The Bs of Bike Commuting

Today was a day that I've been waiting for since October. Mr. Weatherman said that it would be 60 degrees in the afternoon.  Yesss.

But first I had to deal with the ride in. Noooo.

It wasn't so bad.  When I left the cozy confines of the Rootchopper Institute, it was a reasonable 46 degrees, warn enough to leave the fleece bike booties at home.  Mr. Weatherman also kindly added a light tail wind to the proceedings.  The first five miles were effortless.  To cap them off, a bald eagle took in the sun at the Belle Haven nest.  He or she was looking fine in the bright morning sunshine.

I rode through Old Town without a care. The traffic cop at Saint Mary's School waved me through the mess o'SUVs dropping off all the papists.  At the north end of Old Town, I guessed that the Mount Vernon Trail was still closed near the power plant.  I guessed right and made my way along the bumpy Root Route, so named because it is a wash board of tree routes on the west side of the power plant.

BBUS Alert!

The next five miles went without a hitch.  As I made my way toward the 14th Street Bridge I saw something black on the side of the trail.  It was a black bra of unusual size, a BBUS!  In all my years of bicycling and running along the byways I have never seen a BBUS.  So today was my lucky day.  All I could think of as I stood over the BBUS was what a rude surprise for the bike commuter who lost this.

Sequoia and Flowers

I have no use for a BBUS and thought perhaps the owner would be looking for it so I left it where I found it and carried on.  After clearing the Memorial Bridge underpass I came upon beautiful blooming daffodils. Mr Weatherman has fooled Mother Nature.  Lovely.

I had to interrupt my biking to make a living but after 9 hours of toiling for the man, I was back on the bike.  When I left the tower of toil in Rosslyn it was 62 degrees.  Soooo nice.

A BBUS of a Different Sort

On the way home I passed the site of the BBUS, It was gone. I do hope it found its owner.  A few miles later I passed another BBUS.  This one was the boys' bike of unusual size.  The bike had some sort of extension on the back on which were perched two little boys in helmets.  They seemed to be enjoying making dad slog up the flyover spans at National Airport. 

After clearing Old Town, I made my way over to Fort Hunt Road and to the Spokes Etc. bike shop at Belle Haven for some new front brakes.  Basically, I've been riding without front brakes for two or three weeks.  Not recommended. Spokes is a pretty good shop and they do incidental repairs such as installing brake pads while you wait.  In fifteen minutes I was back on the bike.  I climbed the long rise on Fort Hunt Road in the dark.  From there it was pretty much three miles down hill to home.

Mr. Weatherman you're the best.

P.S. Since I stopped at the bike shop, this counts as yet another Utilitaire ride.