Since I messed up my back I haven’t been able to run anymore so I’ve switched to spin over at the Freedom center and bike riding. About 2 months ago I took my bike up to Skyline Drive and rode until I couldn’t take it anymore. I covered 8 miles in 2 hours. It all but killed me as it was almost all climb with one short downhill break. My ultimate goal is to bike the entire Skyline drive in 2 days.
So, on Friday I wanted to blast out of work early and get up to Skyline drive and bike from Front Royal to Skyland – about 50 miles. However, I had to work later than I thought so I only got 16 miles before it got dark to the point where I felt it was unsafe. My monitor indicated that I had burned 2200 calories but I wasn’t surprised as the ride was heavily weighted towards climbing. Truth be told, I was pretty used up after 16 miles and believe I could have gotten about 20-25 miles before it was over. 50 miles would appear to have been somewhat optimistic…
The next day I rode from Skyland to Big Meadows, only about 10 miles but since Skyland is the highest point on the drive, there was much more downhill to the ride. I’ll keep training and see if I can’t get 50 miles in a day but it may be next year before I can pull it off in the mountains….
August 31, 2008 at 1:24 pm
Good article by Kipp Hanley in the Manassas Journal Messenger today. Glad to see you’re continuing to take a leadership role in moving Manassas forward, Andy.
http://www.insidenova.com/isn/news/local/article/manassas_seeks_path_to_prosperity/20529/
So are you bicycling to work and City meetings as well?
August 31, 2008 at 4:06 pm
Andy,
Are you biking on the shoulder of the road, or are there bike trails up there?
August 31, 2008 at 10:11 pm
There are no bike trails that I’m aware of so I’m biking on the shoulder. It isn’t as safe as the bike trail on the PW parkway but if you go when there is less traffic it isn’t so bad.
September 1, 2008 at 1:31 pm
Maybe next time I’ll go with you. Oh wait, that’s exercise right? Never mind brother, you are on your own!
September 1, 2008 at 4:05 pm
Maybe you could ride up and down the ramps in the new parking
garage. Oops -sign says no bikes or skateboards. Well, darn.
(And there is even a view of the mountains from the top floor.)
September 1, 2008 at 4:17 pm
“The problem of encouraging trading and business in the town of
Manassas by providing proper, safe and convenient streets and
parking facilities in and around business areas got some attention
at the Monday night meeting of the Manassas town council.”
Manassas Journal-Mesenger
(October 1, 1959)
We are on the case.
September 1, 2008 at 8:42 pm
What took y’all so long Steve…..
September 2, 2008 at 6:11 am
@COM:
Took so long because there were no Democrats whining in the media that it must be done NOW, “for the children”.
September 2, 2008 at 10:07 am
Good question COM:
– Letters and editorials in the MJM going back for almost a hundred
years mention traffic and parking concerns in the business district.
(Although request for a place to “water the mules” have decreased.)
– Improvements had always had the generic challenges of securing
good sites and financing plus, in Manassas, dealing with narrow
streets, state highways running through the center of town and
the railroad on one side.
– In any event, we are pleased to have the Manassas/VRE parking
facility open. Another step forward for our fine community.
September 2, 2008 at 11:06 am
FYI: There is a meeting tonight in City Hall’s second floor
conference room at 7pm to review the design and offer
comments on the proposed Battle Street improvement
project. It is primarily for owners/tenants on Battle Street,
but it is an open meeting and the public is invited.
September 3, 2008 at 7:34 am
We have not used the parking garage yet, but I agree additional parking was needed. It is funny, or sad, depending on how you view it, how communities are always faced with the same ongoing issues and problems. I recall you wrote a letter to the MJM a couple of years ago from the turn of the last Century that complained about the trains and their impact on the City.
September 3, 2008 at 5:18 pm
The trains were here first, and move a lot more cargo using less fuel than trucks on roads.
I do wish the RR would do whatever they need to do to declare tracks that are dead, dead, so school bus drivers don’t have to continue stopping at the dead tracks as well as the ones that are currently used.
The parking deck is awesome — nicer than the one in downtown Hampton. Why was the ribbon cutting for the parking deck planned before the deck was finished?
September 3, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Before trains, we used horses.