The Final Post. . .

We are killing the blog, it is boring and annoying to keep posting on. Stay tuned, at some point in the future we will be creating a real website, and will post a link to whatever it will end up being, but this will take a while.

In the mean time, look at www.beyonddc.com

See ya,
BeyondBeyondDC.

Metro passed, what to call it?

Metro funding is passed to allow a line to Ashburn. That's the real truth. It isn't to Dulles, it's a concession to greedy developers and yuppies living in new McMansions. The Orange line should have been extended down I-66 to the EXISTING OLDER suburbs. I-66 in this section has far greater daily traffic flow than the Greenway and Dulles Toll Road - both of which are there to alleviate congestion on the local roads. At the I-66/Fairfax County Parkway, the Metro should have cut north up the Parkway to Herndon, then looped through Reston and then to Tysons as planned.

I have a name for the new line - Yuppie Line.

Sweet urban cycling skills. . .

Heck yes, no brakes, one gear, sweet! Nice bike, can I try it real quick?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0AFpq6jFok&playnext_from=PL&feature=PlayList&p=AB77F0BD57BD80AE&playnext=1&index=1

Bus driver bites the crime dog

We've often thout it unsafe to ride the bus, here's the proof.

http://www.dcexaminer.com/local/crime/Metro-bus-driver-takes-bite-out-of-McGruff-the-Crime-Dog-40558982.html

On the corner in a city.

Mr. Change may be claiming suburban sprawl is over, but does he actually realize that prostitutes and bums prefer street corners in cities? That's right. How many are usually standing at the corner of a $1,000,000 suburban neighborhood?

The real question is, how do they define a City? Some jurisdiction with a small 15,000 population and no building over 5 stories in height should not count. These are but townships. Most bums just pass through these townships. Most of these townships are simply suburbs of larger cities, thus if those townships called cities grow, it really isn't city growth. Thus, with a suburb being called a city, the prostitutes and bums have no clue where to actually be.

Splinters in my rear. . .

A wooden fender that is. We are not eager to give people plugs, but this looks like great craftsmanship at a nice price. Wooden fenders and other accessories for bicycles! I have a feeling that one of the short chops will be going on our project bike! As a woodworker, even I cannot build one for that price.

http://www.woodysfenders.com/store/index.php?main_page=page&id=4

Swedish Fish - Yummm!

Check out Western Harbour, in Malmo, Sweden. This green community would be a neat concept for the NOVA region, perhaps Mr. Peterson should have used this as an example to National Horror, I mean Harbor. Alas, we are stuck with the planning world's definition of "new urbanism" aka Ashburn.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/5413960.stm

Single speed bikes - Meet "Fixie"

Do you remember when you were a kid, how cool it was to grab your bike and simply peddle down the driveway or sidewalk? 21 gears didn't exist in your mind, it was just plain and simple peddling.

Well, thanks in large part to hipsters (aka pretenders), bike messengers, and Velodrome racers such as Graeme Obree, single speed bikes are starting to become the "must have"

We here at BBDC are currently modifying our vintage 1972 Schwinn steel frame 10-speed into a sleek single-speed. Gone are the heavy upright chrome handlebars, steel wheels, gears, springy saddle (yes they are saddles not seats) and even the rear brake. Stripped and a nice light 26 lbs, although heavy compared to carbon fiber bikes, this bike will scream "oh yeah look at that" once it is finished. I'll have a whopping $300 in basically a brand new bike. Pictures will come after I am finished.

Words of wisdom from my experience:
1. YOU MUST USE A BRAKE(s). You will crash otherwise, and any injury you experience is YOUR FAULT.

2. Freewheel is your friend. When we were kids on our small bikes or big wheels, we didn't peddle at traffic speed on the street. It's nice to have the bike move forward without pumping your legs. A flip-flop hub works best.

3. Clean and lube your bike often, and check air pressure EVERY TIME BEFORE you ride. You'd be supprised to learn that bike tires can lose 20+ lbs of pressure in a single day.

4. WEAR A FREAKING HELMET! They are cool looking, are now light weight, and can save some brain tissue.

5. Check your localitiy's bicycle laws (helmet laws, lights and refleectors, if riding on sidewalks is legal...)

6. Stop in and speak with local bike shops! Nice people, will spend 30 mins looking over problems for free, and deserve your business.

7. Oh yeah, almost forgot, it's not simple to convert just any bike to a single speed. Look for a frame with a horizontal frop out (that slot that the back axel slides into). This way you can adjust chain tension by moving the wheel, and not use a tensioner that just complicates things. Also, be sure of the correct chain width, many single speed rear cogs need the 1/8" BMX style chain.


Meanwhile check out some of these links:

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/singlespeed.html

http://www.trekbikes.com/us/en/bikes/urban/district/district/

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://velospace.org/files/2720956091_4ace20ffc9.jpg&imgrefurl=http://velospace.org/node/13695&usg=__MdaxwJqCJByYTTbtIp_B8GXiTTA=&h=358&w=500&sz=109&hl=en&start=42&tbnid=xozFbDUEcMFHJM:&tbnh=93&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dschwinn%2Bsuburban%26start%3D36%26gbv%3D2%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

Not sure where to ride a bicycle in Fairfax County?

Where to ride? The following links will show you everything you've ever wanted to know!

Variety of trails
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/bikes2a.htm

Cross County Trail
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/parks/cct/

Washington and Old Dominion
http://www.wodfriends.org/

Detailed maps
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/fcdot/bike/bikemap.htm
http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/nmtc/maps.html