Happy Friday,
First, an admission: last week I said, somewhat smugly, “The mere suggestion of wintry mix deactivates the common sense regions of drivers’ brains and generates a strange compulsion to drive to the grocery store and buy three months worth of toilet paper.” Well, almost exactly 24 hours later, I found myself in the parking lot of the Wegmans in Lanham, in the lashing rain, loading three month’s worth of toilet paper into the trunk of a borrowed Subaru.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯ None of us are immune.
Anyway.
The thing I wanted to share with you this week was this extremely useful map the Trail Rangers put together of water bottle filling stations, fix-it stands, and public restrooms on the DC trails they serve. Save it as a bookmark on your phone for the next time you get a flat or have too much coffee before you go for a trail ride.
Things to do this week:
- Show your support for trails: Arboretum Bridge & Trail (deadline 1/12) and the Foundry Branch Trolley Trestle Bridge.
- Sign this petition to support safe streets legislation in Virginia during this year’s legislative session.
- Chime in to support a two-way protected bikeway along Duke Street in Alexandria.
- Check out this Webinar on the Maryland Transportation and Climate Accountability Act Webinar
- Trail Cleanup on the Marvin Gaye Trail!
- Another cool webinar: A Prince George’s Preview of the 2024 Maryland Legislative Session
- Grab a cup of coffee with the Trail Rangers
- Join Takoma Park staff to review the first draft designs for the Maple Avenue Connectivity Project
- Speak up in support of new BikeShare stations in the Mt. Vernon District at a virtual FCDOT meeting on January 18
- Grab a ticket for the Women & Bicycles Galentine’s Day Workshop before they sell out.
A Fun Route Idea For the Weekend
Grab a wind-proof layer, channel your inner Herman Melville and stare moodily at a large body of water or two. Easiest way to do that is from a bridge, so here’s a mostly low-stress route from the Stadium Armory Metro to the Farragut West with nine river crossings.*
Have a great weekend.
—Colin
* As usual, this is a route I put together, and it hasn’t been tested or vetted by our events team. Use good judgment, bring your phone, and carry a spare tube.