Normally I LOVE to meet up with web friends. Actually, where we stayed 3 nights in Phili is a friend we met a few years ago online, well, I met him online and we all became on line buddies.

My husband and I had only 2 full days in DC though. We had come from a night in NJ and 3 in Phili. We stayed off Dupont Circle with my cousin, her husband, and twins. Basically, since we had little time, Tuesday we had breakfast at Fire Hook, did a bus tour (I've been to DC but husband hadn't so this was an easy way to see a lot quickly). We also went to the Canadian embassy as husband misses home and he wanted to stand on Canadian soil, if only for a moment. But, as he says, "The Canadian government at it's finest, open only from 9-12'. So he couldn't go in but he lingered there. We also took the Metro up to Shaw and did some serious walking to find a veggie restaurant; which by the way, there is a great veggie soul food place up near Howard.

Anyway, on Wed. we spent the day at the Holocaust Museum after breakfast. We had lunch there and took our time. By then we were beat and were leaving the next day at 1 so simply walked to Whole Foods, grabbed food for the plane, and that was it.

BUT...thanks for extending the welcome. Next time

Sounds good. I have a tandem you guys can borrow, if it's not too hot. Biking is a great way to get around town.

You get used to the heat/humidity if you're in it enough. Most people who live here stay in the AC, and have no more tolerance for heat than visiting Canadians. The messenger company I work for was started by a Canadian. He brought riders from Canada, but they all went home after experiencing our summer weather.

My husband is from Eastern Quebec and Ottawa, it gets horrificly humid there too. Like DC and worse.

Thanks for the tandem offer. That would have been so much fun to tour the city, but we are back in Hollywood now where it's hotter than hell (100+), dry, and the mountains are all on fire!

To the LBS and back...got the rear brakes fixed and bought a swiss army knife from MEC. Also, got my bike seat adjusted up.

You guys won't believe what happened to me and my bike today.
After a very nice 40 km ride tru a typical dutch landscape.



I got hit by a car!!! No ****.



This for sure, without a doubt, was the stupidest woman I ever encounterd. Unluckily I was riding my brand new bike.
I was riding on a straight way at a speed of no more than 5 km per hour. I saw this car crossing the road which I was riding on. She looked at me when I was passing the front of her car. The stupid ***** accelerated.

I don't know how I managed to get out of my clips that quick and thus was luckily unharmed. But my bike looked like a potatoe chip. It was ruined.

I yelled at her while riding over my rear wheel.I yelled at her: "Stupid ****, WTF"
When the police arrived she told them I was cursing at her and that I couldn't,cause she was pregnant and that her husband was a bicycle repairs man and was used to sell bikes for the amount of over 2000 euros and that my bike was **** so I had nothing to worry about. Even the police guy had to laugh over that comment. I was stunned.

Now the aftermath. I've got this filled in insurance forms. What to do next? Should I go to my LBS and have my bike replaced, give the insurance people the receipt. Or should I wait fot the insurance guy to examine my bike, while I know it's a wreck?

I am in hurt.

Is the frame tweaked? I usually try to get the price I paid for my bike from the ladies insurance, replace the wheel and pocket the difference. If your frame need replacing, your profits will be less. Glad you're OK!

Thanks. I can't tell if my frame is tweaked because of the strange angle the wheel is in. The rear brake isn't working anymore and there is a twist in the front wheel as well. The front fork is made out of carbon and the way I feel now is that I will never feel save and satisfied riding this bike again.

I will take it to the shop to have it examined.

If the shop can make a written estimate of the damage, you should have no trouble recovering that amount. My bike has a carbon/aluminium fork also, so I hoped the bike shop would say it's totaled, not safe to ride. I collected $500 in property damage, not the $800 I paid for the bike, but still much more than I had to pay to get it back on the road with a upgraded wheelset, derailleur, and bar ends. The fork is holding up fine over a year later. If the shop says it's OK, go ahead and ride it, don't worry.

since when is neglecting to use birth control a valid excuse for driving like a moron, nearly mowing down a cyclist, destroying his bike? What a stupid *****. Then she had the audacity to insult your gorgeous bike? Stupid ****.

I'm not sure what you should do, call the insurance company? Hope they totally cover you for a brand new bike. I'm sorry your pretty bike got mangled by a stupid cager.

Thanks. Your reply makes feel a little bit better and more confident about this thing.
I am not in for the money, I just want my bike restored to what it was and if not possible, have it replaced.

I am still a little bit shooked by the whole experience though.
I was so happy with my new bike, now it's molested.

Went to the store this morning and thrashed my panniers which made my rear fender all wonky I am so sad faced until my new panniers arrive

I'd siphon her petrol-tank dry. Then fill 'er up with nitromethane. Then from 1,000 meters - I'd film her as she and her car blasted-off to the Moon.

You'll get a new bike. Just a matter of time.

Yeah, since your bike was brand new, it's different from my bike which was already a worn in, scratched up work horse. If you have a receipt that is a month old, I think you should recover the full price of the bike. Make sure they know it was brand new with less than 100 miles on it. I know it's not about the money, but money is what it will take to get you back to where you were, on a new bike.

See now, if you ever do that, the victim's survivors will find this post. I'll delete mine if you delete yours.

^^^^
lol

The bike was two days old. I've got the receipts and all. I will move the world to get back what I had.

They were nice days. You shoulda been here a couple of weeks ago.
When you live here you get used to it.

I took a break from riding this weekend. Yesterday I went to an air show at the College Park airport (100th anniversary of the oldest operating airport in the US), and today was cleaning house, yard work and catching up at work.

We didn't do much today but go to Fry's. We bought lots of stuff, most of which will be returned. Bought two cases for our new iPhones. They're no good=Go back. Bought some plastic screen protectors, too many bubbles=Go back. Husband bought a fan pad for his laptop for when he overheats playing video games. It's crappy=go back.

We are keeping the laptop sleeve/bag I bought in order to protect my laptop while commuting. It's a short commute which is great. This bag is neoprene like a regular sleeve but has some pockets, handles, etc. https://www.targus.com/us/product_details.asp?sku=CVR217 I'll also keep my keychain light for exiting my place on dark mornings

I like Targus. I have a Targus backpack with a spot for a laptop, I've carried heavy crap in it many times.

Went to South Headingly, Manitoba(~30 km)... anyone else from Manitoba here ?

Long time ago. Lived in Winnipeg, River View and River Heights. Learned to ride a bike there.

1st and foremost - sorry to cross post.

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Took my first long ride on my new FX today.... I rode about 28 miles... Went from Times Square (middle of manhattan) to Dykman and broadway (northern tip of manhattan) back all the way down to battery park (southern tip of manhattan) and then back to times square. statue of liberty can be seen in the background. pics taken in battery park.



















avg speed was about 12 mph with some insanely crazy headwind heading north. my way back down was a breeze and was doing probably 15-18 mph the entire way down. then, after battery park, heading back north, was more serious headwind ;( by this time my legs were gonna give way and i think i avg'd about 10mph on the way back.
comments:
- the fx shifts beautifully. i have to get used to what notch means what gear but that'll come in time.
- i was on the bike path during rush hour - a lot of stop and go traffic for crosswalks/people with kids/etc. so i kept both the front and the rear in the middle gear and accelerating after a stop brought a smile to my face each time lol. it's nice and fast off the line.
- the bike is sooo dirty right now and i only crossed a small patch of water 1x......... i have a white car too so i guess i should have expected this... LOL.
all in all an awesome ride. i rode my old aventair saddle this time out but will be switching back to the stocker... im going to see if i get used to the stocker after a few rides. thanks for the advice, mattya!

To work, then to the college bookstore to get textbooks and a key for the bike locker, then home.

Sad to see your bike damaged but glad you escaped serious injury.

30 minute loop / 8.36 miles @ 16.6 mph avg

^ wow, that's an awesome average speed! im going to start doing 20 mile trips only to work on my endurance and strength. i would be insanely happy with a 15mph average.