My Evening Commute

[ginacico]

Left work late, and was dreading the ride given rumors of the crowds and crazies starting to assemble in DC. My route goes past hotspots like Farragut Square, Lafayette Park, and the White House, then crosses the Mall. Two things happened that made it far more pleasant than expected.

First, as I’m coasting down the sidewalk past the Ellipse, I came up on a large crowd of young people walking ahead of me. I didn’t say anything or ring a bell, pretty much stuck and content to wait for the right moment to pass. They noticed me, and someone actually started yelling “MOVE LEFT”. Magically, the whole group stepped aside and gave me just enough space to zip by, thanking them profusely. Not all tourists are impolite or oblivious, whoddathunk?!

Then, waiting for the light to cross Constitution Ave, a guy walked up next to me. He commented on the opera singer who sings near the White House, and we agreed on her astounding level of talent. Of all things he could have noticed about DC or wanted to talk about with a stranger, he chose a thing of beauty.

The rest of the ride was just calm and enjoyable. I’m not commuting anymore this week, but as a last ride through town it was great.

[Tania]

Way more pleasant (and fun) than I’d anticipated.

Was #205 on monolith and only saw one other cyclist.

[DrP]

First commute home from my new job. Glad that the sun is setting after five so that I could do the first bit, which I tried once in December, while it was light out. I was on 4MRT and W&OD by the time it was getting dark enough to need some light.

The parts of the commute through Ballston for my trip to the gym were not as pleasant as all the people who think the bike lane is for parking were out. Also those who do not look in the bike lane before making a right turn. Sure as I yelled at him he noticed, but then he decided to just stop and luckily I did too or would have ended up in his hatchback. So, stopping short in the bike lane was supposed to be helpful to whom, exactly?

[Crickey7]

Looking a bit rough for the W&OD set tonight.

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[Rockford10]

@Crickey7 153607 wrote:

Looking a bit rough for the W&OD set tonight.

Depends on which way you are going.

[huskerdont]

You’re taunting the westward-bound and 20 mph is all you got? You should have waited until Feb or March when there will likely be some real winds.

[Tania]

@huskerdont 153611 wrote:

You’re taunting the westward-bound and 20 mph is all you got? You should have waited until Feb or March when there will likely be some real winds.

Seriously. A 20mph headwind is normal.

[dasgeh]

@Crickey7 153607 wrote:

the W&OD set tonight.

I had a meeting out there last night during the evening commute, and I confess I didn’t appreciate how many were in the W&OD set. It was CRAZY. And there were some great light set-ups.

[jrenaut]

Posting from the middle of the river after I was blown off the 14th Street Bridge. My pannier is a nice flotation device and my phone is surprisingly water-proof.

These miles floating count for Freezing Saddles, right?

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[Tania]

@jrenaut 153646 wrote:

Posting from the middle of the river after I was blown off the 14th Street Bridge. My pannier is a nice flotation device and my phone is surprisingly water-proof.

These miles floating count for Freezing Saddles, right?

…starts rethinking taking TR bridge home…

[DanB]

Crossing the Roosevelt Bridge was touch-and-go. I mean, I think my tires actually lifted off the pavement.

Sent from my SM-G900T using Tapatalk

[dbb]

@jrenaut 153646 wrote:

These miles floating count for Freezing Saddles, right?

Only if you are on Team Slacker!

[jrenaut]

@dbb 153658 wrote:

Only if you are on Team Slacker!

I’ll never be a slacker

[OneEighth]

I was definitely not in Kansas anymore by the time I got across the 14th Street Bridge.

[cvcalhoun]

My evening commute would have been a lot nicer if it hadn’t started by discovering that someone had stolen my jacket, my Bar Mitts, my gloves, my headlight, and my Garmin –just in time for a ride in the dark, the cold, and the wind. The good news, such as it is, for tonight’s ride, was that they left my heavy wool sweater, I have a Cycliq Fly 12 video camera and headlight (which I’d taken up to my office for a master reset and a charge, because it had been acting up) in addition to my regular headlight, and I have a watch which is also a Garmin. Longer term, the best news was that they left behind my Cycliq Fly 6 video camera and tail light, and my Ortlieb panniers, either of which was actually more valuable than the Bar Mitts.

I think I’ll be taking my bike up to my office, instead of leaving it parked in the garage, until my firm moves to a new building which will have a bike cage.

[Author]

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