Northeast - DC Bike Events

Saturday, June 6 there are two bike events in the DC area.

Cyclefest at Lake Fairfax. Sponsored by The Bike Lane to raise money for trail improvement. They have organized rides, seminars, classes, stuff for sale.
http://thebikelane.wordpress.com/2009/05/02/cyclefest-2009/

sounds like fun, but ....

The Wilson Bridge Bike and Pedestrian path opens at 1pm. It'll be great to have a southern crossing of the Potomac.
http://waba.org/events/
WABA is leading convoys to the bridge from various locations, but I'm planning to do my own modified version of the Greater Washington Loop. Starting somewhere in Arlington and going counter-clockwise through Georgetown, Bethesda, Silver Spring, Mt Rainier, NE DC, Capitol Hill, SE DC and getting to Oxon Hill around 2pm. I haven't mapped the distance yet, but it looks to be around 50 miles on the route I plan.

cross posted on the other Mid-Atlantic forum

I'd be there if I wasn't already working by then.

Any others coming up soon? Your thread title will work for a long-term thread to keep us informed about stuff. :thumb:

I'd be there if I wasn't already working by then.

Any others coming up soon? Your thread title will work for a long-term thread to keep us informed about stuff. :thumb:
I know how it is. I took off yesterday to ride, and am working today.

Yesterday' ride was fun. Went from Rosslyn to downtown for a while, then up the CCT, over to Forest Glen, down Sligo Creek to Brentwood, Mt Rainer, down to the Arboretum for a loop, then picked up the Anacostia Trail, cut over to Unifes, down MLK to Oxon Hill Farm, National Harbor and the Wilson Bridge. Finished by coming up the MVT. I'm thinking that a loop like that might make a good group ride, so I'll work on fine tuning the route and doing a cue sheet. Loop was 60 miles with my side trips (and getting lost). Probably 55 or so without.

For upcoming rides - The Oxon Hill Club has the Patuxent Rural Legacy Ride next weekend (saturday the 13th). A nice metric around Southern PG and the Patuxent River valley. If I'm free I might be there.
http://www.ohbike.org/perl/rides.pl?month=06;published=20090522

On the same weekend the PPTC has their Black Hills ride around upper Montgomery Co.
http://www.bikepptc.org/June09Rides#Jun13Sat

I did the Pax Rural Legacy Ride last year. Nice, and quite low-key. Lots of noobs :)

My biggest issue was they put all the rest stops at the end of dirt/gravel trails. My bike was nice and purty before the start, but was a muddy, sandy wreck by the end. I also ended up nearly losing it when I got cocky and tried to ride over that stuff instead of walking.

Probably do it again this year though :)

Oh, and Sunday is the Tour de Cure century in Reston. This year they're CANCELLING the ride if it's over 90 degrees. WTF??

For upcoming rides - The Oxon Hill Club has the Patuxent Rural Legacy Ride next weekend (saturday the 13th). A nice metric around Southern PG and the Patuxent River valley. If I'm free I might be there.
http://www.ohbike.org/perl/rides.pl?month=06;published=20090522



I did the Pax Rural Legacy Ride last year. Nice, and quite low-key. Lots of noobs :)

Most probably I'll be one of the noobs (a total noob none the less) :D. I think I'll do the 42 mile ride though. My longest to date is 19 miles (total 61 miles on the road bike).



My biggest issue was they put all the rest stops at the end of dirt/gravel trails. My bike was nice and purty before the start, but was a muddy, sandy wreck by the end. I also ended up nearly losing it when I got cocky and tried to ride over that stuff instead of walking.

Probably do it again this year though :)

Thanks for that heads up Jim. :bg:
Ihsan

Oh, and Sunday is the Tour de Cure century in Reston. This year they're CANCELLING the ride if it's over 90 degrees. WTF??

I think it's the fact that many non-enthusiast cyclists fail to prepare for the heat: they don't drink enough water, don't keep electrolyte levels up, etc. Add into that a course that's not particularly shade=heavy, and it can be a nightmare for organizers and medical staff. I think they're simply trying to keep the potential for bad times at bay, especially given that charity rides tend to attract a less-prepared crowd than rides like the Civil War Century and such.

I think it's the fact that many non-enthusiast cyclists fail to prepare for the heat: they don't drink enough water, don't keep electrolyte levels up, etc. Add into that a course that's not particularly shade=heavy, and it can be a nightmare for organizers and medical staff. I think they're simply trying to keep the potential for bad times at bay, especially given that charity rides tend to attract a less-prepared crowd than rides like the Civil War Century and such.

As of last week they were still looking for bike marshalls for the Reston Tour de Cure if anyone is interested in volunteering. I'll be monitoring the 33 mile ride.

You'll do fine, Ihsan. Last year it was kind of hot and humid and there had been a thunderstorm the night before so there was quite a bit of junk on the roads. It's a reeeaaall pretty route. Have fun!

Thanks Jim.

The Patuxent River Rural Legacy Ride was nice. Below are some notes that may be of help to future riders.

Bike Route:
The route was well marked - I could have done the whole thing without the cue sheet. Although one rider commented that the markings on the road were small, and if you were going around 20mph, then it was hard to see. There were no big climbs, but plenty of short ones.

Club Support:
The SAG stops are at the end of gravel roads, but they were well stocked and easy to find. The reason they had the stops at the end of the gravel drives is apparent when you get there (the scenery was breathtaking). What a great way to enjoy a PB and J sandwich:-) Registration was quick, plenty of parking, and lots of people on hand to answer questions and help out. Hats off to the Oxon Hill Bike Club for doing a great job.

Cars:
There was very little car traffic on the route. It is very rural, but still close to the city. My only complaint for the whole ride was that the drivers seemed rather aggresive. Instead of cruising by at a moderate speed, as I'm used to in my area, they had a habit of creeping up and then gunning the gas to get past at the fastest possible speed they could get. Also, there is little no room on the road shoulders on the route.

My only complaint for the whole ride was that the drivers seemed rather aggresive. Instead of cruising by at a moderate speed, as I'm used to in my area, they had a habit of creeping up and then gunning the gas to get past at the fastest possible speed they could get. Also, there is little no room on the road shoulders on the route.

Kinda off topic, but I've been thinking about this...

Usually, from the driver's seat, it's not that they want to buzz you as they go past, but they want to spend as little time as possible next to you and taking up part of the next lane (which is further complicated by not having much of a shoulder on this route).

They don't want to drive alongside you for a few reasons. They don't want to be in your way if you are either wobbly or have to swerve to avoid a hazard. They also don't want to be forced into your path by someone coming the other direction (or, if there are two lanes going your direction, spending extra time partially blocking the other lane -- which could be a problem if had to slow to 10-15 mph in a 50).

The side effect, unfortunate as it is, is that they have to really get on the gas to get around you, and that's always going to be louder than simply cruising along, even if the cruising speed is 60 mph. Be happy that they're not running catless straight-thru exhaust systems (usually ;)).

Even so, I'd rather have that happening than a driver who can't seem to get around me with any urgency at all, putting both of us at greater risk for a longer period of time.

Usually, from the driver's seat, it's not that they want to buzz you as they go past, but they want to spend as little time as possible next to you and taking up part of the next lane (which is further complicated by not having much of a shoulder on this route).

They don't want to drive alongside you for a few reasons. They don't want to be in your way if you are either wobbly or have to swerve to avoid a hazard. They also don't want to be forced into your path by someone coming the other direction (or, if there are two lanes going your direction, spending extra time partially blocking the other lane -- which could be a problem if had to slow to 10-15 mph in a 50).

The side effect, unfortunate as it is, is that they have to really get on the gas to get around you, and that's always going to be louder than simply cruising along, even if the cruising speed is 60 mph. Be happy that they're not running catless straight-thru exhaust systems (usually ;)).


I was riding with Brian on Saturday and even though there were drivers as you described, there were also drivers that sped up right when they were level with us (leaving a huge black diesel cloud for us to ride into), and staying very close to us even though there was no oncoming traffic in the next lane. These were rare occurrences though.

Ihsan

More events coming up -

Sept 12 - Civil War Century http://www.baltobikeclub.org/index.pl/cwc
SOLD OUT according to their web site

Sept 13 - Indian Head 100 http://ohbike.org/century/

Sept 19 - Amish 100 http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=576416

Sept 20 - PPTC Century http://www.bikepptc.org/PPTC_Century

Sept 26 - WABA 50 State Ride www.waba.org

Oct 4 - Tour du Port http://onelesscar.org/page.php?id=156
(they added a new longer route this year)

Oct 10 - Sea Gull Century http://www.seagullcentury.org/

Oct 11 - Civista Potomac Heritage Tour http://www.civista.org/foundationpgs/2009_BikeTour.html

Oct 17 - Bike DC - http://www.bikedc.net/index.htm

* * * *

Since I'll be riding the NY Century on the 13th, I'll probably skip the PPTC ride.
Plan to do the 50 State ride (4th time) and have already sent my registration in for TdP (8th time)
Undecided about Bike DC. Did that ride for several years before they put it on hiatus. I'm glad to see it back, but it's pretty expensive for such a short ride. The big plus factor is riding the GW Parkway car-free.

Oct 17 - Bike DC - http://www.bikedc.net/index.htm

* * * *
Undecided about Bike DC. Did that ride for several years before they put it on hiatus. I'm glad to see it back, but it's pretty expensive for such a short ride. The big plus factor is riding the GW Parkway car-free.

Same here. Undecided as well. The GW Parkway part seems to be a short stretch though. I may do the family ride with my wife and two year old in the trailer, but I'm not sure if I can stand hearing how tired my wife is for 75% of the ride :(... Funny how she insisted that we buy bikes and ride more and while I'm out riding regularly, her bike only has 12 miles on it :roflmao2:

Ihsan

Just heard about this today (saw it on a scrolling ticker on a local station) --
http://www.godcgo.com/feetinthestreet/

At the top of the WABA page for the moment, too:
http://www.waba.org/events/

http://newsroom.dc.gov/show.aspx/agency/ddot/section/2/release/17813

(Washington, DC) Walkers, runners, bikers, and skaters will have the streets to themselves at the first-ever Feet in the Street celebration in the District on Saturday, August 29, 2009. The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) and the National Park Service are teaming up to host the car-free event in Fort Dupont Park in Southeast Washington to promote physical activity, green transportation choices, and community spirit.

Fort Dupont is one of the largest parks in the District with 376 acres to explore. On August 29, the roadways in the park, including Fort Davis Drive and Fort Dupont Drive, will be closed to motor vehicles from 9 am to 3 pm. Residents and visitors are invited to come put their Feet in the Street and run, walk, bike, skate, and play along this 1.6 mile long corridor. There will also be organized activities and programs including:

Guided nature hikes
Guided bike rides
Bicycle skill sessions for kids
WABA’s Confident City Cycling classes for adults
Free bike rentals from Bike and Roll
Physical fitness demonstrations
Community garden tours
Healthy Food = Healthy Community workshop
Invasive plant removal outings
Feet in the Street is modeled on similar car-free events in other cities around the world, including Ciclovia in Bogota, Columbia and the closing of Broadway in New York City.

“Temporary street celebrations like this have proved to be wildly popular in other cities,” said DDOT Director Gabe Klein. “They really draw people out in the community, inspire them to be active and at the same time, shake up traditional ideas about what our transportation networks should look like.”

Feet in the Street is co-sponsored by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) and the District Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR). Participating organizations include Unique Development, Fathers First, the Anacostia Watershed Society, the Environmental Leadership Program, Trips for Kids, Mid-Atlantic Off Road Enthusiasts, and the Far Northeast Consortium.

Participants are encouraged to cycle, walk or take transit to the event if possible, but a limited amount of parking will be available at the Fort Dupont Activity Center. Drivers can access the parking from Fort Dupont Drive. The park is also accessible on Metrobus’ U and V lines. Use Metro’s Trip Planner to plot your route.

For more information and updates about the event in the coming weeks, please visit www.godcgo.com, or contact Anna McLaughlin of DDOT at anna.mclaughlin@dc.gov or (202) 478-9121.

Certainly not a big ride like the 50 State Ride, but I'd wager that it's something to take the family to.

Certainly not a big ride like the 50 State Ride, but I'd wager that it's something to take the family to.
The 50 State ride also has a "family" route, the 13 Colonies ride. Only 15 miles and stays in the relatively flat parts of the center city.

Thanks for posting all these links!

Another event coming up this month

September 19 and 20 - Biking Town DC, part of Walking Town DC
Dozens of street and neighborhood tours and site tours with professional guides, of which 7 are bike tours. Couple of them look interesting.
http://www.culturaltourismdc.org/calendar2532/calendar_show.htm?doc_id=396119

Unfortunately, the Georgetown Spy tour has already filled up.

I'm thinking of doing the 50 states ride, since the start is only about a mile away. How difficult is the route climb wise? Can't be too bad since it's in DC, but I generally only do 30-40mi rides.

I'm thinking of doing the 50 states ride, since the start is only about a mile away. How difficult is the route climb wise? Can't be too bad since it's in DC, but I generally only do 30-40mi rides.
:roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2:

DC is cut by several stream valleys, and the city is on the fall line, with 1/3 of the city on top of the escarpment. The route has a lot of up-and-down, and around here that means steep.

The ride is often described as "brutal" with good reason. It's better now that they do it in September instead of August, but it's still a challenge.

Couple of big hills in SE (MLK at St E's and getting back up to Alabama from Mississippi), several in NE (especially around CU and Fort Totten), getting across Rock Creek, but the worst come near the end at Arizona Ave.

But it is a fun ride. If you know the city fairly well, you can take shortcuts and skip the toughest parts. One year I skipped everything west of Rock Creek and took 16th Street back, finishing with 50-some miles. Last year was the first time I finished the whole route.

Oh, I know. I ride in and out of rock creek every day (namely up 24th to Calvert right by the Woodley Park metro). I wouldn't consider those climbs too bad, but not sure if thats because they are fairly short (but steep) or because I listen to western BFers talk about mountain climbs too much.

Haven't ridden down SE or along Arizona NW though. Maybe I'll check out part of the route from previous years this weekend and see what I'm up against before I commit. I'm more concerned with the distance than the climbs, since I don't do more than 40. Though maybe I'll reverse that this weekend once I see some of the climbs :).

As if I don't have enough to do.....

Also for September 26 is the PPTC Lovettsville Oktoberfest Ride.

I've ridden this one several times and was looking forward to doing it again, especially since I hadn't been riding that part of Loudon this season.
Unfortunately it's opposite the 50 State ride, but it looks likes I won't be doing either. Have a non-riding family event the same day.

Just a reminder, the WABA 50 State ride is tomorrow.

I just signed up, you should too: Dave Zabriskie will be in DC for a Yield to Life event. http://bit.ly/8PvrJ They have a great mission!

Here's the link to Cycle Life's site. (More information)
http://www.cyclelifeusa.com/community/events.htm

Reminder for Tour du Port in Baltimore, Sunday Oct 4.
It's a fun ride. The Fells Point Festival is going on the same weekend, so I plan to hit the festival after the ride. Maybe do some extra riding out the Gwynn's Falls trail.
With luck the weather will cooperate on Sunday.

PPTC is doing multi-level rides out of Poolesville on Saturday and out of Nokesville on Sunday.
http://www.bikepptc.org/Oct09Rides