Blossom Ride 2013

As much as DC residents cry foul over the tourism invasion during Cherry Blossom season, I’m having a good time this year.  It is kind of fun to see these crowds of hundreds staggering around the National Mall, and to remember that I could have been one of them only a few years ago.

With temperatures reaching into the 90′s today I left work a little early, met up with Kate, and went for a ride around blossom central – Hains Point at East Potomac Park.  We ran into Justin as we were leaving, then into Dave as we stopped for a dinner salad on Penn Ave SE.  What a great time.

Things I learned in 2012

2012 is nearly wrapped up, and I am looking forward to 2013.  The year had some very high highs, and some low lows, but as I was looking back at some photos that I captured throughout the year I was reminded to seek the higher or hidden message in day-to-day life.  This is my year in photos, and a reminder to not forget what I’ve learned:

January – Sugarloaf Mountain, Frederick County, Maryland

January: Enjoy the unexpected.

We took advantage of unseasonably warm weather on January 1st to hike Sugarloaf mountain in Frederick County Maryland.   It was a beautiful day and a welcome opening to the year. Along the hike we found that many trees had been decorated, but we had no idea by whom – it was unexpected but wonderful. On the biking front, I completed my first populaire and began my foray into the world of randonneuring.

February – Crossing I-495, Fairfax County, Virginia

February: Do not be afraid to explore.

February provided both warm and cold temperatures – which made riding around DC to complete the first 8 of 12 stops in the inaugural utilitaire-12 a bit more challenging.  As I look over my utilitaire control card I realize that a full seven of the 12 stops were new to me at the time – including #fridaycoffeeclub and a #fridaycoffeeclubhappyhour where I got a chance to meet many awesome people for the first time.  I also completed my first century of the year in February, a solo effort of the Weenie 100 route ridden by the DC Randonneurs.  I got a chance to see some amazing parts of Fairfax county that I did not know existed, and recall how excited I was to see a majestic bald eagle at Mason Neck park. This was a great month to explore the world I lived in.

March – Hains Point, Washington, D.C.

March: Look for beauty everywhere.

Spring rejoined our lives in March, just in time for an evening ride through the city with BikeSnobNYC, Brian and Laura. It also offered weather warm enough to ride a 200km brevet (over 130 miles -my longest single ride ever!). It isn’t hard to look back at those rides and remember the grass becoming greener, and flowers beginning to bloom. I recall one afternoon in particular when I wanted to ride through Hains Point after a rain storm just to see what was left of the cherry blossoms. While some trees looked a little barren, some were proudly bearing their blossoms. As I stopped I looked down and saw the gutter was full of petals and took the photo above (which I am happy to say is completely unedited). Sometimes even the gutter holds something worth looking at.

April – Downtown Washington, D.C.

April: Take time to enjoy the little things.

If the amount of miles I rode in March were a testament to the warm weather returning, then perhaps the lack of long rides in April are a testament of the important things that needed to happen before May. Even though we did take time to go on a cupcake ramble with BicycleSpace, much of April was spent getting prepared for our wedding in May. That being said, there were still moments when you take a step back and enjoy the little things. After an afternoon spent unsuccessfully shopping for wedding bands we stopped downtown to grab lunch and sat at an outdoor patio next to this fountain. I remember the moment vividly, but for no particular reason. The simple act of soaking in the sun and sharing lunch is a great memory.

May – Caldera, Chiriqui Province, Panama

May: Take time to enjoy the big things too.

When I say big things happened in May, I don’t just mean the Kinetic Sculpture Race in Baltimore, or the perennially poorly organized BikeDC event – I mean BIG things! I mean a wedding and a honeymoon to Panama! Looking back at photos of both of these events has been so enjoyable, and the memories are big. The photo above was taken just before crossing a bridge on what could barely be called a road that leads to a natural hot spring. After wandering through the woods when the path ended we came upon the springs, and a family with a pet monkey that liked people a little too much! Soon it started raining pretty heavily, and we hiked and ran through the woods, back over this slippery bridge and eventually got back to our rental car soaking and muddy.  I think it was one of the best afternoons on the trip!

June – Yards Park, Washington, D.C.

June: Drop your inhibitions.

June saw my second time riding the 100 Miles of Nowhere, and my first time exploring the parks of Baltimore in the annual Tour dem Parks ride. It also saw the first ever time that New Belgium brought their bike-centric Tour de Fat to Yards Park in DC – and what a blast that was. I signed up to volunteer on the morning shift, and had an absolutely great day. The weather was perfect, and the carnival-like atmosphere inspired me to shed some of my normally introverted personality and just live in the moment. I wish I did that more often!

July – Montreal, Quebec, Canada

July: Find a silver lining.

July started off with a scorching heatwave in DC that actually made any sort of strenuous outdoor activities unhealthy. I remember one ride that I cut short because I felt sickened by the combination of heat, humidity and smog. Fortunately the early July heat dropped enough for an enjoyable 4th of July ride to visit some wineries. Late in the month I had to travel to Montreal for a bachelor party that was pretty expensive, which made me a little grumpy. I’m sure the 4 hour train trip followed by 6+ hours in a cramped car (each way) also contributed to those feelings. I made a point to get out on my own and explore the city as I wanted, and found the silver Bixi bikeshare system to be my silver lining.  For a small coast I was able to explore for over 2 hours, taking in sights that I wouldn’t have seen from the back seat of a car, or the back of a bar. The bikes themselves had seen some better times, but it was well worth it.

August – Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

August: Fight the headwind to enjoy the tailwind.

The first edition of the Hoppy100 was a soaking wet experiment to see the lengths that DC cyclists would go for a good beer (or five).  I am committed to making sure this event happens again, possibly in a different form (100km maybe?). Whereas that ride felt fairly easy (despite other hiccups), a simple weekend ride seemed headed for disaster in August.  We drove down to Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on the Eastern Shore for a casual 30 mile loop, but ended up fighting some intense headwinds for the first 10-12 miles that really put a damper on my spirit. It didn’t help that a poorly adjusted saddle was causing pains in my wrists and butt, I almost considered quitting the ride (which is rare for me). However soon enough we were rewarded for our struggles with quiet flat roads, and a tailwind that begged us to wind up the cranks and sprint for a few miles on end. Touching downhill-like speeds with ease, it was a rewarding and fun way to cap off the ride. I’m hoping more eastern shore rides start with headwinds and end with tailwinds (not vice versa *Sea Gull*).

September – Shenandoah, Virginia

September: Nothing.

September wasn’t a “nothing month”, it just existed, and was pleasant – I can’t think of anything especially poignant.  I rode the 50 States ride, got to spend time with the Beater Bike, started a new bike project, and went for a wonderful hike in Shenandoah. And you know what, that was all great.

October – Somewhere outside Warrenton, Virginia

October: Be thankful.

Another round of coffeeneuring (thankful for a great bike community in DC); Another Sea Gull Century (thankful for friends to ride with); a wonderful hike along the Potomac (thankful for nature); a joyous wedding in Chicago (thankful for these friends too). October had a lot to be thankful for, but also provided a reminder not to take these things for granted. Be safe and be prepared on the roads!

November – Somewhere outside of Milton, Delaware

November: Sometimes you just need to go for a bike ride.

I really wish November had been better! Work took over my life, beat me up, and left me pretty down. I suppose that it also made me realize that it may be time to move on and explore new things (once I figure out what those are). In the middle of it all though I rode another brevet, this time the Flatbread 200km ride.  Flanked by friends at the starting line we took off in the cold light of a beautiful Eastern Shore morning. As the miles passed, I found myself alone and the sky growing dark, threatening rain and high winds. After a lunch stop I came across friendly faces once again, the day became warm and sunny, and we used all that was left in our tanks to hammer our way back to the finish line as darkness fell.  In each of the three “phases” of the ride I was aware of myself and my separation from what had been getting my down. You can train your body to bike for hundreds of kilometers, but if your mind isn’t in the right spot you stand little chance of finishing the day. Sometimes you just need to go for a bike ride and get into your own world – the separation from everything else can really help.

December – Home, Washington, D.C.

December: You are better than you think you are, you can do more than you think you can.

And finally December. There isn’t much to say, but I really like this quote by Ken Chlouber of the Leadville 100 run and mountain bike races. Perhaps a mantra to carry into the new year.

Monumental D.C. – Admiral David G. Farragut Memorial

Monumental DC – A series where I’ll be documenting the many memorials in DC that we pass by frequently, but rarely seem to stop and pay notice to. Follow on twitter with #monumentalDC

What: Admiral David G. Farragut Memorial

When: Sunday July 22, 2012

Where: Farragut Square, 17th Street and K Street NW

One of the great things about riding aimlessly in the city, riding with no purpose or destination, is that you sometimes stop paying attention to where you are headed until a light clicks in your head and you say “oh shit, I wasn’t planning on being here”.  (Note: You may also say “hot damn”, “golly”, “sweet”, “awesome”, “meh” or any number of things – it’s regional I suppose).

Back in July the rain was coming down steadily, but I had been cooped up for long enough.  I thought to myself  “Damn the Rain, Full Speed Ahead”, so out I went – down Independence, over to Hains Point, through downtown, up some hills to Columbia Heights – eventually after about 2 hours I had had my fill and turned home.  On the way home I found myself in Farragut Square – this was the light bulb moment – I stopped to wipe mist from my glasses and leaned my bike up on a low fence.  A ha! Another monument captured – but who is this Farragut fellow anyways?

Born James Farragut in a small town near Knoxville, TN, Farragut lived in many parts of the country before settling in New Orleans, where his father, an immigrant from Spain,  struck up a friendship with the father of a naval officer.  This relationship flourished, despite the death of James mother, and the officers father.  In repayment for their friendship and to help the Farragut family, the naval officer offered to adopt Farragut and train him in the Navy.  Shortly thereafter James took the name David (the name of the naval officer), and went to sea at the age of 9.

It shouldn’t come to much surprise that starting a naval career at age 9 offers quite an opportunity for advancement through the ranks.  Accordingly, Farragut saw action in the War of 1812, the West Indies, the Mediterranean, and the Civil War. Eventually becoming the first man ever appointed to the rank of Admiral in the US Navy.  Perhaps Farraguts most lasting contribution though is during his time commanding ships at the Battle of Mobile Bay – a Confederate stronghold and and important shipping port.  When he saw his ships hesitating at the entrance to the port, he inquired why.  When the answer was given, he reportedly responded

“Damn the torpedoes!” Four bells. Captain Drayton, go ahead! Jouett, full speed!”

A call which is now shortened to “Damn the torpedoes! Full Speed Ahead!”.  So remember next time you’re hesitating to head out for a ride, just repeat the battle cry and head out – FULL SPEED AHEAD!

2012 100 Miles of Nowhere Ride Recap

In contrast to the weather as I am writing this post (high 90′s and humid) the weather on Sunday made for ideal riding conditions – just about 80, slight breeze, and a reasonable humidity.  As I looked to the forecast ahead, I knew that Sunday would be the perfect day to ride my second 100 Miles of Nowhere, an annual event run by Elden Nelson of the FatCyclist.com Blog.  The entry fee proceeds for this event go to cancer fighting in one way or another (Livestrong, Camp Kesem, etc.)  so I am happy to pitch in an donate.  Originally planned as a 100 mile ride indoors on rollers, this event has grown and people find ways to make tediously small routes that are incredible hard, to up the suffer factor.  The problem is that I am neither a racer, or an Unracer (as defined by Grant Petersen), but probably somewhere in the middle, skewed to the Unracer side.  Suffering is not something that I take pride in.  Last year I rode loops of Hains Point to complete the 100 miles, it was tough but the suffer factor was relatively low.  This year I told myself that such a perfect day should not be wasted on a loop I have ridden dozens of times, so my plan evolved.  I would ride to Purceville, VA and back via the W&OD rail trail, as well as the Custis and Mount Vernon Trails.

I started the day late, and considered bailing out altogether, but I knew I had to do this ride.  After forgetting the camera battery I turned around a Lincoln Park and added about a mile to the overall distance, but no worries – I felt fairly fresh that day.  I even stopped by the Capitol Building to snap a photo:

From there I set off on the usual route to the Mount Vernon and Custis trails, but then a curious thing happened.  While waiting at a light a cyclist dressed in all black eyed me up and down, then took off like a rocket.  I passed him about 3 minutes later as he was standing under a tree, at which point he hopped back on his ride and chased me down.  A few minutes passed and I again found him waiting at the side of the trail.  The same series of events happened about 4 or 5 times.  Eventually he must have turned or grown tired of this cat and mouse game, but it left me really puzzled. My Surly does not exude “race me” in any way.  Maybe he felt better that he could beat a bike that probably weighs 20 pounds more than his and is geared for touring.  Oh, he was wearing a sleeveless jersey as well.  I’ll never understand that look on men.

Onwards I went, passing lots of familiar trail sights, passing many riders on the busy trail.  I also practiced my out-of-saddle climbing, something I had been hesitant to do since the Surly wasn’t designed to carry a front load and it made the handling a little wonky.  I think I learned a bit though, which is good because seated climbing seems to really slow you down and use more energy. Eventually I came to Vienna where I stopped and topped off water bottles and ate a snack from the Fat Cyclist goody bag. The snack was nice, but too pastry-like, it didn’t feel like it was providing anything to keep me fueled other than butter.

Vienna, VA rest stop

Snack

Onwards I went, riding fairly fast and trying to eat and drink enough to keep me going for the full day.  Oh yeah, I should have mentioned that while I have ridden 2 other 100+ mile rides this year, my mileage over the past 2 months was way way down, I wasn’t trained at all for this ride.  Through Reston and Herndon, and some other towns that are “way out there”.

Somewhere near Reston

Herndon Town Center

Stop #2 came around mile 40, for a stretch and some water.  Fortunately the trail has some nice shelters spaced every 5-10 miles that are perfect for this.  It also allowed me to snap a photo of the Specialized Purist water bottles that came as part of the registration fee.  These bottles are so great.  Easy to open and close, great flow, easy to squeeze, no plastic taste.  I think a few more might be needed.

Specialized Purist water bottles

More Trail Scenery

At some point the grade in the trail starts to pick up, about 10 miles from Purceville.  Not very perceptible at first, it starts to wear on you mile after mile.  I was so close to the turn around point, but at this point energy was fading fast.  The last 4 miles into Purceville felt like an hour.

Purceville Main Street

But I made it.  I explored Main Street for a few minutes, but then made my way back to the thrailhead, where Trails End bike shop stood like a cycling mecca in an otherwise boring town.  Inside there were some beautiful bikes, and the shop folks were happily talking with customers about how they “knew Floyd Landis way back when”.  I picked up some snacks and got back on the trail.  But not before sighting this interesting sign painted on the side of a building.  Unfortunately the shop was closed.

Closed for the day.

The nice thing about a long slog up hill is that it means a long descent on the way home.  I thoroughly enjoyed this fact as I tucked in and let gravity do a lot of the work.  I’d tell you more about the trail, in this portion, but really the lower 30 miles are below high tension powerlines and abut large townhomes or warehouse type buildings, and the upper 15 miles are in in a nice wooded area that is slowly being overrun with McMansions.  Not much out there to see.

I did however spot a cool old truck.

Truck

I also passed a quarry that I really really wish I had stopped at and taken photos, but it was on a downhill and it felt a shame to lose the great momentum.

By mile 70 I was tired of water, shot blocks and clif bars.  I wanted a real solid meal, something with salt, fat, carbs and other good stuff.  On the way up I had noticed a trailside BBQ spot, and knew that this would be the perfect lunch destination.  As I rounded a bend in the trail the smokey wood and meat smell hit my nose. But something was wrong.  At 12:30 when I passed it there were dozens of bikes parked outside, but now at 3:30 there was only 1.  I couldn’t believe it.  The place had closed only a half hour before. And I had half a water bottle left to my name.

Cruel and Unusual Punishment

After a short break and a text to Kate stating my sadness I got back on my bike.  And 8 miles later found a 7-11 that would be my lunch spot.  In those 8 miles though I could feel energy draining from my body every pedal stroke, and a slight breeze turned into a headwind.  I guess there had to be some suffering on this ride or it wouldn’t qualify.

Ironically, shortly after this point I passed this sign.

I was cooked with 20 miles left to go.  Either food wasn’t digesting fast enough, or I wasn’t eating enough, because it became a struggle to stay motivated.  A few times I just had to stop and collect my thoughts – telling myself that even 10 mph was better than walking.

By the time I hit the turn to the Custis trail my spirits had lifted a lot, and the overall downhill gradient of the trail meant that I could once again pedal fast, upping my speed from around 12 miles per hour only a few miles back to 17 or 18 mph on the flat sections of the trail, faster on the down hill areas.  I hit DC feeling fine, and with a projected finishing average speed only slightly slower than 3 of my 4 previous 100+ mile rides I was pretty happy.

Returning to DC

All in all it was a good day.  I had fun, challenged myself, and hopefully got back a little of the conditioning I had lost.  Now to keep up with the longer rides and set a new PR for a century my next time out.  Will I ride the 100 MON next year – I hope so! Will I ride the W&OD again, likely yes – but next time I’ll bring company and call ahead to the BBQ place. This year I will declare myself Winner of the Men 28-30 W&OD Out-and-Back Category of the event.

Thanks Fatty!

Monumental D.C. – Women’s Titanic Memorial

Monumental DC – A series where I’ll be documenting the many memorials in DC that we pass by frequently, but rarely seem to stop and pay notice to. Follow on twitter with #monumentalDC

What: Women’s Titanic Memorial

When: Thursday April 19, 2012

Where: Southwest Waterfront, 4th St and P St SW

A few days after the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the majestic RMS Titanic in the cold waters of Atlantic ocean far off the coast of Newfoundland I visited the Women’s Titanic Memorial on my way home from an evening ride.  Nestled away in the Southwest Waterfront, with a spectacular view of Hains Point this memorial is striking for its similarity to Leonardo DiCaprio’s character standing at the bow of the ship proclaiming “I’m the King of the World!”.

The memorial, authorized by Congress in 1917 and completed in 1918 after receiving 25,000 one dollar donations is meant to memorialize the men who stayed aboard while women and children were sent off to safety on the scare few lifeboats aboard the ship.

Made of red granite from Rhode Island and carved in Quincy, Massachusetts, the memorial had to wait until May 1931 to be erected on a parcel of land at the south end of Rock Creek Park.  The long period of time spent finding a suitable location is ironic, as 35 years later the statue would be removed and put into storage to make way for construction of the Kennedy Center. Eventually the memorial would be placed in its current location in 1968.

An original/alternate version of the memorial designed and carved by a woman was rejected.  In this original design a woman holds a hammer in her hand, meant to show that women created this memorial for men – and showing that women (the “weaker sex”) had power and capacity to do such things.  In that sense it was a political statement during the period of the womens rights movement.  demonstrating that the memorial is from women to men, and emphasizing the power and capacity of women “the weaker sex” during a high period in the struggle for equal rights for women, including the right to vote.

I highly recommend this spot for a rest after an evening ride on Hains Point.  Beautiful sights and a hidden oasis that many people wouldn’t even know exists.

Spring Bike Ride in DC

The End of Cherry Blossom Season Approaches

As soon as we got on our bikes the day brightened up.  A lap around Hains Point proved that the Cherry Blossom season is nearly over, but that won’t keep the tourists away.  On the way home a quick stop at the Safeway on M street to get some groceries, followed by a baked good on Barracks Row and a stop to enjoy the lawn at the Hill Center.  Up 9th towards home.  Even a short 10 mile ride can really change the day.

It is a great time of year to live in DC.

Now on to taxes…

A Saturday Century in Fairfax County

The conditions were perfect on Saturday for an extra-long ride.  A hard work week was over, I had no pressing obligations elsewhere, Kate was in Chicago and the weather was amazing.  I had a few options for distance and location, and stayed at work late to map a route and draft a cue sheet – ultimately I decided to ride a modified version of the annual January 1 “Weenie 100″ found on the DC Century Rides blog.

I got a later start than initially planned, rolling out the door at 9:05 and taking 8th down to M, and eventually to Hains Point, where the original version of the ride starts with a lap.  I took a partial lap, and set off down the Mount Vernon Trail, enjoying the cool morning air.  Once I broke free from the hordes of runners south of Old Town, I was alone and mostly had the roads to myself for the remainder of the day.

Passing through Mount Vernon, a short hop on Route 1 (no shoulder!) and then eventually to Fairfax County Parkway.  I was really happy to see on multiple occasions throughout the day that some of the bigger roads in the county have a decently well maintained multi-use path running along the road.  Though the “instant on” cross walk signals where the path crosses feeder roads created a false sense of security and was pretty dangerous.

I headed towards Mason Neck State park where the Occoquan and Potomac rivers meet – a real gem for hikers it appeared.  Also a bald eagle nesting area – I got to see one (a first for me) and it was amazing.

Leaving Mason Neck I noticed that I had been passing many signs labeled “Washington-Rochambeau Route” This is apparently a 680 mile route along which Washington marched his army, and Rochambeau his French soldiers from Newport, RI to Yorktown, VA during the revolutionary war.  A Rhode Island cyclist appears to be mapping the good biking roads along the route at his webpage here, and is getting some press for doing so, like a local paper from Cranston, RI here.

After climbing a steep hill alongside a landfill (which I think is more neat than stinky because I’ve worked on them before) I looked at the time and distance I had traveled.  I think I had unintentionally been riding a bit slower than normal in preparation for the hillier route, and realized that I would be chasing my shadow back into DC (or worse) if I didn’t make some adjustments.  I unintentionally cut off what may have been the more challenging portion of the ride along the Occoquan, which was disappointing because it also looked to have the nicest scenery as well.  I headed up Route 123 and rejoined the original route near Burke.

Passing through some wonderful back roads and residential areas I made up some time (only 1 wrong turn) and eventually got to the WO&D trail with daylight to spare.  I suppose I could have stayed on the original route and ridden the last bit of the MVT in the dark, but the combination of unknown medium to high speed roads and poorly lit trails had spooked me enough outside of Occoquan, and now I had to live with my decision.

The Custis trail felt flatter than ever, which is a nice feeling with 80 miles into my legs.  Though I did have to ride behind one fellow who had a “too high” shirt, and “too low” pants.  I didn’t know it was a full moon!  I tried to snap a photo, but only managed to get one of him mostly covered and nearly being run down by an SUV as he crossed against the light.

I felt really good after crossing the Potomac, and decided that it would be silly to get home at 95 miles, so 2 rather speedy laps of Hains Point under the nearly set sun were a requirement.  After slogging up the mall on the sidepath of Constitution (where bells have no meaning) I arrive home just a hair under 101 miles.

I felt good, and knew that after I freshened up I would be off for Utiliitaire No.6  – a fitting ride to DC-3 on Barracks Row to get some appropriate food – hot dogs.

Now i know I can do 100 miles on roads that are more challenging than the pancake flat Eastern Shore rides – so I hope to explore more of Virginia and Maryland this spring and summer.

The original Weenie 100 route is here (Ride with GPS) 5800 feet climbing.  My modified version (Ride with GPS) 4700 feet climbing.

Wilson Bridge, ongoing detours.

Potomac River, south of Old Town Alexandria

Bridge, Mount Vernon Trail

Potomac River, Mount Vernon Trail

Mt. Vernon busses

Neat horse park near Mason Neck

Mason Neck State Park

Occoquan River

At first I thought these snails were dog turds.

Need to remember what I look like once the beard returns

Bald Eagle. Very cool!

Relaxing for a quick snack

This park was great. Well worth a return visit.

Didn’t know such a thing existed. Followed for quite a while.

Multi-Use Path. Very convenient and well used

Pedestrian Bridge over 495

This guy not only crossed against the light, but showed A LOT of crack. This wasn’t even close to the worst.

Monumental View

Potomac River

Trains at sunset. Hains Point

The Highs and Lows of Cycling

I thought I was going to call this post “John and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day”.

Hills - I really don't like hills...

The hill above would be a great reason to title a post as I had initially planned.  I despise hills.  I’m heavy, my bike is heavy, I haven’t done any serious workouts in at least a month – riding up hills are the low point of my cycling life.  But then I thought, what if I am looking at this photo the wrong way.  Imagine that the person who took this photo just finished bombing down it with a huge grin on his face – riding down hills might just be the high point of my cycling life.

Reflecting on that simple twist of perception, I’ve re-titled my post and now feel better about my ride today.

It all started so innocently, instead of heading to the flat roads of Hains Point, I decided to ride 2 miles from my home up to the National Arboretum.  I figured that this would provide a bit more elevation changes – and an opportunity to push myself a bit.

Then things went up hill…

(remember, up hill is bad, going downhill would be good!)

1) I had a tiny breakfast and no lunch.  At the starburst intersection of Maryland Ave., H Street, Bladensburg and Benning Roads – the first barely slightly uphill portion of the ride – I could feel that my legs had nothing in them.  That is not a good feeling when you plan on riding for nearly 2 hours.

2) I got to the Arboretum and realized that the grounds are a little hillier than I had thought. Ooof. Out. of. shape.  Between labored breaths I tried to enjoy the scenery, but really I hated myself for thinking that I would enjoy riding up all of these hills.

I wasn't even sure I thought I could

3) I wanted to take some photos of the scenery, so I brought along my heavy DSLR camera (which I regretted once I started up the hills).  At one point I took out the camera thinking I would get a great shot – and got a weird error message I hadn’t seen before.  CRAP.  I left the SD card in my work laptop.

4) Then, huffing and puffing up the steepest hill in  the Arboretum, I made a silly mistake.  I shifted into my granny gear while pedaling hard.  CRUNCH.  My pedals stopped in an instant.  I was lucky to unclip and not take a tumble, but I had given myself the worst case of chain suck I had ever experienced.  Hopelessly jammed, scratching up my chainstay.  I tried hopelessly to fix it, but I gave up after a solid 10-15 minutes of trying, gently pulling, firmly pulling, moving the crank arms a bit – nothing worked.

Chain. Sucked.

And my ride ended.  I coasted down the hill and out of the arboretum and walked the 2 miles home. Defeated.

As I was coasting back to the entrance, things started going downhill..

1) I decided to at least get some kind of photo with my iPhone – and you know what… I’m happy I at least took a picture of the beautiful day.

2) As I was walking up R Street, a young boy (maybe 5) was making noise for the sake of making noise.  His grandmother hushed him, so he started talking to her in a “childs whisper” – were you can basically still hear everything he is saying 20 feet away.  He saw me pushing my bike (note, I’m wearing a green wool long sleeve jersey and black tights) and he asks his grandmother “Why is he wearing skinny jeans?  I know he is talking about me, his grandmother does too… so she doesn’t respond.  So he asks again, maybe 5 more times “Gramma why is that man wearing skinny jeans??”.  I wanted to laugh out loud so badly, it was great.

3) I got home.  Broke out my tools, spread everything out on the living room floor.  Grabbed my trusty bike repair book (for some comfort – or to throw if things went bad).  And knew that I had to take the crank off to get this mess undone.

Help me Todd!

Then I saw this (well not exactly this, since it is a marketing image)

SRAM Powerlink

SRAM you wonderful company.  I was too frustrated to look for this when I was in the Arboretum, but there it was staring my in my face.  Pinch, Push, and bam, I was pulling my chain through the impossibly tight space it was jammed in.  No more than 30 seconds later I had everything put back together.  All my problems were solved.

So I took the bike for another short spin to make sure the chain and chain rings weren’t bent or skipping.  They weren’t.

Chain. Un-Sucked.

I rode hard for another 20 minutes through the dark roads of Capitol Hill under a full moon. Sprinting so hard that my quads were burning. It felt great.

Arboretum, I’ll be back – a lot – and by the end of the year your hills will be down hill in both directions.

Coffeeneuring Ride No. 7 – Tryst

A Ride recap for the 2011 Coffeeneuring 7 Challenge

Where:Tryst, 2459 18th Street NW

When: October 30, 2011

Why: Cruising around

Drinks: Americano, small

Eats: Brownie

Distance: 15.35 miles

The Story: After a great Halloween party in Reston at the Barns at Wolf Trap on saturday, we both felt like we needed a ride to take in the beautiful (but crisp) weather that sunday was offering.  We got home from some out of town errands late, around 3pm, and I pushed to get us out the door for coffeeneuring ride number 7 as soon as we were home.  But where to go?

We had exhausted most, but not all, of our Capitol Hill options, and I wanted to make a trip around Hains Point, so westward we went.  As we were pedaling around the park, and I was sharing new bits of information about the monuments nearby, I remembered that my mom had hoped I could pick up a copy of the new magazine/newspaper that a blogger she follows had just started publishing (Design Sponge) – she can’t get it in Connecticut and I was tasked to find a copy and mail it to her.  Tryst was one place that supposedly stocked the newspaper, and that is how it became our final coffeeneuring destination.

I had never been, but the bikes outside were a good an welcome sign.  Inside the place was packed – there was no way we were going to find a seat… we ordered “to-go” and decided to drink our coffees outside leaning on our bikes.

Waiting for the good stuff...

My americano was incredible, it may be my new favorite coffee drink.  The brownie was ok… I think I would have rather gone for a chocolate chip cookie though!

Americano cooling down before drinking outside Tryst. Wood barrel courtesy of Madams Organ.

Once we were done with this great coffeeneuring adventure we rode off through Le Droit Park and into Bloomingdale, making a stop at a new bar/restaurant that will fold nicely into a new long-term challenge for myself (like the ongoing MonumentalDC series).  You’ll have to stay tuned for that one… just like I am staying tuned for the next cycling challenge from the Chasing Mailboxes blog.