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Ride Photos: Capturing the Moment
Since 2009, I’ve regularly carried a camera with me. Like the other essentials in my purse/pannier, I never know when I might need it. Seeing Bill Beck (king of the randopaparazzi!) and Felkerino‘s ride photos inspired me to start taking my own camera on brevets and other rides. Yes, Felkerino and I are regularly on… 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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D.C. Randonneurs Warrenton, VA 300K: In Each Life, Some Rain Must Fall
Now that I’ve caught up on sleep, uploaded my photos, and enjoyed a brilliant sunny warm Sunday I can say I truly enjoyed Saturday’s 300K with the D.C. Randonneurs. 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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400K Route Scouting in Pennsylvania
This weekend Felkerino and I headed into Pennsylvania to check out some roads for the upcoming D.C. Randonneurs 400K that we agreed to organize. It was a gorgeous day on the bike and I’m glad to have ridden farther out than my usual D.C. to Poolesville, Maryland loop. Our route took us from Emmitsburg, Maryland,… Continue reading
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Randonneur Rewind: Another Take on my First Year of Randonneuring
It’s hard for me to believe that I completed my first Super Randonneur series in 2005. That seems so long ago, yet it doesn’t feel like I’ve been randonneuring for that many years. Time is flying! As the brevet season kicked off for Felkerino and me this past weekend, I started feeling a little nostalgic and… Continue reading
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D.C. Randonneurs Urbana 200K: Feels like the First Time
Ride summary: Ride the rollers out of Urbana. Whee! First control in Union Bridge, Maryland. Pedal pedal. Climb 77 in Catoctin National Park. Climb. Climb climb climb. Descend. Grind through the rollers out of Smithsburg. Stop for a couple pics. Pedal through the fragrant countryside. Whoah, stinky! See eight cats in someone’s driveway. Eight! Control… Continue reading
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Utilitaire 12: Winners Announced! Finally!
The Utilitaire 12 was all about celebrating everyday errands and cycling trips. Utility cyclists have figured out ways to use our bikes, our legs, and our own steam to live various aspects of our lives, carry stuff from point A to point B, and get things done. I think that deserves some recognition. People rode… Continue reading
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Utilitaire to be Announced Tomorrow!
Waylaid again… because I became an aunt. Wahoo! Continue reading
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A Utilitaire Prevented me from Posting the Utilitaire 12 Winners
I intended to announce the Utilitaire 12 winners today, but Felkerino’s and my double whammy utilitaire to dinner and the grocery store kept it from happening. I don’t want to give the Utilitaire 12 short shrift so I’ll be doing a longer post about it tomorrow. I will give you this teaser, however. 14 individuals… Continue reading
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In for a Penny, In for a Pound. Of Fleche, That Is.
While some people ride brevets throughout the year, Felkerino and I tend to do most of our of brevets during what we call the “Spring Season,” which basically consists of the four-brevet Super Randonneur series and the Fleche. One of the big kickoffs to spring is the Fleche, as it is usually one of the… 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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Run Like You Stole a Pot of Gold: the D.C. Rock and Roll Marathon
This past Saturday I left the bike in the Dining Room Bike Shop, laced up my Montrails, and headed out to participate in the D.C. Rock and Roll Marathon. I like this 26.2-mile course because it stays within the District boundaries and traverses all of its four quadrants. In addition, it is a rolling course… Continue reading
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Link Love Monday: Spring has Sprung Edition
Hope you escaped outdoors to enjoy some of the amazing weekend weather. Yowza! Welcome Spring! I’ve been doing a little blog catch-up reading and found some good things to share. I couldn’t wait until Friday so they’re going up today. Please enjoy. Biking in Heels, of Cambridge, Massachusetts, just happened to be walking by as… Continue reading
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Utilitaire 12: Final Day!
Today, March 16, is the FINAL day for completing the Utilitaire 12. If you’ve been participating in the challenge you are probably well aware of that, but just in case it escaped your mind and you still have a utilitaire pending, today (Friday) is your day! People have through March 18 (that is, midnight in… Continue reading
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Bikes to Like: John R.’s Surly Long Haul Trucker
If you regularly read this blog, you probably know of my great affection for the Surly Long Haul Trucker. My Surly has proven itself to be a comfortable, reliable companion that doesn’t talk too much and will always offer to help carry my stuff. This past year I met John R., who writes the thoughtful… Continue reading
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Utilitaire Roundup: the Final Week!
Yowza! The utilitaire deadline is almost upon us. Participants have until this Friday (March 16) to complete their 12 utilitaires so we are truly in the final throes of the challenge. Lots has been happening while I’ve been away, and I’ve already received four utilitaire control cards for validation. I look forward to receiving several… 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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Link Love: No Time to Waste Edition
Hi, everybody. Great day out there today in D.C. The moon keeps showing its cheery crescent self and the stars peer brightly, even downtown. Found some good stuff to share with you, too. Check your bone density, but don’t freak out. Randoboy writes about a recent trip to the doctor and the adverse effect endurance… Continue reading
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Bikes to Like: Lauren K.’s Dahon Speed D7
Welcome to March, my favorite month of the year. What better way to kick it off than with another Bikes to Like? Yippee! Lauren, a D.C. bike commuter and regular member of the #FridayCoffeeClub, rides around the city on small wheels. I haven’t seen too many small wheeled commuters out and about and when I… 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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Randonneur Q&A for Beginners
Over the past few months, people interested in dabbling in the randonneur lifestyle have asked me various questions about getting into randonneuring. After answering them, I thought I’d share some of my thoughts with you. Since I started doing brevets in 2005, I’ve realized that randonneurs vary widely in their approach to training and riding… Continue reading
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Utilitaire 12 Roundup, Week 4
Utilitaires are a great way for me to get out the door when I might be swayed to stay inside otherwise. This Saturday the winds were howling in the D.C. area, but I had a baby shower utilitaire to attend. I pedaled my way diligently to the shower, totally focused on my destination and blocking… Continue reading
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Link Love: Another Day in Paradise Edition
What fantastic weather this week. Made for some lovely night riding. The sliver of moon illuminated while you could still see its fullness in shadow, suspended over the Lincoln Memorial on a clear night? Stunning. I only took a photo with my mind cam so you’ll have to trust me on how gorgeous the scene… 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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Weekend Training Ride: 112 Miles of Dogs, Hills, Sun, and Dogs
This past Saturday, Felkerino and I met up with a couple of riding friends to take on some challenging terrain near Skyline Drive. Starting in Marshall, Virginia, we scaled Massanutten via Chester Gap, rolled our way over to Edith Gap, descended into Luray, and climbed back over Thornton Gap under Skyline Drive before biting off… Continue reading
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Utilitaire 12, Week 3 Roundup: Wheels Keep Turning
Friends of the spoked wheel, I am having the best time reading about all the utilitaires people are doing. I’ve found that it’s the everyday adventures that give life its spice, and that’s what I see in the utilitaire posts, tweets, and photos. In daytime, darkness, weekdays, sick days, and all kinds of weather people… Continue reading
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Link Love: To Be Inspired Edition
I blinked my eyes and the now the weekend is upon us. I like weeks like that. Hope all is well with all of you. I’ve been spending some evening hours perusing the utilitaire posts. Thanks to everybody who is taking the time to write up and tweet their trips. They make for such fun… Continue reading
Chasing MailBoxes 