Simplebiker

Hi everyone.

I'm mostly a utilitarian cyclist from Washington, DC. I grew up in a rural area near Memphis, TN and people who used bikes to get around were pretty low on my radar growing up. I probably got annoyed a few times when I encountered cyclist never dreaming that I would one day be a cyclist.

I got my first "real" job in October 99 and moved out to the DC metro area (northern VA). I found out how much parking cost at my job and took the suggestion to use public transportation to get to work, although that was not something I imagined that I would be doing when I took the job. A couple of years after moving here I took notice of the fact that many people in this area bike to work and often beat the bus. I bought a bike, did a few weekend rides and finally worked up to commuting and haven't looked back. After a year of commuting, I decided I didn't really need a car in this area and sold it before moving into Washington, DC proper. My job is still in Northern Virginia, but fortunately it is easily reachable on bicycle. I prefer the city environment and living here also makes my commute a longer than before, so it works out.

I also still do some fun weekend rides and I belong to a regional recreational cycling club. I actually have two bikes. I use a Giant Cypress DX for commuting and I have a Specialized sirrus that I use for fun rides or as a backup. I love bikes. My next bike purchase will probably be a road bike.

iceratt

For the most part, I'm a bike commuter too, though my wife insists that I have a car, to transport kids, in an emergency. Many, if not most posters, have 6 or more bikes. My youngest son counted 10 in our garage this weekend, and granted 5 are not in optimal working condition( not ridden in >6 months), you should consider having a bike to match each of your varied moods, around here. I match my bike to my socks. I like wearing different colored socks.

tulip

See you on the trail, Simplebiker! We both have reverse commutes, isn't it great?

--Velogirl

Simplebiker

iceratt, I can see myself with 6 or more bikes. It'll be a squeeze sticking a road bike in my apartment with my two bikes and my wife's one bike. When (or perhaps if) I ever buy living space around this area, bike storage space will be a major consideration.

velogirl, yeah the reverse commute works out great for me as well. That makes at least three of us that I know of. I do, sometimes, see other people headed over the 14th Street Bridge in the reverse commute direction, but don't really know if they are commuting or not.

tulip

14th Street Bridge! That's my route! Raining today, and I just got a new bike yesterday and I did not want to take the first run in the rain, so I metroed. I see very few reverse commuters, but that could be because I'm going the same speed--don't see them unless you pass them (or get passed by them).

I, too, have many bikes, currently 3 active, 1 fosterbike, 1 on the permanent-injured list, and 3 on far away farm teams. It was tough in an apartment, but I'm extremely fortunate to be in a bigger place now...have space, will fill it with bikes.

Perhaps I'll see you on the bridge sometime.

badger_biker 

Welcome to the forum Simplebiker. I'm also "sort of" a transplant from the Midwest to the DC area. I live in WI but commute from Minneapolis by air to DC every week. It looks like this project for work will last into the summer so I plan on shipping my old Bridgestone road bike out as spring approaches. I probably won't be there many weekends but do hope to get some riding in during the evenings and would love some company. Where does the cycling club you ride with usually originate from? I'll be shifting to VA near the Courthouse Metro exit in Jan. so I should be close to some of the metro area trails. I've only had 2 opportunities to rent bikes and ride out there but I found the Mt Vernon and towpath trails very nice. Happy riding and keep collecting those bikes! I've got 5 in my garage plus the kids and my wife's.

Simplebiker

badger biker,

The club I mentioned is the Potomac Peddler's Touring Club. It's a non-profit recreational and social cycling club. There are rides starting from many different areas and of different lengths and levels of ability almost every weekend, though not quite as many during the winter, and more evening rides show up during the spring and summer. Some weekends most of them start in the far out suburbs. Go to www.bikepptc.org and click on ride schedules. If you see a ride that looks interesting, you can call or email the ride leader to find out exactly where the start is. I am not sure whether paying for a membership would be worth it for you if you are staying till the summer, but if you do, they send you a book that tells you directions to most of the ride starts and other information. Some ride listings have the directions to the start in the schedule you can see on the website. I went on a few rides by just calling ride leaders first and then decided I wanted to join.
Happy biking!