[Rockford10]

Hi – I’m Kathleen. It’s my third year of participating in Freezing Saddles and I’m super excited!! Anyway, I commute from Falls Church to Tysons through Vienna most days. This week has been a bit of a work disaster for riding and happy houring, but I’ve been getting my mile(s) in everyday. You can find me at Mike’s Deli most Mondays (Pancakes! Cheap coffee!) and I used to drink a lot of beer. Fun fact: I’m part of Team D-Rock.

[Rockford10]

@Sunyata 151634 wrote:

… (13 breweries!) …

13 Breweries in one ride, or even one day is a lot. I may have some experience in this. There are others that may have the same experiences.

[Rockford10]

My best winter tip is to moisturize! I found a layer of regular moisturizing cream on the arms and legs adds another (little) layer of warmth. A swipe of aquaphor on the face eliminates a face mask or balaclava for me 99% of the time. Even yesterday in the rain, whatever I got on my face didn’t bother me.

[Rockford10]

Scene opens: W&OD Trail, just west of Cedar Lane, Vienna.
Weather: low twenties, sunny.

Our protagonist appears on the scene. She is cold, but generally comfortable, cycling west into work with pigtails in the December morning. She spies a bike being walked. It’s a CaBi. She knows the nearest CaBi station is quite far. She slows, “You need help?”

A man wearing flip flops, shorts and a hoodie answers with a slight Australian accent, “No, I’m good.”

She continues the ride into work and contemplates the existential nature of life and how eventually she can’t feel her toes. Were they ever there?

Curtain falls.

[Rockford10]

@slowtriguy 150612 wrote:

Me: riding southbound in the right side of the left-hand lane on West St. in Falls Church, approaching Broad

You: Driver of a dark SUV, pulling out of the left-hand lane and driving SB in the in the right-hand lane

Me: Going straight legally at the green light to cross Broad

You: Going straight ILLEGALLY at the green light to cross Broad, from a lane clearly marked RIGHT TURN ONLY

Please don’t do that. Call me unreasonable, but I generally dislike nearly getting hit from behind by someone too impatient to stay in the proper lane.

This is why I totally take the center of the (left hand) lane and don’t let people go around there. I usually make the first left after Broad St., right after the Taco Hell, and have been passed on the right too many times!

[Rockford10]

@bentbike33 149283 wrote:

I don’t remember one at Cedar Lane last time I went through. I thought they just finished installing one at Buckthorn Lane.

There is one a few yards West of Cedar Lane. I think it’s pretty new.

[Rockford10]

@Harry Meatmotor 147159 wrote:

had to LOL at the folks out there with lobster gloves, goretex shoe covers, and face masks/balaclavas this morning. I mean, what are they gonna do in February?

#freezingsaddlesiscoming

I thought the same thing! There was a guy (not GB) riding with his hands in his jersey; he looked like he missed his full-finger gloves. I was a little too hot in my outfit, but the toes were a little too cold.

[Rockford10]

@EasyRider 146325 wrote:

Soma Wolverine

Speaking of a Soma Wolverine, if anyone is interested, I think there is a frame for sale in the Classifieds sub-forum…

[Rockford10]

I dislike the Old Courthouse/Gosnell connection, particularly coming back up the hill. Someone mentioned to me a few weeks ago you could get across 123 on a service road and then proceed on the sidewalk on Rt. 7, and it’s fantastic.

If you get to Old Courthouse from the W&OD (Branch -> Echols -> Wolf Trap -> Lord Fairfax -> Old Courthouse) you can turn R on Boone and then cross 123 at the service road from the Bed Bath & Beyond into the Koons Dealership, wrap around Rt 7 on the sidewalk, pass the Metro Station and you are at the Subaru Dealership. You avoid the bad issues with Old Courthouse entirely.

See https://www.strava.com/activities/689089801 for the area around Tysons. In the evening, I left my office to go out that way (to the Tysons Biergarden) and then back to the W&OD on Gallows. While I dislike Gallows going north, it’s better going south.

[Rockford10]

#crossiscoming Need a bike for the Bikenetic Dirt Crit? I can hook you up with a frame! Price reduction, and we could talk about a forum discount. Two new bikes just purchased, we need to off-load this one!!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]12300[/ATTACH]

[Rockford10]

I’m planning on being there – probably after 6:00.

[Rockford10]

For those going North to Tysons, you can avoid Gallows by taking almost any right off the trail between Cedar and Park and wind your way through the back neighborhoods and emerge onto Courthouse Road.

[Rockford10]

I have similar stories (though I am usually North? of Gallows) and don’t know what to do. If you find out, let us know! My solution is to avoid that road as much as possible.

[Rockford10]

@ursus 143386 wrote:

This is probably not the correct thread because it doesn’t pertain to a trail condition per se but I noticed early this morning that the water fountain on the W&OD where it intersects the Custis trail has been removed. Does anyone know if it is being replaced?

Pro-tip – You need to push the new water fountain’s button really firmly. Yes, when it’s 100 degrees out and the button is as hot as the burning fires of hell, you still need to push the button really hard and hold it for a really long time to get water out.

[Rockford10]

I’m planning on attending, but want to contest the assertion Thursday won’t be a big TdF stage. They are all big stages! (I won’t be early.)

[Author]

Posts