Via the WashCycle, word is that BikeDC is a go! At the end of September, a 17-(car-free)mile ride through Washington, DC. See the sights of Embassy Row, Cathedral, and Capitol Hill, and take a spin with the local cycling team at RFK. Check it out!
So, DC, do you care about the Olympics? Are you excited, or do you feel blase? I’m ambivalent about the Olympics — it seems like they are on all the time ever since the split of winter and summer games. On the other hand, one of my favorite childhood memories is of watching the torch handoff in my hometown, on its way to the games in Lake Placid. A relative tried for the Olympics in the seventies, and I wore my Colorado Springs training camp t-shirt with pride.
In the here-and-now, we’ve got quite a few local Olympians this year, which is exciting and a reason to watch at least some of the competitions. Locals include Freddy Adu (late of DC Uniiiiited, clap-clap, clap-clap, clap!), the thrilling Michael Phelps, and Justin Spring. Sadly, the news today tells us that local boxer Gary Russell, Jr. has collapsed in Beijing (evidently trying to make weight) and won’t compete.
Via DCist, I discovered NBC’s tool for geographically customized TV listings, so I can find my favorite dressage events on one of the approximately eleventy-million channels owned by NBC (it’s like a return to the dreaded “triplecast”) in between trips to the county fair for Ferris wheel rides.
Will you watch? What’s your favorite Olympic event?
Photo by ktylerconk, used under Creative Commons license
I’ve got a couple of weeks off of work – despite House Republicans’ best efforts, Congress has adjourned for the traditional August recess and things at the office are slow – so I hit the W&OD bike trail yesterday afternoon.
I got into riding thanks to an old roommate who was an avid outdoorsman and competitive cyclist. One of his safety tips for the W&OD trail is that you should never ride with an iPod on. Naturally, I ignored that bit of advice yesterday. I was only out for a relatively short trip – 20 miles, from my house to Reston and back – but I much prefer working out with a soundtrack.
Any of you who also read DCist will have seen some of their extensive comment threads on cycling in and around the city. This is one point, though, that I haven’t really seen addressed extensively. Is it kosher to ride/run/rollerblade with the music on while out on a bike trail?
Just about every jogger I saw yesterday had headphones on, though none of them seemed to have any problem hearing me when I passed. I’m not about to go out on the trail with tunes on a sunny Saturday afternoon when every yuppie with tight shorts in Northern Virginia will be out for a stroll, but aside from that, I say go for it. Just use your head – and, obviously, keep the volume at a reasonable level for those “on your left” calls. I can’t imagine that it’d be a good idea on the Capital Crescent trail in Bethesda, either, but maybe you Murrahlanders disagree.
And for goodness’ sake, please, stop at the stop signs!
One of the things I love most about living in DC is the film festivals.
If you’re in the mood for a little Chinese before the Olympics kick off, head over to the 13th Annual Made in Hong Kong Film Festival at the Freer Gallery. Tonight’s film, “The Postmodern Life of My Aunt,” will screen in the Meyer Auditorium at 7 pm.
If you miss this showing, the movie repeats on Sunday, August 3 at 2:00 pm.
Tickets are free, but seating is limited. Up to two tickets per person are distributed one hour before show time.
