DC Commute Scenes
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Remembering the Titanic, 114 Years Ago
Yesterday I returned from a weekday run and came upon a group holding a wreath-laying ceremony in remembrance of those who died in the Titanic disaster in the early hours of April 15, 1912. At 11:40 p.m. on April 14 the great ship hit an iceberg and at 2:20 a.m. April 15, 1912, the vessel… Continue reading
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12 Months By the Potomac River
Ever since I moved near the D.C. waterfront, the Potomac River has silently shaped my movement. I sidle along it to leave the city and head into Maryland. I must cross it by way of one of two or three bridges to reach Virginia. Continue reading
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Final Week of 30 Days of Biking (and Poetry) in Washington, D.C.
Over the past month, I engaged in a personal challenge to ride my bike each day, take at least one picture during my ride, and find a poem that somehow encapsulated the day. Poetry has always held a special place for me, but over the years our relationship became distant. I saw it as extra, even… Continue reading
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Week Three of 30 Days of Biking (and Poetry) in Washington, D.C.
Bicycling is one of the best ways to fully immerse yourself in a city. As riders, we easily exchange hellos with others on our route. We feel the bumps of the road, see flowers bloom and fall, and watch the waves of people (and buses, did I mention buses?) come and go through the District. Thanks to… Continue reading
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Week Two of 30 Days of Biking (and Poetry) in Washington, D.C.
Day 8 How it is fickle, leaving one alone to wander the halls of the skull with the fluorescents softly flickering. It rests on the head like a bird nest, woven of twigs and tinsel and awkward as soon as one stops to look. That pile of fallen leaves drifting from the brain to the… Continue reading
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Peak Blossom Days in Washington, D.C.
This weekend the cherry blossoms reached peak bloom in Washington, D.C. Knowing their fragile nature, people flooded the city to see them– cameras, cars, and all. Continue reading
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Stillness in the Ruckus of Washington, D.C.
Buses align Ohio Drive, one after the other, and block my once-daily view of the Potomac. Large chatty groups of tourists swarm the National Mall, oblivious to the bike commuters that weave around them. They start the day early, and I fail to wake up any earlier to avoid their field trips. The sudden influx is an annual… Continue reading
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Birthday Week Bike Rides in BikeDC
Dear Washington, D.C., my current city of residence, I discovered a better way to maneuver around you after too many years as a subterranean Metro passenger. Continue reading
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Washington, D.C. Bike Commute Scrapbook
What a week. Four sparkling summer days, top notch training, and a ride along with a friend on a couple of days, too. I celebrated the end of my Bike Friday Tikit field trips to Northwest D.C. with a photo safari on today’s ride home, in part to stretch out my time in the afternoon… Continue reading
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Alex Baca Farewell Tour #leftandleaving
Over the past week I’ve been thinking about our #bikeDC friend, Alex Baca, who has left D.C. (for now, at least) for a new opportunity San Francisco. As part of Alex’s farewell activities, of which there appeared to be several, some of us coordinated an “Alex Baca Farewell Tour.” The weather even cooperated to bring… Continue reading
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Cherry Blossom Farewell: Petals, Puddles, and Pavement
One of my favorite times in Washington, D.C., is when the cherry blossoms reach out to say hello to all of us. Another is when these delicate petals fall, leaving a textured pink layer over grass and pavement. Continue reading
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Flow Like Water
The fleeting pink and white blossoms cover the city. Sun shines and spring breezes blow. Families and field trips congregate on our sidewalks. And hey, how about those tour buses! Yes, it’s cherry blossompalooza in Washington, D.C. In previous years I dreaded this scenario. But thanks to my regular midday runs that have exposed me to this… Continue reading
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#BikeDC Meets #BikeNYC IRL: Dmitry Gudkov
Tuesday, the mighty social networking tool known as Twitter paved the internets to an in real life (IRL) encounter with photographer Dmitry Gudkov. Among other projects, Dmitry is the photographer behind #BikeNYC, a dynamic series of portraits of the people who ride bikes in New York City. Through it I have learned about the people of the… Continue reading
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Winter Run on a D.C. Snow(man) Day!
After yesterday’s dumping of snow over Washington, D.C. many schools and businesses, including my employer, declared a snow day. Yahoo! I fuel up on espresso, throw on my Gore-Tex Salomons, and hit the road. Snow days allow me to be a tourist in my own city. This “found time” frees me, and I can pad about… Continue reading
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D.C. Iced Over
A week of freezing weather fostered some icy ambience in the city. We’ve all been out taking cell phone pictures of the Potomac River’s icy overlay on our bike commutes. Continue reading
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Blossomwatch 2013!
On March 20 of last year, the cherry blossoms peaked in Washington, D.C., and by this time of the month only the most stalwart of flowers clung to the trees. That is far from the case this time around, where the tourists have arrived in droves to appreciate the blossoms that have yet to cover… Continue reading
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Inauguration Weekend & Pennsylvania Avenue Bike Lanes
The city is almost ready for Inauguration Day. Yesterday I tried to capture the final preparations from a perspective slightly higher than ground level. On my commute home I took the Pennsylvania Avenue bike lanes in order to see the Art of Weiwei projection on the exterior of the Newseum. This is only on display from… Continue reading
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D.C. Commute Scenes: Getting Ready
It’s been a while since my last “D.C. Commute Scenes” post. Guess everything became routine landscape the past few months. Not lately, though. Right now, big things are happening right here in Washington, D.C. (Insert snide comment here if you feel like doing so.) The city is rapidly preparing for the presidential inauguration. People are out… Continue reading
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My Washington D.C. Neighborhood, Post-Sandy
It’s been a dramatic couple of days here. High winds, rain, and perpetual monitoring of the Weather Channel with one eye while looking apprehensively out the window with the other as tropical storm Sandy pelted our region. Fortunately, the area where I reside did not lose power and damage to our immediate area does not… Continue reading
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Cherry Blossom Photos Friday
Life has been busy and full. The cherry blossoms in D.C. have prettied up the city so that I’ve been spending as much time as I can indulging in their beauty. Who can sit inside and scribble when it’s so gorgeous outside? Not me! Instead of narrative, I thought I’d share some text-lite moments from… Continue reading
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D.C. Commute Scenes: Fall, Yarn Bombing, and the D.C. War Memorial
After our miserable Snowtober Saturday, our fall days have taken a dramatic turn for the better. Beautiful brisk morning commutes, a pinch of warmth in the air at midday, and refreshingly cool commutes home. I’m so happy with the way that fall has lingered. Aren’t you? Today I received the nicest note. It read: Continue reading
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Requisite D.C. Bicycle Glamour Shots: The John Ericsson National Memorial
I’ve enjoyed commuting in Washington, D.C., because it has helped me learn new things about my country without really trying. Now that I have my National Parks Passport, I’m even more incentivized to learn about the historical landmarks and memorials around town. For example, my ride takes me by this beautiful memorial almost every day. Continue reading
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D.C. Commuting: The Motorcade
Washington, D.C., is an exciting city for bike commuters. Every day we get to navigate our way through cars, potholes, pedestrians, and tourists(who are often also pedestrians). That sounds like lots of other big cities, I suppose. But in Washington, D.C., another aspect distinguishes our commute. Motorcades! 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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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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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
Chasing MailBoxes 