So, I took a week off from blogging because the weather has been just too nice. Couple that with my efforts to ride every day for 30 Days of Biking month, the hands have been on the bars rather than the camera. So here's a bit of a mish mosh of an update.

Here's a Raleigh I saw parked in Mt. Pleasant. Interesting bits is the chain/lock combo that is reminiscent of those used in Amsterdam... really big, heavy link chain wrapped in kevlar sheath and solid lock to go with it, not some cheap Master key lock from Ace Hardware. I also really like the front fender ornament. Bikes in general need more details like that.

A Schwinn parked in Columbia Heights. I grew up near the headquarters of Schwinns so everyone had one when I was a kid. But by the 1990s, the company was a shell of its former glorious self and the company went bankrupt in 1993. The front tire on this bicycle is very flat, and while the body is in great shape, the fenders are all rusted to hell and back.

This past weekend saw the confluence of the cherry blossom trees around the Tidal Basin in full bloom, the end of the Cherry Blossom Festival and Parade and actual good, warm weather in Washington, DC. So what you get is a huge puppy litter of tourists jamming up the entire National Mall area. If you drove there by car, good luck not blowing your brains out by the traffic moving inch by inch. If you walked, prepare to join the moving herds of tourists slowly making their way around the basin, with constant back-ups due to people taking photos everywhere.

But if you can bike, and don't mind going between cars in close proximity, it was a breeze. This spot was a meet-up point for several friends, between the FDR and Jefferson memorials. Once the call went out, I got from downtown to this point in 15 minutes flat. I parked my bike against the rail and laid down to relax. My friends finally got to that point by foot an hour or so later. Sloane got a lot of look overs and several people posed next to it for photos. Woot.

This is a newly painted contra-flow lane on G St. NE. Salmoning against car traffic is allowed on G and I Sts NE because H St is a huge busy street... with street car tracks. Many a biker has eaten dangerous pavement on this street when their front tire gets caught in one of the tracks. I saw the DC Bike Party roll down it last Wednesday to post-party at the Rock n Roll Hotel and saw no less than 3 cyclists eat asphalt. Ouch. These contra-lanes are new in that the paint is new. Woot.

Last, Mr. District Dutch does own a car and usually drives it to work to his office in MD. Said car is now in the shop for awhile so I've been taking the Metro rail and bus to work. It's not bad. This is a public repair station/pump at the College Park metro station which also has a secured bike parking area... you need a special card to get in. DC could use more of these public repair lifts and pumps around town.

We're halfway through April, I hope you've all been riding every day this month! Keep on riding!