Btwd 2023

[lordofthemark]

Looks like they went with a new shirt vendor this year based on the individually wrapped shirts. There was a shirt-tastrophe last year. The shirts didn't arrive until 2 days before and there was a mad rush to get them sorted for distribution and pretty much every pit stop got shorted on shirts.

This not the place for a discussion of single use plastics, is it

Despite some trepidation, BTWD went well for me this year. I got to emcee at Market Square, the first time I have been an emcee for anything, I believe. (Thanks to the BPAC volunteers at Market Square and also at Carlyle and Del Ray). Got to chat with a lot of people. Never spent so much time at ONE pit stop before.

And I still got to catch up with "the crowd" at New District for the Henry Dunbar retirement party, including some people I hadn't seen in some time.

[Henry]

Feel free to drop any comments about BTWD here, including the single plastic wraps on the shirts. Last year's cluster (shorting the entire order) was replaced with a new cluster (small sizing, shrinking shirts, wasteful plastic) and we will share with the overlords at MWCOG.

And the 2014 Boat to Work was indeed fun times, when I found myself in thigh-deep water under the West Glebe Bridge on FMR Trail. Was in the pre-dawn darkness with fogged-up glasses and couldn't make out that the smooth gray surface in front of me was not concrete but dirty water being held back by the retaining wall.

Henry

[Judd]

Feel free to drop any comments about BTWD here, including the single plastic wraps on the shirts. Last year's cluster (shorting the entire order) was replaced with a new cluster (small sizing, shrinking shirts, wasteful plastic) and we will share with the overlords at MWCOG.

And the 2014 Boat to Work was indeed fun times, when I found myself in thigh-deep water under the West Glebe Bridge on FMR Trail. Was in the pre-dawn darkness with fogged-up glasses and couldn't make out that the smooth gray surface in front of me was not concrete but dirty water being held back by the retaining wall.

Henry

Please share that the Rosslyn Pit Stop had the greatest coordinator of all time.


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[jrenaut]

Rather than listing the pit stops in order, I would have featured the big ones (Rosslyn, Franklin Sq, etc). And I would have put in big letters that Freedom Plaza isn't the big stop any more. Had a chat with a cyclist in the PA Ave cycletrack who had been looking for it and was confused. Luckily I passed another stop and one of the volunteers there sent me to the right place, just in time to hear DDOT Dir Lott pretend he knows what a bike is

[arlcxrider]

I stopped by the Ballston location. No complaints, and the perfect location for me. Well organized and lots of friendly volunteers.

I like the t-shirt. As for "running small," out of the bag the size "small" hangs on me like a circus tent. I usually wear small "race fit" jerseys. I haven't put it through the wash yet.

Having dealt with team kit and sizing, it can be a huge PITA due to inconsistent sizing across vendors.

[lordofthemark]

Rather than listing the pit stops in order, I would have featured the big ones (Rosslyn, Franklin Sq, etc). And I would have put in big letters that Freedom Plaza isn't the big stop any more. Had a chat with a cyclist in the PA Ave cycletrack who had been looking for it and was confused. Luckily I passed another stop and one of the volunteers there sent me to the right place, just in time to hear DDOT Dir Lott pretend he knows what a bike is

To be fair the hierarchy of stops has been kind of unstable as we (emerge? kind of emerge? think we have emerged? I'm not touching that one) from he pandemic. Market Square was in the past the big one in Alexandria, last year there was no pitstop at Market Square and Carlyle was the big one. As noted, this year Market Square was back - it seemed big to me (I have never done Freedom Plaza, and have only done Rosslyn once, last year) but Carlyle may still have been busier.

[LhasaCM]

To be fair the hierarchy of stops has been kind of unstable as we (emerge? kind of emerge? think we have emerged? I'm not touching that one) from he pandemic. Market Square was in the past the big one in Alexandria, last year there was no pitstop at Market Square and Carlyle was the big one. As noted, this year Market Square was back - it seemed big to me (I have never done Freedom Plaza, and have only done Rosslyn once, last year) but Carlyle may still have been busier.

I think the Freedom Plaza vs. Franklin Square change is more a function of the city's investment in the renovated park, as opposed to anything else about the times.

This year was a weird BTWD day for me; did not make it out to anything in the morning, but convoyed from the Wilson Building to metrobar with CM Parker's staff for the PM pit stop there. metrobar itself was great as always, but the BTWD-ness of it was very underwhelming (they had t-shirts, some regional bike maps...and that's it). Since I'm expecting next year to be in the same home/work/school situation, I'll need to make more of an effort to get out in the morning (and not plan an 8:30 meeting with the lawyers)

[jrenaut]

To be fair the hierarchy of stops has been kind of unstable as we (emerge? kind of emerge? think we have emerged? I'm not touching that one) from he pandemic. Market Square was in the past the big one in Alexandria, last year there was no pitstop at Market Square and Carlyle was the big one. As noted, this year Market Square was back - it seemed big to me (I have never done Freedom Plaza, and have only done Rosslyn once, last year) but Carlyle may still have been busier.

I'ts not so much size/attendance. The Freedom Plaza -> Franklin Square stops have the VIPs come out and talk about how great cycling is (as they allow construction to destroy cycletracks all over the city). It's meant to be the premier stop in DC. I can't speak to the Alexandria ones, I've never ventured further from DC than Rosslyn for BTWD.

[chris_s]

Feel free to drop any comments about BTWD here, including the single plastic wraps on the shirts. Last year's cluster (shorting the entire order) was replaced with a new cluster (small sizing, shrinking shirts, wasteful plastic) and we will share with the overlords at MWCOG.

I think BTWD really needs a re-work for next year in the facing of our changing transportation landscape:
- Rename it to Bike to Anywhere Day or Ride Your Bike Day or something. The 9-5 commute paradigm is broken.
- Move it off of Friday, the day of least in-person office attendance.

[lordofthemark]

I'ts not so much size/attendance. The Freedom Plaza -> Franklin Square stops have the VIPs come out and talk about how great cycling is (as they allow construction to destroy cycletracks all over the city). It's meant to be the premier stop in DC. I can't speak to the Alexandria ones, I've never ventured further from DC than Rosslyn for BTWD.

Folks in DC and Arlington "Our PBLs are often out of commission due to construction"

Folks in Alexandria and Fairfax "Wait, you have PBLs?"