excellence in street repair

The 14th St. north hill on the major, trans-Arlington cycle transit route was paved just over two weeks ago.  That's a huge improvement.  Sometime between Friday morning and this morning, the pothole on 12th St, between Ft. Myer Dr. and Oak St., was repaired.  That's a small but appreciated improvement. 

From wide expanses to small details, Arlington roads are ready for you.  Bike to work.  Friday, May 20, is Bike to Work Day, so if you don't already bike to work, that's a good day to give it a try.

generate power with exercise

A bicycle connected to a lightboard at the Potomac Overlook Park Heritage Festival demonstrated that incandescent lights consume a lot more energy than florescent lights, which in turn consume a lot more energy than LED lights. Even a little girl who could barely reach the pedals could generate enough electricity from the bike to light the LED lights.  Her fit-looking father had to make an effort to light the incandescent lights.

Serious cycling can generate a lot of energy.  Gary M., a 49-year-old marvel of physical fitness, last weekend generated 230 watts on average for three hours during the local, intense Laterne-Rouge/Whole-Wheel-Velo-Club/whoever-else-wants-to-come ride.  Total power consumption in the Ode Street Tribune's world headquarters for the month of March was 141 kilowatt-hours.  Hence in a single morning's ride, Gary generated about 15% of a March day's power consumption in the Tribune's headquarters, which also serves as the living quarters for the Tribune's impecunious staff.

Cycling need not be just for fun and transportation.  By cycling, you could power an emergency sump pump to keep your basement dry during a storm that knocks out electrical power.  You could pedal-power a sewing machine, as many persons around the world have done since the invention of sewing thousands of years ago.  You could also power a blender to make yourself a smoothie.  David Butcher's wonderful pedal-power website provides insights and concrete technical details for you to do much more with your cycling exercises.

Just in the Rosslyn area, many person-hours of exercising are ongoing in Gold's Gym and the Synergy Fitness Center.  Why not have persons in gyms use their exercise to contribute energy to the community? This would be more impressive and more innovative than the green-colored envirocabs that now drive the streets of Arlington.  A Danish Hotel gives guests a $36 meal voucher for generating a mere 40 watts for 15 minutes.  Here in Arlington, many cyclists regularly put out hundreds of watts for hours.  Cycling can be an important local power source.

local cycling team Squadra Coppi ready to race

Local cycling team Squadra Coppi takes bike racing very seriously.  In preparation for this year's bike racing season, the team put in an order for custom Squadra Coppi socks to go along with its styling team uniform.  You've got to look good if you want to ride fast.

Squadra Coppi gets new clothing

Local bike racing team Squadra Coppi has gotten new clothes.  The stylish outfit has mid-line split between white and powder blue, and matching dual-color leg bands.  Splashes of red on one shoulder and in the back white half pay tribute to Coppi sponsors Idea Engineering and Bikeman.  In these slick, muscle-accenting outfits, no one can doubt the manliness of the men and women of Squadra Coppi.

When you're driving in the area, you may come across some Squadra Coppi riders.  Stay focused, and pay attention to the position of the bikes and other traffic.  Don't roll down your window and try to get one of the riders numbers as you're driving by.  Instead, note the bike frame model and wheel brand of the rider that interests you.  Later, in less exciting and dangerous circumstances, contact Squadra Coppi President Mark Skubis to try to arrange a connection.

main thoroughfare ready for repaving

A major thoroughfare for commuters traveling by bicycle between Virginia, Rosslyn, and DC includes the Arlington Blvd access road, the Rhodes St. bridge, and 14 St. N. (which becomes 15 St. N.) in the direction of Courthouse.  Potholes on this crucial artery have recently been repaired.  But 14'th St. N. between Rhodes St. and Scott St. remains a rough road. Some of the work on the road suggests that repaving may be imminent.

A large pothole currently exists on 12'th St, between Ft. Myer Dr. and Oak St.  Repairing this pothole might appropriately be given lower priority, since this road gets less traffic and persons living in this area are not easily rattled.  I've reported the pothole on Arlington County's convenient online pothole reporting form.

Freedom Park bike rack now well-ordered

The abandoned bikes wasting away on the bike rack near Rosslyn's Freedom Park have been removed.  The bike rack is now well-ordered, with space available for additional bikes.  Arlington police reportedly removed the bikes.  What Arlington police do with abandoned bikes isn't clear.  I hope that they give them to Phoenix Bikes or another worthy charity such as Bikes for the World.  Bikes are too important to go to waste!

Photo thanks to John Healy.

do more cycling and recycling

Arlington County has recently expanded recycling requirements for business and multi-family residences.  Under these new regulations, business and multi-family homes must offer customers and residents opportunities to recycle:

• Mixed paper (including junk mail, cardboard, office paper, and food boxes)
• Metal cans
• Glass food and beverage containers
• Aluminum
• Plastic
• Metal items

Unlike DC, Arlington does not have a five-cent plastic bag tax.  But here in Rosslyn, fashion matters more than five cents.  Plastic grocery bags are dull.  Rosslyn residents should carry home their groceries with more style.

The above stylish grocery bag was a gift from my wonderful cousin. She had an extra, so she gave it to me.  Gift-giving is an excellent form of recycling.  This re-usable grocery bag even has bicycles on it.  That's a nice reminder: don't stop at just recycling.  Get into cycling, too!

Rosslyn moving forward with bikesharing

Arlington has secured funding for 16 new Capital Bikeshare stations to supplement the 14 that have already been installed in Crystal City, Pentagon City and Potomac Yard.  Bikeshare planning recognized that Rosslyn is a hot location.  The new bikesharing stations will be installed in Rosslyn-Ballston corridor.  People-Powered Arlington reports that "an as-yet-unnamed company in Rosslyn is interested in joining the program and is willing to pay to get stations placed in their neighborhood first."  Without a doubt, folks are keen to ride bikes in Rosslyn.

about that gang graffitti

Have you noticed some graffitti about the roads in Arlington?  Worried that some violent gang is marking territory?  Don't worry.  Be happy.  These markings appear to be Arlington County indicators for planned bicycle markings or re-markings.

N. 15th St. road improvements

Excellent road improvements recently occurred on the 15th St. hill connecting Courthouse to N. Rhodes St.  A bike lane has been marked on both sides of the road.  Parking is no longer allowed on the right side of the road just uphill from the intersection with N. Rhodes St. (see car with ticket in above photo).  In addition, the double yellow line has been erased to allow a more even division of the road.

The 15th St. hill has been a bad section in a key bicycle route.  Cyclists coming up from the Iwo Jima trail and heading west of Rosslyn travel on the (small) Arlington Blvd, past the Ft. Myers Heights Park and the majestic Westmoreland Condominiums, across the N. Queen St. bridge over Rt. 50, and up the 15th St. hill.  That bike route is now significantly better.

large group of cyclists in Arlington on Tuesday nights

More than 100 cyclists gathered at the corner of N. Quincy St. & 5th Rd. N at 6:30pm tonight for the Conte's store ride.  Arlington Police briefly held traffic on intersections with N. Quincy as the riders headed out N. Quincy to Military Rd. 

This ride occurs every Tuesday from early spring to early September.  So if you've ever wondered what's going on with all those cyclist on the road in the middle of Arlington, now you know.  And if you're looking for a fun bike ride with options for riders of all levels, you've only get a few more weeks to check this ride out.

Chasing Legends draws sell-out crowd

The local independent cycling film Chasing Legends sold out the Arlington Cinema and Drafthouse tonight. People hoping to score tickets were still lined up outside ten minutes after the nominal start of the film.  Inside, the film director spoke about all the work that went into making the film and the many persons who contributed.

The crowd responded enthusiastically to the film. It provided unforgettable views of the 2009 Tour de France and up-close interviews with cycling stars and personalities. This film gets you psyched to ride your bike.  If you missed it, you can order it on DVD.

authentic Tunisian food at Chez Manelle

Chez Manelle on Wilson Blvd. near Courthouse offers authentic Tunisian food.  The atmosphere is casual, the service is friendly, and prices are reasonable.  Even better, on the back of the building is a cycling mural.  The mural appropriately honors Tunisian cyclist Raffa Chtioui.  Chtioui won the silver medal at the 2004 junior world cycling championships in Italy.  Recently he finished third in the second stage of the Four Days of Dunkerque.

Actually, the mural on the back of Chez Manelle pre-dates this pioneering Tunisian restaurant.  Our crack investigative team, preoccupied with a sex scandal, hasn't been able to uncover any information about the mural. Please leave any relevant info or leads in the comments.

legendary Revolution mechanics at Rosslyn pit stop

Over 8500 cyclists were registered for today's Bike to Work Day.   At the Rosslyn pit stop in Gateway Park, legendary Revolution Cycles mechanics David and Pinky were providing cyclists with adjustments and tune-ups.  Volunteers were there handing out Bike Arlington light bags, water bottles, bike bells, and information about bicycle commuting and local bike events.

Bike DC, the Washington and Arlington community bike ride, is coming up this Sunday.  If you have some lame excuse for not riding your bike to work, well, hey, you probably don't have to work on Sunday.  Go Bike DC!

In other local bike news, DC and Arlington have announced a regional bike-sharing program that will encompass 1100 bikes available from 114 stations.  It will be the largest bike-sharing program in the U.S.  Maybe you would prefer to sit in your car, stranded in traffic, while waiting to get to your destination and hunt for a parking space.  But cycling is becoming fashionable.  Don't you want to be fashionable?

Update: Vote for the name of the bike sharing system.

Ride of Silence

About 150 cyclists gathered at Hains Point this evening to participate in the Ride of Silence, a ride to remember cyclist killed or injured while cycling on public roads.  The Blue Suit Paces, a local bike club, organized the event.  The cyclists slowly rode in silence from Hains Point up Independence Avenue nearly to the Capitol, then turned around and returned.  Riding at that slow pace on a windy, 65 degree evening, many of the cyclists got quite cold.  But not as cold as they would be if they were dead.

A few weeks ago a rider on local bike team Squadra Coppi was seriously injured when a car door opened in front of him.  Please look before opening your door when you're parked on the street.  Also, if you see a cyclist riding several feet away from the line of cars parked on the side of the road, don't get annoyed that the cyclist isn't right up against the line of cars.  Riding within a door's distance of parked cars is dangerous.

A rising star on local bike team Whole Wheel Velo Club, out riding with his former Lanterne Rouge teammates two weeks ago, nearly got hit by a car.  Without signaling or looking for cyclists, the car pulled abruptly right to enter an empty parking space.  The cyclist, coming up on the car's right, had to skid to avoid crashing into it.   Please, use your turn signals, and check for cyclists on your right before pulling right or turning right.

The Ride of Silence is a world-wide event.  Last year, 282 locations around the world participated in the Ride of Silence.  In addition to many locations around the U.S., rides took place in Mexico, Bolivia, Columbia, New Zealand, Singapore, and many other places.  Brief 2009 ride reports and photos here.

The Ride of Silence is a bit like Rolling Thunder, but without the thunder.  The Ride of Silence, which began in 2003, has many fewer participants.  Also, riders on average were much scrawnier.

moguls on main bike route

Long after roads have been cleared, piles of snow remain on major bicycle arteries.  WashCycle, among others, is helping to mobilize concerned residents.  Bike Arlington has secured a plow and is putting it to work. 

Going forward, bicycles should be taken seriously in all transportation planning, including snow removal. 

cyclist spotted

 

He was headed up Wilson Blvd., just past Piola Pizza. Suspected Squadra Coppi member. Psych Unit is investigating.

In other news, Afghan Kabob House is open. Piola Pizza, which has some Russian-native staff, is also open.  Now is the time for some cuisine from tough, central Eurasian peoples.

dirty, wet ride

Unpredicted rain fell this morning and added to the fun of cycling.

Squadra Coppi team banquet

Local bike racing club Squadra Coppi held its annual team banquet this past Sunday night at Eventide Restaurant.   The club had its best racing year ever this year.  It also sponsored the Giro di Coppi road race and the Tacchino Cross cyclo-cross race, both of which were great successes.  Jim McNeely received the club's annual Fausto Coppi award for his outstanding contribution to the club.  Seems strange that leading local cycling blog the Unholy Rouleur has made no mention of this important local cycling news.

Phoenix Bikes on the roll

Phoenix Bikes, a community bike shop developing bike and life skills in Arlington youth, has recorded impressive performance since it opened in 2007.  A recent Phoenix Bikes letter mentioned:

• 150 students have participated in the Earn-a-Bike program since its inception
• Earned revenues have increased from $18,000 in our first year to almost $50,000 in 2009
• 55 Youth Mechanics have logged over 25 hours apiece in Phoenix activities; 15 have logged more than 100 hours apiece; and 11 have logged more than 300 hours apiece
• We have recycled approximately 500 donated bikes back into the community
• Almost 400 youth participated in or were directly impacted by the Phoenix Bikes activities last year including teaching other students and adults, riding with Team Phoenix, and participating in Earth Day, BikeDC, and Arlington's Community Bike Ride

Phoenix Bikes is a great educational institution.  Find out how you can help.