Interviews
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Kidical Riding All Year Long: Freezing Saddles with Justin and Kid-D
I love showing KidD the sights, sounds, smells, and richness of the city by bike – and winter is no different. We see the huge Christmas wreaths at Union Station, we watch the daffodils come up by the Senate Park, and we see the water freeze “into ice!” at the Capitol Grounds. We learn to… Continue reading
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On Beer Can Koozie Ear Warmers and Other Freezing Saddles Secrets: Winter Cycling with Kate
It is our secret that riding is so much more fun, and probably faster and less stressful than the alternatives! And that doesn’t even account for all the great winter days, when the sun is shining on the sparkly snow, or there is a fabulous sunset over the river, or a big moon rises as… Continue reading
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Peaceful, Meditative, Beautiful: Freezing Saddles with Ian
The colder it gets means fewer people are out on the paths and it can be incredibly peaceful. Imagine riding an empty bike trail on a cold morning as the sun rises right behind you. How can you have a bad day, when your days starts out like that? –Ian Freezing Saddles rider and fellow… Continue reading
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Ready for Spring, But In the Meantime: A Freezing Saddles Chat With Lisa S.
Snow falls outside my window, coinciding perfectly with another Freezing Saddles & Winter Cycling talk with my friend Lisa S. I met Lisa many years ago now, through randonneuring. We also used to be neighbors in the city for a time, but Lisa relocated so that she could have a longer commute. Okay, not for… Continue reading
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From BikeDC to Missoula, MT: Freezing Saddles with Emma W.
One of the reasons I became interested in Freezing Saddles was thanks to all the posts of support made by Emma W. – who I interviewed this summer for my Women BikeDC series – on the Women & Bicycles Facebook group. She first exposed me to the idea that Freezing Saddles might embrace a larger group… Continue reading
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Easier Than You Think! Freezing Saddles & Winter Cycling with Eric B.
The Freezing Saddles series rolls on with Eric – an astrophysicist, creator of 3-D-printer prosthetic hands, and of course, cyclist. A fellow teammate of mine in the Bike Arlington Freezing Saddles competition, Eric says one of the keys to winter riding success is in keeping the hands and toes toasty. (He’s still working on a system… Continue reading
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The Juxtaposition of Movement and Pause: Talking Bikes and Coffee With Sarah
Even though the official Coffeeneuring Challenge won’t be back until the fall, for many, coffeeneuring never stops. And for some of us, bicycles and coffee are a way of life. Sarah – a barista, bike rider, and member of BikeDC – completed the challenge for the third time this past October. Given the unique place that… Continue reading
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Winter Riding? Just Do It! A Freezing Saddles Talk with Caleb
As roads in the area continue to clear and forecasts indicate even more melting in the coming days, we’re back with another Freezing Saddles talk. Today’s edition features Caleb, a Friday Coffee Club regular who lives in Maryland and rides daily into the District– all year round. Caleb is a proponent of the Keep It Simple… Continue reading
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What’s Stopping You? A Freezing Saddles Talk with Carol C.
As Washington, D.C. continues its major dig out from the weekend Snowzilla/MakeWinterGreatAgain storm (yeah, I know it’s not like this other places, believe me I know), I’m kicking off a new interview series about winter riding and the D.C.-area’s Freezing Saddles competition. I’m participating for the first time, and I wrote about that here. My… Continue reading
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Women BikeDC: The Complete Interviews
What motivates women to ride? Why don’t more women take up cycling? How can the metropolitan area be improved for cyclists? What role does cycling play in our lives? These are but a few of the themes explored over the last 18 interviews with the women of Women BikeDC. Yes, 18. I finally counted them all.… Continue reading
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From Randonneur Rookie to PBP 2015: An Interview with Eric Williams
This brevet season Felkerino and I had the great pleasure of getting to know Eric Williams, member of #BikeDC and the D.C. Randonneurs. In Eric’s first year of randonneuring, he completed a Super Randonneur series, a 1000K brevet, and Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP). And he just keeps on riding. He has the rando fever! Continue reading
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Paris of Women BikeDC: On Coffee Clubs, Bike Shops, and Testing Boundaries
My mind is generally moving 100 miles per hour. The squirrels in there never seem to stop spinning. Being on my bike quiets the squirrels and allows my mind to focus on one or two things– avoiding pot holes or other riders, usually. I’ve found that the more I ride, the saner I am. When… Continue reading
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Seeing Yourself Through Cycling: Natasha of Women BikeDC
On a bike you fully experience everything around you. You catch the small details that you would never notice zooming by in a car. All your senses are heightened. You feel the ground and the weather. You see landscapes. You see people. And you also see yourself. I’ve done some of my best thinking atop… Continue reading
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Trying to Stay Balanced: Carolyn of Women BikeDC
Once I moved to D.C., I began to regularly cycle around town. This city is nice and small, pretty flat, and the public transportation is just good enough to tolerate using, but bad enough that it is frustrating to use every single day. Plus, cycling is so cost effective and efficient. It saves money and… Continue reading
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Becoming an Advocate through Bicycling, for Bicycling: Kelley W. of Women BikeDC
I’m over 50, and getting back into biking as a significant part of my lifestyle has led me into a whole new area of serving my community and region as an advocate. I’ve learned about infrastructure, Safe Routes to School, bike master plans, and I’ve met a whole new group of people in each arena… Continue reading
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Joy, Adventure, and Solo Bike Touring: Zoe of Women BikeDC
I started riding when I was 7 or 8. On a trip to the county dump with my dad, we found a gem of a purple bike in the heaps of trash and took it home. He fixed it up, my grandpa spray painted it pink, and I was off! –Zoe I first met Zoe… Continue reading
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Lisa of Women BikeDC
There is a feeling you get when you are just relaxing on a ride, maybe as you sit up and glide into your destination, take a deep breath, and feel at home with yourself and the world. I’ve found that– in situations far removed from the bike, such as meetings– I can re-create that feeling… Continue reading
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Cycling to Get Places: Fionnuala of Women BikeDC
Mostly, I ride because it’s my favorite way of getting around. I like seeing street life and buildings as well as the landscape and nature at the pace that I can take them in. I also enjoy the chance everyday encounters as I travel around the community. This isn’t to say you won’t find me… Continue reading
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Freedom on Two Wheels: Grace of Women BikeDC
First and foremost, riding bicycles has brought me closer to the vibrant biking community of D.C. It has heightened my appreciation of nature & my environmental concerns. I also believe it has made me a healthier and much happier individual. —Grace As I began putting together today’s Women BikeDC feature, I realized that I have… Continue reading
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Stop telling the bike commuter it’s going to rain: Reba of Women BikeDC
I find the bike riding population in D.C. to be eclectic and interesting. I talk to a lot of people, sometimes I don’t get their name or their history, we just share the moment we are in and then ride on. Biking is about being present in the moment you are in and not trying… Continue reading
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Addicting, Fun, Rewarding: Cyndi of Women BikeDC
My favorite thing about riding in D.C. is the community. These people just rock and make riding a bike fun. I mean, who else is going to think riding around Hains Point countless times during the middle of winter of is a good idea? –Cyndi J. I met Cyndi, a year-round cyclist who puts up… Continue reading
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Nothing To It But To Do It: Linel of Women BikeDC, Part 2
Women are expected to look pretty and be delicate and dependent, among many other things. Riding a bike requires uprooting at least some of those gender assumptions, forcing ourselves and others to rethink preconceived ideas of what women can or cannot, or should or should not do. —Linel We’re back for the second half of… Continue reading
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Nothing To It But To Do It: Linel of Women BikeDC, Part 1
I have learned to approach many hurdles in life as if they were a ride on a new road. At first you might feel apprehensive and tentative, but once you do it, it becomes clear that all it takes is committing to that first push of the pedal. You may go slow or even fall… Continue reading
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Mary P. of Women BikeDC: From 12 Miles to an Ironman
For me and a lot of women on my team, there is a direct correlation between our development as endurance athletes—-often literally from practically nothing—-and our development as strong, independent, badass women. I love seeing both journeys, and the interconnection between them is something that should be celebrated and promoted. That comment comes from Mary… Continue reading
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Women BikeDC with BikeArlington’s Tin Lizzie Rides Again
I’m excited to feature one of my favorite bloggers in today’s Women BikeDC interview. Elizabeth, who writes the blog Tin Lizzie Rides Again, lives and rides in the Arlington area. Some of her recent posts include tips for effective cycling, clothing reviews, as well as highlights of her own bike-friendly and often-reflective sewing projects. I’m… Continue reading
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Deb of Women BikeDC. Part 2: Woman on a Bike
We’re back with the second half of Deb’s Women BikeDC interview. If you missed Part 1, you can find it here. Today focuses on what it’s like for Deb as a woman who rides, and the reasons why some women might hesitate to take up bicycling. I found her discussion of identity and women’s ability… Continue reading
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Deb of Women BikeDC. Part 1: Infrastructure Beyond D.C. and Turtle Rescues
Every time I post one of the Women BikeDC interview series I feel proud to be part of the women’s cycling community. No matter the barriers, we ride, and cycling has transformed us in many different ways. Today I’m featuring the first part of my interview with Deb, who some of you may know as… Continue reading
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Emma of Women BikeDC: A Return to Riding as an Adult and a New Velo Orange Campeur
The Women BikeDC interview series rolls on with today’s feature of fellow Midwesterner turned Mid-Atlantic rider, Emma, who became a daily D.C.-area rider in 2011 and hasn’t stopped riding since. After intensely researching various steel frames, Emma is currently in the process of building up a Velo Orange Campeur. Read on to learn more about her… Continue reading
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Family Biking and Biking While Pregnant: Gillian of Women BikeDC
I was pretty oblivious to the world of family biking until I began hosting the Errandonnee and a few of the participants were family bikers. The types of errands and transportation cycling done by family bikers fascinated me. It was exciting to see that people could be parents without using a car as the primary mode… Continue reading
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Women BikeDC With Jackie N. Bike to Live! Part 2
We’re back for the second part of the Women BikeDC interview with Jackie N. of Capitol Hill. Did you miss Part 1? Don’t worry, you can find it here. Today’s questions cover what it’s like to be a woman who rides, and we also talk about the Jackie’s bikes as well her favorite gear. What do… Continue reading
Chasing MailBoxes 