZNSxFCz2qknivy3ZqcOFGOLvtRxhPdQie_8zdPE4/s320/cct1.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561338785355260498" /></a><br /><br />A few hundred feet up the road in a hollow beneath Potomac Road, N.W., was a Volkswagen carcass, apparently shoved over the down the hill from above. Or perhaps it fell by accident. In any case there would have been no easy way to get it back up. There wasn't much left of it by the time I came across it. (The hollow remains but the VW was removed right about the time the trail was paved.) Click for full-size, and a better view.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkTNXclPx2ZOlvDil4aqYp4MmsS5iDP4K5TYM96Y35Lo7z-_nJk0dMHjpJubqe4DYuHZQ_0p0f1A7xaHhfPB4bb7R9eAHhKyQtDMYrMzUDEgwg8_avmmrZRJyLop1pKRA5-UPtUwlz18Yb1Bs/s1600/cct2.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 211px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkTNXclPx2ZOlvDil4aqYp4MmsS5iDP4K5TYM96Y35Lo7z-_nJk0dMHjpJubqe4DYuHZQ_0p0f1A7xaHhfPB4bb7R9eAHhKyQtDMYrMzUDEgwg8_avmmrZRJyLop1pKRA5-UPtUwlz18Yb1Bs/s320/cct2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561338790510849634" /></a><br /><br />Finally, we have the unpaved trail itself. It looks so tranquil.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAI8iTniCIuANZeyxg19ha83LHvjrY2bS48dk5T3Essryqgx86n0sCPH7d3jmr3fkhTvHS2UY1qjggAfu-zcH-TkZtcJUVwMDWE0ePQrxoSkp99R1CXt0JFr2VsWOkZboEY9Vi46aQ8We2i4/s1600/cct3.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 214px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcAI8iTniCIuANZeyxg19ha83LHvjrY2bS48dk5T3Essryqgx86n0sCPH7d3jmr3fkhTvHS2UY1qjggAfu-zcH-TkZtcJUVwMDWE0ePQrxoSkp99R1CXt0JFr2VsWOkZboEY9Vi46aQ8We2i4/s320/cct3.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5561338797506539186" /></a>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-19390839557051973812011-01-07T10:14:00.003-05:002011-01-07T10:24:16.343-05:00The Joy of LeatherI took a leap of faith in 1999 when I installed a new Brooks B-17 Special (available from Rivendell Bicycles, <a href="http://www.rivbike.com/products/show/brooks-b17-special-wcopper-rails-and-rivets/11-006">here</a>) onto my mountain bike for my commuting experiment. I’d gotten several thousand miles of comfortable use out of the same model on long-distance tours but I wasn’t sure how the material would hold up to the rigors and extremes of daily, year-round commuting, particularly rain and freezing temperatures. But things turned out really well! It was soon clear that the saddle was not going to disintegrate or stiffen into some kind of unrideable mass. It was comfortable, just like my original leather saddle; and as time went on, showed no unusual wear or fatigue. Indeed to the contrary, constant use seems to preserve the material rather than degrade it, and after 12 years and some 28,000 miles of all-weather use the leather looks no more worn than simply “broken-in”. Have a look:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdh_-fb6V3LIjycV8pMGOc4LP88N8vxpYisc-zOCogeeLE717DPNX-VrN8Bz5dfmlG_9tnSwJvAfYp-Scdctj2FZK6CMDo5NViuBbg_-YAusXCUTJtfxt28rpoFO2zAK4ZwGQoZDMqHticzU/s1600/IMG_2204.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKdh_-fb6V3LIjycV8pMGOc4LP88N8vxpYisc-zOCogeeLE717DPNX-VrN8Bz5dfmlG_9tnSwJvAfYp-Scdctj2FZK6CMDo5NViuBbg_-YAusXCUTJtfxt28rpoFO2zAK4ZwGQoZDMqHticzU/s320/IMG_2204.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5559463336065687842" /></a><br />Apparently the best thing you can do for a leather saddle is to ride it <span style="font-style:italic;">all the time</span>. What I figure is, sure, the saddle is outdoors a couple hundred days every year, in scorching sun, drenching rain and temperatures ranging from 12 to 103 degrees – but I’m always sitting on it. And while that’s not a place I’d care to occupy for a couple hundred of hours every year, the constant 98 degree temperature, shade, shelter and gentle buffing provided by my – well, netherlands – seems to suit the saddle perfectly. <br /><br />Otherwise the saddle is undemanding. I store the bike indoors out of the sun and the rain. When the saddle gets wet I let it dry on its own schedule (usually just overnight). Maybe once a year I’ll slather it with Brooks Proofride and let it sit for a few hours before buffing it with a cloth. The only problem I’ve ever had is breaking the tensioning bolt at the nose end a couple of times; but it’s a cheap part and the folks at <a href="http://www.bike123.com">College Park Bicycles</a> know how to reinstall it.<br /><br />So. I love this saddle, and recommend it highly. Its comfortable, durable, and easy to maintain. At this point I will probably be disappointed if I don’t wring 25 years and 50,000 miles from this $145 purchase.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-86105361731318356192010-12-28T14:20:00.002-05:002010-12-28T14:24:06.519-05:00Secrets of winter riding, Part 2 – ControlThere are only two tricks to winter riding: Don’t freeze and don’t fall. In Part 1 I explained how to keep from freezing; now for some tips on how to stay upright.<br /><br />First, however, one observation. If you can find clothing that suits you, you very well may become indifferent to cold. By contrast you will – or should – never become indifferent to snow. It’s possible to ride in the stuff, regularly and successfully, but it’s not ever as safe or as easy as riding on bare pavement. If you want to bike to work over snowy roads or trails, these suggestions will help. But if after trying it a few times you’re still uncomfortable, then don’t do it – wait for the plows to come through!<br /><br />Moving along. The problem with snow is not so much that it’s slippery but that it’s uneven. Ruts, ridges and hard-packed clumps will all push you off a straight line. As you ride through these spots, your handlebars will twist in your hands, your front wheel will begin to slide, and it’ll feel like you’re going to topple over for sure. But remember <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton's_laws_of_motion">Newton</a>. Your bike wants to keep going in the direction that it’s been going; that is, in a straight line. And a wheel wants to spin, not burrow! As soon as your wheel clears the immediate obstacle, it’ll pop back straight and you can keep right on riding. Your aim is simply to allow that happen.<br /><br />And therein is the essential trick to riding in snow: <span style="font-style:italic;">Let your bike work it out for itself.</span> Loosen your grip. Let the handlebars wobble and twist. Keep pedaling, evenly and steadily, when you feel the front wheel begin to lose its purchase. It feels wrong, but it works out right! (Uh, most of the time – as I said, riding in snow is not as safe as riding on bare pavement.) The feeling of nearly losing control is really disconcerting and it’s hard to suppress the urge to wrestle the bike back into a straight line. But if you fight, you will almost always overcorrect, and wind up on the ground more often than if you just let everything go.<br /><br />This is one of those lessons that, I think, is best learned through experience. The next snow day that comes along, take an hour or 90 minutes, find a stretch of road that’s not too heavily travelled, and just ride around. Relax your hands, arms and shoulders. Steer in and out of tire tracks, try turning a little harder than seems prudent. Accept that you will fall, and don’t try to stop your bike if it seems to be heading that way. Weirdly, once you accept that you are going to fall, you won’t (as often). And, at 8 mph and onto snow, it’s probably not going to hurt if you do go down. The first time I rode in deepish snow (6-7 inches, on precisely one of these “who cares” excursions), I fell, harmlessly,10 times in 90 minutes before I learned to trust the bike, and its inertia.<br /><br />Practice helps. The more you ride in the snow, the more comfortable you’ll be with it. (And conversely, less comfortable when you don’t – the first snowy day of each year invariably presents a challenging commute!) Also bear in mind that, staying upright usually comes at the expense of a clean, straight riding line – a sort of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uncertainty_principle">Uncertainty Principle</a> for bike riders. So in snow, don’t cut things as closely as you might otherwise, and be particularly vigilant for passing cars.<br /><br />Finally. All of the foregoing pertains only to snow. None of it works on ice, where you can find yourself on the ground before you can even think the word “Zen”. On 28 degree mornings following a freezing rain, I walk to the Metro – or stay home along with everyone else whose businesses have closed for the day. If you <span style="font-style:italic;">do</span> find yourself on a patch of ice (it happens!), steer as straight and steady a course as you can until you’ve cleared it. Don’t turn, don’t brake, don’t accelerate. Maybe don’t even breathe. And during those tense few moments, relax yourself by remembering that if you fall on ice, you leave a whole lot less of yourself on the ground than if you’d fallen on asphalt!Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-87715590892160875782010-12-21T13:50:00.005-05:002010-12-24T10:17:14.382-05:00Secrets of winter riding, Part 1 – ClothingThere are only two things to sort out about winter riding: Clothing and control. First I’ll talk about clothing. If you dress right, it’s easy to stay warm, even comfortable, in temperatures down into the teens.<br /><br />Most people overdress for winter riding, outfitting themselves like Admiral Peary embarking on a North Pole expedition. The main difference between you and Peary is that he spent his day standing stock still on the hind end of a dogsled, whereas you are exercising, and generating heat. (Another difference is that you can’t simply claim to have actually made it to the office and expect people believe you for the better part of a century.) Your pedalling can add 20 to 30 degrees to the perceived temperature, and if you’ve dressed according only to the thermometer, you’ll quickly overheat. So on your torso and legs, you need to underdress a bit. My default outfit for temperatures between about 23 and 35 degrees is two long sleeve woolen layers (at least one a turtleneck), topped by a medium weight (sort of “heavy windbreaker”), lightly water-repellent cycling jacket. On my legs I wear, over standard cycling shorts, a set of winter stretch cycling tights. Set up in that fashion I may be chilly for the first five or eight minutes but by the 10th I’m usually sweating.<br /><br />(I swear by a Devold woolen zippered base layer I bought from Rivendell Bicycles a few years back. Rivendell no longer sells that brand and the closest thing I can find nowadays on the <a href="http://www.devold.com">Devold website</a> are its “Multisport” zip undershirts. <a href="http://www.rivbike.com">Rivendell</a> is now selling a similar high-neck zippered undershirt from New Zealand, which I’m sure is superb.)<br /><br />The principle of underdressing does <span style="font-weight:bold;">not</span> apply to your hands, feet or face. They benefit little from your exertions and it’s important to make sure they’re well covered - don't skimp. Experiment with different weights of gloves and socks for different temperatures – you want your hands to be warm, but arctic gloves that are good at 15 degrees can feel really confining and uncomfortable at 40. A balaclava will keep your face and ears comfortable, and you can carry it scrunched up in a jersey pocket on days when you’re not sure you’ll need it or not.<br /><br />Oh, finally. All of this assumes that you’re riding straight through to your destination, where within a minute or two after arriving, you’ll be moving indoors. Once you stop pedalling you will begin to lose heat very quickly – and thanks to your sweat, even more quickly at the end of the ride than at the outset.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-44962308268113787942010-12-17T14:16:00.004-05:002010-12-24T10:17:14.383-05:00Chillin'Winter has arrived in full force in Washington (though I suppose technically it’s still “fall”) and again I’m reminded of how much fun cold weather riding can be. The sharp air on my face and in my lungs is invigorating; it’s impossible to overheat from the effort of cycling – and there is something strangely satisfying about being one of very few people who are out and actually <span style="font-style:italic;">experiencing</span> the weather.<br /><br />Remarkably (he remarked), cold isn’t much of a problem on a bike – that is, once you’re a mile or so into the ride. (I think that first five or six minutes – which can be, well, a bit bracing – is what puts most people off winter riding.). Two or three woolen layers under a medium weight windbreaking jacket, winter bike tights, good gloves and a balaclava (for the worst days) are good for temperatures all the way into single digits.<br /><br />Of course right now it’s dry, and the snowfall has been modest. It’s harder to remain quite so enthusiastic during those slippery, slushy February days when salty road crud splashes up from cars, soaks your legs and collects as puddles in your shoes. In fact the best part of those days is peeling off the cold, wet bike clothes and changing right into something warm and dry.<br /><br />Which, come to think of it, is itself an advantage that cycle commuters enjoy over those poor sad souls who have to slog, in their all-day clothes, through the same crud to their offices from the Metro or parking garage. Ah, good – something to look forward to even then!Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-30576620308530669732010-11-17T11:17:00.005-05:002010-11-17T11:30:34.915-05:00The single best mile of bike commuting in the Washington DC areaRidge Road, NW, in Rock Creek Park, between Military and Broad Branch. Secluded, scenic and peaceful - and downhill to boot. I have to go a bit out of my way to get to it but each time it's nicer than I remembered and I wonder why I don't ride it every single day.<br /><br /><object width="400" height="325"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/OkbqYk2kgbE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/OkbqYk2kgbE?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="325"></embed></object>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-21010111373717576322010-09-27T21:39:00.005-04:002010-09-27T21:55:22.417-04:00Other People's Content, reduxSomeone in the CityBike.com forums linked to this video, which is well worth reposting here. It's local to the region, and, while it's largely preaching to the choir, captures the pros and cons pretty well.<br /><br />(What I really want is to figure out how to mount a camera on my bike frame like these folks did!)<br /><br /><br /><iframe src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/7966929" width="400" height="225" frameborder="0"></iframe><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/7966929">Pedal Power Final Cut</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2738392">Mike Kurec</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com">Vimeo</a>.</p>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-1715793276713829602010-09-24T12:09:00.005-04:002010-09-24T12:28:53.625-04:00On bike lanesI have more to say on the subject (I'm a bit of a bike lane skeptic). In the meantime this video provides an interesting entrée.<br /><br /><object width="400" height="325"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/ADUhqva9PwU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/ADUhqva9PwU?fs=1&hl=en_US&rel=0" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="400" height="325"></embed></object>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-78405412238942850322010-08-30T21:18:00.002-04:002010-08-30T21:21:37.972-04:00Please Dear God -<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHz38z1KJnjM6B062i1ztmeAahhg6yGW1qVm_gIWMvKBP7FwVB6K7YfK9pbsK8Sg4nH2rbX3d3Frd5ybRL0Wzxhl1DhuHS8PTgAgMZ4T4NUJuWmxuyFsDb-pKtzQ9zqJ2Sknz9VCcxUVX5Uo/s1600/IMG_1575.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwHz38z1KJnjM6B062i1ztmeAahhg6yGW1qVm_gIWMvKBP7FwVB6K7YfK9pbsK8Sg4nH2rbX3d3Frd5ybRL0Wzxhl1DhuHS8PTgAgMZ4T4NUJuWmxuyFsDb-pKtzQ9zqJ2Sknz9VCcxUVX5Uo/s400/IMG_1575.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5511377460424468898" /></a>find a way for me to move back to Ann Arbor!<div><br /></div><div>(Sign above a lockbox bolted to a wall outside Zingerman's Deli.)</div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-8544360727138288922010-07-07T13:59:00.003-04:002010-07-07T14:03:37.735-04:00Off topic - C&O Canal trip<div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbKgySSdJuJso7114EtQdGnHB7cuU6xPQdIExmNSgpmpcAYrp3b9sqjDiXKInX7TZE3Owb9oXvmveCvXcu1BTE_eMECteMkr2Fkup-II5rXRAV1dQv3BL4j1_7aiRQAkYarxIPXIcRqgqeF4/s1600/IMG_3104.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 300px; height: 400px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLbKgySSdJuJso7114EtQdGnHB7cuU6xPQdIExmNSgpmpcAYrp3b9sqjDiXKInX7TZE3Owb9oXvmveCvXcu1BTE_eMECteMkr2Fkup-II5rXRAV1dQv3BL4j1_7aiRQAkYarxIPXIcRqgqeF4/s400/IMG_3104.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5489706458446799266" border="0" /></a><br /></div>Before we set out my brother asked, "will we need fenders?" No, I replied confidently; weather reports are clear. Here we see the price of my hubris. (My innocent brother paid the identical price over three days, but as we know the universe is a cold and unfeeling place.)Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-443401729071594802.post-56362696702742949952010-07-05T07:22:00.003-04:002010-07-05T07:52:57.168-04:00A tale full of sound and fury; signifying nothingTwo years ago, citing safety concerns, Montgomery County <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/31/AR2008053102022.html">imposed a 15 mph speed limit</a> on the county portion of the Capital Crescent Trail and installed rumble strips on the trail where it crosses Dorset Avenue and Little Falls Parkway at grade. For three or four weeks thereafter, it was not uncommon to see Montgomery County police cruisers conspicuously parked alongside the trail, radar in place, checking for violators.<br /><br />The rumble strips were <a href="http://www.thewashcycle.com/2009/07/rumble-strips-removed-from-the-cct.html">taken up after about a year</a>. The speed limit – and the signs stating it – remain in place but enforcement today appears no more substantial than the fading stripes of paint that hint at where the rumble strips once were. Now, two years later, one wonders: What was the point? Are cyclists riding more slowly? Are there fewer accidents? Are pedestrians no longer startled by bicycles speeding past, inches from their elbows?<br /><br />I confess that on my own almost daily (and always uphill) commute on the CCT I give absolutely no thought to my speed unless the trail is congested, in which case I find a pace to match conditions. It is of course risky extrapolate too freely from one's own experience, but it seems to reinforce the sentiment of several cyclists, expressed when the new rules were instituted, that this "solution" missed the point; that the limit was unrealistically low and that the freer application of common sense and courtesy by all trail users would go further toward enhancing trail safety.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04566062967793363133noreply@blogger.com0