Bike the Sites Blog

No one knows Washington DC better then the Washington Area Concierge Association (WACA), a membership group of concierge and affiliates from the best hotels in the city. Always on the look-out for the best activities, we had the pleasure of hosting a group of WACA members who came to experience our tour for themselves. Now concierge can recommend our tours with first hand testimonials! We offer free tours to concierge throughout the year so they can learn more about Bike and Roll and brush up on their knowledge on the sites of the National Mall. 

Ask your concierge about the $5 off Guest coupons cards available in most DC hotels! 

Today at 10:00am President Obama will speak at the groundbreaking of the new National Museum of African American History and Culture, set to open by November 2015. Adjacent to the Washington Monument, the new museum's mission is to interpret the complex narrative arc of the black experience in America.  The museum will be the 19th Smithsonian museum.

Other attendees will include first lady Michelle Obama, former first lady Laura Bush, Smithsonian Secretary G. Wayne Clough, and the museum's found director Lonnie G. Bunch. The event is invitation only but will be streamed live on the museum's website. 

Found on AutoblogGreen

Volkswagon of America representatives at the Washington Auto Show last Thursday announced their partnership with Colorado based People for Bikes, an organization committed to creating safe biking communities nation wide. Volkswagon's sponsorship includes financial funding as well as the donation of vehicles to support advocay programs and urban planning initiatives. 

"Volkswagen's commitment to environmental sustainability extends beyond our fuel-efficient vehicles and company practices," said Jonathan Browning, president and CEO, Volkswagen Group of America. "We are extremely proud to be partnering with Bikes Belong to encourage biking and ensure that people of all ages can safely share the road, saving fuel and reducing pollution and traffic congestion."

The sponsorship is part of VW's new Think Blue Initiative, which works to promote eco-conscious behavior and green initiatives. 

Looking for a job with a laid back atmosphere, enthusiastic fellow staffers and plenty of sunshine? Bike and Roll Washington DC is hiring for this spring! We are looking for tour guides, mechanics, assistant managers, and rental staff! Please visit our Employment page for job descriptions and instructions on applying. Know someone who might be interested? Direct them here!

It's finally starting to feel like winter here in Washington DC, but that doesn't mean the end of biking! Though our downtown DC location in Federal Triangle is now closed through March, our Union Station Bikestation will be open year round, Monday through Friday from 7:00am to 7:00pm (Closed December 24th to January 2). Our Old Town, Alexandria shop is also closed until spring 2012.

Thank you to everyone who came and visited us this year, we hope you enjoyed our tours and rentals as much as we liked giving them! As we put our new fleet together for the spring season, we'll be dreaming of summer bike rides as we shiver in the garage. Keep up with the latest on our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter!

-Bike and Roll Washington DC Team 2011

Bicyclists around the world are generally an environmentally conscious bunch, so I shouldn't have been surprised when my search for "recycled bike art" came up with furniture, jewelry, bags and even a few nude sculptures. Found on Inhabit.com, sculptor Seo Young Deok created these larger than life nude sculptures entirely from bicycle chains. The display is titled "Dystopia" and is on display at the INSA/Arko Art Gallery in Soeul.

Seo Young Doek - "Dystopia"

Most of my favotes seem to fall in the home decor section: chairs made froms wheel rims and tubes, coffee tables decorated with old cranks, and the sublte bike chain candle holders from ReBike Blog.

 Can you spot the "upcycled" bike parts in this CB2 catelog?

 www.re-nest.com

After purchasing your new bike from Bike and Roll's fall bike sale, you will surely start wondering where to ride. We suggest you pick up a copy of the metropolitan region’s newest and most comprehensive cycling guidebook, Where to Bike Washington D.C. ($25) at our bike sale or at Bike and Roll’s Union Station location. Packed with 55 easy to epic rides for adults, state-of-the-art GPS-produced maps, and oodles of information from food and drink options to interesting side trips, it also details an unprecedented 39 safe rides for kids.

Wittmer first cycled the nation’s capital while helping map portions of the East Coast Greenway trail from Calais, Maine to Key West, Florida. And after two years of teaching and travel in South America, he returned and picked up where he left off, finding safe, fun places for cyclists to ride.

A note from the author:

“Any book is a labor of love to its subject and Where to Bike, Washington DC is no exception. My subject was, of course, cycling in the nation’s capital, and I was fortunate enough to be exploring it at a time when interest in biking, and rapid advancements in its infrastructure, were both at all-time highs.

What area rider could be more privileged? It was one of the best experiences of my life, and one I did with wheels to the ground in hopes of finding fun, exciting rides for regional cyclists of all levels. Being able to ride my bicycle, not only to work, but for work, was the year-and-a-half long project’s highlight. In this book I map my way over thousands of miles throughout three states and share the natural beauty and pleasant roads and trails the greater D.C. area has to offer its cycling enthusiasts.”

-Matt Wittmer, October 2011

Starting on November 3rd, Capital Bikeshare will adjust its casual membership passes from $5 to $7 a day for the one day pass, and $15 for the three day pass. The five day pass will no longer exist, due to further research into average stay of visitors to the downtown metro DC area.

Additionally, the hourly fees will increase by 33%. The first half hour will remain free, the second half-hour will increase to $2, and each subsequent half-hour will cost $8.

According to their press release, "The pricing changes affecting casual users are being implemented due to the expansion in the District and Arlington and the accompanying increase in cost to operate and maintain the system. The anticipated increase in revenue will allow Capital Bikeshare to maintain and improve its level of service and continue to build on all of the success of the first year."

So this isn't exactly a situation we have to worry about here in Washington DC, (African antelope tend to leave tourists alone) but it just goes to show you never know! We especially enjoyed the slow motion sequence towards the end.

This week, a crowd watched as four engineers repelled off the top of the 555-foot Washington monument in order to assess the damage from the August 23rd 5.8 earthquake. The extent of the damage remains unknown, though visible cracks along the top of the obelisk have warranted serious assessment. The four engineers climbed out of the windows in the top of the monument in order to test for chips and cracks. Armed with digital camera, iPads and soft-headed mallets, the engineers may continue through the week.

The monument is closed indefinitely until experts and engineers can fix the damage, however the monument is still a spot on our Monuments and Monuments@Nite tour! Come learn about the history of the monument from our friendly tour guides and enjoy the splendor of the monument lit up at night.

Special thanks to CBS News

Museums around the country will participate in this year's annual Museum Day, organized by Smithsonian magazine. Participating museums across the country are offering free admission for one person plus a guest on Saturday, September 24th. Though many of DC's museums are already free, take advantage of this offer to visit the Phillips Collection, Dumbarton Oaks Museum, or the Corcoran Gallery of Art (which usually charge entry fees).

To get your free ticket, register on Smithsonianmag.com. Choose one of the hundreds of museums that are participating, and Smithsonian will email you your ticket (good for one participant and one guest per household).

Since many museums in DC are already free, come grab a Bike and Roll bike and hop easily from museum to museum for an afternoon of cheap fun!

Time is a tickin' if you're looking to join the annual WABA 50 States ride on Saturday, September 24th. This sometimes "brutal," sometimes "amazing" ride visits all of the state-named streets in the District, covering over 60 miles of road.

For riders looking for a more leisurely Saturday, we suggest the 13 Colonies ride, a 15-mile long ride covering (you guessed it) the roads named after the original 13 colonies.  WABA members receive a discounted entry fee.

Coming from out of town and need a bike, or worried your bike won't cut it? Come rent a roadbike from Bike and Roll and we will wave the overnight fee!

Good luck riders!

The National Park Service is joining forces with GoDCGo, DDOT, and the Metropolitan Police Department for the third year in a row to bring us Feet in the Street, an all day event promoting outdoor activities in one of the District's largest parks. The streets surrounding Fort Dupont Park will be closed from 9:00am to 3:00pm on October 15th, making it safe for kids and adults alike to bring out their bikes, skateboards, rollerblades, hiking boots and running shoes to enjoy fall in DC.

Bike and Roll will provide free bike rentals for adults and kids who want to go for a spin! No reservations required, just come find us in the park and we will set you up on one of our Trek bikes. Cruise down Fort Dupont Drive without worrying about dodging traffic.

For more information, visit GoDCGo.com and keep an eye on our Twitter @BikeandRollDC for updates!

Due to recent rains and predicted flooding, the C&O Canal Trust is doing it's part to preserve the popular C&O Canal Towpath by organizing volunteers to help sandbag the area. A popular spot for Bike and Rollers, the towpath stretchs for 184 miles, starting from downtown Washington DC all the way to Cumberland, Maryland.

Currently, the towpath, visitor center and all lockhouses are closed. On Thursday, September 8th, the C&O Canal Trust will be leading a group of volunteers to help sandbag the area and prepare for further flooding. For those available to help, volunteers will meet at tomorrow at Lockhouse 6 at 1:00. For further information, please call the Canal Trust at #301-714-2233.

Thanks to NPCA.org

No longer able to resist the beautiful weather, the Bike and Roll marketing department decided last week that we were due for an adventure. Knowing there is no better adventure than Bike and Roll's Bike and Boat to Mount Vernon package, we packed our bags and headed to Old Town, VA. After renting our bikes from Bike and Roll's Alexandria location, we hopped onto the Mount Vernon Trail and pedaled the 8 mile stretch down to the Mount Vernon Estate and Gardens. Stopping occasionally to snap some photos and enjoy views of the Potomac River, we made it to Mount Vernon just in time for lunch. 

After a leisurely lunch at the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant, we spent four hours at Mount Vernon touring the mansion, meandering through the gardens, chasing butterflies, and making friends with various mules and sheep. The farm at Mount Vernon is a working farm, filled with veggies and an old-time gristmill. 

Ready to be off our feet, we walked to the harbor where we watched the Potomac River Boat's Miss Christin pull into the dock. The friendly crew pointed out the sites along the way, including Fort Washington, Jones Point Lighthouse, National Harbor and the DC skyline. 

It's back to the office for us! Counting down the days til our next Bike and Roll adventure. To see more photos of Bike and Boat, please visit our Facebook page.

The town of Herndon, VA in Fairfax County is planning ahead for a major bike-friendly revamp to the south side of the city. Residents and city planners are hoping to use the new Herndon-Monroe Metro Station, estimated to be finished by 2016, as a stepping stone to create a more bike and pedestrian friendly downtown. Ultimately, town planners are looking to transform Herndon into a dense, urban environment with a downtown filled with shops and restaurants.

The idea of a two-way cycle track, with trees and plants buffering cyclists from the road, has been proposed by residents who are uncomfortable biking on the street. The Planning Commission will hold public hearings starting in October. The Washington and Old Dominion Trail, a popular bicycle and recreation trail starting in Arlington and ending in Purceville, runs directly through Herndon.

On August 28th Washington DC will be flooded with visitors from across the country who have come for the grand opening of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial. The city is expecting between 250-400,000 visitors to the city that weekend. Sunday's opening will also be the 48th anniversary of King's timeless "I Have a Dream" speech. Located directly between Lincoln and Jefferson in West Potomac Park, the spectacular memorial is inspired by King's famous line "Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope." Visitors will walk through the split Mountain of Despair, into a courtyard facing the Stone of Hope, a 28-foot tall statue of King. This image of King was carved from memory by Chinese master sculptor Lei Yixin. One hundred and eighty two cherry blossom trees will fill the courtyard of the memorial, and will appropriately bloom in April, the same time as King's assassination.

Bike and Roll will be adding the MLK Jr. Memorial to our Monuments and Monuments @ Nite bike tours starting end of summer 2011. Keep an eye on our blog for more details! 

Marks Family in Alexandria, VA 2009

Many people love their jobs, but I find mine to be exceptionally great. It feels good to know that I can provide a healthy, green way to see the city that I love. I am blessed in many ways by this opportunity to operate Bike and Roll Washington DC. A close friend of mine started Bike the Sites in 1997. When I took over in 2003 we opened at our original location at the Old Post Office Pavilion and added rentals to our product lineup. There were 50 bikes in the fleet that first year and now we boast well over 600 pieces of equipment, all spread between three locations and one hotel. We have amazing returning staff and customers every year. It has been quite a ride.

I am lucky enough to have three generations of family members involved in the business including my sister Nikki, my wife Janna, our two sons Eli and Noah, and my father, Robert. Our pooch Izzy is always happy to come and observe and shake her tail at customers. Having lived in the DC area my whole life, I’ve come to believe that Washington DC is one of the greatest cities to bike in.

I invite you to come take advantage of our great city by bike, the greenest and fastest way to see our nation’s capital. Come bike the sites!

Sincerely,

Stephen Marks

Bike and Roll, Managing Partner

As of this month, Boston is now home the New Balance Hubways, with 61 bike sharing stations and 600 bicycles. The city’s reputation for rude and pushy drivers has made some cyclists wary, but even the mayor has high hopes, proclaiming at its launch that “the car is no longer king.”

Public bike sharing systems are popping up all over the country. Denver is expanding its B-cycle program, Boston has been all a buzz, and now San Francisco is following suit. Denver launched its first bike share program last year, selling over 1,700 annual memberships and 103,000 rides. The mile high city is now proposing to expand the project to run year round as well as triple the number of stations. Last but not least the SFMTA is planning a partnership with the Bay Area Air Quality Management District (BAAQMD) to put together 50 bike share stations with 500 bikes for spring of 2012.

We are stoked that bikeshare fever is spreading. This means more promotion for biking in general, which will lead to safer streets, fewer gas emissions, and most importantly, more people taking bike tours!

What do you think? Which city will be next?