I can remember enjoying watching Women's Field Hockey when I was in High School better than watching the cheer leaders at the high school football game (cheerleaders in college take it to another level... and the pros! they are pros!)
last year's DCMTB Team Photo pimp hat added electronically by RickyD
listening to my body or being lazy?
it is tough am I listening to my body or am I being lazy? right now a cast of characters from the DCMTB squad are hammering the hills and ripping through the rock gardens at Gambril State Park in Frederick Maryland me... I slept late and am getting a late start after a late evening but sleep is what I needed the late night was not needed, but the sleep was most definitely needed or so I must tell myself
a 7:30 am call from CityBikesMike rousted me from bed after weaseling out of the last minute reminder of this epic group ride opportunity I crawled back into bed to hug the pillow for another hour woke up three hours later guess my brain did not get the memo that I wanted to leave out for Schaeffer Farms for a solo spin at nine am
this is all fine yesterday I got out of work a few minutes early and battled the demons of malaise thrusday after work I tried to ride from downtown to the Fort Dupont/Fort Circle Trails turned around at the Anacostia bridge was not feeling it when Friday came along and I saw my departure time was coming close I let some liquid alter my mood I slammed a power drink... not sure what it was... it was some free hand out I got on the corner some days earlier
sure enough... the energy that this drink gave me helped me to push through all the voices telling me not to ride
once out of work in my ancient DCMTB City Bikes Orange and Red kit with my oversized backpack on my back I rode through Georgetown to mile zero of the C&O Canal spinning at a good pace but not sprinting I rode the geared Karate Monkey on the tow path alongside the canal no effort to get hypoxic I spent most of the ride moving fast in an upright no handed position the camera was in my bag my attention was on turtle counting lost track of my total, but I did count 13 turtles on one long
a number of people on bikes coming the opposite way a few of these bikes were loaded down with panniers as I zipped past I asked... are you riding the whole canal? a grabbled answer which I took as a yes chased me as the distance between us increased
to my right on the man made waters of the C&O Canal were a variety of casual boaters some in rentals from Fletcher's boat house while more aggressive kayakers and canoers were on the Potomac out of view behind the trees is a slalom course where olympic hopefuls train no time to slow and watch
fisherman of sport and fisherman of sustanance inched closer to the water or parted like the red sea as I passed runners with leashless dogs seemed confident that their pets would not step infront of my front wheel for obstacles that may demand braking I slowed my pace and took my thumbs out of the thoracic region of my backpack
the bird activity was slight some hissing geeze with their gozlings on the packed gravel pack and some malard families with packs of little ducklings no winged migration moments with great blue heron
with little time and almost no effort I was at the foot bridge that would take me over the canal to a wide path that would climb up an unrideable set of terraced stairs up to the hsitoric One Lane Bridge at MacArthur Boulevard the sidewalk was clear so I spared the cars on the road
as with everyday on this section of road the cars were misbehaving because of the back up
after the bridge I took the bike path so I could pass the long line of bumper to bumper cars then took to the street after the all way stop that creates the blockage in the short distance between the line of stopped cars and Seven Locks Road and I was passed in an obnoxious fashion by nearly every car some making eye contact and gesturing a message that I could not decipher I day dreamed about a post... THE WAY OF THE PEACEFUL CYCLIST as I recalled my post from a few weeks back about a ride on this stretch of road where I hammered at a good pace out to Great Falls on the Maryland side and back
as I turned up Seven Locks I debated about the wooded trails to my right but figured I could dip into the woods on the left before River Road when I got to the short section of trail along side of River Road before the light I could not find the trailhead nothing by honey suckle well... honey suckle, poison ivy, and thorny branches of assorted varieties so I got on the shoulder and rode the final half mile of road before the trailhead of the Cabin John trails on River Road warmed up and ready to ride I dipped into the woods the body felt good the bike felt okay the brakes have never been that great on this bike hard to go super fast when the braking is a sluggish and slow
but these trails are not designed for an excess of speed the sight lines are short lots of twists and turns between overgrown vines and tight trees hikers and dog walkers are common on these suburban trails in the woods
the trail is well worn wider and more beaten than the last time I had ridden here most of my approaches to the Cabin John trails are at night with lights the area is not that asctetic or that technical and the night ride decreases the risk of collidiing with a dog or a dog walker the Cabin John trails involve a linkage of patches of woods with requisite street crossing it is what it is I live in Washington DC.... not California this area of Potomac Maryland is suburban DC the builders and designers have done well squeezing in as much development as they can around here
a photo from the cover of the Washington Post in 1985 a snow day dc and the surrounding area no school so we went sledding at Battery Kimble Park woke up the next day to this image on the front page of the Washington Post
this post is to remind me to get a printed copy of that full page mounted, framed, and hung on the wall
someone said they wanted to see a photo of me from high school well... there is a photo of me from high school hanging out with some friends
this photo was taken after we launched this trusty old tobogan off a jump at speed
snow days... better than a planned vacation day! as these days call out to spontaneous adventure
not many snow days these days not even in the winter
the commuter could mix their modes of transport in the DC area to cover more ground more quickly
their daily commute would start on the bicycle they could get to their stop which may not be the closest stop but... more distance can be traveled on bike than on foot in the same amount of time
then get a ride on the bus which does not stop at every stop then get dropped not at the stop which is most close to their place of work finishing their trip on their bicycle but arriving there more quickly because the bus was Express rather than Local (LOCO!) also more rapid because of the use of the bicycle rather than walking
the use of DC Smart Bikes may also become part of the DC Commuter of the Future!
the legs felt tired all day today not sure why... as there was no prework walk, run, or ride
well... I walked the dog and rode to work but the durations of both events are too short to measure which is funny because the duration of my standard ride or standard hike are shorter than most riders or hikers would consider a real ride or a real hike
after the work the legs felt tired maybe it was not my legs maybe my soul is tired either way.... I did not feel like going for a ride feeling less than inspired I broke free of my trajectory I was on my geared karate monkey headed down Pennsylvania Avenue in southeast headed towards Fort Dupont/Fort Circle right across the bridge was not looking to do much more than get the tires on dirt but then I decided not
there was not a mess of excuses there was not much argument there was no fight from either end I just turned around at the bridge by the old Congressional Cemetary
instead I pushed the pedals at a casual pace towards home the camera dangled around my neck I pushed the shutter to distract myself from the fact that I was not riding when I could be riding
the camera offered a process the battery needs to be charge so I had to try and time my shot there had to be some anticipation of the approaching bicycle this old digital camera is slow to wake up and there is no turning off the display splash screen many shots are missed while the splash screen loads and no if can not be turned off
the camera showed a dramatic delay due to low power this camera is old school but good for its time that time is not now so there is some digital delay many shots are missed due to digital delay
got home before lisa got home from picking up the boys not sure... maybe they went to the park
I walked the dog then joined up with the family the walk was also short due to lack of energy and lack of ambition the boys were all over the place the home made none lighting up light sabers made of pink and black tape on cardboard tubes are still high in the rotation
the night is still not over this blog post was spit out as the boys threw down some mint chocolate chip ice cream out on the back porch while staring through the gap in the trees I asked if they saw any bats they told me it is still not dark enough for the bats to come out to eat
when dean comes back upstairs after taking down the dishes he needs to brush his teeth after both the boys brush their teeth I think we are going to play some chess
I wonder... I wonder how the masses felt about the Boston Tea Party when it happened I wonder I wonder who were in support and who thought that this was misrepresentation of the cause
I guess I could Wiki it and answer my question
Critical Mass is something that I do not fully agree withyet I respect it it does not entirely represent me or my ideas the Critical Mass represents the ideas of the Critical Mass I guess I am thankful of the gains achieved by the actions of Critical Mass but do not enjoy the backlash that I get from Critical Mass
sadly... if the people do not stand up against the actions around them that are wrong then those committing the wrong actions may feel as if they are right thus enabling them I do not feel that one car represents all cars so I would figure that car drivers would not think that one cyclist represents all cyclists
the war between the bicycle and the car needs to be discussed the disputes need to be resolved
who would think that one person would represent the full group? who would think that a sub group would represent the whole?
perhaps not suitable for work no... that is not the vagina bicycle taxi that is a painting by Georgia O'Keefe I was not ready to post the image of the Vagina Bicycle Taxi
Jeff Peel mocking my religion maybe next time I go out I will get a water bottle, put black Xes on my hands, and make fun of Straight Edge people which I think is done by walking around like I have a stick in my ass
moderation which I think is half an X on each hand