Commute & Transpo
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Cupcake Commuting: (Hot as) Hello Cupcake Edition
This past week, Felkerino and I ventured out with his daughter to do some cupcake commuting. Destination: Hello Cupcake on Capitol Hill. Sheesh, was it hot. Temperatures hovered around 100 degrees and bright sun abounded. Curious to see how cupcakes would fare in the Hello Cupcake to-go box, we each committed to eating a cupcake… Continue reading
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#BikeDC Speaks to Lisa S.: Growing Up as a Cyclist
What better way to send us into the 4th of July holiday than with another edition of BikeDC Speaks? This week features Lisa S., who I know through randonneuring and Friday Coffee Club, our weekly bike commuter gathering at Swings. Lisa also writes an engaging blog, Rambling Rider, about her rides as well as the… Continue reading
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The Perfect Commuter Bike: my Surly Long Haul Trucker
Recently, I took a break from riding my Surly Long Haul Trucker because it was just too dirty to ride. Every time I touched the bike I deposited dirt somewhere on my person. I washed it over the weekend (OK, Felkerino washed it over the weekend) and now it’s too clean to ride. In the… Continue reading
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It’s Life Changing: Marc M. on #BikeDC Speaks
This week I’m launching a series of guest posts called “BikeDC Speaks.” And I don’t mean “Passing on your left.” We’re going beyond that. This series explores local cyclists’ thoughts and views about their bicycling experiences in the D.C. area. My first post features Marc M., a fellow Tweep and FridayCoffeeClub regular. Thanks so much,… Continue reading
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The Evolution of a Transportation and Recreational Cyclist
Today as I rode home listening to my chain plead loudly for me to lube it, I thought back to my return to cycling as an adult. I had used my bike some for transportation in college, but after graduating and moving to Des Moines, Iowa, I essentially stopped cycling and drove most places even… Continue reading
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Bike to Work Day and #FridayCoffeeClub
This past Friday, the D.C. area celebrated Bike to Work Day. We had perfect sunny weather and only a hint of cool air in the morning so lots and lots of people (over 12,000, according to some reports) took advantage of the bike holiday. I don’t know how those numbers compare to the regular commute… Continue reading
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That Sign on Ohio Drive. BIG SIGH
For the past month or so, the National Park Service has kindly placed a brightly lit sign on the northeast side of Potomac Park (by Hains Point) that “encourages” cyclists to stop at intersections. Specifically it says this: “Bicyclists must obey traffic LAWS.” For a while, the Park Police were stopping cyclists who rode through… Continue reading
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Rainy Day Riding Essentials: Gore Tex Path Paclite Jacket
The past couple of days I’ve made sure to carry or wear those essential items I want to have on hand for rainy days. One of the most basic things I make sure to carry is my rain jacket. The rain jacket that has kept me dry and comfy in dreary weather over the past few… Continue reading
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Readying the Springtime Gear: Keen Commuter Cycling Sandals
While lots of people laud the greatness of flat pedals, I’m not normally a flat pedals person. I love riding with SPD pedals. The bright snap they make as I clip in, pulling up on the pedal stroke, and the little tick on the pavement when I dismount and walk purposefully to my final destination.… Continue reading
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#30daysofbiking Roundup
For the past couple of years, I have heard about the social media cycling phenomenon known as 30 Days of Biking. The point of the activity is to ride your bike every day in April. Then tweet, blog, or share it somehow on the interweb. Pretty simple, no? I decided to join in the fun and… Continue reading
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Urban Commuting: the Invisible Cyclist
Today I decided to take a post-work commute home through the White House Plaza across 17th Street and over to Georgetown. Those of you familiar with this area know that, for drivers traveling east-bound, Pennsylvania Avenue T’s into 17th and the White House Plaza. The only traffic crossing drivers’ paths at 17th and Pennsylvania is… 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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When All’s Right with the World
Sometimes, not that often, everything shakes out perfectly. Felkerino and I launched from home early to enjoy the peak of the cherry blossoms and avoid some of the crowds. Thanks to the lightning and thunderstorm earlier in the morning, we had most of Hains Point to ourselves. Continue reading
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Bike Riding and My Stuff: Clothing Edition
It’s great to be getting back on the bike after taking a week off. I’m still catching up on all of the utilitaire activities I missed during my absence, and hope to have a roundup tomorrow. While on my little bike sabbatical, I had a chance to think about and appreciate how much my bike… Continue reading
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Space Issues and Ugly Ducklings
Growing up, I lived in a small town of about 500 people. Our back yard abutted an expansive cornfield. Neighbors lived across the street and behind their yard stood another cornfield. Streets were tranquil and what little traffic there was plodded along. Stoplights? None. My sisters and I could ride our bikes from one end… Continue reading
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Guest Blog Post by Me
I’m totally copying this post title from Bicycle Bug. Earlier this week, the man behind the D.C. bicycling blog Tales from the Sharrows put out the call for a guest post. Both Bicycle Bug and I drafted up the happenings from one of our commutes as potential posts. However, another local commuter rose to the… Continue reading
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Utilitaire Curiosities: How We Light Up the Night
In order to officially complete the Utilitaire 12, at least two rides must be completed in the dark and thus, require lights. What do people use to ride in the dark? Some people, not part of this challenge, use nothing. Boo. Bike ninjas are all over. At least, I think they are. I have a… Continue reading
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Utilitaire Curiosities: How We Carry What We Do
Boop bee doop. Reading through the utilitaire posts and tweets got me thinking about the various “bike and haul” setups people have chosen, and also prompted me to analyze my own. I have two primary systems and bikes I use for hauling stuff around. For riding in the city, I generally use one of two… Continue reading
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My Favorite Cycling Cap: Little Package Earflap Cap
Randonneurs can get pretty attached to their bikes and gear, and I am no exception. While super special gear is not necessary to go out on a bike ride, there are certain pieces that I’ve acquired since I started cycling year round that make me feel good and also make my bike rides that much… Continue reading
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Famous D.C. Bike Blogger Rendezvous (Tales from the Sharrows)!
Do you live in the Washington, D.C., area and did you commute on Tuesday? Yowza, was the weather nice or what!? I love commute days like this. Low winds, temps going into the 50s, and sane traffic flow. Gotta appreciate those days. Did you know that famous local bike blogger and tweep, @sharrowsDC, is selling… Continue reading
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Century Ride, Burley Trailer, and Santa Hats
Even though the holidays are quickly closing in on us, Felkerino and I made a joint escape from our chores on Saturday to do a century ride. We then made up for our day at play by doing car-free errands on Sunday, including a few with the Burley trailer. Crofton, Maryland, Century Ride Saturday, Felkerino… Continue reading
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Ahhh… Beautiful December Commutes
As I rode home in the December chill with my hands throbbing and my toes fading to numb, I thought about how much I love winter commuting in D.C. The short days and cold weather combine to noticeably reduce the bike and pedestrian traffic, leaving only the stalwart year-round riders out on the roads and… Continue reading
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The D.C. Driver that Stalked Me on my Bike Commute
Last week after work I rode my bike to Georgetown. It was the day after Thanksgiving so the roads were pretty quiet. Still some activity, but not the normal frenetic pace of the workday. I pedaled to the corner of “S” and Wisconsin, and got in line behind a truck waiting at a stop light.… Continue reading
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Carradice Cheesecake, Weekend Cycling, and Mechanicals
How was your Thanksgiving? In the D.C. area, we were not only treated to a holiday, but also some spectacular late November weather. Sun, light wind, and temperatures in the mid-sixties. At least not all the good weather happens while I’m at work. Here are the weekend highlights from this neck of the woods. Continue reading
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Week in Review
Time for a mostly visual week in review. Can’t let all this vibrant fall pass without some photographic evidence. The slightly acrid smell of drying leaves, the cascade of leaves when a slight breeze prompts their detachment from the tree where they spent the summer. Delicious. 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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#CyclingCapTuesday Recap
Another Tuesday almost gone, and another successful #CyclingCapTuesday under my belt. CyclingCapTuesday is building community one cap and rider at a time. Being able to connect with other cap-sporting cyclists and admire their Tuesday caps of choice is a highlight of my week. In addition, it helps to validate my cycling cap addiction. As those… Continue reading
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Five Things Friday: Do Not Walk in Bike Lane Edition
Sometimes I do a little Five Things Friday over on my flickr page. There have been a lot of pedestrians walking in the 15th Street Bike Lane lately. Lately, I’ve been thinking about ownership; for example, we are proprietary about our roads here in the U.S. Sidewalks are for pedestrians (rightfully so), and cars are… Continue reading
Chasing MailBoxes 