Commuting to the Obama inauguration
#1
Commuting to the Obama inauguration
Anyone up for it? You wont be able to get there by car. Just metro and tits going to be full. The bicycles will get there quick.
Post here if you are interested.
Post here if you are interested.
#2
Spelling Snob
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,862
Likes: 2
From: Plano, Texas
Bikes: Panasonic DX4000, Bianchi Pista
I would not be surprised if the secret service made trouble about you locking the bikes up near
the crowd for fear of pipe bombs. Remember- this event will probably have the highest security
ever for a presidential appearance.
the crowd for fear of pipe bombs. Remember- this event will probably have the highest security
ever for a presidential appearance.
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The first rule of flats is You don't talk about flats!

The first rule of flats is You don't talk about flats!
#5
Pedaling fool
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 767
Likes: 2
From: Arlington, VA
Bikes: 07 Schwinn Voyageur GSD, Next Avalon, 2007 Dahon Yeah
From VA, I think the bike/ped lanes on the bridges will be difficult when the event is over. They will be overloaded with walkers. Unless you want to kamikaze it on the actual bridges, which should be a slow crawl w/cars.
#6
Carpe Diem
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 13,149
Likes: 1
From: MABRA
Bikes: 2007 CAAD9; 2014 CAADX; PedalForce CG1
I will be watching from my office window.
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#11
Bike ≠ Car ≠ Ped.

Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,863
Likes: 6
From: Washington, DC
Bikes: Some bikes. Hell, they're all the same, ain't they?
It should be on the west steps of the Capitol, where it faces the Mall. Walk as close as you can get and you can see him if you bring a telescope. 
Oh yeah -- here in DC, not down in Tallahassee..

Oh yeah -- here in DC, not down in Tallahassee..
#12
24-Speed Machine

Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 6,056
Likes: 2
From: Wash. Grove, MD
Bikes: 2003 Specialized Allez 24-Speed Road Bike
#13
I rode to an Obama rally in East Lansing and parked my bike about 25 feet from the gate. There were 20,000 people there and probably more than 1000 bikes. The security was less intrusive than at a Clinton rally in the same location in 1992.
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#14
That was a rally for a presidential candidate. Not an inauguration for the next POTUS. This is kind of a bigger deal.
#15
52-week commuter
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 1,929
Likes: 1
From: Washington, DC
Bikes: Redline Conquest, Cannonday, Specialized, RANS
Generally bike is the best way to get to any kind of big event downtown. It may still be for the inaugural, although this will be an event unlike any before. The current talk is 4 million people, which would be at least three times bigger than any event in the city's history. If that's the case, you probably won't be able to get within a mile of the Capitol on a bike. Be prepared to walk. There is virtually no bike parking on the Mall, so I would bring a cable so you can lock to something non-traditional.
That said, I think every other mode of transportation is going to be far worse. They're urging people to take the subway, but the all-time one-day ridership record for the subway is about 850,000. They're not going to allow parking anywhere near the Mall.
I'll be biking down there, wouldn't miss it for the world.
That said, I think every other mode of transportation is going to be far worse. They're urging people to take the subway, but the all-time one-day ridership record for the subway is about 850,000. They're not going to allow parking anywhere near the Mall.
I'll be biking down there, wouldn't miss it for the world.
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The United States of America is the only democratic nation in the world to deny citizens living in the nation's capital representation in the national legislature. District residents have no vote in either the U.S. Senate or U.S. House of Representatives. www.dcvote.org
#16
Bike ≠ Car ≠ Ped.

Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 13,863
Likes: 6
From: Washington, DC
Bikes: Some bikes. Hell, they're all the same, ain't they?
The current talk is 4 million people, which would be at least three times bigger than any event in the city's history. ..... They're urging people to take the subway, but the all-time one-day ridership record for the subway is about 850,000. They're not going to allow parking anywhere near the Mall.
Wonder how many people will be wandering around my neighborhood; I'm a block from the Hart building.
#19
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,369
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From: Reston, VA
Bikes: 2003 Giant OCR2
I'm planning on staying the hell away from DC/Arlington the entire month of January. Maybe it's just me, but crowds of 4 million people are things I generally try to avoid, not seek out.
#21
multimodal commuter
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 19,810
Likes: 597
From: NJ, NYC, LI
Bikes: 1940s Fothergill, 1959 Allegro Special, 1963? Claud Butler Olympic Sprint, Lambert 'Clubman', 1974 Fuji "the Ace", 1976 Holdsworth 650b conversion rando bike, 1983 Trek 720 tourer, 1984 Counterpoint Opus II, 1993 Basso Gap, 2010 Downtube 8h, and...
Go for it. Ride as close as you can, then park the bike in the best place you can find. This is going to be a unique event, and you cannot predict or plan how it's going to go; so wing it.
I used to live in DC. I was 15 when, one inauguration day, my father said, hey, why don't we go down there? It was a warm day, and the ceremony had already begun, but we figured, what the hey? Drove down and parked somewhere on North Capital, near the GPO, and walked from there. Found ourselves a spot to stand on Constitution Avenue, and just a few minutes later Jimmy Carter came by, on foot, waving and smiling. Definitely the proudest day of my life until that point!
I used to live in DC. I was 15 when, one inauguration day, my father said, hey, why don't we go down there? It was a warm day, and the ceremony had already begun, but we figured, what the hey? Drove down and parked somewhere on North Capital, near the GPO, and walked from there. Found ourselves a spot to stand on Constitution Avenue, and just a few minutes later Jimmy Carter came by, on foot, waving and smiling. Definitely the proudest day of my life until that point!
#22
Senior Member
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 58
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My wife and I are considering leaving over the inauguration period. First, I don't do the mall when major events are on. Its just pointless. And if there are four million on the mall, roughly half will be tourists. That being the case, there is simply no point being in the metro area. My enthusiasm for the Obama presidency simply does not rise to the level that justifies that sort of inconvenience and hassle.
My wife suggested that we rent out our posh Old Town townhouse to some of the revelers. But the thought of returning home to a looted house heavy with pot smoke and littered with prophylactics just doesn't appeal to me.
-Old Army
My wife suggested that we rent out our posh Old Town townhouse to some of the revelers. But the thought of returning home to a looted house heavy with pot smoke and littered with prophylactics just doesn't appeal to me.
-Old Army
#23
Senior Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 180
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From: Vienna VA (DC metro)
Bikes: 2014 pinnarello FP Due, 1990 Pinarrello Triveso, 2007 Fuji Cross Comp, 1984 Trek 520
no way in H.E. double hockey sticks or on God's green earth am I going to the city on that day. The Custis and Mount Vernon is going to be packed with walkers not paying attention.
People are going to be like sardines walking around.
I always bike to the river for the 4th and bike back because on big event days that is the best but this is just going to be too much for me. I think I will go to whole foods that day and get some salmon to do the winter grilling...
People are going to be like sardines walking around.
I always bike to the river for the 4th and bike back because on big event days that is the best but this is just going to be too much for me. I think I will go to whole foods that day and get some salmon to do the winter grilling...
#24
Senior Member

Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 2,369
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From: Reston, VA
Bikes: 2003 Giant OCR2
I've heard of townhouses renting for $10K for the week, so it's got to be tempting. Folks with that kind of scratch might have grown out of the worst of those sorts of shenanigans.




