Biking in Edgewood and Beyond

The evolution of my life with a bicycle began as it did for many children with a tricycle and then the upgrade to a two-wheeler with training wheels.  I will never forget the first day I rode without the training wheels as I donned a cape and was simultaneously angry and excited when I realized that my dad had let go and I was riding on my own!  As a child I rode my bike with my friends everywhere- to each other's houses, to the pool and to the store.  We never really thought about it as transportation just as freedom to go where we wanted without adults and mostly fun.  Once I got my driving license the car became our freedom as we could travel further and faster leaving my bike behind.  In college I was able to walk everywhere and that became my main method of transportation.  They also made all the buses free in Chapel Hill while I was there so riding the bus was the best and cheapest way to travel further distances. 

When I moved up to the DC area after school for a job I fell in love with being able to walk or take public transportation everywhere.  I bought a new bike, but this time it was a road bike for exercise.  I would ride with my boyfriend for the sole purpose of working out.  Then I moved into DC proper and decided to go carfree.  A few years later Capital Bikeshare came and I joined right away.  I have grown to realize that biking in the city was not as scary as I thought it was once I was not clipped into my road bike's pedals.  I still plan out my routes well in advance, try to use bike lanes or paths as much as possible and ask other cyclists' advice on the best way to go.  In Edgewood we are really lucky to have the Met Branch Trail allowing the beginning and end of most bike trips to be off road.  This year I bought my own city bike with a basket for my dog and now we ride everywhere.  So it looks like I have come full circle with my biking as I now use it once again for transportation and freedom.  I have been reminded of how much fun a bike ride with friends can be just like it was as a child.  I am constantly asking neighbors if they bike and want to go on various rides.

In fact there are two rides this weekend that I and some Edgewood neighbors will be doing.  Please send me an email if you want to join us!

Tonight leaving Edgewood at 7:30 p.m. to do the BicycleSpace Kingman Island Ride and Luau

http://www.bicyclespacedc.com/blog/2012/7/31/lets-get-tropical.html

Sunday leaving Edgewood around 1:00 p.m. to do the Lion Ride in Anacostia.

Capital Bikeshare Crowdsourcing Map

To follow in all my fellow bloggers footsteps I would like to ask everyone to get on the Capital Bikeshare Crowdsourcing map and suggest stations that you would like in Edgewood and beyond.  Remember you can like stations that others have already suggested and make comments on them.  I am pretty sure that EYA is adding a station to the Chancellor's Row development and that Rhode Island Row is adding one as well. 

Here is the link to add your choices.

Capital Bikeshare Crowdsourcing Map

Here is what our area looks like on the map right now:

Capital Bikeshare Data for Edgewood

I wanted to do a more through post, but cannot get the dashboard to download the data.  While I work on that I wanted to share this graph which shows the number of bikeshare trips that started/ended at the Edgewood station on 4th and Adams Street NE.  It looks like the Edgewood station use is growing along with bikeshare.  I imagine it will pick up even more as stations are added in our area.

Saturday Rides on the Met Branch Trail -- First Ride This Saturday

With cooler weather in the forecast, the Brookland Neighborhood Civic Association is sponsoring a series of Saturday morning bicycle rides on the Metropolitan Branch Trail. These weekly group rides will be a good way to get out on the Trail, have some fun, meet your neighbors, and get some exercise.


The first ride will take place this coming Saturday, September 17th from 9-10 AM. We'll meet at the Brookland Kiosk at the corner of 12th and Newton and ride from there to the entrance of the MBT on 8th Street under the Franklin Street Bridge. The ride will last approximately 1 hour and will be a round-trip distance of approximately 4-5 miles. And, when we're done, you'll still have the rest of your Saturday to devote to whatever you have planned.

Future rides will take place--same time, same meeting place--every Saturday morning as follows: Sept. 24; Oct. 1, 8, 15, 22, 29; Nov. 5. We hope you'll consider joining us for some, all, or as many rides as you'd like!

I'm attaching a flyer with more information. Many thanks go to Jenny Isaacs for her graphic design of the flyer. Thanks, too, to Jake Abbott of Abbott Klar for providing us with multiple copies of it for posting and distribution. Please help us spread the word.

For more information, go to http://www.brooklandcivic.org/ or call 529-0953.

March 5th EYA Model Home Grand Opening in Edgewood

Please see the news release by EYA about their upcoming model home open house. They have already sold 39 houses in their development and we will be getting new neighbors in Edgewood starting in March.

NEWS RELEASE Contact: Jack Lester
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (301) 634-8600
February 23, 2011


MODEL HOMES OPEN IN DC’S FASTEST SELLING TOWNHOME COMMUNITY
Saturday, March 5th, from Noon – 4 PM

Washington, DC – Just steps from DC’s Red Line at Brookland/CUA Metro, EYA is celebrating the grand opening of its two new decorated model homes at Chancellor’s Row.

The new 10-acre townhome neighborhood anchors the expansive redevelopment of northeast Washington and features 237 townhomes, three acres of green spaces preserves and immaculate views of DC’s iconic Basilica of the National Shrine.

Chancellor’s Row is within walking distance of shops and restaurants along Brookland’s historic main street. Also adjacent is the ABDO Catholic University South Campus retail main street development which will soon include 750 luxury apartments, 17,000 square feet of artist studio space and 83,000 square feet of retail space. Other planned projects nearby include the 901 Monroe redevelopment of Colonel Brooks’ Tavern and the Rhode Island Avenue Metro station redevelopment.

Built to LEED for Homes and LEED for Neighborhood Development standards, the new townhome community exemplifies today’s best practices in sustainable design and smart growth. Chancellor’s Row is steps from Metro, moments from the downtown business district, anchored by countless neighborhood amenities and includes both Zip Car and a bike sharing kiosk. Energy Star features, third-party insulation inspections and recycled/sustainable building materials also add to the homes’ environmentally friendly design.

New four-level townhomes include garage parking, rooftop terraces, three or four bedrooms and luxury finishes throughout. A limited number of new homes remain for 2011 move-in and are priced from the upper $400s.

Since opening in May 2010, EYA has sold 39 townhomes at Chancellor’s Row and the first homeowners are expected to move in this March.

MODEL GRAND OPENING
Special Guest: Red Hook Lobster Truck
Saturday, March 5, 2011 • 12 PM – 4 PM
650-T Jackson Street NE • Washington, DC 20017

ABOUT EYA
EYA is a smart growth developer, specializing in walkable new townhome communities and mixed-use developments. Since its founding in 1992, the company has built over 30 neighborhoods in the Washington Metropolitan area, including seven communities in Washington, DC. For more information on the company or its neighborhoods, visit http://www.eya.com/.

Chipotle Opens at Union Station Tomorrow!

As it was pointed out to me while it is not Edgewood the new Chipotle opening at Union Station this Saturday is only a short walk/ride down the Met Branch Trail. I have been using the Capital Bikeshare station at 4th and Rhode Island Ave this week on the trail between here and Union Station and it makes for a pretty easy trip.

Help launch Capital Bikeshare -- Ride to Edgewood Station near MBT

The launch of the Capital Bikshare is only one week away and you can be a part of the group that rides the bikes from the depot to the stations around the city.

Please see the details below for the Edgewood station ride.

Hello everyone –

Help launch the new Capital Bikeshare program on Monday, 9/20. Rails-to-Trails Conservancy and DDOT will be leading a group from the bike warehouse near Navy Yard to the CaBi station in Edgewood, via the MBT! See details below. Hope to see you there.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Come be the first to ride on DC and Arlington’s new Capital Bikeshare bikes! Join a group ride at the CaBi launch on Sept. 20th and help stock the stations with bikes!

Riders will bike to a CaBi station with a small group and be the first to use the station.

Riders must:
Be a Capital Bikeshare member – register at www.capitalbikeshare.com
Wear a helmet on the ride

Event Date: Monday, September 20, 2010
Event Time: 10:15 AM
Location: near Navy Yard Metro station

Ready to ride?
Contact Kelly Pack at Rails-to-Trails Conservancy by Wednesday, September 15th if you’re interested.
Email: kellyp@railstotrails.org
Phone: 202-974-5148

Capital Bikeshare

The website for the new Capital Bikeshare program has launched and if you join today you get $25 off the year membership fees. You find out all about the program and how it works on their website. You can also check out the map of the proposed locations which includes one on 4th Street NE near Rhode Island Ave in Edgewood.

I joined today - could not resist the $25 dollars off and I have been thinking about buying a bike to ride around town since I only have a road bike now. Decided this is a much better solution and I don't have to carry around a lock or worry about it being stolen I can just return it to a different station.