Bicycle Fun Club: President’s Day Ride

[Emm]

Seriously awesome ride–thank you Judd for taking the time and effort to plan out such a fun ride with great and interesting pieces of information, and Komerebi for doing a great job making sure no one got left behind. Between banana pancakes, starbucks, and fun history, it was sooo much fun!

The weather was also just amazing. I am totally sunburned now though, which is NOT something I expected to happen in February!

[bobco85]

I had a fun time on the President’s Day Ride (thanks, Judd & komorebi), but I noticed that we didn’t see any plaque or marker indicating the specific parking space where Deep Throat met with the reporter. So, I decided to look into it, and it turns out that we went into the “A” section of the garage whereas we should have gone into the “D” section (the parking space is 32D) which was the 2nd entrance past the one we entered!

Since the garage is set to be torn down this spring, here’s a visual set of directions to help y’all get to it. FYI, I encountered no pushback/issues from any security/parking attendants while biking into the garage.

(top) from Nash St, look for the D on the side of the building and use that entrance; (bottom) go straight past the gate and down the first ramp
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(top) at the bottom of the first ramp, turn left; (bottom) the parking space will be all the way back
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the 32D “Deep Throat” space is on the left at this end of the garage; note the stairwell next to the space where “Deep Throat” made his exit
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(left) the only official-looking marker at the actual parking space; (right) standing in the space with the stairwell exit behind me
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[Judd]

Thanks for posting the pictures Bobco. I’m going to try to make a trip to see it before the garage gets torn down.

[Judd]

Here’s my notes from the Bicycle Fun Club President’s Day Ride:

Bicycle Fun Club – President’s Day Ride
Start:
Starbucks
1501 17th St N, Arlington VA

Deepthroat Garage
1401 Wilson Blvd
Space 32D
Mark Felt – #2 at the FBI leaked information to Washington Post Report Bob Woodward about the break-in of the DNC Headquarters at the Watergate Hotel
Felt was referred to as “Deep Throat” a name gleaned from a pornographic movie
Mark Felt would later be indicted for authorizing warrantless searches of the Weather Underground. He was granted a pardon by Gerald Ford.

Theodore Roosevelt Island
Currently does not allow bikes
Georgetown 15 year action plan includes a ped/bike bridge connecting north of the island
Once owned by George Mason IV – delegate to the Constitutional Convention and one of the proponents of the Bill of Rights
Lincoln’s emancipation of all slavea in DC on April 16, 1862 led to increase of African American fugitive slaves in DC
1st United States Colored Troops formed and encamped on island
Walt Whitman visited the island on July 11, 1863 to visit the USCT
Changed hands multiple times before being bought in 1931 by the Roosevelt Memorial Association

Theodore Roosevelt – 26th President – 1901 to 1909
25th Vice President – became youngest president at 42 after McKinley was assassinated
Square Deal – Use of Sherman Anti-Trust and pure food regulations
Conservationist – Established the Forest Service, created 5 National parks, 51 bird reserves, four games preserves and 150 National Forests – placed over 230 million acres under national protection
Teddy Bear – spared life of bear tied to a tree in 1908 – and a toy maker used the story to sell the Teddy Bear, although TR hated being called Teddy
William Taft tried to popularize the “Billy Possum”
Assassination attempt on October 14, 1912 – bullet hit glasses case and lodged in chest muscle wallgave 90 minute speech starting with, “Ladies and gentlemen, I don’t know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot, but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.”

Watergate Stairs
Intended as a dock for visiting dignitaries and politicians
40 steps
Hosted concerts from 1935-1965
Cancelled because of jet noise

John F. Kennedy Center
May 29, 2017 is 100th Anniversary of Kennedy’s Birth
Kennedy and William Howard Taft are the only two president’s buried at Arlington
Assassinated on Nov. 22, 1963 in Dallas, TX
A 2013 Gallup Poll showed 61% of Americans believe assassination was a conspiracy
Navy Veteran – SEALS were formed under his presidency in 1961

Watergate Hotel
2nd break in – 1st break in successfully install a wire tap on a phone
June 17, 1972 security guard noticed tape on several door lock
5 men caught inside. Cash on them tied to Committee to Re-elect the President
Nixon tried to cover up and use squash the investigation including wiretapping 5 journalists phones and requesting a tax audit of the editor of Newsday
During investigation it was discovered Nixon was recording conversations in White House
Supreme Court decision required release of tapes
Nixon resigned on August 8, 1974
Gerald Ford pardoned him on September 8, 1974

Andrew Jackson
7th President of the United States – succeeding John Quincy Adams
One of three original founders of Memphis, TN
War hero in the Battle New Orleans in the War of 1812
Face on the $20 bill
Received the majority of popular vote in 1824 election against three other candidates, but John Quincy elected in a “corrupt bargain” in Adams was president and Henry Clay became Secretary of State
Foreshadowing of Civil War – SC threatened secession over tariffs. Tariff modified and Jackson threatened military force – known as the Nullification Crisis
Jackson’s supporters formed the Democratic Party – Jackson’s opponents referred to him as a jackass which is why the donkey is the symbol of the Democratic Party
Indian Removal Act – Removed Choctaw, Creek, Chickasaw, Seminole and Cherokee. Also Chippewa, Ottawa and Potawotami
First President who was nearly assassinated – but assassins guns both misfired
Redhead with piercing blue eyes

Trump Hotel – nation’s 45th president
Old Post Office building built between 1892 and 1899 in “Murder Bay”
Post Office moved out in 1914 to larger building
Served as a mall in the 1980s – Several periods of disrepair
Trump has 60 Year Lease with 40 Year Option – ~$200 million renovation
Suit filed in January alleging violation of enoulments clause – Trump receiving payment from foreigners – Trump placing assets in trust controlled by kids
Trump renovated Wollman Rink in NYC – City spent $13 million and 6 years – Trump completed in 4 months for 2.25 million

FDR Memorial – 9th & Penn – National Archives
32nd President – succeeded Herbert Hoover
Nephew of Theodore Roosevelt
FDR had several affairs and he and Eleanor lived apart much of his presidency
Stricken with polio in 1921 – left with paralysis – hid from public
Founded March of Dimes in 1938 – featured on the dime
Social Security Administration, Civilian Conservation Corps, Works Progress Administration, Securities and Exchange Commission, Tennessee Valley Authority, FDIC, Agricultural Adjustment Administration
Expansion of National Parks System
Elected 4 times
Controversy over depiction in a wheel chair at the FDR Memorial
Truman unaware of nuclear program when FDR dies of cerebeal hemmorhage in 1945

Mary Surratt Boarding House – 604 H St. NW
Boarding House – now a Wok and Roll
Man who attempted to assassinate Secretary of State Seward found at house
Conspiracy was hatched at this location
Surratt was hanged as a conspirator

Ulysses S Grant
18th President starting in 1869
Real name is Hiram Ulysses Grant – Name accidentally written as Ulysses S. Grant when attending West Point
Founded the Civil Service Commission, the first attempt to end the spoils system of patronage
Lived in Galena, IL
Led south through Reconstruction – defender of Civil Rights
Presided in Gilded Age – a time of rapid industrialization

Garfield Circle
James Garfield – 20th President
Served March 4, 1881 to September 19, 1881
Proposed Pendleton Civil Service Reform Act – established a merit based civil service system
Made illegal to fire or demote government officials for political reasons and prohibited soliciting campaign donations on fed property
Created United States Civil Service Commission
Shot in July 1881 by Charles Guiteau who believed Garfield owed him a patronage position

Titanic Memorial
Unveiled by Helen Herron Taft in 1931
Taft was President at the time of the Titanic’s sinking in 1912
Design chosen in a competition of female artists
Design chosen in 1914 but it took nearly 20 years to raise funds
Originally was placed in Rock Creek Park but was moved in 1966 to make way for the Kennedy Center

Jefferson Memorial
Lewis & Clark expedition left from Wood River Illinois

LBJ Memorial Grove
36th President – November 22, 1963 to January 20, 1969
Civil Rights Act of 1964
Voting Rights Act
Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965 – ended racial quotas in favor of national quotas
Doubled education spending
Established National Enwowment for the Humanities and National Endowment for the Arts
Medicare and Medicaid
Head Start, food stamps and work study
Escalated war in Vietnam
Known for giving the “Johnson Treatment”

Ronald Reagan National Airport
40th President – 1981-1989 – nearly 70 years old when entering office
Born in Tampico, IL
Nicknamed “The Gipper” because of a 1940 movie role as George, “The Gipper” Gipp
Served as President of Screen Actors Guild
Governor of California
Assassination attempt on March 30, 1981 just 69 days into presidency – First U.S. President to survive being shot
James Brady, press secretary from Centralia, IL also shot
War on Drugs
Cold War and Nuclear Disarmament – “Tear Down That Wall”
Passed in 2004 from pneumonia and complications of alzheimers

Dairy Godmother
The Obama Chair
Obama had a vanilla custard with hot fudge and almonds
44th President – 2009 to 2017
Barack Hussein Obama II
Born in Hawaii, lived in Indonesia for four years, raised mainly by maternal grandparents
Graduated Harvard Law
From the Great State of Illinois

Jones Point Lighthouse
Built in 1855
Lighthouse discontinued in 1926 and replaced by small tower nearby
Revenue Act allowed Washington to select place
Wanted to include as much of Alexandria as possible
Benjamin Banneker was part of survey team led by Marjor Andrew Ellicott
Washington was a redhead – powdered his hair

[Judd]

Funoteers,

I solicited feedback in person for those remaining at the end of the BFC President’s Day Ride, but I’m interested in additional feedback to make future rides better (I’m trying to organize something at least monthly). I welcome honest and critical feedback. My own perception is that the stops and ride took much longer than I thought they would. I also didn’t plan for bathroom/snack breaks (Komorebi usually keeps me in line on this, but I didn’t let her get involved in the route planning this time) I thought we did a pretty good job of keeping a group of 30 riders together in city traffic.

What did you like best?

What did you like least or think could be improved?

Would you recommend this ride to a friend?

[AlanA]

@Judd 155665 wrote:

Funoteers,

I solicited feedback in person for those remaining at the end of the BFC President’s Day Ride, but I’m interested in additional feedback to make future rides better (I’m trying to organize something at least monthly). I welcome honest and critical feedback. My own perception is that the stops and ride took much longer than I thought they would. I also didn’t plan for bathroom/snack breaks (Komorebi usually keeps me in line on this, but I didn’t let her get involved in the route planning this time) I thought we did a pretty good job of keeping a group of 30 riders together in city traffic.

What did you like best?

What did you like least or think could be improved?

Would you recommend this ride to a friend?

I enjoyed this a lot, but I had planned on the ride taking two hours. And considering that I only made it through about half of the ride in two hours, makes it really hard for some people to make plans. Two hours without a bathroom break is pushing it, but 3-4 hours is really crazy!!

Don’t forget that a few people actually do other things than ride a bike (lol, although I’m not one of them). I had just made other plans based upon the two hour ride description. And I’m also not set up to ride 24 hours a day through night and day like many of you are.

For the part I was on, you guys were extremely organized and kept everyone safe. In that regard, it was great.

I would really like to do something like this on a monthly basis. But from my perspective, I think that a 2-3 hour time limit might work a bit better for some of us. I’m not sure how many people stayed for the entire ride, so if it was all but me, then I guess this is a moot point.

[Sunyata]

Overall, it was a blast. And I would highly recommend it to friends and would do it again.

It is good to remember that things ALWAYS take longer than you expect them to take. So when I plan rides, I plan with some cushion time to account for things like slower riders, taking longer at a stop than anticipated, mechanicals, extra snack breaks, etc. (Granted, most of the rides I plan/lead are either MTB rides, gravel training rides, or beer rides… so YMMV.) For larger groups of mixed ability riders, I tend to plan for an average speed of 10-12 mph on pavement, 9-10 mph on gravel, and 5-6 mph on dirt, if that helps.

I think fun rides like this with multiple stops should aim to be between 3-4 hours with a couple of potty breaks and one snack break. Any longer and you will need to stop for an actual meal for most people, which, depending on the group can be fun.

[Emm]

Overall, tons of fun. I agree with the other posters–plan for a bathroom break every 90 min-2 hrs, and snack breaks at around those points too. I think the C&O ride we did in the fall captured this idea well. Start at breakfast, bike awhile, snacks/bathrooms/break, bike awhile, lunch!

It also might not be a bad idea to limit rides through the city and on crowded trails to a certain number of people during the warmer months of the year. It worked out fine having a big group this time because you planned the ride to mostly be off trail and during a time of year not too many people are out, but I can see a group as large and slow as ours was getting a pretty nasty reactions from other trail users, since it’s tough to pass such a massive crowd (or be passed by one).

[SarahBee]

@Judd- so word on the street is that top gun, possibly the best movie ever made, will be playing in digtital awesomeness on IMAX at air & space. I have a limited # of staff discount tix, but I would love to do a BFC ride that has some airline fun- DCA, AF memorial, etc. that ends in possibly the best Navy recruitment film ever made. If I can confirm the film time can we/you plan an epic airplane themed BFC ride? Let me know… am happy to bring out some “some stops” depending on level of interest.

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[SarahBee]

@Judd 154040 wrote:

Are you getting amped for the President’s Day Ride yet? The date and time have been set.

Date: Monday, February 20th
Time: Gather starting at 10:30 and ride at 11:00
Place: Starbucks at 1501 17th St N – https://goo.gl/maps/Ex7BZDauwfw

How is Rosslyn tied to the resignation of a U.S. President? You’ll find out at our first stop!

I loved the ride and every second of it- sorry I had to bail out early. Re: bathroom breaks etc. for a ride in downtown D.C., feel free to rely/ask the BAFS network for suggested/proposed bathroom/snack stop break. With some advance planning I could have stuff staged at a few museums/my office to help facilitate. I know I’m not the only one happy to help… Overall amazing ride & thanks so much for all your work & for the lovely Komkrebi sweeper. Vote next ride is that we strap a mini broom to her handlebars

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[Judd]

sarahbee;155691 wrote:

@judd- so word on the street is that top gun, possibly the best movie ever made, will be playing in digtital awesomeness on imax at air & space. I have a limited # of staff discount tix, but i would love to do a bfc ride that has some airline fun- dca, af memorial, etc. That ends in possibly the best navy recruitment film ever made. If i can confirm the film time can we/you plan an epic airplane themed bfc ride? Let me know… Am happy to bring out some “some stops” depending on level of interest.

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yeessssss!

[chuxtr]

Bathroom breaks? Snack breaks?? Really??? Do it like the pros … pee and eat on the fly! HTFU!

I’d post a video but would be NSFW and maybe just unsuitable period.

[Steve O]

@Sunyata 155680 wrote:

I think fun rides like this with multiple stops should aim to be between 3-4 hours with a couple of potty breaks and one snack break. Any longer and you will need to stop for an actual meal for most people, which, depending on the group can be fun.

Allow me to recommend Midnight Saddles rides. We typically take 90-120 minutes to do the ride, followed by a delicious middle of the night meal, followed by a shorter ride home. What’s not to love?
Midnight Saddles rides typically occur during the warmer seasons. Keep an eye on the Midnight Saddles thread and the Official-ish calendar.

[Sunyata]

@Steve O 155710 wrote:

Allow me to recommend Midnight Saddles rides. We typically take 90-120 minutes to do the ride, followed by a delicious middle of the night meal, followed by a shorter ride home. What’s not to love?
Midnight Saddles rides typically occur during the warmer seasons. Keep an eye on the Midnight Saddles thread and the Official-ish calendar.

Maybe if someone would stop scheduling them the day before a big race… :p

Seriously, though. I REALLY want to get out and do one of these this year. Hopefully our schedules will mesh nicely one of these months!

[SarahBee]

Hey everyone, top gun is confirmed for air & space on the mall this Sunday March 5 at 5:15 showtime. Was thinking about starting the fun ride around 2pm starting at the Washington monument. Judd & Josephine – do you guys want to collaborate on a route with me since you two are the founding members of BFC?

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[Author]

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