As long as the investigation of the incident is open and inconclusive, a ghost bike will stand at the intersection where her life was cut short.

It’s a sobering reminder that cyclists don’t always have it easy riding amongst the cars and trucks that clog the roadways. It’s certainly opened my eyes just a little bit more.

Wanna see more? Hillary, sprite, Sarah, and MsP are all photo-happy and willing to share their unique DC-based views.

That was my total mileage on the bike for this past weekend.

Two rides contributed to the total: a century I led from here in DC, and a more rural ride that originated about 20 miles from home. The riding was quality stuff: not particularly fast, but good mileage to prepare for the big rides coming up in New York and California.

Sure, some cyclists ride further over a weekend, but this worked so well: on day two, with 110 miles out of the way the previous day, my legs felt just fine. It’s a sign that my fitness is where I need it to be, that I’m not overtrainng - but that I need to be mindful of doing a bit too much to prepare.

Quality over quantity - and somehow I got both this past weekend.

That’s the thing I need to remember when discussing disturbing subjects with folks who would rather not hear of these things. It’s a filter that I don’t naturally have, having grown up in a household where few gory subjects were off-limits to discussion at the dinner table (it helps having parents whose incomes were based on medicine and forensic science).

That said, The Dark Knight is an incredible film: dark, tense, well-paced, executed almost to perfection. It’s possibly the best superhero movie ever made, and all of the buzz about Heath Ledger’s performance was most correct. But Christian Bale holds his own against such a psychotic tour-de-force, as do the others in the cast.

The cup runneth over this summer: first Iron Man, now The Dark Knight. It’s a summer full of quality action films that are more than just vehicles for special effects.

I just need to remember to hold off on discussion of the graphic parts until I’m with the folks who are sympatico with the subject matter.

Friday’s ride was a lovely, 68 mile loop out of Damascus, MD. The weather looked ominous, with low, dark clouds and wet roads from the previous night’s rain. The ride leader even backed out of riding the course, though she signed us in and handed out cue sheets.

She missed out on a heck of a ride! The wet roads weren’t much to speak of, and they dried by mile 10. From there, it was a lot of rolling terrain through the hills of Maryland. I ended up riding with a few guys from ABRT, and we set a fast pace throughout the ride. The predicted rain ended up being 50-or-so drops over the course of a 15 minute period - trivial, at best.

The fireworks were fun to watch down at Kennedy Center. While security initially nagged sprite and me about our bikes (we kept them with us and didn’t get harassed after the initial encounter with the rent-a-cops), we enjoyed the view (and the rain). You could feel the explosions, and the reflection of the sound off the marble walls of the Kennedy Center was really cool to experience.

Saturday’s radar looked a bit wet, and the plan for a ride in the Blue Ridge Mountains fell apart. Jonathan and Chris ended up riding Mt. Weather….

…. in partly cloudy skies! Bugger! But that’s OK, as I needed the rest, and got to see not only the Wimbledon ladies’ final (Williams beat Williams) and the first stage of the Tour de France. Oddly enough, both the tennis and the cycling finished within 60 seconds of each other, which was odd synchronicity. And in the afternoon, sprite and I went to the Smithsonian Folklife Festival (best part: the temple from Bhutan; otherwise, a bit of a letdown compared to previous years).

Sunday’s weather looked dreary, but not very wet, so I headed up to Laytonsville to ride a fast, rolling 67 mile loop with a bunch of the PPTC gang. The ride leader hadn’t expected such turnout, so he was caught short of cue sheets. So for the first 22 miles, we rode as a pack and called out directions - what a blast! After the first rest stop, we all had cues (thank you, photocopier!).

We continued, with me helping pace the front group with Joyce, Ira and Hugo. We were having a blast, and I wasn’t pushing too high an effort.

But at mile 36, on Ijamsville Road, I rode through some nasty glass and PFFFFFFFfffffff……

Falt tire, due to a clean, 11 millimeter cut from the center of the tire to the left flank.

Bugger!

So I pulled off the road, with friends there to help. Thanks to teamwork, we managed to get my tire booted with two self-adhesive patches and a dollar bill from my wallet. We put in a new tube, pumped gently up to 70-ish PSI (any more and the hole bulged precariously), and got back on the road.

And lemme tell ‘ya: a tire that’s built to ride with 120 PSI is a challenge to ride at 70 PSI! I had to keep an eye on my line to avoid any big bumps, dips or rocks. I couldn’t rock the bike too much, back and forth, so standing to climb or sprint was out of the question. I had to take it easy on the downhills and not hammer the uphills. I had to be very careful on left turns, given the cut wasn’t mended, so much as temporarily covered from the inside, and the tire’s structure was mortally compromised. This combination of factors led to two things:

1. I rode really smoothly for the rest of the ride (including the longest climbs of the ride); and
2. Because I couldn’t stand, my back was really, really sore by the end of the ride.

I think part of the latter was due to the fact that those of us who performed tire surgery skipped the second rest stop, though I did keep nourished and hydrated throughout the ride.

So my tire repair cost me a dollar bill from my wallet - plus material fees of approximately $42 (new tire and tube, plus tube patches used to help seal the cut in the old tire).

Originally a finishing school for DC women, it was eventually turned into a rehabilitation and retraining facility for wounded soldiers, part of the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. The architecture was all over the map: Asian, Mission style, Tudor, and mixes of many others. It was an international-style oasis close to DC, where veterans could escape reality and recuperate: bowling, swimming, ballroom dancing and other activities ruled the roost.

In the early 1970s, the Army abandoned the facility, and while it was placed on the National Register for Historic Places in 1972, it fell into decay very quickly. There were calls to demolish the place until recently.

But now, there’s hope: a new condo development (something I typically frown upon) is incorporating all of the still-extant buildings, integrating as many original features as possible. New houses have been built in sympathetic styles, as well.

Yet the “endurance athlete” flag seems to have been wrenched from the hands of us cyclists by those who compete in triathlon or long-distance running.

And it peeves me.

Perhaps the various doping scandals that have plagued cycling over the past decade - including the recent trials of Floyd Landis and Michael Rasmussen, and the ongoing “did-he-or-didn’t-he” treatment of Lance Armstrong - has something to do with it. Especially here in the United States, road cyclists of all types are looked down upon by casual onlooker and sports wonk alike. “There can’t be any possible way that a person can ride 100 or more miles on a bike, over big mountains and the like, without some kind of cheating,” they say.

I admit that the PR damage done by professional cyclists who must win at any cost is quite significant. But just because there are a few bad apples in the mix, there is no good reason to discount the efforts put in by the rest of us, both pros and hobbyists.

We train hard. We spend hour after hour perched on a tiny saddle, riding on narrow, hard tires, often alone, through hot heat and icy cold. These are hours where we are removed from our family and friends (unless they, too, have the desire to go the distance on a bicycle), hours of the best weather of the day (especially in the summer), hours that add up to days apart from the rest of the world.

And what do we (especially in the United States) have to show for it? There are precious few cyclosportives in these parts, which is a shame. Unlike the organized century rides that are offered all over the place, proper cyclosportives are sanctioned by the Union Cycliste Internationale - which means they’re usually timed, and adhere to a specific set of requirements in terms of organization and rules. They’re not races, nor are they randonnée rides (ultra distance rides, called brevéts, where there are time limits and increasing distance goals). Perhaps Mountains of Misery is as close as we get to a proper sportive here in the States.

But here in the States, we tend to get the organized century rides - which are great fun, but because they aren’t officially sanctioned, they don’t carry the same weight. And the randonneurs are such a tiny sub-set of endurance cycling as to go relatively unnoticed.

The racing scene in the States is largely based around the criterium races: basically a full-on sprint on a short, closed course that takes on a bit of a roller derby atmosphere. It’s great for spectators, but not really attractive to the media or the public at large (again, the doping scandals enter into the picture: who wants to see a bunch of pros who “must be doping?”). And since it comes across as a big sprint (most crits are less than 60 miles in total distance), most people don’t see the endurance aspect.

And the big stage races here in the States - the Tour of California and the Tour of Georgia - get little coverage in the mainstream media. While marquee marathons (New York and Boston) and triathlons (Escape from Alcatraz and Ironman Kona) get full network coverage (including the “human interest sob stories” that make me want to vomit - show me the damn racing!), endurance cycling events get nary a mention in the news. The Tour of California is carried on Versus, the Tour of Georgia on Universal Sports (a primarily internet-based network, formerly known as WCSN) - not really the most in-your-face outlets. The Race Across America and other great events - like the Mt. Washington Bicycle Hillclimb, the Leadville 100, or the few timed, sportive-style events - get almost zero coverage outside of the cycling trade magazines and websites. Even the Tour de France is subject to weekly network recaps (though Versus shows live daily coverage) - the Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España get far less.

Heck - the Race Across America gets better coverage in the European Union than in the United States!

So the triathletes and runners get the U.S. public’s nod as the “real” endurance athletes, while cyclists who ride hundreds of miles per week, climbing tens of thousands of feet in the process, spending hours on lonely roads (and sometimes on busy roads, dodging careless drivers and their petrol-burning steeds), working toward goals that are every bit as challenging as their running and tri brothers and sisters.

Speaking on behalf of many cyclists: we feel slighted.

Yes, there’s been some very public scandal amongst the pro cycling ranks. But one-hundred-something busted or implicated riders do not represent the whole of cycling. The majority of us are just like the folks who lace up their running shoes first thing in the morning, or slip into the pool before dawn to crank out 2,000 meters: we’re simply folks who are out to test our body’s ability to cope, adapt and (hopefully) thrive under adverse conditions. We do this while facing the same everyday challenges as most people: keeping up with our training while juggling work, family, friends and life’s other obligations.

We, too, would like recognition from society, at large - especially here in the United States.

We, too, are endurance athletes. We fight just as much pain, just as many physical and mental challenges and obstacles as our fellow endurance enthusiasts.

I respect my running friends and my triathlete friends to the hilt. They are amazing athletes, amazing people, and true endurance enthusiasts. They work hard and compete harder.

And so do many cyclists, myself included. And I want to take back part of the “endurance” label for my fellow cyclists.

So when you think “endurance,” don’t stop at marathon running or triathlon. Remember the cyclists, too.

(Films I’ve seen in bold)

1. Pulp Fiction (1994)
2. The Lord of the Rings trilogy (2001-03)
3. Titanic (1997)
4. Blue Velvet (1986)
5. Toy Story (1995)
6. Saving Private Ryan (1998)
7. Hannah and Her Sisters (1986)
8. The Silence of the Lambs (1991)
9. Die Hard (1988)
10. Moulin Rouge (2001)

11. This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
12. The Matrix (1999)
13. GoodFellas (1990)
14. Crumb (1995)
15. Edward Scissorhands (1990)
16. Boogie Nights (1997)
17. Jerry Maguire (1996)
18. Do the Right Thing (1989)
19. Casino Royale (2006)
20. The Lion King (1994)

21. Schindler’s List (1993)
22. Rushmore (1998)
23. Memento (2001)
24. A Room With a View (1986)
25. Shrek (2001)
26. Hoop Dreams (1994)
27. Aliens (1986)
28. Wings of Desire (1988)
29. The Bourne Supremacy (2004)
30. When Harry Met Sally… (1989)

31. Brokeback Mountain (2005)
32. Fight Club (1999)
33. The Breakfast Club (1985)
34. Fargo (1996)
35. The Incredibles (2004)
36. Spider-Man 2 (2004)
37. Pretty Woman (1990)
38. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)
39. The Sixth Sense (1999)
40. Speed (1994)

41. Dazed and Confused (1993)
42. Clueless (1995)
43. Gladiator (2000)
44. The Player (1992)
45. Rain Man (1988)
46. Children of Men (2006)
47. Men in Black (1997)
48. Scarface (1983)
49. Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)
50. The Piano (1993)

51. There Will Be Blood (2007)
52. The Naked Gun: From the Files of Police Squad (1988)
53. The Truman Show (1998)
54. Fatal Attraction (1987)
55. Risky Business (1983)
56. The Lives of Others (2006)
57. There’s Something About Mary (1998)
58. Ghostbusters (1984)
59. L.A. Confidential (1997)
60. Scream (1996)

61. Beverly Hills Cop (1984)
62. sex, lies and videotape (1989)
63. Big (1988)
64. No Country For Old Men (2007)
65. Dirty Dancing (1987)
66. Natural Born Killers (1994)
67. Donnie Brasco (1997)
68. Witness (1985)
69. All About My Mother (1999)
70. Broadcast News (1987)

71. Unforgiven (1992)
72. Thelma & Louise (1991)
73. Office Space (1999)
74. Drugstore Cowboy (1989)
75. Out of Africa (1985)
76. The Departed (2006)
77. Sid and Nancy (1986)
78. Terminator 2: Judgment Day (1991)
79. Waiting for Guffman (1996)
80. Michael Clayton (2007)

81. Moonstruck (1987)
82. Lost in Translation (2003)
83. Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)
84. Sideways (2004)
85. The 40 Year-Old Virgin (2005)
86. Y Tu Mamá También (2002)
87. Swingers (1996)
88. Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery (1997)
89. Breaking the Waves (1996)
90. Napoleon Dynamite (2004)

91. Back to the Future (1985)
92. Menace II Society (1993)
93. Ed Wood (1994)
94. Full Metal Jacket (1987)
95. In the Mood for Love (2001)
96. Far From Heaven (2002)
97. Glory (1989)
98. The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
99. The Blair Witch Project (1999)
100. South Park: Bigger Longer & Uncut (1999)

Chains have many connotations to me, as well.

There’s the bicycling connection: the chain is part of the drivetrain of a bicycle. It needs attention to work properly: proper lubrication, cleaning, inspection for excess wear. Chains are never ever perfect after they’re first installed on a brand-new drivetrain (including new cogs, new chainrings, etc.), but they can be kept in perfect working order for thousands of miles with a little TLC.

Bicycle chains are WIPs.

And then there are chains that are more cyclical: the chains that bind a person to an endeavor, organization, and the like. My political involvement in the District has also been a bit of a chain: binding me to the city and its politics, to political groups that can both inspire and frustrate, often at the same time.

But when the frustrating moments outweigh the uplifting ones, it’s time to break the chain.

I ran for a seat on the DC Democratic State Committee for mostly altruistic reasons. I wanted to change the old-guard ways of the previous administration (raise lots of money, spend even more, achieving nothing in the transaction other than ego stroking). I thought that our group of motivated newcomers could do it. We had drive and determination. We also wanted to show how much could be done (winning citywide election) with so little (a budget that was 1/20 that of our incumbent rivals).

We won in 2004. And once in office, I discovered how completely naïve we were in thinking that change would come. No matter how we tried, the old guard continued to do the same old shtick, time and again. Albert Einstein is credited with the following saying:

“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”

And that sums up what being on the DC Democratic State Committee has been for the past four years.

So while many from my 2004 slate are gathering signatures to get on this September’s ballot, I’m not joining them.

I’m tending to the WIP that is me: cutting loose those things that cause undue stress and frustration.

I’m breaking the chain.

That’s not to say I won’t be politically involved. Politics and political causes are still near and dear to me, are part of my being and personality. But I’d rather be involved in things where I feel that my time is well spent, my opinions respected, and my frustration rewarded by progress from hard work, rather than the same ‘ol, same ‘ol.

Those are my chains. What are yours?

Hooray?

Hooray!

Last Friday, I went to see the Nats host the Texas Rangers (a.k.a. the Washington Senators, who last visited this fair city in 1971, when they were moved to Arlington, TX) in an interleague battle royale. I went with Sarah and sprite - as well as over 200 folks who share a love of all things fiber: knitters, quilters, needlepointers and cross-stitchers. They call the event “Stitch & Pitch,” and it was a lot of fun, even for this non-knitter.

The game was a decent one, going 14 innings - which meant a second Presidents Race between the 13th and 14th innings, and a 14th Inning Stretch. Good times.

On Saturday, I co-led a PPTC ride: 65 miles from the Gandhi Statue to Seneca, MD, and back. I was the A/AA leader, which meant that I was able to ride off the front and keep the pace brisk. It was a speedy ride, a lot of fun.

That night, Sprite and I went to see Get Smart, and we both enjoyed it quite a bit. During the walk to the Georgetown movieplex, we passed a couple with their two your boys, each of whom were wearing the ubiquitous “skate sneaks” that are all the rage. And when I saw one of the boys walking in them, on his toes, I thought to myself, “those kids are prepping themselves to wear high heels.”

sprite had a great addition to that, remarking that I should say that to their father and see if he quickly demands that his kid take ‘em off. After all, they could catch The Gay™!

(And yes, I know how to walk - even how to run - in heels. Blame a certain cult movie for that ability.)

Sunday I went on a ride on Skyline Drive with Jonathan, Chris and Phillip. We were wary of the weather (the forecast had called for thunderstorms by mid-day), but managed to luck out, with moderate temperatures, a lot of sun, a nice breeze, and little auto traffic. About 7 miles into the ride I saw a black bear in the middle of the road, blocking my path. He and I stared at each other for a couple of minutes before my riding pals and a car made him amble off into the woods.

So I’ve had my Skyline Drive bear sighting - a rite of passage for any cyclist who rides that classic route.

The ride was really great: almost 84 miles, with 8,700 feet of climbing. The climbs were tough, but not terrible, and the descents were fast. It’s good prep for the Shasta Super Century, for sure!

What few people realize is that their first concert in the U.S. was not on “The Ed Sullivan Show,” but at the Washington Coliseum (originally called Uline Arena) here in the District of Columbia. Here’s video from that show:

The building was primarily a hockey and boxing arena back when it was built in 1941, and hosted many sporting events and the occasional rock & roll revue. The Beatles’ show was one of the last great events to take place at the then-degrading Coliseum (the cover photo from Bob Dylan’s Greatest Hits was taken at a 1966 concert there), its fate sealed by the construction of a newer, larger arena - Capital Centre - in nearby Largo, MD (not in DC, mind you).

For years, the structure sat degrading. For nearly ten years (1994-2003), it served as a waste/trash transfer facility, and currently is used as an indoor parking lot. In 2006, Uline Arena was added to the official protection list of the D.C. Historic Preservation Review Board, and plans are afoot to return Uline Arena to prominence as a performing arts venue.

Wanna see more? Hillary, sprite, Sarah, and MsP are all photo-happy and willing to share their unique DC-based views.