Ride In 10/26

As is sometimes my habit, I am wearing a necktie today and I think that it's halting the flow of blood to my brain since I had completely forgotten that I had yet to write this morning's post. Yes, as of today, I am still writing all my own posts since I have neither finished inventing the TFTS blog post generator (I type in the weather my general route, the computer complains about BMWs and light sequencing) nor have I gotten around to hiring a TFTS intern, who would ferry me to worry on a bike rickshaw and shout out his/her observations as I pithily reply "Irreverenter!" between sips of some foamy coffee drink. Until I find either a technological or human resource "game changer," it looks like you're stuck with me. Or you could always read one of the many other fine blogs I've listed on the blogroll on the side of the main page. Because they're quite excellent, individually and collectively.
Sometimes you just end up in awkward traffic "no no zones" and the only thing you can do is just ride out of them and apologize for turning from the wrong lane. I mean, that's the only thing you can do after you've screwed up and put yourself in the "no no zone." You should first try to avoid them, but misjudgement and bad luck can get you. Not a big deal.
I ride the Senate side of the Capitol, past the parked cars. In order to do so, you have to ride a little on the sidewalk by the Visitor's Center. So far, no complaints (either from me or from security).
I try not to pass another bicyclist on Pennsylvania Avenue unless I know that I'm going to make it through the next green light. It's quite awkward to pull around someone only to stop like 5 seconds later at the next light. It might even promote shoaling. And for the record, passing someone on a bicycle isn't a referendum on objective speed- commuting isn't a race. It's more just an indication that in the particular moment one bicyclist elects to travel faster than the other. One shouldn't feel obligated to hold off challengers in the name of preserving your "I bike fast real good" honor.
Legs didn't feel good at all riding up the gentle incline by the Treasury. I was worried at that point that it was going to be something of unpleasant commute, but it sorted itself out as most things do over the course of a ride. Perhaps I was psychically abetted by the continued absence of caution tape on the new repaired security bollards. I approached cautiously and made a point of asking the guards if I could ride through, to which they assented. I don't know if this politeness can/will in any way forestall its reappearance, but one can hope. It's not that the lack of tape allows bicyclists to travel through any faster (the gap is narrow and requires you to slow down a lot), but it separates us from pedestrians which is very welcome, both to them and bicyclists. I'd bake the guards cookies if that would keep the tape away, but I don't think they'd willingly take baked good from a stranger since they might be laced with some sort of knockout gas, allowing the Penguin to foist his dastardly plan upon the White House. My Penguin is, and always will be, Burgess Meredith.
Don't be a moron on 15th Street. Follow the pedestrians signals like the one-a-block signs say. If you get hooked, it's going to be bad.
Bern helmets are everywhere. Everywhere. Thoughts?
Still an unfortunate lack of churros on Massachusetts, but an otherwise nice ride. I guess I don't say it enough, but it's nice to arrive at work not feeling miserable or beaten down, the way I would feel when I took Metro or drove. For me, biking to work just works and I'm glad that I get to do it.