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Politics, open government, and safe streets. And the constant incursion of cycling.

Category: DC Page 12 of 26

Free Bike Lights in Alexandria and Columbia Heights

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On October 22, 2008

In Cycling, DC, Virginia

WABA, along with DDOT and the City of Alexandria, will be giving away free bike light sets (front and rear).  Why?  From the press release:

While only three percent of bike rides happen at night, over half of all cyclists killed are hit while riding at night without lights.

And night time is starting to coincide with commuting time.  If you read this and ride, I hope you already have your own light set.  But if you don’t – or you know someone who doesn’t – make the time to swing by one of the two giveaway locations in the next week.  It’s first come, first serve, until the supplies run out.

DC Location Details

Giveaways will take place on Thursday, October 23rd and Tuesday, October 28th from 4:30pm until supplies run out at the Suntrust Plaza at the corner of 18th St. and Columbia Rd. NW, Washington, DC and at the Shrine of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church near the intersection of 16th St. and Park Rd. NW (3211 Pine St  NW.), Washington, DC.

Alexandria Location Details

Giveaway will take place on Thursday, October 30 from 5 to 6:30 pm, or while supplies last.  The giveaway will take place on Commonwealth Avenue near Four Mile Run at Cora Kelly Elementary School, 3600 Commonwealth Ave.  The Alexandria event is sponsored by WABA, City of Alexandria, Wheel Nuts Bike Shop and BikeWalk Alexandria.  Wheel Nuts Bike Shop will provide mechanical support.

Belgium Sponsors DC Cyclocross

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On October 13, 2008

In Cycling, DC, EU

This is such a great story that I’m just going to cut and paste the press release without shame:  1801126844_deee674918_medium

The organizers of the October 26 City Bikes DCCX, the only cyclocross race held within the city limits of the U.S. Capital, have announced that their “Lil’ Belgians” Free Kids Race will actually be sponsored by the Belgian Embassy. “Lil’ Belgians” racing, a traditional part of every BikeReg.com MABRAcross event, is a free fun-race for young children that occurs just prior to the Elite races, and it’s not unusual to see Elite and Amateur racers “assisting” their training-wheel -equipped youngsters by pushing them around their own special course.

Until now, the Lil’ Belgians moniker had been just a cute tribute to the homeland of cyclocross. But at the City Bikes DCCX, Belgium will be involved in an official capacity as the Belgian Embassy will be offering all participating kids a special (and tasty) prize. The kids won’t be the only ones getting a tasty Belgian prize, however, because the City Bikes DCCX organizers will keep the Belgian ambience rolling by serving free Frites to riders and spectators alike. For more information, see BikeReg.com

(Oct 26th. I’ll be there (watching, not racing, I’m afraid.))

Riding the GW Parkway

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On October 13, 2008

In Cycling, DC, Virginia

Washcycle has an interesting review of whether or not one can legally ride on the George Washington Memorial Parkway.   It appears that it is not legal legal, but that hasn’t stopped Park Police from claiming otherwise (and occasionally citing people for it).   In the past year or so, I’ve taken to riding on the Parkway between Mt. Vernon and southern Alexandria, and have never been bothered by passing Park Police.  I have, however, garnered multiple fingers and honking horns from angry little men.  The road is very wide down there, and there’s plenty of room and easy sight-lines for everyone.    I wouldn’t say the same for the portion of the Parkway north of Arlington (that section and Rock Creek Parkway are probably the only roads in DC I’d never ride on).

Update: Allen Muchnick’s comment at the linked Washcycle post brings to light a recently updated set of regulations which appear to ban bikes from all parkways in the capital area.  How in the world a cyclist is expected to know about an unposted rule which is contrary to the law in the rest of the state is beyond me.

Oh no, Olsson’s!

By

On October 3, 2008

In DC, Distribution, Personal, Virginia

Closed.

Crap.

I feel so guilty.

For Arlington Democrats Who are Considering Volunteering – Oct 1st Meeting

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On September 28, 2008

In DC, Politics, Virginia

I’m not much for using Blacknell.net as a reprint service, but I suspect this will be of interest to many of my local readers:

1 ) Please help us spread the word that our upcoming ACDC [Arlington County Democratic Committee] meeting on Wednesday, October 1st will be dedicated to volunteer outreach activities.  The meeting will be held at our normal location – NRECA Conference Center at 4301 Wilson Blvd.  The meeting begins at 7:00pm with important updates on our Get Out The Vote (GOTV) activities between now and the election.  The second half of the meeting will be focused on volunteer activities.  During this portion of the meeting you will have an opportunity to visit different stations to directly help or learn about how you can participate in critical volunteer needs.  We hope you will plan to attend and encourage you to bring a friend.
Here are some of the volunteer activities that will be highlighted:

A) Stamping Envelopes – we need volunteers to stamp envelopes for our Dollars For Dems fundraising and absentee voting mailing

B) Individual Fundraising Challenge – learn how you can easily raise small dollar donations from your family and friends to support our GOTV activities in Arlington

C) Election Day Official – find out how you can serve as an election official to educate and process voters to help minimize the lines we will face at the polls

D) Metro Voter Registration/Absentee Voting – learn how you can assist in our efforts to promote voter registration and absentee voting at Arlington Metro Stations.

E) Building Ambassadors – if you live in a locked building, found out how you can make a difference in this election by serving as a Building Ambassador

F) Canvassing and Phone Banking -  sign up to talk to your neighbors through weekend canvassing or weekday phone banks

G) Rides to Voter Registrar’s Office – you’ve heard of Rides to the Polls, find out about how you can get involved in our new Rides to Registrar program

I hope DC metro area residents will consider making Arlington/NoVA their home base for any volunteering related to the national election.  We already know how DC and Maryland are going to turn out, and running up the margin there won’t really matter.  However, it will matter in Virginia.   The higher the margin in NoVA, the better the chances are of Virginia’s electoral votes falling into the Democratic column, come election night.

ING Direct Capital Criterium Photos – All Races

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On September 26, 2008

In Cycling, DC

It’s well past Tuesday, but I’ve finally posted a full gallery of shots from the ING Direct Capital Criterium.  This includes the men’s 35+, 1/2/3, and pro races.  GamJams has been doing a great job of indexing lots of writeups of the action by racers and fans here.

Friday Notes: Surprise Edition

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On September 26, 2008

In Cycling, DC, Distribution, Law, Politics, Society, Virginia

The surprise, of course, is that I’m actually getting a Friday Notes out.

First, I apparently screwed up the first video in this post about Idiocracy (yes, I note the irony).  Since no one told me about it, that means no one looked at the videos.  I blame you.  You are hereby sentenced to go watch it.

~

Do Virginia Republicans do anything but whine about non-existent attacks on them?  Del. Bill Carrico was just on WAMU’s Politics Hour going on about how awful it is that the Fourth Circuit said a state employee can’t use his office to lead a mass prayer to Jesus Christ (in particular.  Non-denoms are okay).  You’d think that the Fourth Circuit was burning Christians at the stake.  More about the issue here (with a similarly overwrought tone) and here (which brings it back to reality).

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A friend turned me on the Fratellis’ Flathead track last week.  Because Universal is still afraid of its customers, I can’t embed the video.  So check it out.  (Warning: this song came to me as a volley in an earworm war.)

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CycleTo – a well-produced site run by a fellow with a lot of access in the sport – picked up some of my shots from last weekend’s ING Direct Capital Criterium.  CycleTo does a lot of original short video interviews (like this recent one with Levi Leipheimer at Worlds in Varese).  If you’re into pro cycling, give them a look.

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Looks like the Associated Press lent the McCain campaign its time machine.

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You’ve probably recieved one of those fear-mongering “don’t wear buttons to the polls!” email this week.  Vivian Paige lays out the law for Virginia residents, and Adam Bonin gives us a national view.

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Sign war amusement.

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It’s often easy to assume that all of humanity’s easy problems have been solved.  This is a reminder that simple ideas can still make a difference.

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I somehow missed the recent skirmishes over the role of the US military personnel on American soil.  If you find it as interesting as I do, this is as good a place as any to jump in.

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What are you do this weekend?  Depending on the weather, I’ll either be at Bike DC or the Charlottesville Vegetarian Festival.

ING Direct Capital Criterium Photos

By

On September 23, 2008

In Cycling, DC

The first half of my day of shooting the ING Direct Captital Criterium is up at Podium Cafe.  Hope to get the local races up by the end of Tuesday.  Check out GamJams.net for local race reports.

Sunday Morning

By

On September 21, 2008

In DC, Personal

Sunday Morning

Watch the Capital Criterium Live and Online

By

On September 21, 2008

In Cycling, DC

Looks like the ING Direct Capital Criterium will have a live internet feed.  Click here around 11:15am EDT.  Check out my preview over at Podium Cafe for details.   Photos and more after the race.

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