Smart Bike around DC

--$3.33 a month for alternative transit.--

My SmartBikeDC credentials arrived in the mail last week. They came in an envelope slightly larger than a postcard that was filled the brim. Inside was my card, instructions about how to activate it, bicycle safety tips, bicycle laws, and the DC bicycle map.

Activating the card online was easy. Just about how any credit card works - sign up and enter the card number. (Note: I still have reservations about the security of the website.)

On my way back from another burrito lunch, I stumbled upon the stand at Metro Center, about half the spots were open, so I opted to take a bike for trip. I swiped my card, and screen showed #9. I raised it out of the rack, adjusted the seat, and scoped out my surroundings: sidewalks packed with pedestrians, cars, delivery trucks, and buses congesting the sidewalks. It was not an attractive sight.

With a lack of a destination, a waning lunch hour, and disposition for indecision I took it for the first thing that came to mind, a spin around the block. My joy ride was short, but I got a good feel for the bike.

The red an white bikes aren't made for speed or looks, but they are a three speed sturdy ride, easy to pedal, and are equiped with the all powerfull bell. Most people will have an easy time hopping on and ride a mile or two around the city.

Currently outside of the ocassional lunch time joy ride or the after work trip to logan circle, there aren't enough stations for me to adopt SmartBike into my daily routine, but I'm happy to pay the $40 a year to support the great program.

I've got a grainy cell phone video of the ride complements of Joris:




UPDATE: check out street films coverage of SmartBike DC. The bikes are 3 speed not one. Thanks dc2wheel.

Extra! Extra!

Saturday morning at 6:45 am, I was packed up. Most everything including utensils, food, and computer was in a box taped shut or secured in its carrying case.

In a daze, I drifted across the street in flip flops and a ragged t-shirt to McDonald's for a large coffee and eeg & cheese. Below the "On Sale Here" sign, I noticed the headline "Obama Selects Biden as Running Mate" I can't remember the last time I got breaking news from the print edition of a paper.

It was surprising, refreshing; the urge to dig through my pocket to find enough change and recall my order so I could purchase that paper too and desperately thumb to page A4 and consume the rest of the story before I puruse the rest of the section for reactions, comments, and realted news.