July 2011
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Friday Shout-Outs
People, we’ve made it to the end of another week. Good job! I was a little tired this week from all my weekend fun, but it was still a pleasant week to be a D.C. resident, and a few things warranting some shout-outs happened, too. (See how hip I am, using this word shout-out? Ha!!!)… Continue reading
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A Perfect Storm: Recreators, Tourists, and Cyclists on the National Mall
If you have ever visited Washington, D.C., you have most likely been to the National Mall (known also as the Mall). It is a large national park (more than 1,000 acres) managed by the National Park Service. For Washington, D.C.-area cyclists, the Mall is a prime commuting zone. Many local cyclists traverse the area daily,… Continue reading
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Bikes to Like: Alec B.’s Velo Orange Randonneur
Randonneur Alec B. recently moved to our area and began riding brevets with the D.C. Randonneurs this year. Alec lives car-free and impressed many of us by not only riding the brevets and the Shenandoah 1200K, but riding his bike from Annapolis to the ride starts, often camping under the stars the night before. Felkerino… Continue reading
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Paris-Brest-Paris Training
If you’ve been following this blog (or another fine blog I know called Chasing Mailboxes) you’ll know that PBP training is in high gear. Randonneurs across the country, including Felkerino and me, have been heading out regularly to put in miles for the main event. It’s been a fun summer of riding our brains out.… Continue reading
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Hot in the City! Commute Wrap-Up
Holy hot sauce, Batman! It’s been a steamy week in the city, and I confess that I focused much of my energy on gym workouts and a pokey pace to and from the office. Here is a rundown of the week in a few photos. Continue reading
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D.C. Commute Smells: the Fish Market
I’ve posted various photos on this blog of scenes from my commute to give a window into what my commuting life in Washington, D.C. is like. Some things, though, defy visual depiction. The Southwest fish market is one of those things. I pass the fish market almost daily. Continue reading
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Sheer Shorts Syndrome = Sheer Embarrassment
The booties, balaclavas, and jackets are long forgotten as the summer heat cranks up and the time for riding in bare arms and legs is in full swing. It’s glorious! Now is also the time for all cyclists who wear spandex to assess the state of their cycling shorts collection. Your favorite shorts that you… Continue reading
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Bikes to Like: George M.’s Boulder Bicycle
For some randonneurs, 650B bikes are where it’s at. I’ll use my randonneur spouse (who is also my real-life) spouse as an example. He became enamoured of the notion of a 650B ride and used a 650B Rivendell Bleriot as his primary randonneuring bike for the 2007 brevets as well as Paris-Brest-Paris. For Felkerino, riding… Continue reading
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The Urban Forest Project D.C.
One day last month, I was out for a lunchtime walk in downtown D.C. when I noticed a poster on a nearby light pole. “See the forest and the trees,” it read. That is a really good poster to hang near an office full of analysts. A few days later, I noticed more posters scattered… Continue reading
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reCYCLE Art of Bike Project in Takoma Park: Part II
As promised, I’m showcasing the final three sculptures of the public art sculpture project, reCYCLE. (Missed yesterday? Scroll down, dear reader.) If you get a chance, it is worth a ride to Takoma Park to see the artists’ creations. Don’t forget to take this map when you go, though. All sculptures are constructed primarily of… Continue reading
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reCYCLE Art of Bike Project in Takoma Park: Part I
A couple of weeks ago, Felkerino and I met up with a few friends and pedaled our way out of the District all the way to Takoma Park, Maryland, to tour the reCYCLE Art of Bike Project sponsored by the Old Takoma Business Association (OTBA). This bike-centric project consists of seven sculptures composed of (guess?) bike… Continue reading
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Bikes to Like: Mike W.’s Custom Waterford
In randonneuring, you get to know people by what bike they ride. I first met Mike after seeing his bike in the parking lot. “Who owns this bike?” I wondered. “Someone with an excellent randonneuring aesthetic!” I found out the owner was Mike, who started riding with the D.C. Randonneurs this year. Mike’s positive attitude,… Continue reading
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Summer Commuter Clothing Choices: What’s so Wrong about Shorts and a T-Shirt??
The past couple of years, various blogs and news articles have been written about women riding around in “regular clothes.” Often, these regular clothes have included skirts, dresses, heels, and who knows what else. While these may be regular clothes for some (and I do have a dress code at my office that requires professional… Continue reading
Chasing MailBoxes 