I really like not having to change before leaving in the afternoon, especially when we're allowed to head home early. I suppose there's nothing to stop me from doing this on most days, even those when I wear bike clothes for the morning commute, but it seems somewhat silly to wear bike clothes only one way.
I guess I wasn't the only one starting the weekend early. Roads were crowded, though not very many bicyclists.
I'm amazed at the capacity drivers have to wait in traffic. I don't think think I could do it. Please read the preceding two sentences as un-smugly as possible. It just seems all kinds of horrible.
No great way to get from 34th to M to Key Bridge. If you ride on the sidewalk, you're likely to run into a pedestrian or a bicyclist pushing their bike (seen 4 in the past two days) and then have to wait for the crosswalk at 35th, which is typically 45 seconds later than the left turn green from M to the bridge. If you ride on the street, you need to be super, super careful merging in with the right turning traffic from 34th since drivers are, what we like to call, entirely ambivalent to your safety as they merge together and fight (not literally) each other for limited space. I almost got stuck by a white van as its driver ignored me in order to cut off of pick up truck hauling a trailer. It was like that seen in any number of Pixar movies in which small things need to get by various obstacles in a world of big things. (I should really get a degree in media studies.) My suggestion is to ride in the right traffic lane and then move into the go straight lane (towards Canal) and then turn left onto the sidewalk before the slipway. For the approximately 8 cyclists this suggestion might help, you're welcome.
For the multipl-eth time this week, another Tim sighting, this time before Ray's. From know on, if you're spotted by TFTS more than once in a week, I'm calling it a "TK," an honor that I expect to be receiving a cease and desist letter about from Bike Arlington's lawyer's shortly. Speaking of Bike Arlington, I can drop some "breaking news" on you concerning their "merch." So, maybe you've got one of their water bottles. I do. Maybe you've got one of their awesome bike bags. I have 4. But, have you ever wanted to purchase a Bike Arlington cycling jersey? Well, soon you'll be able to through an exclusive partnership with Revolution Cycles. On this very blog, they've been described as "resplendent" and "azure" and now they can be described as "shortly available for purchase in limited quantities, but in a wide variety of sizes both for men and women." If you live in Arlington, as I sort of do for the next week or so, then it's your civic duty to purchase one or many and wear it sometimes or constantly. More details to be released by Bike Arlington in the coming weeks.
Other than that useful nugget, Tim and I talked usless/ not useless sharrows, Conte's rides (last one plus bbq next Tuesday), blocked bike lanes. and all the other stuff worth talking about. At one point, some iPod-ed superbiker almost ran into Tim, which I met with some lame riposte about his "really wanting to get close the bicyclists of Arlington County, but this is ridiculous." I met has well been met with a tumbling duck. We also talked about this whole saga and how the County is addressing/has addressed it. Conflicting markings (painted stop markings on the pavement and a green light/walk signal) are stupid and don't really work for anyone (bicyclists, motorists, pedestrians) and really should be addressed as expeditiously as possible.
That's pretty much all I've got. Have a great weekend.
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