bike to work
Tue May 14 00:06:38 EDT 2019
Coming home last Monday (May 6), I came across the Roosevelt Bridge because there'd been a lot of rain and the C&O Towpath was muddy. But after I got across the river, the trail was closed going north past Roosevelt Island to Rosslyn. The alternatives were going back across the river to take a different bridge, or going south to Arlington Cemetery. There was another cyclist who'd come north up the river, and he didn't particularly want to cross to DC either, so his choice was turning back the way he came.
I found some news coverage about what was going on: Victim Found Inside SUV in Potomac River and Body of missing Fairfax County woman identified in SUV discovered in Potomac River.
Maybe (some) people are having a lot of trouble understanding this parking lot? Or are getting directed off the parkway by their GPSs? This is very close to where I assisted a lost woman who somehow got off the highway and drove her SUV up the bike trail, which becomes a sidewalk of the bridge, and too narrow to drive. Once I got her backed out and turned around, I still had trouble getting her off the trail and onto the car pavement, to the park exit. There are places where you could drive easily into the Potomac, without any vegetation blocking you, although you'd have to drive over a curb first (and cross the bike trail). But if you're confused, in the dark it might not be obvious you're driving into water. And I expect you'd completely lose traction in silty mud, and you wouldn't be able to drive back out. If your car floated at first, you might quickly be where you'd find it hard to open the door.
Wednesday 21:59
I found a "tadpole" blinker at work today, on the floor in an elevator lobby. I didn't see anybody headed for the bike cage as I came in, so maybe the person who dropped it was already gone. (There was someone riding up the ramp from the garage as I came in.) I was less concerned about finding the owner when I discovered that it didn't work - nobody was going to have used this light on the way home tonight.
I didn't have a voltmeter at the office, but now at home I can see that the 2 Cr2032 3-volt cells are only 2.8v and 0.46v. That would easily account for the light not working. But the cells were also put in backward; one was part of the circuit, and one was not* - which may account for the much greater discharge of one - and the one that was connected made a negative contribution. When I turned them around there was a very dim glow from the white LEDs. (I was expecting red.)
I have a red light like this on my bike. It's been there for years. It's an emergency spare. It's nothing impressive, but when blinking it puts out enough light to get some attention. The lithium batteries hold a charge for years - which is what you want/need for your emergency back-up.
This Friday is Bike to Work Day (Bike to Work Day). Quite possibly blinkers just like this will be part of the swag somewhere. That's where my emergency blinker came from; I don't know how many B2WDs ago. Found a photo: 4 years ago. The red one is on my bike; the yellow one is exactly like the one I found today - so I've got its twin here somewhere.
*Complicated to explain, but one contact is on the face (end) of the cell, and the other is on the side, so when the cells are reversed the light is getting -3v, not -6v.
Friday 11:31
I biked to Bike-to-Work Day. I did not bike to work - yet. I already have too many hours on the timesheet, so there's no point in getting to work early. The weather was good. A bit on the chilly side, but that should be expected this early.
No bagels this year. (Apparently they're a lot of work.) Lots of bananas.
District Taco had little breakfast tacos at Rosslyn. Nando had some kind of custardy pastry, which wasn't what I was expecting. (I guess it was good, if you like custard.) Both of these were warm.
Georgetown Waterfront and Golden Triangle/L St had their excellent pastries and cookies. GT/L had lemonade, which was a welcome alternative to coffee. (Years ago the pit stops had OJ.)
The swag wasn't as impressive this year.
I got 3 water bottles, including another one of TheBikeLawyer's excellent bottles (Purist).
6 2019 DC bike maps, but no Arlington maps. ☹
Flyers from various companies, and from a perinneal independent candidate for the Arlington County Board.
A little (2"/5cm?) red plastic bus keychain for the Circulator bus service; the headlight LEDs light enough to find a keyhole. (The bus would be awesome if the wheels rolled. But it's nice that the bottom is screwed on, so the cells can be replaced.)
A pewter(?) District Taco bottle opener/key chain.
A Potomac Pedalers tire lever. (Also got one of those last year.)
A Cirque du Soleil "VOLTA" seat cover - no use on a recumbent seat, but it's orange.
A 9oz/255g bottle of Nando's Peri-Peri sauce, Lemon and Herb, extra mild.
A Rosslyn (VA) Hoo-rag bandana. (Last year, socks; a nice, insulated water bottle several years back - but something different every year.)
No raffle at Rosslyn this year. I did stay for the end raffle at Freedom Plaza, so Golden Triangle was closing down when I got there.
I should have a couple of photos coming in the email from someone who took my picture (w/ bike) at Freedom Plaza.
I didn't take many photos myself. I just didn't see anything unusual.
As is usually the case, I was amazed by how many other cyclists were out. I'm not routinely commuting this time of day, so I can't guess how much of this is typical and how much is the bump for B2WD. And how much is diverting the regular traffic to the pit stops, so we see more of each other.
As for other recumbents, I saw only 2, at Freedom Plaza (downtown). And on my way back home there was a trike heading in.
Coming back home there was terrible traffic trying to go through lower Georgetown (under the Whitehurst Fwy). I was able to get to a sidewalk and then a bike lane, but I didn't see what was keeping the traffic from going anywhere. There were signs about utility work, but I didn't see any. And an ambulance and police SUV came through - but took the freeway, perhaps to get past the problem and come back from the other direction - but I didn't see them again either.
Friday 15:18
This "XL" shirt is not what I'd consider extra large.
Friday 22:00
I'm just home from work. 36.01 miles (57.95km) for the day. Not quite twice my regular commute, but I didn't go as far east as Union Station or the office this morning. Could I do twice this ride? I think so. 62 miles would be a metric century (100km). I don't think I'm up to 3 times as far though, for a standard century. After this house-clutter mess is resolved maybe I can start doing weekend recreational rides - longer days, and overnight trips.
I do have a photo in my email. (The better of the 2 shots, I guess?) I'm looking slimmer than I realized. And there's a lot of grey in my beard; somehow it looks different farther away than the bathroom mirror.
[This entry was originally posted as https://syntonic-comma.dreamwidth.org/1066407.html on Dreamwidth (where there are
comments).]
Coming home last Monday (May 6), I came across the Roosevelt Bridge because there'd been a lot of rain and the C&O Towpath was muddy. But after I got across the river, the trail was closed going north past Roosevelt Island to Rosslyn. The alternatives were going back across the river to take a different bridge, or going south to Arlington Cemetery. There was another cyclist who'd come north up the river, and he didn't particularly want to cross to DC either, so his choice was turning back the way he came.
I found some news coverage about what was going on: Victim Found Inside SUV in Potomac River and Body of missing Fairfax County woman identified in SUV discovered in Potomac River.
Maybe (some) people are having a lot of trouble understanding this parking lot? Or are getting directed off the parkway by their GPSs? This is very close to where I assisted a lost woman who somehow got off the highway and drove her SUV up the bike trail, which becomes a sidewalk of the bridge, and too narrow to drive. Once I got her backed out and turned around, I still had trouble getting her off the trail and onto the car pavement, to the park exit. There are places where you could drive easily into the Potomac, without any vegetation blocking you, although you'd have to drive over a curb first (and cross the bike trail). But if you're confused, in the dark it might not be obvious you're driving into water. And I expect you'd completely lose traction in silty mud, and you wouldn't be able to drive back out. If your car floated at first, you might quickly be where you'd find it hard to open the door.
Wednesday 21:59
I found a "tadpole" blinker at work today, on the floor in an elevator lobby. I didn't see anybody headed for the bike cage as I came in, so maybe the person who dropped it was already gone. (There was someone riding up the ramp from the garage as I came in.) I was less concerned about finding the owner when I discovered that it didn't work - nobody was going to have used this light on the way home tonight.
I didn't have a voltmeter at the office, but now at home I can see that the 2 Cr2032 3-volt cells are only 2.8v and 0.46v. That would easily account for the light not working. But the cells were also put in backward; one was part of the circuit, and one was not* - which may account for the much greater discharge of one - and the one that was connected made a negative contribution. When I turned them around there was a very dim glow from the white LEDs. (I was expecting red.)
I have a red light like this on my bike. It's been there for years. It's an emergency spare. It's nothing impressive, but when blinking it puts out enough light to get some attention. The lithium batteries hold a charge for years - which is what you want/need for your emergency back-up.
This Friday is Bike to Work Day (Bike to Work Day). Quite possibly blinkers just like this will be part of the swag somewhere. That's where my emergency blinker came from; I don't know how many B2WDs ago. Found a photo: 4 years ago. The red one is on my bike; the yellow one is exactly like the one I found today - so I've got its twin here somewhere.
*Complicated to explain, but one contact is on the face (end) of the cell, and the other is on the side, so when the cells are reversed the light is getting -3v, not -6v.
Friday 11:31
I biked to Bike-to-Work Day. I did not bike to work - yet. I already have too many hours on the timesheet, so there's no point in getting to work early. The weather was good. A bit on the chilly side, but that should be expected this early.
No bagels this year. (Apparently they're a lot of work.) Lots of bananas.
District Taco had little breakfast tacos at Rosslyn. Nando had some kind of custardy pastry, which wasn't what I was expecting. (I guess it was good, if you like custard.) Both of these were warm.
Georgetown Waterfront and Golden Triangle/L St had their excellent pastries and cookies. GT/L had lemonade, which was a welcome alternative to coffee. (Years ago the pit stops had OJ.)
The swag wasn't as impressive this year.
I got 3 water bottles, including another one of TheBikeLawyer's excellent bottles (Purist).
6 2019 DC bike maps, but no Arlington maps. ☹
Flyers from various companies, and from a perinneal independent candidate for the Arlington County Board.
A little (2"/5cm?) red plastic bus keychain for the Circulator bus service; the headlight LEDs light enough to find a keyhole. (The bus would be awesome if the wheels rolled. But it's nice that the bottom is screwed on, so the cells can be replaced.)
A pewter(?) District Taco bottle opener/key chain.
A Potomac Pedalers tire lever. (Also got one of those last year.)
A Cirque du Soleil "VOLTA" seat cover - no use on a recumbent seat, but it's orange.
A 9oz/255g bottle of Nando's Peri-Peri sauce, Lemon and Herb, extra mild.
A Rosslyn (VA) Hoo-rag bandana. (Last year, socks; a nice, insulated water bottle several years back - but something different every year.)
No raffle at Rosslyn this year. I did stay for the end raffle at Freedom Plaza, so Golden Triangle was closing down when I got there.
I should have a couple of photos coming in the email from someone who took my picture (w/ bike) at Freedom Plaza.
I didn't take many photos myself. I just didn't see anything unusual.
As is usually the case, I was amazed by how many other cyclists were out. I'm not routinely commuting this time of day, so I can't guess how much of this is typical and how much is the bump for B2WD. And how much is diverting the regular traffic to the pit stops, so we see more of each other.
As for other recumbents, I saw only 2, at Freedom Plaza (downtown). And on my way back home there was a trike heading in.
Coming back home there was terrible traffic trying to go through lower Georgetown (under the Whitehurst Fwy). I was able to get to a sidewalk and then a bike lane, but I didn't see what was keeping the traffic from going anywhere. There were signs about utility work, but I didn't see any. And an ambulance and police SUV came through - but took the freeway, perhaps to get past the problem and come back from the other direction - but I didn't see them again either.
Friday 15:18
This "XL" shirt is not what I'd consider extra large.
Friday 22:00
I'm just home from work. 36.01 miles (57.95km) for the day. Not quite twice my regular commute, but I didn't go as far east as Union Station or the office this morning. Could I do twice this ride? I think so. 62 miles would be a metric century (100km). I don't think I'm up to 3 times as far though, for a standard century. After this house-clutter mess is resolved maybe I can start doing weekend recreational rides - longer days, and overnight trips.
I do have a photo in my email. (The better of the 2 shots, I guess?) I'm looking slimmer than I realized. And there's a lot of grey in my beard; somehow it looks different farther away than the bathroom mirror.
[This entry was originally posted as https://syntonic-comma.dreamwidth.org/1066407.html on Dreamwidth (where there are
comments).]