bike commuting
-
#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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
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
-
Why I Commute By Bike and a New Bike Light
Today I won an Urban 180 commuter light from Light and Motion for an essay I wrote about “Why I Commute By Bike.” That made for a good Friday treat! Read what I wrote below. Continue reading
-
Five Things Friday
Wow, the weeks are flying by, and it’s time for Felkerino and me to get off our bikes, take our hands off the keyboards, and pack pack pack for Paris-Brest-Paris. First, though, a quick five things Friday to reflect on life of late. Thanks to everybody who helped Felkerino and me prepare in some way… Continue reading
-
D.C. Commuting: The Motorcade
Washington, D.C., is an exciting city for bike commuters. Every day we get to navigate our way through cars, potholes, pedestrians, and tourists(who are often also pedestrians). That sounds like lots of other big cities, I suppose. But in Washington, D.C., another aspect distinguishes our commute. Motorcades! Continue reading
-
A Perfect Storm: Recreators, Tourists, and Cyclists on the National Mall
If you have ever visited Washington, D.C., you have most likely been to the National Mall (known also as the Mall). It is a large national park (more than 1,000 acres) managed by the National Park Service. For Washington, D.C.-area cyclists, the Mall is a prime commuting zone. Many local cyclists traverse the area daily,… Continue reading
-
Hot in the City! Commute Wrap-Up
Holy hot sauce, Batman! It’s been a steamy week in the city, and I confess that I focused much of my energy on gym workouts and a pokey pace to and from the office. Here is a rundown of the week in a few photos. Continue reading
-
D.C. Commute Smells: the Fish Market
I’ve posted various photos on this blog of scenes from my commute to give a window into what my commuting life in Washington, D.C. is like. Some things, though, defy visual depiction. The Southwest fish market is one of those things. I pass the fish market almost daily. Continue reading
-
Summer Commuter Clothing Choices: What’s so Wrong about Shorts and a T-Shirt??
The past couple of years, various blogs and news articles have been written about women riding around in “regular clothes.” Often, these regular clothes have included skirts, dresses, heels, and who knows what else. While these may be regular clothes for some (and I do have a dress code at my office that requires professional… Continue reading
-
White House Plaza Moment: Welcoming the Touring Cyclists
Earlier this week I took a couple of passes through the White House Plaza, first to take some pre-work bicycle glamour shots and later to enjoy a bit of afternoon sun. Continue reading
-
Bike to Work Day, aka Friday
Today was Bike to Work day! Of course you all knew that. In a fit of irony, Felkerino and I rode away from work and headed to the Rosslyn stop to join the Bike to Work festivities. I have found Rosslyn to be a fun stop and not quite as crowded as the Freedom Plaza… Continue reading
-
Commute Scenes: Tourist Photos Edition
In case you haven’t noticed or don’t live in the area, it’s PRIME TIME for tourists. I love watching tourists. It’s also a requirement if you are a pedestrian or cyclist, because you never know what a tourist is going to do. One minute they are walking on the right side of the mall path,… Continue reading
-
Spring Blossoms and Capital Bikeshare Tourists
241/365: Capital Bikeshare Tourists = YES!Originally uploaded by Gersemalina Spring again. Another year of roadies on Hains Point, tour buses, high school classes on the National Mall, and wait! What’s that? Something’s different this year. Continue reading
-
Commuting in the City: Bikes, Horses, and Tour Buses
Today, as I was riding along Ohio Drive between the Lincoln Memorial and the Jefferson, I came across the following scene. It looked so funny that I had to grab the cam and memorialize the moment. What are the U.S. Park Police doing? Is there something wrong with the bus? Do they wish they were… Continue reading
-
Holy High Winds, Batman!
Somehow Washington, D.C., avoided the predicted snow, and we got only winds. Wow! I’m glad we didn’t get the snow, but those winds. WOW! I love commuting during the holidays, though, so I happily hopped on my bike and made for the office. Continue reading
-
Santa Hat Helmet Cover = Extra Festive + Extra Nice Drivers?
Chasing Mailboxes readers!! I believe I have hit upon something brilliant and economical that combines the spirit of the holidays and cycling safety. It’s my Santa hat “helmet cover.” Since I began wearing this helmet cover, I’ve noticed drivers and pedestrians being especially nice to me. People have remarked, “Nice hat,” shouted “Ho ho ho,… Continue reading
-
What Makes December Cycling Fun
Is it the balaclavas, booties, and lobster gloves? Think again. December is a fun month for commuting in Washington, D.C. because the streets and paths of the city become scarcely populated and the city brings out its holiday lights and decor to celebrate the season. It’s also a great month to be a cyclist for a… Continue reading
-
Capital Bikeshare. Crazy Dreams Coming True.
If anyone had ever told me that one day in the future I would be able to walk around Washington, D.C., with a special key, pass by racks of bikes peppered throughout the city, insert my special key, and ride off with a bike underneath me I would have said “No way! That’s just a… Continue reading
-
Commuter Kryptonite: Wheel Eating Pothole on 15th Street
Hi. Can anyone tell me what purpose this big hole on 15th Street serves? This bad boy, located in front of Old Ebbitt Grill near the corner of 15th and G, is a hazard to cyclists. Continue reading
-
Perfect Fall Friday!
I wasn’t going to post today, but the weather was so gorgeous in Washington, DC that it demanded some blog lines. Coming on the heels of a rainy and humid week, I’m certain this Friday was appreciated by many commuters. Continue reading
Chasing MailBoxes 