bike touring
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Goin’ on a Bike Tour: a Return to Simple
As I write this post, Felkerino is breaking apart and boxing up our Co-Motion Java (more on that burly beast and the S&S Coupler cases in a later post) and we’re packing for our upcoming bike tour out west. Continue reading
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Friday Coffee Club: Big Bicycling Edition
One of the reasons I love living in Washington, D.C., is because it is a destination city. Every day my path intersects with tourists who are out and about, taking in the sights, and most often blissfully oblivious to my bike bell. Today, as Felkerino and I enjoyed our pre-work morning at Friday Coffee Club… Continue reading
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The Gift of Slowness
I seldom experience slowness in the city. I rush around every weekday morning, I try to arrive at my office on time, and I work diligently throughout the day. I make post-work plans to meet up with others at a certain time, and lots of my day is scheduled. The tours and rides Felkerino and… Continue reading
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From Middletown to Monterey: Two Days, 255 Miles
Felkerino and I have been making the most of our weekend warrior lifestyle with two straight weekends of bike overnights on our Co-Motion tandem. This past weekend we toured with our rando-friends John and Cindy, who also ride a Co-Motion tandem– a 650B Speedster. Isn’t it beautiful? Both days included plenty of climbing and stunning… Continue reading
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Escape from the City: Weekend Bike Tour to Martinsburg, West Virginia
Felkerino and I took advantage of the recently arrived summer weather and ventured out for a weekend bike tour. We departed the District on Saturday morning and took a circuitous route out to Martinsburg, making sure we plodded a few miles through the Catoctins of Maryland. That was some hilly stuff. Overall, we rode 122… Continue reading
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The Blue Ridge Parkway, Broken Bottom Brackets, and Trail Magic
Lately I’ve been remembering Felkerino’s and my short-lived honeymoon bike tour from four years ago. This adventure happened before I brought this blog to life, but on occasion I like to recall some of these blasts from the past. This story is particularly special to me and not just because it was our honeymoon. It… Continue reading
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2012 in Review: Variety is the Spice of Life
Another December passes, the sun sets on 2012, and I find myself reflecting about the activities of the past year. While Felkerino and I focused on preparing for and completing Paris-Brest-Paris in 2011, our 2012 cycling proved more varied. We commuted, completed a Super Randonneur series with the D.C. Randonneurs, trained to ride the Colorado… Continue reading
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Lost in the Landscape. One Perspective of a Female Touring Cyclist
Over the summer Swift Industries, a bicycle-loving and beautiful bag-making company out of the Pacific Northwest, sponsored a writing project called Tough & Tender, “a literary and photographic project that celebrates women’s relationships with bicycles, touring, and the bike industry.” The project received several contributions and I’ve found them all inspiring. Many thanks to Swift Industries for creating… Continue reading
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Southern Virginia Tandem Bike Tour Lessons Learned and Wrap-Up Post
Writing during the journey is always a bit different than what comes to mind after a bike tour ends. The week has given me time to reflect on the trip we had, and I wanted to throw up some summary observations, assessments, and lessons learned from our recent jaunt around southern Virginia on our Cannondale… Continue reading
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Pedaling the Blue Ridge Parkway: The Dream I Thought I Had
This past Saturday, Felkerino and I capped off our weeklong bike tour of southern Virginia with two days on the Blue Ridge Parkway. Below is a map of the segment we toured, which extended from Floyd to the northern edge of the Parkway in Waynesboro, Virginia. As you can see, we covered slightly more than… Continue reading
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What I Learned Bike Touring from Wytheville to Floyd, Virginia
Today Felkerino and I headed off to Floyd, a southern Virginia town that abuts the Blue Ridge Parkway. A scenic and challenging day in many ways, it brought home a few themes about bike touring. 1. If the route isn’t working, change it. Continue reading
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Bike Touring from Blacksburg to Wytheville, Virginia
The weather: Sunny and dry Miles ridden: 92 Mountains: Three, one being the notable Walker Mountain ten miles outside Wytheville. Continue reading
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Into the Teeth of the Virginia Highlands
The past two days of riding have brought home the fact that all rides are not created equal. Felkerino and I plotted our 70-mile days, climbing away from Clifton Forge, over Dolly Mountain to Covington, and across Hay’s Gap to overnight in Paint Bank. Continue reading
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Bike Touring Southern Virginia on the Lead Sled
Felkerino and I are off bike touring in Virginia this week. We began our ride in Waynesboro and are winding our way south to Wytheville. Day 1 we rode to Lexington, a quaint historic town. Yesterday, Day 2, we arrived in Clifton Forge, part of the Alleghany Highlands region. We’ve employed the mountain Cannondale tandem… Continue reading
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Two Day Tour! D.C. to Martinsburg, WV and back
This weekend Felkerino and I rode with our friend Lane G. from our front door in the District to Martinsburg, West Virginia, and back. It was a great way to spend the weekend. I got to ride my bike for two straight days and never had to worry about carrying a card. I enjoy the… Continue reading
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The Accidentally Humbling Multi-Modal Fall Bicycle Tour
When Felkerino and I began planning our recent bike tour, we put a lot of thought into where we wanted to start. Should we drive somewhere with the bike and begin pedaling? Fly to a distant location for a supported tour? We determined that we wanted to ride from home. No gas, no car, no… Continue reading
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The Tour that Keeps on Giving. From Harpers Ferry, WV – Home
Felkerino and I rode the final 50 miles of our fall tour today. Middletown, Virginia to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia. Tailwinds and more quiet back roads. Excellent views of the Shenandoah River. Easy rolling terrain, sun, and bare-legged riding. Yes! Continue reading
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Skyline Drive – mile 105 to 42
The day started in mist, fog, and a climb from Waynesboro, Virginia, up to Skyline Drive. Morning fog kept us well-insulated from any mountain views so I spent the morning focused on the trees and falling leaves within ten feet of me. Continue reading
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Waynesboro, Virginia
Hey, we’re in Waynesboro! The last time Felkerino and I passed through here we had been rescued off the Blue Ridge Parkway by an Appalachian Trail trail angel. Why, you ask? Thanks for asking! Continue reading
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With Love from Raphine, Virginia
It’s another great day on the Virginia roads. Continue reading
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Fall Touring Fun
I’ve never cyclo-toured in the fall, and now I see that I have been missing out. It’s not just the fall colors and smells that make it great. It is also seeing how people celebrate the season. Continue reading
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Hello Virginia Highlands!
Hi there! Wish you could be here with us. The best fall colors I have ever seen, warm sun, and leaves gently falling. Well, most are gentle. Continue reading
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Franklin, WV
Boo! Day three is a wrap! After lunch we made our way through the Sweedlin Valley and then over South Fork Mountain. The climb over the mountain is tough. But the view is worth it and so is the downhill. Vacation is awesome! Continue reading
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On the way to Moorefield, WV
Winding roads, fall leaves, awesome temps, almost no cars. Words cannot describe the splendor we are riding through. Continue reading
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All Commute and No Play Makes D.C. a Dull Place: Virginia Highlands Mini-Tour!
As I’ve previously noted, commuting is a great way to maneuver back and forth to work. However, when my cycling consists only of commuting miles, it becomes a drag. That’s why Felkerino and I planned a Virginia Highlands Mini-Tour for this past 4th of July weekend. (Plus, Hains Point was closed so what else were… Continue reading
Chasing MailBoxes 