WalkArlington

BikeArlington revives ‘notorious’ bicycle tour amid high demand

By James Jarvis
2015 Notorious ARL Bike Ride in Rosslyn (courtesy of BikeArlington)

After a four-year hiatus, BikeArlington is reviving its 18-mile bicycle tour showcasing Arlington’s most “notorious” historical sites this Sunday.

However, there is currently a waiting list.

Initially launched in 2015, the Notorious ARL Bike Ride aims to educate residents about Arlington county’s most infamous figures and places, while also helping people build confidence doing longer rides.

While on the tour, participants will visit notable places, including the spot where ex-spy Robert Hanssen collected a trash bag filled with $50,000 from Russian agents; the former workplace of Lorena Bobbit; and the famous Rosslyn parking garage where the informant “Deep Throat” met with Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward, who reported on the Watergate scandal.

Guiding the tour is longtime Arlington resident and former BikeArlington staffer Henry Dunbar. Having previously led three Notorious ARL Bike Ride in 2015, 2018 and 2019, Dunbar is set to guide his fourth tour on Sunday, Jan. 7.

Cyclists will meet at Barcroft Sports and Fitness Center at 4200 S. Four Mile Run Drive at 1 p.m. The tour is expected to last about three hours, concluding at around 4 p.m.

In 2020, Dunbar put the tour on “pause” after the onset of the pandemic, citing health risks and a desire to promote shorter, beginner-friendly rides.

“This particular ride is now 18 miles long, with several hilly sections, so it tends to attract riders who are already riding,” Dunbar told ARLnow.

The tour was brought back after repeated calls for its revival.

“So, I asked Henry if he’d be willing to lead it again this year and he said he would,” WalkArlington and BikeArlington’s program director Mary Dallao told ARLnow.

While the tour largely follows its original format, Dunbar said he has introduced minor changes to the route. Dallao emphasized that participants should be comfortable with hilly terrain and cycling on busier streets.

Although the current tour is fully booked, Dallao confirmed there is a waiting list. Dunbar said he is open to the idea of another extended tour later in the year, but made no firm commitments.

Arlington honors MLK Day with performances, volunteer opportunities, and clean ups

By Matt Blitz
Martin Luther King, Jr. (Photo via Arlington County)

(Updated on 1/13/23) Several community service events are taking place in the coming days across Arlington in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King.

County offices may be closed on Monday (Jan. 16), but the county and local organizations are holding events on and around the federal holiday recognizing the civil rights icon’s birthday.

On Sunday, the county is set to hold its annual MLK Tribute event from 5-6:30 p.m. in the Washington-Liberty High. School auditorium at 1301 N. Stafford Street. This is a change from Wakefield High School due to a maintenance issue. The event will also be live-streamed.

The tribute will feature live music, spoken word, and dance while being produced by Encore Stage & Studio in Cherrydale. The program will highlight MLK’s visit to Arlington prior to the 1963 March on Washington.

Arlington’s annual MLK Tribute has been going on for more than five decades and “was first organized by Arlington County staff and community members in 1969, the year after Dr. King was assassinated,” per the county’s website.

Then, on Monday, Volunteer Arlington is working with a number of different local organizations to host its sixth annual day of service.

For the first time in a few years the event will be held in-person, though there will be virtual options as well.

It will begin at Washington-Liberty High School with opening ceremonies and t-shirt distribution for the first 500 volunteers at 9 a.m.

At 9:30 a.m., volunteers will disperse to participate in one of more than the 20 projects being hosted county-wide. These opportunities include making snack bags for students, cleaning up Barcroft Park, and learning how to help Arlington’s older residents. It’s recommended to sign up for the preferred project in advance since a number are already filled.

Also on Monday, Walk Arlington is planning a clean-up of the W&OD Trail.

Organizers are asking volunteers to meet on the trail where it intersects with Columbia Pike. A WalkArlington tent is expected to be set up near that intersection with the goal of walking the trail about half a mile toward S. George Mason Drive. The plan is to pick up litter and debris on “a beautiful trail that’s enjoyed by cyclists and walkers alike.”

In 1984, Virginia started officially commemorating Martin Luther King Jr. on the third Monday in January. But MLK Day was paired with the uniquely-Virginian Lee-Jackson Day, creating a peculiar and controversial holiday that recognized two Confederate generals and a civil rights icon on one day.

The two days were separated in 2000, though Lee-Jackson Day remained on the books as a state-wide holiday for another two decades. In 2020, a bill was signed into law that officially removed it as an official holiday in Virginia.

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com
Rainy day in Ballston (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

‘Midsummer’ Starts Next Month — “Synetic Theater, the home of American Physical Theater and movement-based storytelling, announces the return of its acclaimed adaptation of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, directed and choreographed by company co-founders Paata and Irina Tsikurishvili. The production runs June 30 through July 24.” [Synetic Theater]

Local Donut Shop Expanding — “The owners of a Ballston doughnut shop and cafe are building out a commercial kitchen in Tysons to support a growing wholesale business and its own planned expansion… Charles Kachadoorian, a Good Company co-owner, said the shop has outgrown its capacity at 672 N. Glebe Road in Ballston, from which it produces sweets for its cafe, for other coffee shops to sell retail, and for its own catering business. It plans to expand across all of those avenues, Kachadoorian said, including with a new shop in Crystal City in the shorter term and one in D.C. in 2024.” [Washington Business Journal]

GOP Concern Over ‘Missing Middle’ — “Several Arlington Republicans have expressed your concerns about the County’s proposal to upzone single-family residential plots in neighborhoods across the county. We are passing along information from Arlingtonians for Our Sustainable Future (ASF), should you decide you want to make your voice heard on this issue.” [Arlington GOP]

Planetarium Supporters Look to Future — “Boosters of the Arlington school system’s planetarium are hopeful that new budget funding will enable the facility – shuttered since before the pandemic – to reopen with a permanent teacher attached to it by fall. School Board members in early May overruled Superintendent Francisco Durán and dropped in nearly $150,000 to support the David M. Brown Planetarium for the coming school year. Durán had proposed keeping the facility closed for another year.” [Sun Gazette]

Rosslyn Walk Planned — “When you’re out and about, do you find yourself contemplating how sidewalks, land use, and street connectivity influence your experience and enjoyment of public spaces? If so, make sure to RSVP to WalkArlington’s upcoming “Walk and Learn” focused on street design in Rosslyn on Wednesday, May, 25 from 5:30 – 6:45pm.” [GGWash]

W-L Boys Win District Soccer Tourney — “With the Washington-Liberty Generals hosting the championship match of the Liberty District boys soccer tournament, head coach Jimmy Carrasquillo expressed some pre-game concerns. The top-seeded Generals (15-0-1) entertained the third-seeded Yorktown Patriots in an all-Arlington clash, and Carrasquillo knew the rematch would be much tougher than his team’s 4-0 regular-season victory over its neighborhood rival.” [Sun Gazette]

Some Cicada Stragglers Spotted — “Have you ever been late to a party? I mean really late, so late that by the time you arrived, the party was over and the guests were long gone? If so, then you have something in common with the periodical cicadas that have been popping up in the last few weeks from Maryland to Tennessee. They’re a year late to the raucous party billions of their fellow Brood X cicadas threw last summer.” [Washington Post]

It’s Tuesday — Rain in the morning, ending in the afternoon. High of 65 and low of 56. Sunrise at 5:50 am and sunset at 8:23 pm. [Weather.gov]

Locals Encouraged to Find Hidden Gems of Arlington on National Walking Day

By Hannah Foley

(Updated 4:30 p.m.) For National Walking Day on Wednesday, April 7, locals are being encouraged to explore Arlington on foot.

Among the new options for doing so: a virtual scavenger hunt.

“Join us on a virtual hunt for hidden gems in your own neighborhood that you may not have known existed,” the county-run WalkArlington program said on its website.

The initiative from WalkArlington and Arlington Transportation Partners is virtual this year due to the coronavirus. Instead, the organizers have assembled resources for local residents, workers and visitors to take self-guided walking tours through any of the county’s 10 urban villages on National Walking Day — or any day, for that matter

“Walking in Arlington is inspiring, full of surprises, peaceful — like finding a gem,” WalkArlington said in a video, below.

Walkers can use an interactive map to find these gems, which include nature escapes, historical sites, local businesses and public art.

Participants will need to register to access the map. Those who register by Friday (March 26) will receive a free item in the mail, according to the registration page.

Photos via WalkArlington/YouTube

Arts Focus: Walking Tour Explores Public Art in Rosslyn

By ARLnow.com Sponsor
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This column is written and sponsored by Arlington Arts / Arlington Cultural Affairs, a division of Arlington Economic Development.

Rosslyn has many celebrated works of public art throughout the neighborhood.

Public art helps to give a community a sense of place, yet often even longtime locals may not know the story behind the artworks. Explore these works of art on the Rosslyn Public Art Walking Tour, led by one of Arlington County’s Public Artists in Residence, Graham Coreil-Allen.

Taking place on Thursday, June 6, at 6 p.m, the tour is free and open to the public, and starts and ends at Central Place Plaza: 1800 N. Lynn Street in Arlington, Virginia.

Directly following the tour, join us for a social at the Rosslyn Rocks! concert at Central Place Plaza (which features the new LED installation Gravity & Grace by internationally-acclaimed artist Cliff Garten). We will enjoy live music and share thoughts about the walking tour!

Space is limited, and registration is required (note: this popular tour often fills-up quickly).

Co-sponsored by Arlington Arts, the Rosslyn BID and WalkArlington, the event itself speaks to the pioneering combination of public and private resources which created this specific work and shaped Arlington’s internationally-acclaimed permanent collection of contemporary public art.

When the County, a citizen activist, the late artist Nancy Holt (profiled in this New York Times article), a developer and the National Endowment for the Arts collaborated to create Dark Star Park — the seminal landscape artwork in Rosslyn — the Arlington Public Art program has been characterized by its unique approach by combining public and private resources and its focus on enhancements to the public realm.

During this 90-minute tour, participants will discover the history, design and purpose of Rosslyn’s works of public art. Throughout the tour, Coreil-Allen will create opportunities for playful interaction and inclusive discussion.

Highlights include Cupid’s Garden, Dark Star Park, Liquid Pixels, the Le Meridien overlook, Anna and David, and Bennett Park Art Atrium.

Register for the tour via Eventbrite!

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

County Fair Starts Today — The Arlington County Fair officially kicks off today at 5:00 p.m. The first racing piglet competition will take place at 5:30 p.m. The fair will run through Sunday at 10:00 p.m. [Arlington County Fair]

‘Pike Hike’ Scheduled for Sunday — WalkArlington is sponsoring a new community “walkabout” timed to coincide with the county fair. Pike Hike II Junior Walkabout will take participants on a family-friendly stroll of the Columbia Pike town center area from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 12. Sights along the way include the Pike farmers market and the Columbia Pike Branch Library. Participants will also get a free ticket to take the shuttle from the Arlington Career Center (816 S. Walter Reed Drive) to the fair. [CommuterPage Blog]

Libertarian Tries to Make Ballot — An independent candidate who has the support of the Libertarian Party is trying to make it on the Sept. 4 ballot for the 45th District House of Delegates seat. So far only Democrat Rob Krupicka and Republican Tim McGhee has been confirmed for the ballot in the race to succeed Del. David Englin. [Sun Gazette]

Large Crowd for BBQ Bike Ride — There was a large turnout last night for a barbeque and group ride from the Freshbikes store in Virginia Square. With the assistance of Arlington County police, the weekly ride takes cyclists from the store, up Military Road to the intersection with Glebe Road, and back. [Ode Street Tribune]

Flickr pool by Damiec

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Take a Walk at Lunch Today — Today, April 25, is National Walk @ Lunch Day. What’s National Walk @ Lunch Day, you ask? It’s a day that’s intended to convince Americans to get up and go on a brisk walk at lunch, as opposed to sitting around and just eating lunch at one’s desk. [CommuterPage Blog]

County Honors ‘Notable Trees’ — At the County Board meeting yesterday afternoon, Arlington County announced the nine trees that were chosen this year to be designated as “Notable Trees.” Applause greeted each announcement, which was accompanied by photos the notable trees. “Our commitment to trees is a very real sign of our care for the environment, and this program recognizes residents for being good stewards of these important natural resources,” County Board Chair Mary Hynes said in a statement. [Arlington County]

Wetlands Plan Bogged Down By Red Tape — After six months of fundraisers, parents of students at Campbell Elementary School were looking forward to building a Wetlands Learning Lab on the school’s soggy grounds. Unfortunately, the plan has been held up by numerous county and school system regulations. As a result, more privately-raised funds might be needed to complete the project. [Arlington Mercury]

Flickr pool photo by Desiree L.C.

Walking Survey Results Released

By Katie Pyzyk

Clarendon is the area of Arlington that people most often target for walking, according to results from the recent Arlington County Commuter Services survey.

The 2011 ACCS WalkArlington Study gathered input from 985 respondents, and found that more than half walk daily throughout the community. 86% report making a trip entirely by walking at least twice a week.

The top reasons for walking include running errands and getting exercise. Commuting is another reason, with 56% of people saying they walk for at least part of their commute at least once a week.

In regards to safety, the county’s walkers aren’t overly concerned about crime, but worry about sharing the roads with vehicles. 54% say aggressive or inattentive drivers pose a safety threat to walkers.

WalkArlington is a county initiative aimed at getting people walking more for health, environmental and commuting benefits. 44% of survey respondents had heard of the initiative, but only 21% have used the organization’s services.

The survey found that two-thirds of respondents participated after seeing the request on ARLnow.com. Full survey results are available here.

Trick-or-Treat Safety Tips for Kids and Adults

By ARLnow.com

Last week, the county’s WalkArlington program published a series of safety tips for trick-or-treaters, parents and drivers alike.

For instance, drivers should anticipate children darting out from between parked cars, while kids should make sure their costume is visible to drivers.

The tips, from WalkArlington’s Pacer email newsletter, are below. Have a safe Halloween tonight!

Tips for Parents and Children

Do a costume check. Can the child walk easily in the outfit? Make sure the masks or head gear allow the children to see clearly what is around them.

Think visibility. Wear bright colors, use retro reflective materials. Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and to help others see you.

Choose the safest routes to walk. Pick places where there are sidewalks or paths separated from traffic, if possible. Look for well-lit streets with slow traffic. Remind children to watch for cars turning into or pulling out of driveways.

Plan how to cross streets. Avoid crossing busy, high-speed, or multi-lane roads. Limit the number of street crossings. Give children exiting the street room to enter the sidewalk area.

Review crossing safety rules with children. Tell kids: Always look for cars yourself – even when adults are also looking. Stop at the curb and look left, right and left again for traffic and turning cars. Wait until no traffic is coming and begin crossing. Keep looking for traffic until you have finished crossing. When crossing the street at an intersection, obey traffic signs and signals and double-check to see if cars are coming.

Walk, don’t run, across the street. Walk, don’t run, from house to house.

Choose homes that welcome Halloween visitors. Look for lights on, well-lit driveways, and walkways or paths to the front door.

Reminders for Motorists

Anticipate heavy pedestrian traffic and turn your headlights on early in the day so you can spot children from greater distances.

Drive slowly through residential streets and areas where you might expect to see pedestrians trick-or-treating.

Watch for children in dark clothing. Remember that costumes can limit children’s visibility and that they may not be able to see your vehicle.

Watch for children darting out from between parked cars.

Watch for children walking on roadways, medians, and curbs.

Enter and exit driveways and alleys carefully.

Reduce any distractions inside your car so you can concentrate on the road and your surroundings.

APS To Host Walk and Bike to School Day Tomorrow

By ARLnow.com

Tomorrow is Bike and Walk to School Day for Arlington Public Schools.

The event, part of International Walk to School Month, “encourages students to walk and bike to school while teaching the health and environmental benefits of walking and biking,” according to the school system. Parents are also encouraged to participate.

In addition to encouraging walking and biking as part of a healthy lifestyle, Walk and Bike to School Day “raises community awareness about the importance of pedestrian safety education, safe routes to schools, well-maintained walkways, and traffic calming in neighborhoods and around schools.”

This year, McKinley Elementary School will serve as the public face of Walk and Bike to School Day. In recognition of the many students who walk to school at McKinley, Arlington Public Schools will be setting up refreshment stands and holding a before-school rally for McKinley students and parents.

The refreshment stands will be set up, starting at 8:30 a.m., at the intersection of N. 11th Street and N. Potomac Street, at 1030 N. McKinley Road and at 14th Street N. and N. Ohio Street (where buses will drop students off, to allow them to walk a couple of blocks to school).

The rally will take place at the school field at 8:45 a.m., and will feature McKinley administrators, PTA representatives, Arlington School Board Members, Arlington Superintendent Dr. Patrick Murphy, Arlington County Board members, school transportation staff, crossing guards, police officers and Walk Arlington staff. Classes will start at 9:00 a.m., according to the school system.

“This is the 13th consecutive year that APS has participated in ‘International Walk or Bike to School Month,’ and since 1999, APS and Arlington County have worked together to create walk-friendly neighborhoods,” Arlington Public Schools said in a media advisory. “As part of this effort, materials have been produced for families with children attending Arlington Public Schools’ elementary and middle schools. These include maps and Web resources for county residents who want to walk or bicycle throughout the community.”

‘Pike Hike’ Event Returns

By ARLnow.com

Arlington County is planning a community walk around Columbia Pike.

The walk, “Pike Hike II,” is the second of a series designed to promote the sights, shops and history of the Columbia Pike corridor. It will focus on the western portion of the Pike’s evolving “town center.”

The walk will depart from the Arlington Career Center/Columbia Pike Library building (816 S. Walter Reed Drive) at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday, Aug. 14. Walkers, led by County Board Chairman Chris Zimmerman, are expected to complete the two-mile walk by 11:00 a.m. Attractions along the planned route include the 1940s-era Westmont Shopping Center, a church that predates the Civil War and one of the few remaining Lustron pre-fabricated, post-World War II homes.

Pike Hike is free and registration is not required. The event is sponsored by WalkArlington, the Arlington County Fair and the Columbia Pike Revitalization organization.

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