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Our Friend Jerry is Going Coast to Coast: Bike Touring Alaska to D.C.
Over the last couple of years, Felkerino and I have had the pleasure of getting to know Jerry, a local cyclist and fellow D.C. Randonneur who will be riding a solo coast-to-coast tour from Alaska to Washington, D.C. 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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Randonneuring: Making the Ordinary Extraordinary
Randonneuring events allow ordinary people like me to participate in extraordinary bike rides. Brevets changed my definition of a long day ride, from a century to more than double that– distances I previously could not even conceptualize pedaling. The randonneuring community helped me feel okay as a rider who does not move particularly fast, but has a body that has proven… 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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The Mind’s Journey
I began this year feeling quite uncertain, almost ambivalent, about the brevets. The past year has included some serious and unexpected health issues in my family. These scrambled up my head, and prompted a reassessment of that big question “What am I doing with my life?” 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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Training for a Century Ride
Gear Prudence reached out to me this week about a question he received about training for a century. The person writing in wondered if it was truly necessary to train for a century. The question surprised me somewhat because I am a big believer in preparing for things and avoiding problems when I can. I’m not… 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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Randonnesia Strikes on the Mother of All 300Ks
“We’re too blessed to be depressed,” a church sign at mile 70 read. Our riding group of three shared a chuckle. We had just climbed Wolf Gap, Mill Gap, and were en route to more gaps and roads with words like “church” and “mountain” in their names. The path ahead gave us pause. Continue reading
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Link Love
The Brewvet starts today. Details on portajohn’s blog. Thinking about PBP? Here’s an excellent article from the Central Florida Regional Brevet Administrator to help determine which start time might be best for you. It was a tough go at Trans Iowa V11 this year. Six Coopers has a report of her attempt, and ImagineGnat took some… 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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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
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Women BikeDC With Jackie N. Bike to Live! Part 1
This week I’m launching a new set of interviews featuring some of the women who live and ride in the Washington, D.C., area. The Women BikeDC series delves into the experiences and perspectives of women who ride around the Washington, D.C., area and explores how the city can improve as a cycling-friendly environment. While bicycles are not exactly… Continue reading
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Link Love
CycleStuff, Father Christmas Doesn’t Do Drops. A father-daughter chat on a bike ride. Self-Deprecation and the Female Cyclist. Machines for Freedom writes about why women cyclists put themselves down and how it can affect their riding. Ironjen and Muskrat, Our Walk in the Woods. A formerly D.C.-based couple who also ride bikes are tackling the Appalachian Trail… Continue reading
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What’s Your Favorite Brevet Distance?
Four years ago, I interviewed 12 randonneurs from different parts of the country about randonneuring. One of the questions I asked them was, “What is your favorite distance of the Super Randonneur series (200, 300, 400, 600K) and why?” With this year’s Super Randonneur series in full swing, I’ve been pondering this question again in my own… 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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Experience: a Randonneur’s Frenemy
This weekend, Felkerino and I rode our first official brevet of 2015, the D.C. Randonneurs 300K out of Frederick, Maryland. I was feeling pretty lackluster about the whole thing, but the forecast indicated spectacular conditions, leaving us no excuses to skip out on a ride in the countryside with rando buddies. Continue reading
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Link Love
The Written Ride, Voices In My Head. “In fact, there is a constant stream of little, flitting thoughts running through my head that really don’t amount to much at the end of the day. It is kind of like a dream state where the mind runs free and is not held accountable for its thoughts.… 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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Link Love
I used to do a “Link Love” every so often. This feature is simply sharing some of the posts or articles I’ve recently read that I think might be enjoyed by Chasing Mailboxes readers. Today I brought Link Love back with the gems that follow: Endless Velo Love, Transportative Bicycle. “Bicycles are an interesting machine. They have the power to transport physically,… Continue reading
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Strange Things People Say: I’m Thinking About Getting a Tandem Bike
When people see Felkerino’s and my bike, they often comment and ask us questions. These comments range from funny or insightful to head-shakingly odd or irritating. One of the comments I’ve heard, not infrequently and only from the mouths of men, is some version of this, “How do you like your tandem? I’m thinking about getting a tandem for me and… Continue reading
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Week One of 30 Days of Biking in Washington, D.C.
Day 1 When I was just as far as I could walk From here today, There was an hour All still When leaning with my head against a flower I heard you talk. —Robert Frost, The Telephone Continue reading
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A Dose of Reality on a 200K
Felkerino and I met up with bicycling friends Eric, Jerry, Barry, and Joel to ride the classic D.C. Randonneurs “Old Rag 200K” route. Jerry had some weird rattle in his rear wheel that would not go away, Barry was riding a loaner bike since his main rando ride was in the shop for repairs, our Schmidt… Continue reading
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Errandonnee 2015 Finishers and Honorable Mentions
The moment to announce the Errandonnee 2015 Finishers and Honorable Mentions is finally upon us! Thanks to all for their patience as I homologated entries. This year’s edition of the challenge boasts 62 Finishers and 4 Honorable Mentions, including one Honorable Mention from Boston. Yes, that Boston, the one that received record-breaking snow this year.… Continue reading
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April is for 30 Days of Biking. And Poetry
“How many miles to the sun?” He smiled In answer to my “Where are you going?” Lilacs were caught in his handle bars, His pedals were mud, his eyes were stars, His hair was blowing. —Marion Strobel, “Man and Bike” Today kicks off 30 Days of Biking, where people far and wide commit to getting… 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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Riding in Search of Weak Spots
Some randonneurs maintain brevet fitness throughout the year, but I haven’t managed to achieve that. When September arrives, I ride for fun, and run myself into shape for a fall marathon or two. Winter weather tempers my riding ambitions. It’s just not as glorious to ride around the countryside through various shades of winter browns… Continue reading
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