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Hopefully Small
Around this time last year, my father – an avid runner and former marathoner – unexpectedly fell seriously ill. While he is better now, and my family and I are grateful for that, it stunned me when it was occurring. Our bodies have unexplainable ways of remembering events. That visceral recall prompted many hours spent in my head… Continue reading
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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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The Errandonnee: Ride or Run and Get Stuff Done
Hey winter, stop bossing me around. It’s time for a March challenge designed for the utility cyclist and transportation runner with errands to do, even during cold winter days– the Errandonnee! 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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Strava For the Unracer (and Randonneur)
As I recently wrote, I began using Strava this year as part of the Freezing Saddles challenge. So far, I have really enjoyed using it as a training log. I know Strava can do more than serve as a virtual log and space for kudos (although I will never tire of kudos!), but those other features… 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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Ride Like Your Life Depends On It: Liz and Exu
One of the most referenced posts on this blog is about naming one’s bike. I never thought much of calling my bike by anything but the name the maker gave it. Then I received this beautiful post from BikeDC’s own Liz MacGregor. In her writing, Liz shows how a bicycle can be an intimate companion that also… 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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Blizzard Weekend in Washington, D.C.
After months of unseasonably warm temperatures and thoughts that winter might pass us by, mother nature treated the D.C. area (or punished, depending on who you ask) to record-setting snowfall. Exactly how much snow is still somewhat in dispute, since weather officials at National Airport failed to follow the recommended snow measuring technique. Continue reading
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Bon Courage: Theresa’s 2015 Paris-Brest-Paris
Sometimes when conditions conspire to limit my ability to be outdoors, I turn to the stories of rides gone by for inspiration. Today I’m honored to post one such story, Theresa Furnari’s 2015 recount of riding Paris-Brest-Paris (PBP). As I read “Bon Courage,” I remember the dedication and tenacity one needs to take on a ride like PBP,… Continue reading
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New Year, New Me: Freezing Saddles
At the encouragement of my randonneur and real life spouse, I signed up for a D.C.-area winter cycling challenge called Freezing Saddles. Now in its fourth or fifth year, Freezing Saddles has woven itself into the fabric of the local cycling community, such that it feels like it has always been here. The challenge began on… Continue reading
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Will Ride (or Run) for Kudos. Joining Strava
The virtual world of Strava always struck me as a dangerous place. A place where people competed for the fastest times on arbitrary segments of road, sometimes at their own peril– or worse, by risking the safety of others. Strava was a world for spirited, competitive roadies. Transportation and touring cyclists like me need not join. That suited me… Continue reading
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Coffeeneuring Challenge 2015: That’s a Wrap!
The results have been calculated, the patches distributed, and the 2015 Coffeeneuring Challenge is now officially at a close. (If you did not yet receive yours, please let me know!) Before we close the book on another year, though, I’d like to share a few coffeeneuring facts with you in the off-chance that someone decides to develop… Continue reading
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The Right Tool for the Job: Bike Friday Tikit Commutes
Over our many years together, the relationship between my Bike Friday Tikit and me has been nothing if not tumultuous. Continue reading
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Idaho-Montana Bike Tour: By The Days and Miles
Over the holidays I received the gift of free time, and spent a fair amount of it going through photos from Felkerino’s and my 2015 summer bike tour of Idaho and Montana. In retrospect, it appears we had a grand adventure. While it was happening, our good times were interspersed with humbling moments and some… Continue reading
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Forward: Run Goals Unlocked
Normally around this time of year, I find myself in a state of contemplation, reflecting on the year behind me. I thought I’d post a summary or two about 2015 running and cycling, but when I sat down to write, it didn’t work. This year I devoted a lot of time to “big thoughts,” sad thoughts, fears. I reflected on how I can… Continue reading
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Coffeeneuring Challenge 2015: Finishers and Honorable Mentions
‘Twas the night before Coffeeneurmas, and all through the house… As we all know, coffeeneuring is a season, not a day, and what a great season it’s been. This year, 247 people rode their bikes to the finishers circle, and 8 achieved Honorable Mention. Finally, the time to announce the Finishers and Honorable Mentions for the 2015 Coffeeneuring Challenge… Continue reading
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Last Ditch Efforts
Annual mileage goals– I never set them, preferring to focus on the events or plans I make in any given year. And yet, when the twilight of any given year is upon me I find myself inventing, and then fervently striving, for an arbitrary finish line. My accumulated miles for 2015 are not really remarkable,… Continue reading
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Coffeeneurmas Gift List
Holiday time is here, jingaling, a time where many of us rack our brains to think of gifts for those dear to us. To help, I’ve put together a little Coffeeneurmas Gift List for the coffeeneur in your life. Continue reading
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Coffeeneuring 2015: Almost There! Still Time to Submit, and Honorable Mention, Too!
It’s the Coffeeneuring Challenge’s biggest year yet, with more people participating than ever before! After weeks of compiling, most results have been entered into the official Coffeeneuring Challenge database. It’s taken the judges and the coffeeneuring administrative staff longer this year due to (insert excuses here). Even if you missed the deadline, there is still a… 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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Friends Don’t Let Friends Sit on the Couch: Horsing Around Sugarloaf 200K
Lately I’ve had the uncomfortable sensation that my life is on top of me, its everyday demands pushing me into the cushions, reducing me to a sedentary state. It hasn’t felt good. Continue reading
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Giving Thanks for Long Rides: Jerry’s 2015 Coast to Coast Bike Tour
As we head into Thanksgiving, I thought I’d share a recent conversation with our buddy Jerry, who rode his bike coast to coast this year, beginning in Alaska, passing through Canada, and back into the United States until finally reaching his Washington, DC., home over nine weeks of riding. Continue reading
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Coffeeneuring Challenge Submissions Homework and Housekeeping
Welcome to Monday and Thanksgiving week! I am a bit behind on my Coffeeneuring Challenge submissions so if you submitted something to me over the weekend, you may not yet have received any reply from me. Continue reading
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Coffeeneuring Quotes 2015
The 2015 Coffeeneuring Challenge is winding down, and submissions are regularly hitting my email. Thanks to everyone who participated, and to those who have yet to submit, I look forward to your paperwork! In the meantime, I thought I’d share some of what people are saying about coffeeneuring. Continue reading
Chasing MailBoxes 