Monumental D.C. – Maine Lobstermen

Posted on March 31, 2013 by portajohn

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: Maine Lobstermen

When: Saturday March 30, 2013

Where: Water Street SW

March is going out like a lamb, and spring weather is slowly but surely coming back to Washington, DC – so it is fitting that I start memorial hunting again. This is the Maine Lobstermen statue along the Southwest Waterfront, a memorial that I knew existed, but had never run across until this past saturday.

It makes me really happy to see this one, as my grandfather was a lobsterman plying the coast of Long Island Sound for these delicious crustaceans. I was only 6 or 7 years olf when he passed, but I fondly remember trips to the boatyard to see the Carlee B., his gifts of dried starfish, and the smell of the bait fish that were kept in drums on deck. Every once in a while a bag of lobsters would wind up in the refrigerator at home, and we would “race” them across the kitchen floor.

This statue was originally created for the 1939 worlds fair in New York, and exhibited in the Maine booth in the Hall of States, but at the time it was only a plaster cast painted in bronze colored paint. Eventually it fell into disrepair and was passed around from town to town along the Maine coast. Eventually a bronze cast was made, and this is the result, ending up in DC around 1983 thanks to the Camp Fire Girls of Cundy Harbor Maine.

Monumental D.C. – Women’s Titanic Memorial

Posted on April 23, 2012 by portajohn

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.

An Evening Fake’mute

Posted on April 20, 2012 by portajohn

If you grew up near large bodies of water, either fresh or salt, you know of their restorative smell. It isn’t foul or unpleasant, it just brings back memories of good times. Salt water has a salty smell punctuated with notes of seaweed and barnacles drying on rocks; while fresh water has a smell of very slowly decaying leaves and organic matter (their tannins technically), slightly musty but clean.

These smells set the tone for my evening fake’mute last night. After finishing off the workday at home thanks to a stop at the tailor prepping a suit for my wedding, I decided to head out at 5 and ride the MVT and Custis Trails until I had to turn around for dinner. Riding along the MVT at this time of day was really enjoyable. And the slight breeze brought that fresh water smell along with it.

Rowers, Washington Monument, Refreshing Potomac Smell

Shortly after this photo was taken I hit one of the thousands of bumps on the trail, and the lid to my Acorn bag flipped open for a split second. This was all the time needed though, my old and already dying iPhone made the leap for freedom at 17 mph. This isn’t the first time the old fella tried this trick. Once he wanted to take in a show at the Kennedy Center, but a cyclist trailing behind me found him struggling to make his way out of the bike lane and returned it later that day. Unfortunately, I think this time he didn’t make it out as well.

All Cracked Up

The National Park Service was at Roosevelt Island handing out bells and bike maps. I stopped to assess the phone damage, but didn’t take any bells or brochures.

NPS Outreach Campaign

I did snap a photo of the “On Your Left” Mascot. Apparently a “jackass” is the most appropriate spokes-animal.

"I'm about to shoal you"

The riders on the Custis at this time of day were a mixed-bag – some hardcore roadie/commuters, some out for an evening ride, everyone generally getting along. Most people even obeyed the bike/ped cross signals.

Go!

I think I need to inspect the front half of my drivetrain. There is a mystery noise that I cannot figure out, though I tried very hard on this ride. It seems like the chain is slightly rubbing something. Maybe a bent chainring? Bottom bracket bearings going out? The sound gets slightly louder when I really crank on the pedals.

Eventually the angle of the sun signaled time to go home and make dinner. I rode home past the Jefferson Memorial,through the SW waterfront (To catch the Titanic Memorial) and around the Navy Yard, taking in some more “water smells”, though I must admit that Yards Park has some pretty foul smells as well.

Jefferson Memorial

Although I cut the ride short, I did manage to sneak in 21 miles – and my reward was a cold beer and a hamburger on our new grill.

Yes!

Looking forward to planning the next fake’mute.

Update: I am not the proud owner of an iPhone 4S with a gigantic OtterBox Defender case. Hopefully that will prevent future bike/phone incidents.

March 21 – Bike Snob visits BicycleSpace

Posted on March 21, 2012 by portajohn

Blugger supreme Mr. Eben Weiss, also known as BikeSnobNYC decided to visit Washington DC (and Bethesda) to sell some books.

He also participated in a group ride with the great folks at BicycleSpace, and I attended, along with Kate, many other #bikeDC folks. Brian from #TFTS has an account of where we went for the first half of the ride. Though after he peeled off the group continued up 8th to East Capitol, and did some circles on the east side of the building. At that point we headed back towards home, but decided to grab slices at We the Pizza first. Presumably the crew headed back towards the BicycleSpace shop, via Mass Ave?

Mr Snob seemed like a genuinely nice fellow, although I didn’t speak to him directly I was adjacent to the conversation, and can vouch for the “regular guy-ness” of it. That’s cool. Maybe he will come visit again.

Here are photos: