TheWashCycle

Pack your bags

Because of the League of American Cyclists Ten Best Cycling Cities*, the closest is 702 miles away in Chicago. DC and Arlington are in a group tied for 22nd.

1. Davis, California - Bike Info, City Info
2. Boulder, Colorado - Bike Info, City Info 
3. Corvallis, Oregon - Bike Info, City Info
4. Madison, Wisconsin - Bike Info, City Info
5. Palo Alto, California - Bike Info, City Info
6. Portland, Oregon - Bike Info, City Info
7. San Francisco, California - Bike Info, City Info
8. Tucson/Pima Eastern Region, Arizona - Bike Info, City Info
9. Eugene, Oregon - Bike Info, City Info
10. Chicago, Illinois - Bike Info, City Info

* Really, LAB doesn't rank them by number. It just groups them by class.

DDOT: Douglas Bridge Cyclists, you're on your own

The official DDOT site has no cyclist specific information. The detour map is only for cars. It does not seem the construction period rush hour restriction waiver will happen on Metro (or that Metro was even approached). I did hear from WABA that they will gladly pay Bridge Bucks to inconvenienced cyclists who choose to take transit instead of bike. It remains to be seen if they put up seperate detour signs or not - or if those signs make sense.

Addendum: I typed too soon. A press release that went out yesterday included this:

Bicyclists and pedestrians will be directed through Anacostia Park, located east of the Anacostia River, and then to the 11th Street Bridges. Bicyclist and pedestrian access to the southwest area will be via M Street, SW, to Half Street, SW, and Eye Streets, SW and SE.

During this summer’s bridge closure, DDOT will be lowering approximately 200 feet of the bridge’s northern approach, which currently is a major barrier to pedestrians and cyclists. The renovation will significantly improve access for motorists, pedestrians, cyclists and commercial vehicles heading to and from new development and major employment centers that are being built along the Anacostia Waterfront.

Hopefully the'll put up clear and easy to follow detour signs.

Interim CCT reopened

From Silverspingtrails.org

DPWT has completed work to expand the storm water drain system and resurface the Trail between Stewart Avenue and the Rock Creek Trestle on June 18. The barriers blocking the Trail in this section have been removed.

DPWT has installed new storm water drain boxes and resurfaced with new crushed stone along this section of the Trail. This work was needed, and very welcome. This part of the off-road Interim CCT had been badly eroded and was the worst section of the Trail. Now it is very pleasant to use.

GW Student making waves nationally

A couple of articles this week profiled North Bethesda native and GW grad school student Jennifer Bodine.

‘‘I joined George Washington’s team as a way to be part of the community,” Bodine said. ‘‘I really only rode two races for them. One was to qualify for nationals, and the other was at nationals.”

That race, at the 2007 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships held in Lawrence, Kan. in May, put Bodine on the map. She won the Division II women’s criterium — a 55-minute sprint race over a two kilometer circuit — that qualified her to become part of Ryan Collegiate All-Star Team. The Ryan All-Stars will compete at one of top professional events of USA Cycling’s summer calendar, the Nature Valley Grand Prix in Minnesota from June 20-24.

Bodine finished sixth in the Crystal City Classic, and then followed that result with a fifth-place finish — and an extra $100 dollars — in the City Bikes RFK Criterium in Washington, D.C. As she heads off to Minnesota, Bodine is still learning her new craft.

And in the Post

"If I can finish this race after five days, I will have learned a lot about stage racing," Bodine said. "I would like to race my bike for the next 15-20 years, and I would like to do it at the highest level possible. This is a start."

I really can't believe there isn't a women's Tour de France. Nor can I believe this:

cycling is not a NCAA sanctioned sport

What the...I only found this...

Twenty-one years ago, USA Cycling started a collegiate program within the U.S. Cycling Federation at 310 schools across the country. More emphasis is placed on these programs because it is a great way to identify women who participate in the sport. Most women get into cycling later in life and are a crossover from other sports.

So two years after taking up the sport she's winning national races and

she is earning a graduate degree in microbiology at GW

What have I been doing with my time? Oh, yeah.

[There's more about her here]

Testify!

From Jim Sebastian, Manager, Bicycle, Pedestrian, and Transportation Demand Management Programs

On Thursday, June 28, DC Councilmember Phil Mendelson will hold a hearing on the Bicycle Registration Reform Act of 2007. 

The bill calls for eliminating the current mandatory registration system and replacing it with a voluntary registration system using a national database.

The current system requires bicycle owners to take their bikes to a police station for registration.  It also requires MPD to maintain a database of registered bicycles. 

The new system would allow bicycle owners to register on-line, over the phone, or via the US mail with a national bicycle registration company.  On the back end, MPD would run registration numbers of stolen bikes in their possession through the national database.

DDOT is testifying in favor of the legislation.

The hearing (of the COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY AND THE JUDICIARY) is scheduled for 2:00 PM in ROOM 412 of the Wilson Building (14^th and Penn Ave, NW). Please contact the committee directly if you would like to testify. You can also submit your comments in writing to the Committee, and you can watch the hearing live on the web or DC cable.

Though it appears you needed to sign up two weeks ago to speak:

The Council invites citizens to testify at public hearings. Council Rules require notification to the public in the DC Register at least 15 days before the hearing. Persons wishing to speak may sign up by calling the appropriate standing committee or 724-8000. Time allocated for each speaker is determined by the Committee chairperson. Organization representatives generally receive 5 minutes, and individuals 3 minutes. Witnesses are asked to bring written copies of testimony so that each Councilmember, Council staff, and the Secretary to the Council can have a copy.

Speakers often use their time to summarize more extensive written testimony which is submitted for the record. The committee chair or other Councilmembers present may ask questions of witnesses to elicit more information.

No webcast of city council meetings though. They want to stay squarely ensconced in the 20th century. This law isn't going to impact too many people, but for those who like to follow all the laws a.k.a "foot droppers", here's one less to worry about - and there have been reports (in City Paper for one) of abuse of this law.

Bicycle commuters still uncommon

This is from a UPI story claiming, among other things, that bicycle commuting has been flat since 1990.

The U.S. Census reports that in 2005 0.4 percent of commuters used bikes, just as they did in 1990 and 2000.

Anyone know where the Census gets these numbers? Is it self-reported? It certainly doesn't seem right to me, but then I don't travel around the entire country checking it out.

The Christian Science Monitor reports the number of bicycles sold in the country actually dropped in 2006 after reaching an all-time high in 2005.

This I find a questionable fact. I believe it's true, but I suspect that a lot of those bikes were bought by Lance Armstrong inspired racer-wannabes (and the doping scandal of late is less inspiring). I feel like more bikes are being sold now that cater to commuters - that's what I see when I go to the bike store.

Bicycling advocates say making two-wheel transportation easier and safer will encourage bikers. Some statistics seem to bear that out. In Seattle, which plans to spend $240 million for pike paths and more amenities over 10 years, the number of bicycles in downtown at rush hour increased 57 percent between 1992 and 2000.

I wonder what the stats among urban communities looks like. I wonder if the climb in urban bike commuting is offset by a drop in rural and suburban bike commuting - and kids biking to school.

Paint Branch Trail Extension

On the BikeWashington.org message board there has been talk of plans to extend the Paint Branch Trail through the Beltsville Agriculteral Research Center(BARC)*. There was an ugly rumour that access through BARC property was denied. But...

The Paint Branch Trail is NOT dead. There is a second proposal being offered which includes a bike path along Cherry Hill rd. on BARC property. Originally it was thought that Cherry Hill road itself would be the alternative which is not a good alternative. We (BARC Bicyclist) are still pursuing a trail through BARC as it is the natural flow. A few of the concerns for the trail running through BARC are security, cost (always a factor in trail decisions) and space constraints. There are also some concerns that a trail directly through the research center will affect normal work operations (traffic flow, irrigation of field plots etc.) In addition this trail will include a spur under 495 to IKEA and the new condos/apts in the same parking lots. So a major beltway crossing is still very feasible, at least at this point

* I always want to say Balcones for Beltsville, because I used to work at the Balcones Research Center - now the Pickle Research Center (No, they don't study pickles - It's named for Jake "J.J." Pickle)

2007 A&A ride photos

Here at commuter page blog.

Post highlights upcoming rides

The Post covered 6 upcoming rides including

Cycle Across Maryland

Civil War Century

Indian Head 100

Charm City Cyclocross

50 States Ride and 13 Colonies Tour

Shenandoah Mountain 100 (this may be the hardest one in the bunch)

Left off the list: WAGBRAD (which I'm not promoting anywhere other than this blog). If you're interested remember to drop me an email so I'm not overwhelmed the day of. I should be able to nail down the date this week.

Argument Ammunition

Next time you have to defend the right of bikes to the road, you can drop this little fact.

Many states get at least part of their highway money from statewide sales or income taxes, resulting in walkers and bike-riders subsidizing highways.