Legally Blind Couple Takes to Bikes, Skis

Husband and wife Bob Hartt and Bonnie O’Day of West End Alexandria are cycling enthusiasts who ride tandem with captains.

  About this sponsorship: In honor of the 60th anniversary of Sir Edmund Hillary’s historic ascent of Mount Everest, Patch and Grape-Nuts are teaming up to highlight those who inspire people around them to climb their own mountains. One nice spring afternoon or evening, you might spot West End Alexandria residents Bob Hartt and Bonnie O’Day on a bicycle built for two — or, in their case, on two bicycles built for four. Hartt and O’Day, who live in Seminary Heights, are legally blind, but that hasn’t stopped them from enjoying cycling and cross-country skiing. The couple rides tandem bikes, which allows a guide—the captain or pilot—to ride on the front of a two-seated bicycle, and the visually-impaired person, called “the stoker,” to apply…

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Vienna Pedaler

Vienna Pedaler: Gifts For Cyclists

Tim Fricker from Bikes at Vienna gives some holiday hints for the biking enthusiasts on your list.

It’s that time of year, when friends, families, and loved ones of cyclists face the inevitable question: What the heck do I get this person? For the non-cyclist, and even some cyclists, the options can be bewildering, so I’m going to try to help you sort through them and pick out a good gift or gifts for that cyclist on your list. Let’s start with accessories, which can make the bike more fun or more practical, or even safer for your cycling friend. One good place to start is with the huge array of bags, baskets, and racks that allow a rider to carry things on their bike. Is your cyclist a pure pragmatist, or do they have a sense of style? Observe how they dress, and the things they do with their bikes, and things they talk about doing …

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Tim Fricker

3:13 pm on Wednesday, December 12, 2012

Thanks for the additional suggestion Sean! I'd like to invite all of my readers to chime in with additional suggestions, as I know my list isn't exhaustive.   more ›

Vehicle, Bicycle Collisions Up in Fairfax County

Officials hopeful bicycle master plan will make roads safer for Fairfax County cyclists.

Accidents between vehicles and bicycles in Fairfax County are happening more frequently this year — the latest claiming the life of a Falls Church woman. There have been 54 collisions between vehicles and bicycles this year with one fatality, up from 44 accidents between bicyclists and vehicles with no fatalities in 2011. On Nov. 12, Elizabeth P. Shattuck, 58, of Falls Church, was hit by a pickup truck while she was walking from the north to south side of Columbia Pike. Police pronounced her dead at the scene, marking the first Fairfax County death resulting from a bicycle versus vehicle accident in two years. The accident is still under investigation, and charges have yet to be filed. Greg Billing, a spokesman for the Washington Area …

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Bike To Work Week Begins

Celebration culminates with pit stops for "Bike to Work Day" on May 18

Local and national bike organizations are encouraging cyclists to ditch their cars this week for "Bike to Work Week," a national celebration aiming to encourage citizens across the country to bike to work, or for pleasure, on a regular basis. The week culminates in Bike to Work Day on Friday, held rain or shine, when cyclists can make a "pit stop" at one of 58 locations across the D.C. region for T-shirts, refreshments, giveaways and bicycling advice. There are nine pit stops planned across Fairfax County. The two most popular stops are in Reston and Vienna, at the Washington and Old Dominion Trail's intersection with Maple Avenue, Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling Bruce Wright said. This year, Whole Foods Market, Bikes at Vienna and …

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Vienna Pedaler

Vienna Pedaler: Dispelling Cycling Myths

Biking is for everyone, as long as they have the right attitude

One thing I’ve noticed over the years is that bicycling sometimes suffers from an image problem. I think a lot of folks get the wrong impression from the adrenaline-fueled, lycra-clad, jargon-spouting characters who are often perceived as “real cyclists.” Walk into some bike shops, or stop along one of our many trails and talk to a group of “serious riders," and you just might start to think you need some very special, very expensive equipment -- not to mention a level of dedication and energy -- that few of us have. But you don’t have to be Superman (or Superwoman) to enjoy cycling. Take it from me: I’m no superhero myself, and every day I help people -- normal people, just like you -- find the simple joy of riding a bike. Whether it’s …

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