Joe Flood

Snowzilla Turns DC into a Pedestrian Paradise

Finally, it was here – Snowzilla!

Flakes began falling Friday night. Metro closed. Businesses sent their workers home early as snow began piling up on city streets. By dawn on Saturday, the city was covered in a foot of the white stuff – and it was still snowing, coming down in endless sheets.

The wind howled. The windows of my Logan Circle apartment were covered in ice. I was still going out. I pulled on boots, fleece pants, two jackets, two pairs of gloves and a hat. No way was I going to miss this photo opportunity.

On the street, a wonderful quiet had descended upon the city. Something was missing – cars. The roads were too bad for the beasts, rendering their four wheels useless.

To get anywhere, you had to walk. Since the sidewalks were impassable, everyone took to the streets.

I walked north, into the blizzard. I am not alone in my insanity. Everywhere, people were out – walking, skiing, even biking. The few cars that were out rolled along slowly and carefully. They were the interlopers. People had reclaimed the streets.

While it’s not unusual to find men in heels on P Street, seeing one during a blizzard is bizarre. He seemed a little underdressed for the conditions but brunch must go on. I’m not sure he had enough layers.

Commissary and Stoney’s were open, doing a brisk business to anyone willing to brave the snowy streets. And judging from the noise, there were a lot them.

A block up, I encountered a cheerful woman jogging down 15th St, lightly hopping over mounds of snow. No weather will stop the runners of this city.

The silence of the city was almost total, the only sounds being the crunch of snow underfoot and the sounds of distant people.

I heard the laughter a couple blocks from Meridian Hill, a happy roar coming from the park. People were sledding and even snowboarding down the steps. One offered me the chance to tube down the stairs but, being older and wiser, I declined. Getting injured when the city was paralyzed by snow seemed like a really bad idea.

The blizzard picked up, blowing hard, snow pouring into the park. I walked back home down 16th St, the wind at my back. The day was coming to an end. Visibility had declined to less than a block.

It was an amazing opportunity to get photos of a city transformed by white. This was my favorite photo from the day.

We’re looking south on 16th St. On the left is the Church of the Holy City, a Gothic-style church built in 1896.

16th Street is normally a commuter corridor, designed to get Marylanders into the city. If I stood in the middle of the street on an ordinary day, I’d be run over.

Thousands pass this church every day, in noisy cars and busses, without a second glance. The value of a car-free city is the chance to appreciate buildings like the Church of the Holy City. When you’re not keeping your eyes out for cars, you have the opportunity to engage with the environment.

That’s what I like best about blizzards. Snow turns DC into a pedestrian paradise – as it was designed to be. L’Enfant didn’t create DC for automobiles. He planned it for people. The city should be returned to them.

It was all over by Monday.

Many of the sidewalks were still impassable but enough roads had been plowed to prompt the return of the internal combustion beasts. Pedestrians were nosed off the streets by cars.

Mayor Muriel Bowser said we had to get off the pavement – we had to take our chances climbing over snow piles and fording icy streams. Better be nimble, to be a pedestrian in DC. And if you’re old or disabled? You’ll never make it in Muriel Bowser’s DC.

Of course, the DC government didn’t bother to shovel its own sidewalks. Neither did the feds, the worst offender being the National Park Service.

A pocket park owned by NPS near me was not only unshoveled, but snow plows had covered the sidewalk in six feet of snow. I had to walk in the street. As I did so, a car brushed my hip, splattering me in slush. The blizzard times were over. DC had been returned to the drivers.

Snow Day! Tips for Photographers

SNOW! SNOW! SNOW!

While my Floridian relatives consider DC to be “the North,” a lifeless region of cold weather and colder people, the local climate is moderated by the nearby Gulf Stream. It takes a combination of Canadian air and Southern moisture to make snow pop here. We’ve had whole winters without a major snowfall.

But, when it snows, it is beautiful, turning DC into a pedestrian paradise, a living snow globe, a world turned white. It’s really a special city, without cars.

And, if there’s more than a couple inches of snow, the swamp shuts down. Before the storm, panic shopping. After the storm, people huddle inside with beer and snacks. Except for us photographers, who bundle up and head out the door.

It’s a great photo opportunity! DC is at its prettiest in the snow. While the city has gotten better at clearing the white stuff, a major storm will leave the streets car-free for a day or two. A quiet descends on the city. The only thing you hear is the soft sound of boots on uncleared sidewalks. Distant laughter from people throwing snowballs. The swish of cross-country skis on the National Mall.

If you’re willing to venture out, you’ll have the city to yourself. Here are my tips for how to enjoy the rarity of Washington, DC snowstorm. And how to take some good photos.

Where to Go

Here are the places I like to go in the snow:

Spanish Steps (22nd and S NW) – This is hidden gem in Kalorama, a small-scale version of the steps in Rome. It has a classic beauty and makes a really nice spot for a portrait. Look for the Hobbit House on R Street – the blue door of this unique residence makes an interesting photo. From there, you could walk over the P Street bridge to get a photo of Rock Creek Park and then continue on to Georgetown.

Logan Circle – The contrast between the red-brick homes and the white snow is really interesting. Also nearby are Riggs and Corcoran Streets, which are really pretty. And if you get cold, you can visit one of 14th Street’s many coffee places.

Meridian Hill Park – Modeled after a European garden, this is different than the wide-open spaces of the National Mall. It’s full of nooks and crannies, like the statue of Dante. And from the top of the stairs, you get an expansive view of the city.

Lincoln Memorial – The majesty of this monument is magnified by the snow, made more impressive after you trudge a mile through fresh powder to get there.

Smithsonian Castle – During a snowstorm, the Capitol fades from view. You can just make out the turret of the Smithsonian Castle. It’s chilly, but worth it, to get photos of cross-country skiers and crazy bike riders on the snow-covered Mall.

What to Wear

I want to take photos but I also don’t want to die of hypothermia. Here’s what I wear:

Snowboots – DC snows are very wet. Waterproof boots are essential. Nothing worse than wet feet.
Fleece-lined pants (snowpants would be a good idea).
Shirts (at least two)
Winter jacket
Hat (I took it off for the photo above).
Scarf
Two pairs of gloves – It’s hard to manage a camera in gloves. I have lighter pair when I’m taking pictures and then slip the heavier pair over them when I’m walking.
Optional: Thermals, long underwear, hand warmers, etc… I think it’s a good idea to wear one more layer than you think you’ll need.

What to Carry

I like to carry the minimum amount of stuff when out tramping in the snow. Here’s what I carry.

Timbuk2 Messenger Bag – Let me praise this indestructible bag! It’s comfortable to wear, easy to access and, most importantly, it’s water-proof. The rubber liner will protect your valuable gear from the rain and slush. Worth every penny.
Canon Rebel – I’m on my third Rebel. It’s an easy to use DSLR.
iPhone
Jackery Battery – Every iPhoneographer should have one of these. While battery life has improved, if you’re out all day your battery will get low – particularly in the cold. Freezing temps will kill off your battery more quickly than you expect.
Food/Water – There are no food trucks during a snowstorm. Most restaurants will be closed. Make sure you have some food with you.

What to Shoot

When I’m out wandering the snowstorm, this is what I look for:

Landscapes – Snow turns workaholic DC into a Currier and Ives print, transforming busy city streets into an enchanting frozen landscape. Take photos of a city shut down by Mother Nature.

Activities – There’s no such thing as bad weather but bad clothes, right? I like to take pictures of people doing stuff in the snow. Look for the big snowball fight that’s become a DC snow tradition. I admire the hardy cyclists of this city and like to get photos of them. And two years ago, I saw snow kites on the Mall, which was mind-blowing.

Weirdness – Snow turns the ordinary strange, like a mailbox buried in snow, icicles dripping off buildings or statues covered in the white stuff. Or a snowman contest.

Contrast – Snow has a uniform quality to it that can look boring on film. Look for contrasts, like red berries in the snow or the bright colors of a skier.

Tip: It can be tricky to get photos of snow. Your camera has a hard time with the white balance. Here are some tips from Angela Kleis on how to adjust your camera settings to get that SnOMG photo.

How to Get Around

What’s the best way to get around DC during and after a snowstorm?

Walk – Put on your boots and go! You’ll have to climb over snowbanks and trudge down snowy sidewalks but that’s part of the fun.
Metro – Once the storm arrives, the government will shut down. And without passengers, Metro works really well. The underground portion of the system almost never closes. If you can get to a station, you can get around.

All other forms of transportation are problematic. Buses will be running limited routes. Uber fares will be double or triple. If you’re driving, you risk getting stuck on unplowed streets. If you bike, you’ll need studded tires and some good health insurance.

Tip: I like hotel lobbies to warm up in. While everything else might be closed, hotels are always open. They make good places to hang out and upload some photos.

Stay Safe

While it’s not exactly the frozen tundra, DC during the snow can be dangerous. Proceed with caution.

Watch your step. It’s easy to twist an ankle or trip over an obstacle in the snow – look where you’re going. Keep an eye out for ice. Also, those metal sidewalk grates can be really slippery in the snow.
Watch the weather. During Snowmageddon, I got stir-crazy and wandered out to go watch an EPL game at the Lucky Bar. While I was inside drinking, the blizzard resumed. My walk home was like a Jack London story of survival. That might be a little dramatic but make sure to check the weather before you go out.
Alcohol is not an insulator. Snow days are synonymous with drinking. Drunk people wander off and die every winter – don’t be that person. Do your drinking at home.

Summary

I hate winter but love the snow. Without a paralyzing snowstorm, DC is boring and cold in January. Snow livens things up, turning the city into a winter wonderland.

But it doesn’t last long. Within a few days, the snow will be dirty slush. Don’t miss the opportunity to capture some great DC snow photos.

The Year of the Capital Weather Gang

2015 was the perfect storm, in which my love of digital photography met the opportunity to be featured in the Capital Weather Gang. I was already wandering around the city taking photos so why not submit them to the Washington Post’s weather blog? By the end of the year, my photos were appearing about once a week on the site.

Here are some of my favorite CWG photos, along with notes about how, when and where they were created.

This photo was featured in a roundup of snow photos in February. It was one of the first photos I took with the iPhone 6 and it stunned me. There is such a qualitative leap from the iPhone 5 to 6. The 6 is so good that it’s become tough for me to distinguish DSLR shots from iPhone 6 shots. Especially when you get soft, bright light like under an overcast sky with fresh snow. I kept taking photos until my hands froze.

While we didn’t get much snow, it was a very long and cold winter, the year of the polar vortex. When spring finally arrived, I had tulipmania. Everywhere you looked, flowers were blooming, like this photo I captured for an April CWG forecast. Landscape photos look better with people in them so I waited until someone biked by on 15th Street – this is just a block from the Washington Post building.

And more flowers and bikes on the following day.

You tend to return to the same spot for pictures, like this photo from May. I like this spot along the cycletrack, especially when flowers are in the foreground.

This Instagram photo from May is one of those moments that you never forget. It was a Saturday and I was returning from Glen’s Garden Market. I was on my bike and had a six-pack of beer in my backpack. I passed this cinematic scene on 19th Street and turned around and came back to get a picture of it. The faded brick, the overgrown vegetation, the funky yard sale – it’s everything I like about city life in one photo.

I take a lot of pictures of bikes. Most of my CWG photos were taken either while running or biking around the city, like this photo from June. It’s from the end of the Capital Crescent Trail in Georgetown.

Little-known fact: I work for the National Weather Service. (Ironic/fitting that I have so many photos in CWG? A little of both.) I’m a contractor in Silver Spring. I am not a meteorologist nor do I play one on TV. This is from the 18th floor of NOAA Building 2, looking toward the Discovery building, on a very hot day in July.

I don’t take a lot of black and white but, when I do, it’s architecture, like this photo of the Wilson Bridge from September.

It was a long and lingering fall, starting in mid-October and stretching nearly to the end of the year. This is the car-free 1600 block of Pennsylvania Avenue, home to you know who.

This is a non-iPhone photo. Can you tell? Late in the year, I got a deal on a refurbished Canon Rebel SL1 and took this photo of the Key Bridge in November. The camera can do things the iPhone can’t, like zoom, it’s sharper, better exposure, etc… but it can’t fit in my pocket.

I have a rival. It’s Mary Gersemalina, the Coffeeneur! When she’s not organizing bike/coffee challenges, she runs and bikes around the city taking photos. Her trademark is something I can’t do: jumping. For a while toward the end of the year, Capital Weather Gang was the Joe and Mary show, with one of the other of us every week. After she posted a photo of blooming blossoms by the Washington Monument, I took this Canon SL1 photo of cherry blossoms in December.

I’ve been asked more than once: do you get paid for your shots? I do not. Then why do I do it? I enjoy wandering the city and taking photos. I’m doing that no matter what. Submitting the photos to Capital Weather Gang is easy to do via Flickr. And I like seeing my photos in the (online) paper.

Also, I enjoy sharing my view of the city. I want to show people that there’s a Washington beyond the monuments.

There’s a lot of bikes in my photos. You take photos of what you enjoy. DC is a city that bikes – from tourists tottering on red Capital Bikeshare bikes to the flood of commuters down the 15th Street cycletrack every morning. BikeDC we call it, a two-wheeled community of people who bike. I’m happy to create images that share this community with the readers of the Washington Post. And I plan on continuing to do so in 2016. Here’s to the new year!

The Joy of (Not) Driving

For someone who doesn’t own a car, I do like driving. There’s nothing I like more than a long road trip, especially one out west. Over the summer, I flew out to Colorado and then spent a week driving around, taking in hip Denver neighborhoods, the majesty of Rocky Mountain National Park and the wide open spaces of Wyoming.

The previous summer, I started in Las Vegas and did the drive of a lifetime, cruising down Highway 12 in Utah, enjoying red rock deserts and serpentine descents down black asphalt without another car in sight.

A few years before that, I rented a car in DC, drove over the green Appalachians and kept going, across the deep South, through a Texas blighted by drought and then up through New Mexico before returning via the endless prairies of Kansas.

There is something uniquely American about taking a road trip. It’s the experience of being the only car on the road, two lanes stretching to the horizon under a bright sky empty of clouds. Of driving beyond the FM signal, where you only have scratchy AM radio filled with preachers promising damnation. Of stopping in a small town somewhere, to hear your tires crunching under gravel.

Every year, I drive down to Florida for the holidays. I love it. Thirteen hours of drinking coffee and listening to NPR. I have it down to a science – I leave on Sunday mornings (little traffic) and spend the night at a super-quiet Residence Inn outside Savannah. The next morning, I leave early, get to Florida, detour off I-95 to Jax Beach or Ormond Beach, then head on to my parents place in Orlando.

In Florida, people without cars are regarded as freaks. You assume they’re homeless – why are they walking? Biking is done on trails or sidewalks. Without a car, I wouldn’t even be able to get out of the vast subdivision where my parents live.

Over the Xmas break, I had a ton of fun driving. I went to the beach, explored new neighborhoods and went to my favorite Cuban place (twice).

And seeing how cheap gas was – $1.65 a gallon! – I began to think, “Wouldn’t it be fun to have a car?”

I thought that way until I reached Richmond on the way back. Sixty miles of stop-and-go traffic, from exit to exit, accelerating and braking, three lanes of cars inching toward DC. An ambulance roared by on the shoulder. WTOP reported a gang of ATV riders terrorizing drivers on the Beltway. They had stopped traffic and were setting fires.

After Springfield, traffic accelerated again, a mad rush into the city, sixty miles an hour, cars on one side, concrete barriers on the other. With a massive thump as I hit a pothole, I crossed the bridge into the city. A homeless man limped toward me at a light. I paused to let pedestrians cross and the driver behind me yelled, “Fuck you!” Ah, yes, the traditional greeting to the city.

I watched the car disappear at Avis, leaving me on the sidewalk with my foldy bike. This feeling of relief as you get rid of a car – there needs to be a word for it. Freedom, I suppose. On the bike, I knew I could cruise up to Whole Foods and get dinner. Or go to the Greek place at Dupont. Or go down to the Mall. In a car, I’d have to navigate one-way streets, traffic and where would I park the damn thing? The ability to go anywhere is why a bike is freedom in DC.

Outside the leviathan sprawl of our nation’s capital, I am happy to drive. Within the DC metro region, however, I bike. It’s fast, easy and fun. Driving is none of those things in DC. I’ll save my driving for the wide open roads of the West.

Sunday afternoon bike ramble in Alexandria

Lately, I’ve taken to rambling bike rides in Virginia. I like crossing the Potomac. Like my coffeeneuring friend Mary G., I enjoy looking at the river. It’s more than just open space in the city – it’s a bright, blue, cheerful respite from trees turning brown everywhere.

I don’t bike too far on my rambles – twenty miles or so. And they have a casual aspect to them that makes using Strava a bit of a joke. Average speed: 10 miles an hour, thanks to frequent stops to backtrack, eat cupcakes, get lost and take photos.

Sunday afternoon is a great time to bike, too. There’s hardly any traffic in DC and, if the weather’s the least bit cool, the trails are largely free of other cyclists and runners. I like exploring new places.

I don’t know much about Del Ray in Alexandria so set out there. I biked over the 14th St Bridge (the Memorial Bridge is closed to traffic) and then to Crystal City, for a mediocre slice of pizza, then rolled through Del Ray on Monument Avenue. It’s a cute neighborhood that has somehow managed to avoid complete gentrification.

I wanted coffee (always be coffeeneuring) but didn’t see any place in Del Ray so, after getting lost for a bit, made a left down King Street and another left on Royal. A cop car at a stop sign freaked me out – was he going to give me a ticket for failing to completely stop with my foot down? But the car was empty, fortunately.

Royal led me to the Mount Vernon Trail Alternate, which I knew would take me right by Buzz Bakeshop. Buzz! The coffee is decent and the cupcakes are photogenic as hell.

Afterwards, I got lost in the development north of Buzz, wondering if it connected back to the Mount Vernon Trail. It doesn’t (I didn’t believe the No Outlet sign). I went back to the MVT and then around the makeshift cyclecross trail that the National Park Service has established around National Airport.

Then I zipped home before the early winter sunset caught me.

Why am I exploring Virginia? Part of me wonders: could I live there? I like DC but I envy those MVT commuters. And it would be so much fun to live near the WO&D Trail.

Northern Virginia seems bike-friendly, from the perspective of a Sunday afternoon trail rider. What it’s like during the week?

Photos from the Plaid Ride

Photos from BicycleSpace’s November 28 Plaid Ride from their store in Adams Morgan to the National Arboretum. The only requirement for this group ride: wear plaid!

Also, I am seriously in love with those Linus bikes.

The Coffeeneuring Challenge: Always Be Coffeeneuring

The Coffeeneuring Challenge is where you ride your bike to 7 different local coffee shops from Saturday October 4 through Sunday, November 16. Only the weekends and holidays count. You have to ride at least two miles. And you have to record your adventure.

I coffeeneured even before it was a thing. There’s nothing I like better than wandering the city by bike, off to explore some new neighborhood and grab some coffee. I coffee even during non-coffeeneuring season.

Biking and drinking coffee is a lifestyle for me. My motto: Always Be Coffeeneuring.

Where did I go this year?

Killer ESP
October 4
21 miles

Rain was a theme for this coffeeneuring season. There had been a ton of rain the previous day and portions of the Mount Vernon Trail were slightly flooded. But I had coffeeneuring to do! I set off into the drizzle and coasted through the water-logged portions of the trail, keeping my feet up so that they wouldn’t get wet. No one was on the trail except the coffeeneuring and the crazy.

Killer ESP was a disappointment. The cappuccino was fine. It was just that the place was packed with laptop campers and a woman occupying a whole couch with her tiny dog. But at least I didn’t get a $91 ticket for failing to stop at a stop sign. Alexandria is the worst.

Firehook
October 11
20 miles

There is no place better to bike during the fall in DC than Rock Creek Park. The trees had just started to change so I rambled over Boulder Bridge and down Beach Drive before returning to have coffee at Firehook. An absolutely perfect fall day.

National Mall
October 12
Eight miles

The Coffeeneuring Challenge has all sorts of different rules and provisos. One of them is “Coffee Shop without Walls” where you can make or bring your own coffee. So I loaded up the thermos and headed down to the mall.

Lot 38
October 18
11 miles

One of the things I like best about coffeeneuring is hearing about new bike routes and coffee places. There’s a Facebook group where coffeeneurs post stories and photos from their adventures. A fellow coffeeneur had mentioned Lot 38 by the Navy Yard so I went to check it out. On the way back, I went for a spin around Capitol Hill. Sunday afternoons are a very quiet time to ride around the city, especially when the Redskins are playing.

Note: one of the coffeeneuring requirements is to rate the bike friendliness of the places visited. None of the coffee shops I went to were particularly bike friendly. I primarily locked my bike to sign posts, as you do in the city.

Room 11
October 25
12 miles

Coffeeneuring gets me out of the house and off to new adventures. It was a rainy and wet Sunday morning. But I had coffeeneuring to do so I biked up to Room 11 for a biscuits and bacon. Then I wandered through Petworth to the Old Soldier’s Home (never been there before) to watch cyclecross (never seen that before). Looked like fun!

Compass Coffee
October 31
7 miles

Trick or treat! Candy doesn’t interest me that much but free coffee? I’m there. Compass Coffee opened a new store off U Street, part of a hipsterville development. To celebrate, they offered free coffee drinks. I had never had a cortado before – delicious! I now have a whole new way of drinking my second-favorite beverage.

La Colombe (Philadelphia)
November 8
7 miles

I wanted to do something big for the grande finale, so I took a bus and then a bike share to the Philadelphia Bike Expo. Yo, Adrian! While there, I ran into the Coffeeneur herself! And I looked at all sorts of bikes before going to La Colombe for an awesome cappuccino.

Lesson Learned

Truth be told, there was a lot more biking and a lot more coffee. But these are the highlights. Always Be Coffeeneuring.

I learn something new every coffeeneuring season. What did I learn this year?

I don’t like getting my bike dirty. As I biked up to Room 11 on a rainy morning, I was annoyed at all the grit that my bike accumulated until I saw all mud at DC Cyclecross. That put things in perspective. But I still don’t like it.
There are still places in the city that I have yet to discover, like the Old Soldier’s Home.
Walking the halls of the Philadelphia Bike Expo, I realized that biking is a hobby that can consume all your time and disposable income. With only two bikes, I’m far from a cultist. I’m not ready to sell all my possessions and hit the road on a bike – at least not yet.

Canon Rebel SL1: First Photos

The Canon Rebel SL1 has all the features I like in a DSLR – a viewfinder, crisp pictures, high image quality – in a small package.

Like many people, my interest in photography began at the advent of digital cameras. My first was a Canon PowerShot S100, a rectangle of metal that could take around a hundred photos. It cost around $400, if I remember correctly. The pictures had a blue cast to them but I didn’t notice or care at the time. Having a camera, without the expense of rolls of film, was enough for me. Digital was amazing.

Then came the DSLR revolution in 2004. I picked up a Canon Rebel for a little more than a thousand bucks. With its big body hanging over my shoulder, I felt like a “real” photographer. You know, one who looks through the viewfinder and fiddles with apertures and so on (though 90% of the time I had it on auto mode).

There were other cameras after that, my last being the Canon Rebel T2i. But with the advent of the iPhone, the excitement left the DSLR world. Why take a big camera when you can get okay pics with your iPhone that you could share instantly? I upgraded my iPhone continuously but new Canon models came and went without me purchasing anything.

Until I saw I could get the Rebel SL1 and a nice lens for $299 in the Canon Refurb store. The price was awesome but I wondered… would I actually use it? Who likes to carry stuff around anymore? Billed as the world’s smallest DSLR, I decided to go for it.

And I really like it! It’s no iPhone but if you’re used to carrying around bulky DSLRs, it weighs nothing. I wanted a camera that I could put in a backpack and bike around the city with. It’s perfect for that – I barely even notice that it’s in there.

Here’s some photos from the camera, taken while wandering around DC on a very mild Veteran’s Day.

Riide Electric Bike: Review

Riide bike — Muy macho in black, this electric bike is perfect for the city.

I had the chance to do a test ride on a Riide electric bike. Billed as “e-bikes for urban commuters,” this DC company has made the nicest-looking electric bike I’ve ever seen. I own two bikes already – a Specialized Sirrus and a Breezer folding bike – but I really wanted to try a Riide. Perfectly targeted for everyday cyclists like myself, it’s the first electric bike I could see myself owning.

But what is it like to ride one? First, it’s a beautiful bike, with a black matte paint job that makes it the coolest thing on the road.

What surprised me was the weight – it’s lighter than I imagined. Billed at 40 pounds, it seems lighter. It’s not a road bike, but it weighs less than a Capital Bikeshare bike. The narrow top tube makes it easy to pick up and carry.

Missing: a kickstand. It’s a little big and awkward to lean against stuff. Running errands around town on one of these, I’d want a kickstand.

With a flat bar and an upright position, the geometry is very similar to my hybrid Sirrus. It makes a comfortable ride and is ideal for city riding, where you want to see what’s ahead of you.

the "power strip" — Note the power button at top – I didn’t. Also, check out those massive tires.

The Riide folks are super-nice. For the test ride, they just gave me a bike and told me to take off. I started pedaling. The group I was with disappeared into the distance. Why is my bike so slow? I went all the way around Union Market before discovering what I had done wrong: I didn’t turn it on! Am I an idiot or is the user always right? I prefer the latter explanation.

Electric bikes work better with electricity. But my mishap taught me that it’s certainly possible to pedal a Riide around without power. With one-speed and flat pedals, it felt like I was on a CaBi.

Riide motor — Electric motor on the rear wheel.

With the bike powered up, I took off again around Union Market. It’s got a throttle like a moped. Twist and go. It was a blast to feel the g-forces as the bike zipped up to 20 mph. Amazing to go up hills on it, without even pedaling.

Super-grippy disc brakes give you enormous confidence in every situation.

But let me rave about the tires! Riding around on my Sirrus, I feel everyone of DC’s one-million potholes. I scan the road ahead of me for ruts, gravel and holes. But with a pair of fat Schwalbe Energizer Plus tires, the Riide just goes everything, like you’re riding on a carpet of air.

Disc brakes and big tires - perfect for the city — Disc brakes to quickly stop.

I keep comparing the Riide to a CaBi because I think this is the perfect bike for CaBi users who want more. With a range of 25 miles, it’s ideal for people who want a sweat-free commute or who want to bop around town on the weekends. Riide is the bike for people who find everyday biking too difficult/complicated/sweaty.

The RiidePass program, where you can lease one for $79 a month, is perfectly aligned for that audience. Just ride and let Riide take care of the bike. It will replace Metro/CaBi/Uber for a lot of people who live in DC or the close suburbs. It will save them money and be way more fun than being stuck on a Metro train.

But would I get one? If I had to continue commuting to Silver Spring – definitely. It would be perfect for climbing the hills between Logan Circle and my contractor gig at NOAA. But I want to return to DC, where my non-electric bikes will be more than sufficient. Everyone has a different transportation situation; for a lot of people, the Riide will be perfect.

I definitely want some Schwalbe tires, though. That makes a huge difference in city riding.

Murder on U Street – Now on Amazon!

My third novel, MURDER ON U STREET, is now available on Amazon in print and Kindle editions.

In this murder mystery, someone is killing artists and hipsters in Washington, DC. And they’re blogging about it in this social-media soaked novel. It’s up to a cynical DC detective to solve the case against the backdrop of a rapidly gentrifying city. From parties full of bright young things to forgotten housing projects, MURDER ON U STREET depicts life beyond the monuments for ordinary people in Washington, DC.

It’s a sequel to my earlier book, MURDER IN OCEAN HALL. A reader said that my books explain, “How Washington works – and doesn’t.” I thought that was a perfect description, for my aim in these books is show what the city is really like, from someone who has lived here for twenty years.

Buy MURDER ON U STREET today!