A First Ride.....Tuesday at 1:30

The Sunday paper is filled with ads for wonder products that help an individual lose weight. Yesterday I noted a steady stream of people going to the workout facility across Church Street from us. It is the time of year that we take stock in our health and begin new regiments of exercise.

I want to return to an old form of exercise for me.....riding a bicycle. I invite you to join me on Tuesday, January 1, 2008 at 1:30 for a ride and social outing that will depart from the store. I think it would be fun to ride to the start of the W&OD. Just above Columbia Pike there is a parallel trail to the W&OD which loops through Barcroft Park and leads to Point 0 down by the Beanie Weenie so this ride will have some exploring.

The ride will be about 25 miles, but the wonderful thing about the W&OD is that if someone gets tired they can just turnaround and head home. Also with the route I'm suggesting it is possible to use Metro for the return to Vienna if needed.

I'm suggesting a 1:30 start because the forecast is for rain in the morning. The temperatures are supposed to be in the mid 40s. Find your stocking cap that goes under your helmet. Look for those new cycling gloves. Fill up those water bottles. Pump up those tires and let's go for a ride.

I'll be at the store at 1 PM if someone needs to pump their tires. I'll see if I can have some hot cider so we can get a warm start.

See you New Year's Day.

January & February We're Encouraging Appointments

We're going into the two months that are the least fun in my view. Certainly with good weather people will be riding bikes, but there is much less good weather so we are constricting our hours more. For the last few days of December, January, and February we plan to be open:

MONDAY 10:00–6:00
TUESDAY CLOSED
WEDNESDAY CLOSED
THURSDAY 10:00–6:00
FRIDAY 10:00–6:00
SATURDAY 10:00–5:00
SUNDAY 10:00–5:00

We will be pleased to stay open later or open earlier by appointment.

Allow me to say that again......We will be pleased to stay open later or open earlier by appointment. Those are not hollow words. We want your business, but it is not wise in the winter to have long hours when no one is coming into the store.

Duplex on Prius

Duplex_on_Prius_s_20070525
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

It is necessary to be creative when you own a Duplex tandem and a Prius automobile. This photo confirms the creativity of one of the bikes@vienna customers.

In cooler (exchange for "slower") times I get a chance to look through things from earlier in the year. This photo once again captured my attention. Using a hitch mount and roof mount racks in concert this transportation.

Jeanette Jay TV Show

JeanetteJay
Originally uploaded by bikes@vienna

People ask what I do in the winter. They assume that it must be a slow time with the weather allowing fewer opportunities to ride a bike. Here in Northern Virginia people ride their bikes all year except when (like today) there is ice and snow on the roads and trails.

I do have fewer people coming to the store, but I go where the people are gathering. This photo is an example. From the home page you can tell that I'm trying to publicize the Draisin products. In November Michael Denu of Draisin and I took Draisin trikes to the World Congress on Disabilities at the Washington Convention Center. This weekend Ces and I will be in Richmond for the Caring Communities event at the Richmond Raceway called World of Possibilities Expo.

This photo is an interview being conducted for the Jeanette Jay TV Show which is aired in Buffalo, NY. bikes@vienna is the only Draisin outlet in the United States so I'll take publicity anywhere I can get it, but my primary focus for the next six months is the area a three hour drive from Vienna. From Virginia Beach to Philadelphia I'm looking for opportunities to show Draisin trikes,