Map My Ride App; Fall Riding this Sunday, Sept. 29

Map My Ride for Iphone

So I installed "Map My Ride" on my Iphone, and when it works, it's pretty cool. It will record your ride and give you a map and plenty statistics about it. You can also view your rides on the web after your register with mapmyride.com. (When it doesn't work, I think it's because of the spotty cellphone service around the lake.)

Below is the recorded map of a recent ride that I've set up as a one hour workout ride around the lake. That blobby area in the center left is where I started at my house on Stoneybrae. See if you can figure out the streets that I went on for this ride. This route took me across the bridge at the Women's Garden.

I've since expanded the ride, riding beside and behind that home where Whispering and Lakeview meet, on that gravel path between the houses that takes you up to Bay Tree and Sleepy Hollow. I have to walk some of it because my road bike won't make it through the rough gravel there. 

From  the top of Bay Tree, I fly down the hill on Sleepy Hollow, crossing Dearborn and then trudge up the hill to Malbrook, turning right and again fly downhill to Crosswoods and go left. Then depending on how much energy I have left, I may do a few more hills on Fiddler's Green or Rustic or Waterway, and head home after. 

Anyone who wants to join me is welcome. I try to do this around 615-630pm evenings.

Bike Ride this Sunday!

Sunday, September 29, should be another great weather day for riding. If anyone would like to join on a ride to Reston for lunch at the Community Canteen, let me know. It's a longer ride, about 15 miles each way, but it's on the W&OD Trail, so there's a few hills and inclines in each direction, but nothing like riding around the Lake.

Let me know if you'd like to join.  I plan to leave from the Bluemont Park Parking lot at N. Manchester around 11:30am to get to Reston between 12:30pm and 1:00pm. 

Happy riding!

Larry

Ride to Alexandria; Daily Rides; Club Shirts/Jerseys

We finally got a group together for our 10 mile ride down to our favorite Alexandria pit stop, the Buzz Bakery. (an easy 20 mile round trip that anyone could do.)

The weather was grand for the 10 of us who met at the Potterton Bridge. Most riders rode from the Bridge to meet up with a couple others at Bluemont Park at the end of North Manchester. Some new faces participating on a bike club ride for the first time were Rick Uritus, newcomer to the neighborhood Brian Bates, and Marjorie Deutsch.

You'll see that I am in a number of the photos. That's because Lake resident Jan Castro of Beachway Drive was coincidentally at Bluemont Park at the time of our departure, and being a photographer, he shot several of these photos with my Canon DSLR that I had brought along. Thanks Jan!

Here are the club members ready to roll:

Fernando Milia, Bill Cook, Alicia Agnese, Rick Uritus, Brian Bates, Newt Simmons, Mike Stueben, Marjorie Deutsch, Larry Golfer, Allan Mostoff

Bill, with his self-designed Barcroft recumbent

Newt, below, checks messages while Rick checks a wheel. Brian and Marjorie are all ready to go.

Mike, with Newt, Alicia, Bill and Marjorie -- enjoying coffee and baked goodies in the shade at Buzz.

Allan Mostoff, former Lake resident, with Marjorie.

After socializing and great conversation, we mounted up for the return trip back to the Lake and arrived around noon. All had a great time.

Rides around the Lake
I've been doing a one-hour ride around the lake several times a week in the evening as a workout, leaving around 6:30-7:00pm, and plan to continue to do this until later in the fall when it gets too dark to ride. I was thinking that if folks want to join me, it may be useful to use Twitter as a way to quickly communicate about such spontaneous rides. I set up a Twitter account for the Bike Club (@BikeBarcroft) and will be sending tweets and following a few of you who have Twitter accounts. I would encourage others in the club to set up their own Twitter account (www.twitter.com) and follow @BikeBarcroft for notices about last minute rides.

Jerseys and/or T-Shirts for Club Members
I've also been looking into ordering club bike jerseys and T-shirts. Jerseys would cost $38-$52 each, depending on how many are ordered. There are now 57 members in the club, and non-club members may also want to buy one. T-shirt prices are considerably less. I'd prefer the jersey myself. Here's a design I'd like to propose, on a black shirt (without the © symbol):

Let me know if you'd be interested in ordering a jersey or a shirt, and I'll put some prices together based on the number I would order.

Happy riding!

Larry

Ride to National Harbor (almost)

Saturday was the perfect day for biking, and  I led a group of 11 bike club members to National Harbor, a commercial destination on the Maryland side of the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

The ride took place in two tiers. One group left from the Potterton Bridge at 9am for the full 26 mile round trip ride, via the W&OD, Four Mile Run and Mount Vernon Trails. About an hour into the ride, that group met the second group at the parking lot at the Washington Sailing Marina at around 10am. Second group participants had transported their bikes on bike racks, in a hatchback and in a pickup truck. From there, those riders who wanted a shorter ride would cover about 12 miles round trip.

Here's some of the group getting ready to depart:

Dave Snyder, Nomi Taslitt, Karen Snyder, and Susan Michels look on as John Estes pumps up Lark Lovering's tires.

Ken Kastner checks the departure time with Phil Kemelor as Ken Ackerman looks on.

We left from the Marina for the ride down the Mount Vernon Trail, along the Potomac River and into Old Town Alexandria for the ride down Union Street to the entrance to Jones Point Park. Formerly, before than entrance and trail were complete, one would have to continue on the streets of Alexandria to get to the Wilson Bridge. The opening of the Jones Point Park portion of the trail eliminated that street riding with a beautiful ride under the magnificent structure of the Wilson Bridge.

View from Jones Point Park under the Wilson Bridge

Here's the group coming under the bridge:

Lark Lovering leads the pack under the Wilson Bridge at Jones Point Park.

Lark, Pancho Kinney with Nomi Taslett in the rear.

The ride at the bridge involves an uphill climb along the south side of the bridge to North Washington Street, and taking a 180 degree turn back onto the bridge for the 2.05 mile ride across the bridge on the Wilson Bridge Bike Trail. A long slow climb takes you two scenic viewing points looking out onto the vista of Washington DC with all of its monuments, memorials and major churches.

Then an equally long but easy downhill ride wound down the bridge path towards National Harbor. The group stopped for a picnic lunch on the grass at the river's edge, just short of the Harbor itself. Because the last 1/10 mile approach to the harbor comprises a crushed oyster shell path, it was the group's consensus not to ride on that path to avoid potential flat tires. I had taken a test ride the week before and chanced riding on that path, but as luck would have it, after my warning to the others about potential flat tires, I was the one who started losing tire pressure, likely due to those sharp oyster shells.

Here we are after lunch and ready for the return ride. Pictured, back row: Ken Ackerman, Susan Michels, Veronica Angulo, John Estes, Nomi Taslitt, Lark Lovering and Karen Snyder; front row: Phil Kemelor, Dave Snyder, Ken Kastner, and Larry Golfer. Not pictured: Pancho Kinney.

Lake Barcroft Bike Club riders

Some History

The Wilson Bridge Project was a massive multi-year construction project that involved demolishing the original Wilson Bridge. The former bridge had a drawbridge to allow river traffic to pass through, but each opening of the drawbridge caused massive traffic jams. Read about the history of the bridge and the replacement project here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodrow_Wilson_Bridge .

When the new bridge opened in 2009, it included a new bike trail across the north side of the bridge, with two viewing points looking over the vista of Washington, DC, where one could see all the national monuments and memorials, as well as excellent views of Old Town Alexandria.

On the opening day of that trail, I rode it with my granddaughter, and took these photos.

Bridge abutments and the unfinished Jones Point Park, 2009

View from the Bridge of Old Town Alexandria 

View of the Wilson Bridge Trail

Returning from the Maryland side of the bridge (Granddaughter Shayna) 

Another view of Old Town Alexandria

Ford's Landing, a residential community on the Potomac

Wilson Bridge Control Tower

More rides are coming this spring and summer, so stay tuned for announcements. 

Sign up for alerts to new posting with your email address on the top right of this blog, and feel free to leave comments in the comments box below.

Cherry Blossom Ride

After the plan to ride to see the cherry blossoms was originally thwarted by below-freezing temperatures and no blossoms to be seen, a group of five of us braved the gorgeous blue morning and mild temperatures to head downtown and see one of Washington, DC's best-known displays, the Japanese Cherry Blossoms that surround the Tidal Basin. 

The ride involved three pickup points, and in spite of a bit of disorganization on my part about timing, we finally came together as Victoria Angulo and I headed up Beachway and over to Bluemont Park to meet up with Nomi Taslett and Bill Cook, and then down the Four Mile Run trail to pick up the club's newest member and a soon-to-be neighbor, Andrea Fus, who will be moving into her lake house with her family in the fall, after major renovations are complete.

The weather was very accommodating as we headed east and stopped for photos at Gravelly Point, just north of Reagan Airport, and where the planes fly close and directly overhead as they land.

Veronica, Nomi and Andrea

Veronica, Nomi, Andrea and Bill (not pictured: me, the photographer)

We travelled up the Mount Vernon Trail north and across Memorial Bridge and gathered at the entrance to the walkway around the Tidal Basin. The blooms were at peak color and it was a photographer's paradise. Here are a few of my best images.

By 11:30am, we were ready for the return ride. Bill took off ahead of the pack in his speedy recumbent, and we others crossed over the 14th Street Bridge to the Mount Vernon Trail and back to the Four Mile Run Trail at a more leisurely pace. It was funny but at the exact time we reached the intersection of the trail and Walter Reed Drive, Bill happens to arrive. He had stopped for a bite to eat in Shirlington Village, and it was quite a surprise to meet him again at that spot.  

Andrea said her goodbyes at Mount Vernon Avenue, near her current home, and the remaining three of us continued on. Nomi split away at Columbia Pike as Veronica and I stopped at the relatively new Cafe Sazon on Columbia Pike at the bike trail for some refreshments.

The final push home was a bit daunting as the temperature was now close to the mid 80's. Veronica and I plowed ahead, slowly made our way up the hill on North Manchester, and went our separate ways at Waterway and Stoneybrae. That last climb up Stoneybrae after a 26 mile ride is a serious challenge, but all my winter training paid off as I made it home, exhausted, but pleased that it was a fun time for all.

The May 4 National Harbor Ride is soon approaching, so mark your calendars and get your bikes in shape. More info will follow.

I'll be sending out emails about ad hoc riding around the Lake if anyone would like to join. It takes about an hour to do the loop from Potterton to Beachway to Blair, then left on Columbia to left at Aqua Terrace. I then usually ride to the end of Lakeview to the right, then back over Lakeview to the Women's Garden bridge and back home.

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Happy riding!

Spring is Near for Biking

Our "Snowquester" quickly became a "noquester," according to US News and World Report and other media outlets. That's good for us bicyclists because roads are clear and spring is on its way.

Info on our first group ride will be coming soon, so now is the time to get your bikes in shape. Papillon Bikes on Columbia Pike is my go-to place for great service and gear, or try any Spokes' locations (closest in on N. Quaker Lane, just down Leesburg Pike). Performance is ok too with its large inventory of biking products. For true enthusiasts, there is Tri360, a triathlon specialty shop.

For you biking enthusiasts out there, if you are not aware of this, I urge you to look at and join the Washington Area Bicyclist Association, "WABA."  From their website:

"The Washington Area Bicyclist Association (WABA) is the national capital region's nonprofit bicycle advocacy and education membership association. We have been serving the District of Columbia (DC), City of Alexandria, and the counties of Arlington (VA), Fairfax (VA), Montgomery (MD), and Prince George's (MD) since 1972 with the mission of creating a healthy, more livable region by promoting bicycling for fun, fitness, and affordable transportation; advocating for better bicycling conditions and transportation choices for a healthier environment; and educating children and adults about safe bicycling. We invite you to explore our website, we hope that you will join us as a member and most importantly that you will ride your bike!"

They sponsor a variety of bike events, including Bike to Work Day and BikeDC, both of which I've participated in many times. Their website is full of useful information and news about biking. Here's their most recent posting:

http://www.waba.org/blog/2013/03/this-week-in-bike-reads-9/?fb_source=pubv1

Looking forward to seeing you out there soon.

Add your comments and suggestions in the Comments box below or email me if you have any suggestions about rides, questions about biking, or just want to chat. Also, it would be very helpful if you'd include your email address in the box on the right so you'll automatically be informed of new posts (This will make it more efficient for me in that I wouldn't need to create email alerts every time I post something new. Nevertheless, I will still send out these alerts for the immediate future and especially announcements about rides coming up.)

And of course, anyone who wants to be in the club is welcome to join. This is an open club to residents and others who love biking and who would enjoy group rides and socializing with fellow biking enthusiasts. Just drop me an email and I'll include you on our mailing list.

Happy biking!

Larry

J. Larry Golfer Photography

3428 Stoneybrae Drive, Falls Church, VA 22044

Email: larrygol@yahoo.com
Mobile: 703-626-0801

Photo blog: jlarrygolferphotography.blogspot.com

Web: jlarrygolferphotography.com

Solo Ride to Cure the Winter Blahs

Two months since my last post and not much to say regarding biking in January and February thus far. I do have the trainer set up inside to not totally lose my biking legs, but it's never the same as riding outdoors with the wind in your hair.... in my case, on my face (for those who don't know me personally, no hair to catch the wind,).

This is my trainer setup: A Jamis Aragon hybrid I picked up for a cool $200; replaced the fat cushion seat with a tapered saddle; replaced the front suspension fork with a road bike fork for stability; replaced the back tire with a Continental Ultra Sport Hometrainer Tire, which provides much more durability and tire life than a regular road tire; all siting on a Travel Trac Century V Fluid + trainer.

My trainer setup

This week, Wednesday's prediction for mid-50's temperatures spurred me to hit the road, but that forecast proved to be a bit of a bust with the clouds and breezes. It may have barely hit the mid 50's, but I was glad I had my layers, gloves and helmet liner. Those temps standing still feel pleasant, but it gets chilly at even 12 miles an hour.

No one accepted the invitation for the lake ride,  so your intrepid blogger set out alone, my trusty but new Canon 7D DSLR with a 70-200mm lens securely stowed in my sling bag for ready access, and took off for a ride around the lake, 

Starting from Stoneybrae down to the Potterton Bridge, I stopped at Beach 4 to breathe in the cool afternoon lake air. Many of you have already seen my series of photos, "Energetic Bathing by Canada Goose," but for those who havent, here they are. I came across two geese at the water's edge, and suddenly saw this hilarious scene, which repeated several times. This was a first for me to observe, so I had to capture it on camera.

The sky was richly textured with thick grey and white clouds and the sun peeking out occasionally, so I decided to use the panorama feature of my iPhone to capture the scene. 

That thought led to the idea of taking panoramas of all the beaches and the view from the Women's Garden as well. 

Here are the results, presented in the order taken, as I rode around the lake. First, Beach 4:

Be sure to click on the image to get a larger view:

 

Lake Barcroft, Beach 4

Then up Beachway to Blair, across Columbia Pike and down and up the path to the light at Aqua Terrace. Left across Columbia Pike and down to Beach 1.

Lake Barcroft, Beach 1

Then left down and up and down and and around on Lakeview to Beach 2.

Lake Barcroft, Beach 2

Staying on Lakeview to right on Rauth to across the footbridge to the Women's Garden and a view from there over the lake.

View from the Women's Garden, Lake Barcroft

Onward from there up and down Dearborn/Waterway to Beach 3.

Lake Barcroft, Beach 3

And finally up and down and up and around Waterway, to Beach 5.

Lake Barcroft, Beach 5

Photography complete, all beaches hit, I headed up the long, slow incline of Stoneybrae to home. Normally the ride around the lake takes anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. With all the stops and photography, it took two hours, but it made for a very satisfying ride.

I hope you all enjoy the photos. 

Wishing for warmer weather, I'll let you know when we do our first ride of the spring.

Larry