Monthly Archives: January 2008

Want to have some input into your parks?

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Great Parks, Great Communities:


Click on a Supervisory District in the map above to view details of the planning districts within that district.

Nearly 80% of all Fairfax County residents visit our parks each year. Each of us can play an important role in preserving and protecting, and even planning the parks of the future in Fairfax County. The Fairfax County Park Authority seeks your input! Great Parks, Great Communities is an exciting new planning process initiated to get your ideas for balancing Fairfax County’s future park needs and resources, within each district of the County.

Parks are a critical element in healthy, thriving communities. They are places set aside for the protection and enhancement of environmental values. They are places where the cultural heritage of Fairfax County can be explored and brought to life. They serve as vital places to bring together the variety of cultures that live in Fairfax County. They are also places for leisure enjoyment and recreation that improve the physical and mental well being for all County residents.

The Park Authority’s multi-faceted mission is to protect environmental and cultural resources within Fairfax County, as well as to create and sustain quality recreational facilities. Every day the Park Authority works to balance the park system between these objectives in order to provide a wise range of recreational activities to residents, while protecting the unique and valuable natural and cultural resources that make Fairfax County a unique place. Recreation needs and resources vary across the county. The Great Parks, Great Communities planning initiative provides an opportunity for each local community to help the Park Authority comprehensively examine how our park system, facilities and services are balanced at the local level.

The first phase of the project involves assessing the current park system, within 14 geographic planning districts. This is accomplished through “Existing Condition Reports” that describe current park resources within each area. These will be posted online in early 2008.

District Workshop Schedule
(all meetings to begin at 7:00 pm)

In the second phase, the Park Authority will seek input from park users and community residents to gain an improved understanding of the park system from varying perspectives throughout the County. During this phase, we will be asking the public and County staff for their input on how the current park system serves their needs, and what changes are appropriate to balance the park system and accommodate future needs and growth. Public participation in this process will occur through 10 workshops planned between January and April, 2008, an interactive website and other outreach activities.

The end result will be the development of a long-range guide for future planning and development of the Fairfax County park system. The final document will be approved by the Park Authority Board and serve as the basis for the County’s Comprehensive Plan Amendment to update the park recommendations. This comprehensive approach to park planning will ensure the parks system will continue to successfully serve changing community needs and protect precious park resources.. to receive the latest project updates, or feel free to sign up for our Great Parks, Great Communities Email List <!– project e-mail list –>and we’ll let you know when website changes are made and significant events are scheduled.

Snow Riding

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The Bike Lane Van and the group

Since the white stuff may start falling at any moment I thought I would post a few snow riding pictures.  We took these on The Bike Lane’s Women’s Weekend this past November. 

Snow Tires

 It was the first snow of the season and it was absolutey beautiful! 

The weekend was hosted by Paula Baake from Dancing Mind Yoga , she and her husband Kent own a great retreat house in Franklin, West Va.  Seventeen women spent the weekend riding in the snow, relaxing by the fire, and practicing yoga.  It was such a great time we are planning more soon.

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Friday Hookie Rides

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My Bike on a Friday Hookie Ride at Gambril

So, for the last year or so, I have been organizing Friday Hookie Rides.  These are mountain bike rides that vary from trail to trail and typically are at least 2-3 hour rides.  I started these rides as a way to keep up my riding throughout the winter.  Typically, my weekends are too busy for long rides so my only option is to try to squeeze them in during the week, as long as the boss doesn’t mind….
Each week I try to pick a different location.  In the winter, I find that I have to schedule rides in places that are more rocky such as Gambril or Kennedy Peak, as the winter weather can leave the local trails pretty wet and sloppy.   These rides have been great!  There are always a great group of people that show up who either have the day off, have gotten a babysitter, or have called in sick!
The Bike Lane always list these rides on the Bike Lane’s Ride and Events Newsletter which if you don’t get, you should.  It lists a bunch of the local club and group mountain and road rides as well as upcoming local races and cycling events. And we list The Bike Lane’s most favorite rides there too.   It is a pretty cool resource as there are not many places to go to get information on different rides in the area.  So if you are interested sign up for our emails and hopefully, we’ll see you the trail.

A Great Start to a New Year

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Yesterday, Todd and I had the rare opportunity of a day off with time to ride.  We dropped the kids off at my parents and headed out to the WO&D for a 2 hour spin on the road bikes  However, our spin turned into a fight against a very strong headwind.  If you know the WO&D trail, you know that it is mostly flat and easy but when there is a wind it is a bear.  So, we took this headwind and made it our challenge.  We decided we would ride into it for an hour and then head home.  The entire way out it was a struggle not to turn around when we saw riders flying in the other direction.  However, we knew if we kept going we would get our tailwind reward eventually.  Finally, after an hour of cold hard pushing we turned around.  It was quiet and the wind was at our back pushing us home. 

This ride is a perfect example of how I feel at the beginning of every year when I start Riding again.  Not that I have stopped riding my bike, but I have definitely taken a month or two of a holiday from any type of “training”.  Typically, after racing some in the summer, I take the fall and the first part of winter and just play on my bike.  I just go out and ride without any expectation of how far to go, how long to ride, or what kind of workout I am getting.  I just go out and enjoy being on my bike and being outside. 

But then January 1 comes and I start setting some goals and putting a few races on the calendar…..and next thing you know I start training.  And training always starts the same way… like riding with the wind in my face.  But I know if I keep it up it will get easier and there will be a reward at the end.  The challenge this time of year is to keep riding no matter what.  Luckily, I have a few things that will help me out. 

First, I have a very supportive husband.  Second, I have some great winter riding gear.  Believe me, without the proper winter clothing, riding in the winter is almost impossible.  So I rely on my Sugoi wool undergarments,  Sidi insulated riding shoes, Pearl Izumi wind proof tights and gloves, and my new fancy Bike Lane jacket- with these, winter riding is bearable.  And when it is too miserable out, I always have my handy Cycolops trainer that I can mount my bike in and ride while catching up on the latest Tivo’d Oprah!

Yes, this year will be a struggle just like every year to train through the winter.  But I think I will keep the ride Todd and I did on the first day of the new year as a reminder, that if you keep it up the reward will come and it will be a smooth ride home (or to the finish line, I should say).