Bike Arlington, Walking Town 2007 and intimidating bike shops

Over on the Commuter Page Blog Diana Sun, Director of Communications for Arlington County, writes about the Arlington & Alexandria Community Bike Ride on June 3rd. She's a fan (I've not done it yet - this year hopefully). This got picked up on RPUS and he suggested more community rides. The Cultural Tourism DC Walking Town rides are good examples (that's coming up on April 21 and 22nd - and once again I'll be out of town).

Anacostia by Bike: The River and the Ridge
Saturday 8:30 am – 12:30 pm
Meet at the Harbor Police parking lot at the south end of Water Street, SW
Reservations required: 202-518-0524 or [email protected]
This 26-mile ride combines a tour of the Anacostia River Walk Trail with the spine of the Potomac Ridge. See Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue, historic Anacostia, the Frederick Douglass National Historic Site, and the Anacostia Community Museum. Participants should expect rough pavement, hills, and traffic, which will be heavy in spots. Helmets are mandatory. Bring water, food, and ID. Led by volunteer Jon Fleming and presented by the Washington Area Bicyclist Association.

Anacostia by Bike 
Saturday 9 am – 12 noon
Meet at the entrance to the Washington Fish and Seafood Market Place, 1100 Maine Avenue, SW
Reservations required: 202-661-7581 or [email protected]
Experience the Anacostia River by bicycle with Emeka Moneme, director of the District Department of Transportation. Ride the route of the future Anacostia River Walk Trail to see Anacostia Park and RFK Stadium. You’ll also learn about the many projects that will soon transform the Anacostia waterfront. Presented by the District Department of Transportation.

Reel Washington:  Bikes, Camera, Action!
Saturday 1 – 4:30 pm
Meet at the rear plaza of the Old Post Office Pavilion, 12th Street between Pennsylvania and Constitution Avenues, NW
Reservations required: 202-842-BIKE or www.bikethesites.com
You’ve seen the Exorcist, All the President's Men, No Way Out, Broadcast News, and others filmed in Washington. Join us by bike to find out where and how they were filmed. We’ll utter the famous lines, reveal the famous gaffes (where is the Georgetown subway station?) and provide enough Washington film trivia to satisfy your favorite movie junkie. Led by Sarah Fischer and presented by Bike the Sites.
Special Instructions: Optional bike rentals $20. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. Minimum age: 13 years.

Why Hains Point? The Creation of Potomac Park by Bike
Sunday 1 – 4 pm
Meet at the Thomas Jefferson Memorial Plaza by the Tidal Basin
A century-old landmark, Hains Point memorializes Peter Conover Hains and the creation of the 700-acre Potomac Park – now the setting for national icons and veterans memorials. This bike tour traces the development of this land in the context of Washington’s early waterways and city planning. Led by Michael Kelly and Jason Martz and presented by National Park Service - National Mall & Memorial Parks.
Special Instructions: Please bring your own bikes, helmets, and water

Wild Washington: Animal Sculptures by Bike
Sunday 1 – 4:30 pm
Meet at the Connecticut Avenue entrance of the National Zoo
Reservations required: 202-842-BIKE or www.bikethesites.com.
Bike the Sites takes you beyond the typical Washington, DC political party animals with a neighborhood art tour. Begin on foot at the National Zoo, then continue by bike through Rock Creek Park, Dupont Circle, and the National Mall, ending at the Old Post Office Pavilion. Led by Carl Airhart and presented by Bike the Sites.
Special Instructions: Optional bike rentals $20. Please arrive 15 minutes prior to the scheduled departure time. Minimum age: 13 years.

And of course there's the 50 States Ride (but that's like riding a century) and there used to be BikeDC.  A few years ago DDOT did a series of Ward rides as part of the bike plan process. I would love to see that continue, but have the rides led by BAC members (and their city council member) so as not to overburden one person.

The other part of the commuter page blog was about how buying a bike can be intimidating for a newbie.

I did walk into a bike shop sometime last year and found it very intimidating -- all those $2,000 bikes with mysterious doo-dads and unpronounceable names. And looking on craigslist for a used bike was even worse -- I couldn't even understand the descriptions of the bikes!

Which I bring up only to mention that bike stores need to learn how to talk to people who haven't ridden a bike in 10-20 years. It can be hard to do - and probably requires keeping some cheaper merchandise around, but I think it's an important part of getting new cyclists.