tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-233117062024-03-13T04:29:55.689-07:00Bicycling to WorkThis blog will describe the various experiences I have while commuting 14 miles roundtrip daily into Washington, D.C.Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.comBlogger93125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-36836492842055170482013-08-20T09:46:00.000-07:002013-08-20T09:46:51.132-07:00Calling the Moon <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wscCB_6LsDw/UhObEkj8xvI/AAAAAAAABCw/-5xHgzrPDI4/s1600/full_moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-wscCB_6LsDw/UhObEkj8xvI/AAAAAAAABCw/-5xHgzrPDI4/s320/full_moon.jpg" /></a></div>Last night I had dinner with out-of-town friends, meeting them after I got off work. We had a nice meal, sitting outside at a cafe, enjoying the comfortable temps and catching up. The bike ride home was lovely...the full moon was rising, as I saw it in peeking between trees and buildings. The usual busy city streets were unusually quiet - - which made the ride home even more enjoyable! Not many cars or people that were out and about.<br />
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Just one of those really nice bike commuting nights that will stay in my memory always. :)Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-66431803209304486682013-07-16T09:00:00.000-07:002013-07-16T09:00:26.678-07:00HOT HOT HOT!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-icCQHwl5ufA/UeVdbpPuYNI/AAAAAAAABCQ/jKFBQDoNDgY/s1600/heat-wave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-icCQHwl5ufA/UeVdbpPuYNI/AAAAAAAABCQ/jKFBQDoNDgY/s320/heat-wave.jpg" /></a></div>We're in the middle of a nasty heat wave...temps up near 100 when I get off work. Whew! The other day on my ride home, I was stopped and waiting at a traffic light. As I grabbed my water bottle (that had been in the freezer at work all day), a guy rolled up on his bike. I took a double-take because of two things: he was wearing a LONG SLEEVE SHIRT AND JEANS; and he had NO water bottle (he didn't even have a water bottle cage!). I was pretty surprised and I asked him if he wanted some of my water. He said no, he was fine. I thought maybe he didn't have a long commute, maybe he came from right nearby, so I asked him. Nope, he said his office was right near mine. I don't know how in the world he was biking in those clothes and without any water!! Wow. I don't know if he was crazy or foolish! :) (probably both??) I'm thankful that my commute home is mostly downhill and it is shady. :) These things help a lot. :)<br />
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On my commute, I make use the bike lanes, which sometimes feel safe, and sometimes not, so I'm not real decided about them. The bike lane is one-way, on a one-way street. Everyone's going the same direction....except a couple times there will be a bicyclist who decides to be a "salmon" and ride the wrong way - towards you - in the lane. The lane can accommodate this, but it's a little close. Plus, you have the traffic right alongside you, so you don't want to veer very far to the right. The other day, I was surprised when a guy on ROLLERBLADES zipped past me in the bike lane. There was a part where some cars were merging/crossing over into the bike lane to make a left at the light ahead. The skater hip-hopped his way between the merging cars - - I thought he was gonna smack into the back of one of them. Wow. I feel a bit vulnerable on my bike, but this guy has even less protection (no helmet/pads). I haven't seen a rollerblader in a long time - seems the fad kind of disappeared.<br />
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One other thing I've noticed on my commute that kind of bothers me. I'll be waiting at a light, and another bicyclist will come along and slow down at the light - - check for traffic and then proceed across. I have seen this same behavior by cyclists up in New York City. Now granted, a lot of times, there may not be many or any cars coming. But a few things: they are running a red light and if anything happens and they are hit or cause an accident, one of the first questions the police will ask was "where were you when it happened" and the police will find out that you had run a red light (and the driver will concur). I think it's kind of odd that a cyclist will pull up alongside me, while I'm waiting for the light to change. You'd think they'd feel a bit guilty or wrong in then proceeding through the light. (Part of me wants to say outloud "That's a RED LIGHT....!" but they would probably just ignore me.) I've seen cyclists run a red even when there are more than one cyclist waiting at the light. It's just not smart. I wonder how long it will be before cyclists get a ticket for running a light.... I'm not sure how the police can enforce it, and maybe that's why the cyclists do it. I read an interesting article about cyclists in Amsterdam. Of course, they have "bicycle traffic lights" there, so the bicyclists can proceed safely and cars are held back. I read that the bicycle lights are TIMED so that if the bicyclists go a certain slower speed, then all the bicycle lights will stay green. If they go too fast, they will inevitably catch a red light. That's an incentive! :) I read another article where it was pointed out that there are positive pay-offs to waiting at the light: (1) greater respect from motorists; (2) improved safety; and (3) better relationship with pedestrians. Not to mention it's your civic responsibility....<br />
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Something to think about....while you're waiting at a light. :)Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-38590747666071253292013-06-27T07:01:00.001-07:002013-06-27T07:35:21.216-07:00R&R - Raccoons & Rain!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--1ZLnBgFMTg/UcxGnjQtGyI/AAAAAAAAA_I/QfaU1z4Zotk/s248/cakewith5candle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4dtKJMbku8s/UcxNNMW7-cI/AAAAAAAABBI/oUxfvGOZG64/s400/RaccoonPic.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-4dtKJMbku8s/UcxNNMW7-cI/AAAAAAAABBI/oUxfvGOZG64/s400/RaccoonPic.jpg" /></a><br />
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I was heading home last night and was on the Metropolitan Branch Trail. I looked up ahead and saw a large hunched-over animal slowly crossing the path. It didn't take long to realize that it was a raccoon! It went into a fenced area to where some construction machinery was located and I pulled up soon after. It turned around and gave me a mean look like "Don't mess with me!". I saw it was pretty skinny and it was holding its left rear leg up, like it was hurt. Aww....poor thing... So I didn't stick around long and kept on down the path. It's unusual to see a raccoon out in the daylight.<br />
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As I continued to ride, I noticed the clouds shifting. The forecast said there was some spotty rain around, so I had brought along my rain jacket just in case. When I got about a mile from my home, the clouds were really looking nasty and I could see some rain falling in the distance. I started to pick up the pace, and when I got to where I needed to cross to my street, a loud boom of thunder sounded. I said outloud "There's your warning sign!!". I got my bike and bag into the house and about a minute later, big drops came down and it poured! Whew! Glad I beat the storm!! :) Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-85928050409313513002013-05-17T11:33:00.000-07:002013-05-17T11:44:52.414-07:00Bike to Work Day 2013<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hcp8xL0lLGM/UZZ0h34ScHI/AAAAAAAAAsw/hGLyRPH7QYA/s1600/BiketoWork2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hcp8xL0lLGM/UZZ0h34ScHI/AAAAAAAAAsw/hGLyRPH7QYA/s320/BiketoWork2013.jpg" /></a>Today was fantastic weather for Bike to Work Day 2013. :) Earlier this week, we had morning temps in the 40's/50's, which felt ridiculous for mid-May. So I was glad I could leave home without a jacket or other cold-weather riding gear. :) <br />
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I was running a little behind schedule, and even though I had signed up to stop at the Bike to Work Day pit stop in Magruder Park, down the street from me, I decided to skip going there. When I went last year, there were only a handful of people at that stop, and there wasn't much excitement or activity there. With the different route I'm taking to work now, I ride on part of the Metropolitan Branch Trail, and lo and behold, there was a Pit Stop along the trail! :) I parked my bike and told the organizers there (all ladies) that I had signed up for the Hyattsville stop, but would they mind if I got my freebies at their stop. They didn't mind, so I got a nice blue Bike to Work Day shirt (my favorite color!), a new water bottle (which I needed), a patch kit, a newly issued bike trail map of DC, a granola bar and small brownie, and I signed up for a raffle for a free bike tune-up. Not bad! :) I recognized one of the lady organizers as one of the bike mechanics at the BicycleSpace store in DC. I said, "Remember me? I'm the one who came to pick up my Brompton, but there were 2 blue Bromptons there and I picked the wrong one?" She remembered me (well, she remembered my bike she said!). There had been a blue Brompton in the service area when I walked in to pick up my Brompton. I said I was there to pick up my bike, and since I had just called, I assumed they had brought my bike out and put it in the service area for pick-up. The lady mechanic rolled the bike to a back room to do one more check-over, and I noticed there was a blinking Brompton rear light....which I don't have on my bike! That's when I realized it wasn't mine afterall. She went downstairs, and retrieved my bike, which she said was different from the other because mine had a black stem...something I hadn't really paid much attention to).<br />
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Anyway, I was happy to be able to be alive and feeling good enough with my recovered arm to be able to participate in Bike to Work Day. And the beautiful weather was an added plus! :) <br />
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Life is good. :)<br />
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P.S. I just read online that more than 14,000 people signed up for Bike to Work Day this year!! Wow - amazing!! :)Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-2606295356633666862013-04-09T08:11:00.000-07:002013-04-09T08:11:03.843-07:00Having A Ball, Two Ways :)<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_T8moZCpJ3s/UWQitIoDaCI/AAAAAAAAAq0/4TXyGtHEq7o/s1600/logo_ecg_color_vert.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_T8moZCpJ3s/UWQitIoDaCI/AAAAAAAAAq0/4TXyGtHEq7o/s320/logo_ecg_color_vert.jpg" /></a><br />
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Last Sunday afternoon, since the weather was pretty nice out, I decided to ride and check out the streets that the East Coast Greenway route takes. There are signs for it along the route I used to ride to work, but I've never seen where the route goes. I wondered if it would lead to the Metropolitan Branch Trail. The Metropolitan Branch Trail is part on-road, and part-dedicated bike trail. Some of the trail parallels the tracks for the subway. During my recovery period from the bike accident, I've been taking the subway to work and I look out the windows and see the various bikers gliding happily along. I knew in my heart I would join them as soon as I was physically able. Fortunately for me, the timing of my return to bike commuting coincided with the arrival of Spring.<br />
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The route zigzagged along quiet suburban streets as I followed the small white and green tree route signs. It was a little hillier than my other commute route, but I'll take that over busier roads. :) After a few miles, I then saw the sign for the Metropolitan Branch Trail and I hopped on. It felt good to be on a dedicated bike path, knowing that no cars would bother me there. I took it down to the L Street exit, and wandered around, wondering how I could make my way over to my office. Unfortunately, unless I backtracked, none of the streets really headed in that direction - I just saw "Do Not Enter" signs, which I think were dead-end roads. There were other roads that I could try, but they were busy roads. I'd rather not deal with any busy roads.<br />
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So I went back up on the trail and headed back and got off on an earlier exit, at R Street. Heading on R Street for a couple of blocks, you then come to a one-way road aimed right at you along with a "Do Not Enter" sign...but right below it was another sign saying "Except Bicycles". :) There were cars parked to the left along the designated bike route - so it was a little weird. Riding up the wrong way on a one-way street, but safely on a clearly marked bike route between the curb and the parked cars. It brought me in a few blocks to First Street. I realized if I turned left, I would then continue along my old route - - minus the busier roads, because the route skirted south of that area.<br />
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So today, I decided to ride to work. I had told a couple of people over the weekend and yesterday that I was thinking of going back to biking. They were surprised and wondered if I would be okay. About a month ago, my physical therapist said that I was cleared to ride, and that it would be good for me and strengthen my muscles. So I was mainly waiting for the weather to warm up (which took FOREVER this year!).<br />
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The ride went good - I took it easy and was very watchful and careful. I was a little tired and my legs were weak from not exercising, but the fresh air and movement was invigorating. After turning onto First Street, I rode the familiar route toward my office. I arrived in plenty of time to change clothes and clock in on time. I made it!! :)<br />
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It was nice to get back to biking instead of taking the subway. The subway is handy, but it kind of grates on you. Especially during Cherry Blossom season, when the trains are bulging with tourists. Cramming onto the subway trains and moving like a school of fish when transferring at stations is just not a lot of fun...not to mention the daily cost of taking the train. The subway helped me when I needed it, and now my bike will take it from here. :)<br />
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Yesterday at the office, I won free tickets to a Washington Nationals baseball game! The tickets usually go lightning fast, so I was surprised that I was the first email to make it in to get the tickets! :) So after work, a biking friend of mine is meeting down at the Jefferson Memorial so she can see the famous Cherry Blossoms, and then we will ride to the stadium for the game. There is free bike valet parking in a garage across the street from the stadium, which is very nice. I heard the seats that we have are right behind the home plate, so that will be great! :) I'm not a big baseball fan, but it will be a nice change to do something different. :)<br />
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Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-38089818957172784932013-03-12T14:05:00.000-07:002013-03-13T06:08:50.391-07:00Cue the Rocky Theme! :)<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gDMwAbKWEvE/UUB3pKBwfxI/AAAAAAAAApc/3rhxjsRKXDE/s1600/rocky-steps-victory.jpg" imageanchor="1" ><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-gDMwAbKWEvE/UUB3pKBwfxI/AAAAAAAAApc/3rhxjsRKXDE/s320/rocky-steps-victory.jpg" /></a><br />
This past Sunday, with the weather being in the 60's, and my schedule being free...I decided to pump up my tires on the Brompton bike, don my new bike helmet, and get back on the steel horse. :) I wasn't sure if I had the strength in my arm to pump up the tires, or get the bike pump attachment off of the bike tire valve once it was attached and pumped... I didn't even think that I would be out of breath to even pump up my tires! :( Jeez.<br />
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Then I wasn't sure if my arm could handle carrying my Brompton down the front steps, so I guided it as I let it lightly bump down the stairs. My whole body and mind was on High Alert as I started out pedaling. First of all, it felt a bit weird to be rolling again. The front wheel felt weird to me, maybe because I hadn't ridden my small wheeled bike in so long. Then my attention was directed many times to my rear view helmet mirror, as I saw cars coming up behind me. I automatically tensed up, thinking they could hit me. :( I guess it's an automatic reaction after such a traumatic event as being hit from behind... I had never thought about being hit from behind before in all the years I've ridden. I hopped on the sidewalk where I felt a little safer, but I couldn't ride the whole way on sidewalks to the grocery store (my first errand). The grocery store is less than a mile away, so that was a good first destination. <br />
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After I got home and unloaded my groceries, I decided next on the list was to go to the nearby bike store and treat myself to new bike gloves....I don't know what happened to the gloves I was wearing when I got hit. :/ The bike store is probably a mile and a half away, up a little bit of steep hill. So I took it slow (I didn't have a choice!) and huffed and puffed up the hill. (The Brompton doesn't have real good low gears, so that doesn't help.) I did enjoy the downhill from the hill I climbed. :) The bike store unfortunately wasn't stocked with a full selection of sizes of fingerless gloves, as it was a bit early in the season. I told the guy at the counter that this was my first ride since being hit last Nov. He looked at me as if he was seeing a ghost....and I certainly feel sort of like half of a ghost...trying to regain my former biking self...<br />
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Next on the list was to go to the bank to deposit a check. It was maybe a mile or less away. Wouldn't you know it, the one day that I want to make a deposit, that feature isn't working on the ATM?? Crazy. :( Strike Two.<br />
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I then decided to head to College Park Bicycles, as I thought it might have a better selection in gloves, and I was right. I made the purchase of nice gloves, and then pooped out, I went to 7-11 to treat myself to a Slurpee - - something I haven't had in years. I think they've changed the composite make-up of Slurpees since I last had one.... Anyway, it was cold on my throat and refreshing. I walked my bike over to a retaining wall where I could prop my bike up against, and enjoy my drink, and then I called my sister to make a request.<br />
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When she answered, I said, "Can you do me a favor? Can you either sing or play a few bars from the Rocky movie?" (I didn't tell her what I was doing at the time). She was wondering why, but she sang a few bars and then I told her I was out biking! :) She was pretty surprised, and then with gusto, she played the full triumphant Rocky theme music from her husband's phone...as I sat and had tears streaming down my face. I couldn't help it - - for me to get back out on my bike, being alive, and to ride again, was a triumph, and the Rocky theme matched my feelings perfectly. :)<br />
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After we hung up, I headed back home...into a headwind and a couple more hills.....Ugh.... It didn't help that my body was fighting off a slight cold. During my ride home, my arm started to feel a little tired, so I would let it rest by my side and ride one-handed to take a break. When I got home and I showered, I promptly fell asleep for AN HOUR! Wow.<br />
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I had only biked maybe 8-10 miles, but it felt like almost 100 miles....! Just shows you how an accident and inability to exercise can set you back. :( My arm was a little bit sore in the days afterward. I would think that riding the bike would be good for strengthening my arm...in holding the upright handlebars, and in using the brakes. <br />
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So I look forward to being able to get out to ride again, and get stronger, like Rocky. :)Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-51983979051567066112013-02-11T07:10:00.002-08:002013-02-11T07:11:42.429-08:00Spinning Wheels<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G8zHs3CVcwc/URkESPmTjtI/AAAAAAAAAmc/B4s8vas9j60/s1600/Trainerbike.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="180" width="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-G8zHs3CVcwc/URkESPmTjtI/AAAAAAAAAmc/B4s8vas9j60/s320/Trainerbike.jpg" /></a></div>The other weekend, a friend helped me to hook up the indoor bike trainer that my biking friend, Reba, lent to me. The first thought I had was, "Well, no cars can get me in here!" :) (unless they veer off the road outside and come through the house!) You can see my bike from the bike accident propped up against the wall in the background.<br />
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I rode on the trainer for a little while the other night. It's a bit loud - maybe I should get my iPod and listen to music when riding it, to drown out the noise. I feel like a gerbil in an exercise wheel....spinning but getting nowhere. Safe, but not a lot of fun... Maybe I'll grab a bike magazine or bike-related book to read while I spin... At least it will distract my mind. <br />
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Well, at least the weather is climate-controlled inside my room...don't have to be concerned about dressing for the weather! :)<br />
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I think I heard a Spring bird outside the other day....Spring will be here pretty soon... (37 days....but who's counting?!) I hope my arm and arm muscles will be ready then to hop on and go for a spin outside. Think I'll ride on some car-free bike paths to start with. :)<br />
Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-32863665256565056722013-01-23T07:10:00.000-08:002013-01-23T07:10:14.169-08:00On Hold<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IJE-UDMip9c/UP_0R5NsTMI/AAAAAAAAAmI/wDhcZPxXy7c/s1600/pleaseholdcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="202" width="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IJE-UDMip9c/UP_0R5NsTMI/AAAAAAAAAmI/wDhcZPxXy7c/s320/pleaseholdcover.jpg" /></a></div>The biting cold of January has come upon our area. I could stay fairly warm if I was riding my bike to work....but, that won't be happening for a while...so I am On Hold. People ask if I miss my bike... To tell you the truth, no. Perhaps because I'm still months from being able to ride, and I'm concentrating on recovering. But, I'm starting to have some biking-related thoughts and dreams. <br />
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The good dream was that it was a nice warm summer day, and I was out leading a ride with the Brompton Club. There were some rolling hills and we were all enjoying being outside together on our bikes. It was a lovely dream.<br />
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The bad dream was that I was waiting at a red light, straddling my bike. There was a car in front of me at the light. The light turned green, and instead of the car going forward, IT BACKED UP OVER ME!!! I remember being under the car and the bottom of the car so close to me, and I reached out my left arm and I was banging the side of the car to let the driver know, while calling out "Hey, get off of me!!"<br />
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Ugh. What a dream. :( I need to have more good dreams....<br />
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I was thinking of buying an indoor bike trainer so that I could hook my bike up and get some exercise inside. I mentioned it to my biking friend Reba, and she said I could borrow her indoor bike trainer. How nice! So it's at my place and ready to get hooked up. It's certainly not as enjoyable as riding outside...but it will have to do for now.<br />
Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-72335947736165688642012-12-15T07:18:00.001-08:002012-12-15T07:23:04.502-08:00One Minute, I'm Riding..... ....and the next, I'm being transported in an ambulance. :( <br />
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The paramedics found me 6 feet from my bike, laying in the intersection. They said I asked them the same questions over and over, "What happened? Who hit me? Where am I?". I was brought to a hospital less than a mile away, where I spent 4 days....2 days in ICU (due to a concussion and bleeding on the brain) and 2 days in the Trauma Unit. I had some facial abrasions, a broken sinus bone, and a broken right arm (humerus bone). They took an MRI and 3 CT scans. The injuries could have been a lot worse, so I am thankful to be alive and upright (vs. 6 feet under!!)<br />
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So, what happened?? I have ridden this route to work the past 10 months. I knew the lights, the traffic patterns, the cracks in the road, the uneven sidewalk portions, etc. In fact, I had just exited a sidewalk (along with a guy bicyclists in front of me), and we looked both ways as we crossed over a church driveway, to then enter the traffic lane. All the traffic was stopped at a light about 30 feet behind me. I could hear it start up as I got into the lane to continue down the road. I have no idea why the driver of the large pick-up truck didn't see me, since I was that far ahead of him. Maybe he was texting...or reading something, or on the phone...? I don't know if the police asked him...but at least the driver stopped. And that he has auto insurance. So that the personal injury lawyer I have retained can contact regarding the driver's negligence.<br />
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My aluminum road bike, of course, looks worse than I do, and I was stunned to see it when a friend went with me to pick it up from the police station. Even the cop who brought it out, just stared at it and couldn't believe his eyes, and shook his head. It's a good thing I don't use clipless pedals, because I would have still been connected to the bike when the pick-up truck obviously ran over my bike. The frame is cracked in 2 places (top tube and downtube) and the right handlebars were flattened up against the stem. The right pedal was sheared off, and the derailleur was broken off and dangling on the chain. The rear bicycle rack which held my panniers, was sheared off at the bottom brazen points.<br />
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The orthopaedic doc says I have keep my right arm in a sling for 6 weeks. I will start some occupational therapy next week. I may be returning to work in January. I probably won't be able to bike til the Springtime. At least I won't have to deal with biking in the winter's snow and ice and cold. <br />
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And family and friends ask if I will go back to biking to work. I am sure they want to hear the word "NO". But I tell them that I think I will, and that I will just take a different route. I love to bike, whether it's commuting or touring....there are so many places to see in this world.....i'm not hanging up my wheels just yet. :) Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-61811172083049616182012-11-21T08:47:00.001-08:002012-11-21T08:47:37.780-08:00Room to Breathe<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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On my bike ride home recently, I was waiting at a light, and was looking around and saw this billboard on the side of a building. :) I went online afterwards to find out some information about this billboard. Evidently, in June of this year, the DC Dept. of Transportation awarded a grant to the Washington Area Bicyclist Association to depict a visual street space that shows how much space is gained if more people rode bikes or walked, instead of driving.<br />
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It's a little difficult to see the images in the graphics, but the left image shows gridlock traffic on Pennsylvania Avenue. There are bike lanes sandwiched in the middle, with no bicyclists in them. The image on the right shows the same scene, but with bicyclists in the bike lane, and NO traffic around them. I guess it shows the way it Pennsylvania Avenue would look if people rode their bikes to work, instead of their cars. Car traffic = NO FUN. Bicycle traffic = FUN. :) If you ever seen or participated in a good-size gathering of bicyclists, you can see they are happy and having FUN. It's TOTALLY OPPOSITE when you get a good size gathering (i.e., traffic jam!) of cars. You aren't moving, you are gonna be late, people don't let you in to merge, etc.<br />
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With Thanksgiving weekend coming up, I felt the vibe of the traffic change - - people were zooming around, getting gas, running last-minute errands before they headed out of town, etc. My bicycle commute stayed the same - - nice and easy-going, no need to rush, and in fact, it was even more pleasant because today, the day before Thanksgiving, there were even LESS cars on the road - - it was more quiet. Cars and traffic make a lot of noise. So I am thankful for a quiet and peaceful commute.<br />
Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-65403129941670713912012-10-17T09:43:00.001-07:002012-10-17T09:43:46.932-07:00Into Fall We Go -<br />
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Autumn is starting to arrive along my commute, as I saw this bright tree this morning. :) This is a nice time of year when the leaves show their colors...and pretty soon, they will start shedding their leaves, as the leaves start "snowing" down. But for now, I'll enjoy the show. :)Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-15801201982150598902012-09-07T08:46:00.001-07:002012-09-07T08:46:30.338-07:00Suspicious Package...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As I was in the elevator to leave work yesterday, a co-worker was checking her smartphone and mentioned that there was suspicious package found on street where my office is located and that they had to close down a few blocks to investigate. This is never a "small affair", especially in Washington, D.C., and especially at Rush Hour! The elevator doors opened up and we both looked outside to the street and saw things VERY backed up and tight. It reminded me of 9/11 years ago, and how it threw the city into gridlock. And, just as on that day, I had bicycled to work, and so this traffic issue was a "non-issue" as I hopped on my bike and wound my way around the cars, etc. It's a very liberating experience, though I felt badly for those stuck in the traffic jam. I was on my way to have dinner with out-of-town friends who were staying at a hotel nearby, so it was nice that the traffic incident didn't slow me down at all, and I got to my destination right on time. :) </div>
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Last year, there was an article in the Washington Post, stating that the D.C. area has the worst traffic congestion in the NATION...outdoing even Chicago and Los Angeles! The friends I met up with both live in the L.A. area, and one of them said that if they lived in D.C., they would definitely get rid of their car (and that's saying A LOT, coming from someone who lives in car-centric L.A.). The article went on to say that the average D.C. commuter spends <u>74</u> hours in yearly commuting, using <u>37</u> gallons of gas - idling in traffic, costing <u>$1,495</u> a year. Wow. Of course, those figures fluctuate, due to the weather, traffic incidents, and gas prices. </div>
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As I've said in the past, I feel a lot of Washingtonians COULD try commuting by biking and enjoy the great bike paths the area has to offer that thread right through many of the nearby suburbs they are now driving to. I think they'd be surprised how much time and money they would save in the long run. Even if they only were fair-weather riders!</div>
Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-36388696722740379982012-08-01T09:47:00.001-07:002012-08-01T11:04:39.207-07:00Scraping by....<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I was on my way to work this morning, coming along on First Street, near Rhode Island Avenue. There was a line up of cars at near the light, and as the light changed, the cars slowly started up. I was riding slowly along between the parked cars and the moving cars, when a silver compact car saw a open parking spot right about the time I was alongside the moving car (near the wheel well). I saw the car slow a little and head towards the spot. I hit my brakes, but the car kept going into the spot, while I was almost getting squished - - my left brake handle scraping along the car side! Ack!! The driver stopped momentarily and then finished pulling into the parking spot. The lady driver behind this car pulled alongside me - her passenger window down and she asked if I was okay - she had seen what happened. I said I was fine (just a little surprised). The driver of the parked car came out (a Hispanic lady) and I think was as surprised as I was. She hadn't seen me at all I think - and probably hadn't looked in her rearview mirror either - never expecting to have a bicyclist right next to her. She asked a couple times if I was okay, and I said yes, and she opened the rear passenger door to get her young baby out to hand to her babysitter, who happened to be sitting on the nearby housesteps, and who had seen what happened too (and was equally surprised what happened). <br />
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I asked if her car was okay because I knew my brake lever had scraped her car. She shut the rear door and then I saw a VERY LONG scrape along the car....ACK! Oh no! I felt bad, and I told her I had tried to stop in time. She said it was okay, that it wasn't a new car, and it wasn't a problem. I told her that I hoped she could get it buffed out alright. She didn't seemed <em>too </em>concerned, but I still felt bad for the damage. (The picture shown here is not her car - just a photo I found on the internet to represent a scrape).<br />
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I know there is the possibility of something like this happening when you ride between parked cars and moving cars - - or of car doors opening unexpectedly. I guess I could avoid this type of thing happening if I just waited behind the line of cars. The chances of an empty parking spot and a passing car coming along to park there at the same time you are passing, doesn't happen often. There's usually enough room for me to pass slowly. When I see that the passageway is REALLY tight, I get on the sidewalk and ride to the light, and get back into the lane (that's, of course, if the sidewalk isn't crowded at that area. In this instance, the area may only have one or two pedestrians). This area doesn't have bike lanes, but having bike lanes doesn't stop drivers from crossing it to get a parking spot.<br />
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What would you have done in this instance?<br />
<br />Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-58261846013580093972012-07-17T12:51:00.001-07:002012-07-17T12:51:57.224-07:00Chilling<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Earlier this month, we had the longest heat wave since 10 years ago. Friends, family and co-workers wondered how in the world I manage to keep biking to work in the heat. Well, a few things help. One is that I put my water bottle in the freezer when I get to work, so that it looks like this picture when I leave. It's rock-hard and slowly melts on my 45-min. ride, providing nice cold water along the way. Second is that my commute has a bit of shade, which cuts the temps by 5-10 degrees. The only time I'm really hot is when I have to stop in the sun at a stoplight, and there's no breeze. Then it's like being nuked. ha. But once I get going again, the combination of the breeze and my sweat keeps things manageable.</div>
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I've said this many times to many people...that my commute is usually the BEST part of my day. :) There were a couple days this month where I had to work through lunch, sitting at my desk constantly, to finish a project. When I got on my bike to head home, it was SO refreshing -- to have the breeze across my face, moving my body, seeing the sights and hearing the sounds. It really makes you feel ALIVE and it's invigorating.</div>
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On my commute, there is a triangle corner that I pass, where a handful of white bikes are permanently stationed. Someone in the neighborhood regularly decorates these bikes for various holidays. Here's the bikes decorated for the July 4th holiday. Colorful and eye-catching! :)</div>
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<br /></div>Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-55695649519155018462012-06-08T09:27:00.002-07:002012-06-08T09:30:21.630-07:00How Much Are the Doggies....?<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kkFHhgXkOcc/T9Imee1TSkI/AAAAAAAAAgw/cvBTPskLPSI/s1600/5Yorkies.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="191" width="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kkFHhgXkOcc/T9Imee1TSkI/AAAAAAAAAgw/cvBTPskLPSI/s320/5Yorkies.jpg" /></a>Just so that you don't think my bike commute is ALWAYS difficult (referencing my last entry about all the flat tire issues I had), I wanted to put a "fun" entry to make up for it a little. :)<br />
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Last winter (around Christmastime) when I was biking to work, and I had seen this lady walking her 5 Yorkies. At first I thought she was a dogwalker. No one would have FIVE dogs, would they? (even though they ARE small!). But when I asked her if they were her dogs, she replied "Yes!". The Yorkies on that day were dressed cute Santa jackets! :) I should have gotten a picture of her then! I didn't see her again until today. This time I definitely wanted to get her picture with her dogs. I told her I remembered talking to her last winter, and I asked if I could get a picture of her and her dogs. So she managed to get all of her 5 Yorkies to stop for a minute while I tried to capture them all in my camera phone screen. (I had to back up a bit to do that!). Afterwards I bent down and gave each of them some love - - they were SO cute! Definitely a 10 on the Cute Factor scale!! :) It made a beautiful morning even better! :)<br />
<br />Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-6826055867124956522012-06-05T11:21:00.001-07:002012-06-05T11:21:43.058-07:00Waves of Flats...<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mAwsg62Fpds/T85FqOyoC7I/AAAAAAAAAgg/Q6LeovBK6h0/s1600/wave.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="224" width="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mAwsg62Fpds/T85FqOyoC7I/AAAAAAAAAgg/Q6LeovBK6h0/s320/wave.jpg" /></a>Last Friday night, the DC area was under a severe weather alert, and there were tornado watches issued. I checked the weather before I headed out, and when I got out of the garage with my bike, it was lightly raining, so I decided to go for it.<br />
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I got about halfway home, about to pass Catholic University, when I noticed my front tire was a bit soft. I got off to check it, and sure enough, it was a flat. I looked up ahead to some administrative buildings, and saw a covered stairwell that I could take care of it and be out of the rain and any lightning danger, as there were big trees around. To do a quick change, I just put in an inner tube that had been patched previously and ready to go. While I was wrapping things up, the rain came down, so I was glad to miss getting poured on.<br />
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I got within a couple miles of my house, and it REALLY started to pour, so I decided to wait it out a little while under a church awning (the building used to be an old theatre, so the "awning" was a marquee). As I waited, I looked at my tire to see how it was holding up. It wasn't - it was going down. :/ Here we go again. I pulled the inner tube out and patched the new hole and when I finished, the rain had diminished (nice little rhyme there! ha!). So I finally got home about a half hour past the normal arrival time.<br />
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On Monday, I took off for work, and as I got close to the office, I noticed my tire was going down. I hadn't checked the tire before I left home, and usually, I do check it and add air. So I parked my bike, added some air, and came back in a few hours to check to see if it held. No, it didn't. :/ So I patched the inner tube and put it back in, hoping that would be the end. It did fine in running an errand and getting me home. <br />
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This morning, it was flat yet again!! This time, I put a new inner tube in and gave up on the old one. I figured that if the new inner tube had problems, I would probably need a new tire. (The tires are about a year and a half old. I had checked the inside of the tire to see if there were any sharp points and also the rim, just in case you're wondering!). I got a half a block from work and noticed my tire going down again!! <br />
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OKAY!! So at lunch, I walked over to a nearby bike shop and bought a new Continental tire and a new inner tube, confident that this would solve it. After I had put air in the tire, I was putting the cap on the valve, but it wasn't going on very well. I realized it was the cap for the old inner tube (even though you'd think it wouldn't make any difference?), so I unscrewed it to put the correct cap on, and when doing that, the valve head came exploding OFF!! There goes a $7 new inner tube! :/ Sigh. So I grabbed the old one, and patched it, and put it in. I will go downstairs in a couple hours to see if everything is alright. I have to meet a friend for her birthday dinner tonight, and I don't have time to be dealing with this problem tonight.<br />
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So, in taking a poll of my readers...how do you think this saga will end? :)Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-37165710463084386082012-05-18T11:31:00.000-07:002012-05-18T11:38:31.267-07:00Bike To Work Day 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cFOiNoNREdI/T7aBnpY-W4I/AAAAAAAAAf0/7gpfH4hPgJw/s1600/BikeToWorkDay2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left:1em; margin-right:1em"><img border="0" height="191" width="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cFOiNoNREdI/T7aBnpY-W4I/AAAAAAAAAf0/7gpfH4hPgJw/s320/BikeToWorkDay2012.jpg" /></a></div><br />
It was beautiful weather for Bike To Work Day today. :) I had registered to pick up my ride t-shirt at the pit-stop located at a park a couple blocks from my house. When I got to the park entrance though, I didn't see any banner or sign, showing that there was a Bike To Work Day pit-stop. While I was looking for any signs, I wasn't looking where I was going and my tire rubbed up against the curb and I lost my balance and went down. :/ Fortunately, I was near a standstill at the time, so it was more of a slow-motion easy fall and I wasn't hurt...more embarrassed than anything. :) I was hoping no one had really seen that lovely stunt....however, a lady and her young son (who was on the child seat) came along at that moment, and asked if I was okay, which was nice of them. I mentioned the need for some kind of signs for the Bike To Work event, and she agreed. It was a good thing she showed me where the tables were, because I wouldn't have seen them easily -- they were located behind a building! You would think they would be in front of the building, more visible to both bicyclists and cars. There were only a handful or two of people there and not much of an offering of food, drink, or publications. Since I'm new to the area, I'm not sure if this was a "normal" amount of attendees or not.<br />
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Soon after I got there, a guy announced that he would be leading a convoy into DC to go to the main rally location. I decided to join them (only 4 other cyclists). They took a similar route that I took to work, however, they hopped onto the Metropolitan Branch Trail instead of city streets. It's been a while since I've been on this trail, due to a couple of reasons. One main reason is that there have been some incidents in the past (robberies/assaults). I'd rather take my chances with city streets. :) The trail is a little isolated, and not many people ride it, so I guess there is more incentives to attack someone and get away with it. The other reason is that the trail takes me in a direction further from my office instead of closer. So, the time you save in zipping along the trail and not having stoplights/stop signs, you lose in having to come back across town to get to my office (and getting caught in more traffic). So I think I'll stick with my current route. <br />
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When we arrived near the location of the main rally, the convoy turned left into a courtyard area at Ronald Reagan International Center. Usually, the rally has been held at Freedom Plaza. But evidently the Occupy Movement group is still occupying that spot. As we made our way through the crosswalk for the rally location, there was a kind of loud, large group of protesters right next to it -- I'm not sure what they were protesting - but it was in another language. <br />
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At the rally location, there weren't as many people present as I have seen in the past - - maybe we arrived a little on the later side, or maybe people didn't know about this new location. Or maybe there WERE the same amount of people, but the location was more open, so people had more room to move about. :) There were a couple of short speeches given, and music was being played. There were a handful of booths set up (I think there are usually more?), and food, drink and t-shirts were being given away. As I was munching on my bagel, a lady came up to interview me who said she had some sort of company email newsletter she sent out, and wanted to ask me a few questions about Bike to Work Day. After I talked to her for a few minutes, I turned around and someone called my name - it was a guy I knew from a bike club I used to head up (DC Bike Friday Club), so it was good to see him, as it's been a number of years. :) As I turned to leave to head out to get to my office, I realized that I had a flat in the rear tire! :/ Bummer. I'm wondering if it's glass that I ran over on that trail...? So I quickly put in a new inner tube and was on my way - although a little late to work. At least I didn't have any traffic to hold me up. :)Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-13690514628978651412012-04-12T06:19:00.005-07:002012-04-12T07:29:12.232-07:00Chain, chain, chain.....<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3tqgYDqcpZg/T4bWhW0QQtI/AAAAAAAAAeM/SOGlPeKTpj4/s1600/bike-chain-charm-colors.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 195px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3tqgYDqcpZg/T4bWhW0QQtI/AAAAAAAAAeM/SOGlPeKTpj4/s320/bike-chain-charm-colors.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5730503444424311506" /></a>Last night when I got off work, I decided to go to the bike shop to have them take a look at my rear derailleur and gears, because my chain was jumping around when I got in the upper gears. It's a handy shop because part of it is a bike shop, and the other part is a hardware store. I needed to pick up some primer for the iron railing on my porch that I am repainting, so it's nice to get two things done at one stop. :) My road bike is just recently back on the road a couple of weeks after I put on a new cassette and chain. Evidently I didn't get the cassette on quite right (I supposedly missed getting the splines correct) and that's why I had the gear problem. So he took it off and fiddled with it and made some adjustments and after paying $5.00 for that along with the primer, I headed out. <br /><br />Except two blocks from the shop, as I reached the higher gearing, the problem was still there. :( So I turned around and went back to the shop. The guy wasn't real happy to see me back, and he donned his helmet and gloves and took my bike for a test ride. Maybe he thought I was imagining the problem....but he was back in a few minutes and agreed that it wasn't working good. This time he unscrewed the rear derailleur and made some more adjustments. I took it for a quick test run, and it seemed good, and I paid an additional $7.00 for that adjustment.<br /><br />Okay, now I get about 10 blocks away, and as I pull up to the light, my chain makes a noise and feels like it fell off the chain ring. I look down, and was surprised to see that my chain actually had come APART!! It was all wrapped up in the cassette! In all my years of biking, I have never had a chain break. I have put on new bike chains in the past number of years on my various bikes and never have had this happen. So, I got off and unwound the chain and put it in a side pocket of my bike bag. I knew of another bike store about 7 blocks away that I could get to, and hopefully they would still be open (it was almost 7 p.m. now). I put one leg on the side of the bike and used the bike like a push scooter and pushed my other leg off to get on down the sidewalk.<br /><br />I got to the bike store and asked if they could put my chain back on. I don't carry a chain tool with me - but maybe it'd be a good thing to have along... The guy put a new master chain link on the chain and installed it, for $17.00. A little expensive, but time is money, I know. Now it was 7:10 p.m., and I didn't have my riding lights with me, and it gets dark about 7:30. I was about 5 blocks from a Metro station, so I rode there to take the subway home before it got dark. It was nice that the train came within a minute after I got to the platform. :) Timing is everything. :)<br /><br />Regarding chains, I've thought about bikes that have the carbon belts instead of chains. I don't think that carbon belts would break, and I think the maintenance would be a lot less. However, I just checked the price of a carbon belt and was a bit shocked to see it's $54.00!! They say a carbon belt will last about 3 years. I usually put a new chain on my bikes every year or so. I get a good quality chain, that costs about $20. So three chains in 3 years is about the same price as a carbon belt. So I think I'll stick with a regular chain. <br /><br />Once in a while (like maybe once a year or every other year), I have these long commutes, due to mechanical issues or weather conditions. Some people might think these kinds of delays are a big hassle. But I think that people who drive cars to work or take mass transit encounter MANY more delays than this. Also, car repairs are LOTS more expensive than the $30 I spent on my bike repairs. :) I'm glad to have the bike shops nearby to help and for Metro in getting me home before dark. :)Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-38544874032537128492012-03-16T07:36:00.003-07:002012-03-16T08:47:08.357-07:00Don't Stop at the Office....<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rjNg6RvXT4A/T2NQMui3GGI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/tfcCgZe29d4/s1600/ToFLAbikesign.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 191px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rjNg6RvXT4A/T2NQMui3GGI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/tfcCgZe29d4/s320/ToFLAbikesign.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5720504131273562210" /></a>I was heading into work recently and looked up and saw a sign a couple miles from my house. Wow, if I kept on riding and following these signs, I could be in <em>KEY WEST </em>in 1509 miles!! :) :) A number of years ago, I took a bike vacation and rode from Melbourne, FL to Richmond, VA...and that took about a week and a half (it was about 1100 miles). So it would be another week or so to get to Key West. :) <br /><br />If you look at the very top of the sign, it shows that the route is the East Coast Greenway (http://www.greenway.org/about.aspx). I know they've been working on this route for a number of years - starting back in 1991. Each year they add more on and off-road trail segments. I'll have to follow this sign sometime (not on a workday!) and see where it leads! :)Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-28367018896300847702012-02-03T10:57:00.001-08:002012-02-03T12:12:49.333-08:00Reflective Thoughts<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k99MF37zq9k/Tyw6DUxscGI/AAAAAAAAAcg/Thvxor95z4k/s1600/ReflectiveVest.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 191px; height: 320px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k99MF37zq9k/Tyw6DUxscGI/AAAAAAAAAcg/Thvxor95z4k/s320/ReflectiveVest.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5704998656762736738" /></a>I bought this reflective vest at a bicycle show in Philadelphia a couple years ago. It was $30, a little expensive, but I thought it would be worth it. It has LED lights that are battery operated. The lights blink brightly - - 2 in the front and 4 in the back. I thought that was a great idea and it was VERY eye-catching. Since my new commute is all city riding, this vest is excellent. And other bicyclists and pedestrians think so too, because I've had a handful of people comment that they think the vest is really neat. :) When I was taking the picture of the vest, I turned the lights on to see if it might make a better picture. I saw that, unfortunately, a couple of the lights are not working. :/ Not sure if these can be fixed or not - I don't think so. So I went online to see if I could find the same vest or something similar, and I did, so I'll be ordering it soon. The vest isn't the same one I have (and I don't have the manufacturer's name - rats!), but the one I found is probably better, because it has 16(!) lights on it! So I'll look like a Christmas tree! All the better to be seen! :) And the cost of the vest is about $10 less, so that's nice.<br /><br />The past two nights, I went to someone's apartment in D.C. to look at some furniture I was considering buying. I wasn't sure how long it would take me to bike there, so I decided on the first try, to use the bike rack on the bus option, thinking this would be probably the faster option. I had trouble locating the exact bus stop (I hadn't studied my bus map very well). I finally found it and waited...and waited...and waited. I think the bus doesn't run that often (every 20 min.) and there was a lot of traffic. While I was waiting, bicycle after bicycle went by, as they chugged up the hill next to the bus stop. Shoot, I could have probably ridden faster, I thought. <br /><br />The next night, when I had to return to that apartment again, I decided I would bicycle there - it's only 3.5 miles - but there are some long hills and lots of traffic, as the route is on a busy commuter street. I was surprised to get to the location about 20 minutes FASTER than the bus. I know this because that certain bus number did not pass me the whole way. :) I think if it had been raining, I would have taken the bus, but since the weather was nice, riding was fine. I got the exercise up the hill, and it saved me the bus fare. :) So it was a good experiment to try. :) Though there was a lot of traffic, I don't get slowed down by it since I can pass all the cars stuck at the lights and in the traffic jams. :)Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-78029691796323415502012-01-26T06:21:00.002-08:002012-03-16T07:35:40.180-07:00Winterless Winter<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-izIzR3VYG5Q/TyFhhAt38QI/AAAAAAAAAcI/IESsqXpZVL0/s1600/WinterWhiteHouse.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 191px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-izIzR3VYG5Q/TyFhhAt38QI/AAAAAAAAAcI/IESsqXpZVL0/s320/WinterWhiteHouse.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5701945822983745794" /></a>Here it is, almost February, and it's been nice that we've only had some flurries here and there, just enough to cover the grass. I took this picture of the White House on my way to work...the grass looked as green as it does in the summer! I wonder if we'll get slammed in February? I hope not. It's easy to ride in the winter when there's no precipitation. It's just cold and dry. Piece of cake. :) Plus, we've had the added pleasure of having some daily temps up to 50 or 60, instead of freezing our butts off. :) I'm enjoying it very much!Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-82361292481882065462011-12-16T16:56:00.000-08:002011-12-16T17:18:11.616-08:00Merry Christmas!<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QeisMDelBr4/TuvrSehFR4I/AAAAAAAAAbw/mnlUDIjmTlQ/s1600/Bascilica%2Bat%2BXmas.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 191px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QeisMDelBr4/TuvrSehFR4I/AAAAAAAAAbw/mnlUDIjmTlQ/s320/Bascilica%2Bat%2BXmas.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5686897657147377538" /></a>Every day I pass by the Bascilia of the National Shrine. Evidently, it's the largest Catholic church in America. I've been in it and it is beautiful. At night, when I ride by, they've put up Christmas lights all around, and I've been wanting to stop to take a picture of it, so tonight I did. It's so nicely done. :) I ride by other nice Christmas decorations on various homes along the way, and enjoy them too. It's one of the enjoyments of biking in the wintertime. :) Some people wonder how can I bike in the cold - but you do warm up and don't even hardly notice the cold, especially when you have pretty sights like this to see along the way. :)Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-79563060772425843622011-12-06T04:31:00.001-08:002011-12-07T12:05:09.464-08:00The Beauty of the Bike :)<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A1t9OLe1xHs/Tt4LsyqXL1I/AAAAAAAAAbk/c-ZX_VNvUBA/s1600/traffic.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A1t9OLe1xHs/Tt4LsyqXL1I/AAAAAAAAAbk/c-ZX_VNvUBA/s320/traffic.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5682992643929747282" /></a>Yesterday morning as I was about 3 or so blocks from my office, I noticed A LOT of traffic jammed on 19th Street. It's a busy street, but not THIS busy! I mean, it was like a traffic jam we have when it snows - - except there wasn't any snow. People were trying get around it by turning off other streets, but the choices are few because of the one-way streets. <br /><br />So, I skinnied on through the traffic on my bike, and came up on 19th & L, where there were police cars blocking off the whole block over to 18th. So, that's what the problem was - except that I didn't see any problem - - just an empty block. When I got to work (on time) a couple minutes later, I checked my computer for news of any situation at that location, and it said that there had been a serious accident. (I never found out what exactly happened).<br /><br />My boss, along with several people in my office, were a half hour or more late getting to work because of the jam...but, as I said, the beauty of the bike is that you can get by these situations...whether it's a tree across a road, traffic jam, road closures, etc. The bike saves the day! :)Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-58922732971951455602011-11-11T10:02:00.000-08:002011-11-11T11:09:43.069-08:00Up & Down Hills - Through City Streets - Off to Work I Go -<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8y8l4uy3RC4/Tr1jcjxZmUI/AAAAAAAAAao/Cf07UsT2v6A/s1600/Fall%2BCommute2.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8y8l4uy3RC4/Tr1jcjxZmUI/AAAAAAAAAao/Cf07UsT2v6A/s320/Fall%2BCommute2.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5673800447846619458" /></a>The first couple of days of my new commute, I chose to mostly ride on Rhode Island Avenue, as I needed to stop at stores on the way home. Rhode Island Avenue from my house isn't too bad to start with - it's relatively wide for bicycle travel, but then as you get about halfway to the city, the road narrows significantly (as you go under the Metro tracks) and stays that way. There's no room for me, so I hop on the sidewalk, which can be a hairy time, with pedestrians. I felt like I was in a video game of "Frogger". :)<br /><br />So I studied my bicycle map for the Day 3, and chose a more western route towards Catholic University, along Michigan Avenue. That was much better, though there was traffic on Michigan, there was a sidewalk available, and no pedestrians. It's where I took this picture, with the pretty golden Fall leaves. I hang a left on First Street which takes me towards downtown and is a one-way street. When I get to R Street, there is a nice and popular bike lane that brings me to my office. It was kind of nice to, at times, find myself surrounded with other fellow commuting bicyclists, some in bike garb, but a lot just in their office clothes. I felt like I was in Copenhagen! :)<br /><br />Even though the new commute is only 2 1/2 miles longer than my previous commute, I was kind of surprised that it took twice as long! That's because a city commute consists of stoplights and stop signs nearly every block. :/ I miss the quietness and speediness of the bike path I used to commute on. But riding through the city is neat in its own way. There are shops along the way and people to watch. In fact, when I was waiting at a light, I turned to see a lady from my office walking by, so we stopped to chat briefly. She has biked to work in the past, but lately has decided to take the bus so that she could have some "reading time". :) I challenged her to see who would get to the office first...but she smiled and said she knew I would win. :)<br /><br />On my commute home, I ride on Q Street, which has a nice bike lane to enjoy. Also, as I get closer to home, I veer off on Monroe Street, which parallels Michigan, but has less traffic. This morning, I thought I would try riding Monroe Street towards work and realized it wasn't as fun because it has a LONG uphill that took my breath away. Much better to save Monroe Street for my ride home, when I could enjoy a DOWNHILL. :)Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23311706.post-5962625262997368112011-11-04T08:55:00.001-07:002011-11-04T09:35:50.195-07:00Last Rays of Sunlight...<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SNqlF1F3BQw/TrQLe5gjwmI/AAAAAAAAAac/zJ7r1PfuTo8/s1600/sunset.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 239px; height: 320px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SNqlF1F3BQw/TrQLe5gjwmI/AAAAAAAAAac/zJ7r1PfuTo8/s320/sunset.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5671170456227660386" /></a>Last night when I was riding home out of the city, the sun was just about to drop below the horizon. The golden rays bathed the trees and ground, I just had to take a picture. This weekend, Daylight Savings Time comes to an end, and my evening commute on Monday will be in the dark. It always seems to affect drivers on the first dark commute. It's like the lights have been turned off and they are disoriented.<br /><br />I will be moving over the weekend to my new residence in Maryland (sharing a house), so I too, will be a little disoriented on Monday night, not knowing the streets for the commute very well. I'll just take it slow and easy, til I get used to the streets, traffic patterns, etc. In a way, I will miss the evening commute in sunshine...but commuting in the dark is fun in its own way too. It's like going undercover, you're cloaked in the darkness. I bought new batteries for my lighted vest so that I'll be seen easily. I had to get a new headlight a few months ago to replace my previous one. It's bright, but it's only mounted on my handlebars vs. my helmet, which I don't like as much. I may need to get a helmet-mounted one, we'll see. Since I'm not familiar with the route/streets for the new commute, it's important to be able to shine the light on the street signs so I know where I'm going. :)<br /><br />A funny thing happened the other night when I was going to pick up one of my bikes from Hudson Trail Outfitters that needed repair. The guy at the register looked at me and asked if I had a Bike Friday. :) I said I do, and he said he remembers talking to me once on the the trail. He recounted the meeting - he was heading to the C&O Canal to meet a friend to go camping for the weekend. When he said that, I remembered him right away - because he had had panniers on his bike and I had stopped to talk to him about where he was going and what he was doing. It's funny because this happened maybe 3 or more years ago! He said he never forgets a face. Funny that he would remember me and our encounter after so long! I didn't recognize him, but definitely remembered meeting him. :)<br /><br />Well, stay tuned to see how the new commute goes!Charhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15202026725180204624noreply@blogger.com1