Nationals Park Questions? (2011-2014)

[wj73]

Timely info for me.  I'd love to hear more about using CapitalBikeshare to get to/from the games - I'm a CB newbie.  My employer offered a corporate CB membership for $25/year so we bit.  We usually Metro to Union Station and walk to the ballpark, saving a change of Metro lines.  We have tix for this Tuesday, and thought for our inaugural ride, we'd grab a CB bike at Union Station to take to the ballpark.  Are you saying that sometimes the racks are full when you arrive?  We saw CB refilling the rack after Sunday's game, but I never thought of it being full before the game.  We usually get there about an hour before game time - do you think we'll be able to grab a space then? 

[JCA-CrystalCity]

There is a big rack across from the bike valet and Will Call window on Potomac Ave.  I don't even try to use that most of the time. There is a rack right by DOT on M and NJ Ave that I use.  There's usually a spot because I think a lot of the DOT workers use bikeshare to get home, so if you pull up near 6 pm a lot of them have either left or are leaving.  There are a couple more racks in the area but I'm not sure (you can check the maps). 

Leaving a game, they can run out of bikes at Potomac Ave if your timing is off.  Again, the one by M and NJ Ave seems to have some if the one on Potomac Ave runs out.  I'm not too keen on riding at night, even with the lights on the bikes, so I've always metro'd after night games.

[wj73]

Thanks - agree about the concern of riding at night, especially since I haven't been on a bike in a decade or two.  Another reason we'll probably Metro home or at least walk back to Union Station instead of biking - it's all uphill going that way!    

Thanks for the tip on the stand near DOT.  I found this analysis of the various CB stands - it crunched the data for each CB stand near the ballpark, and calculated the average number of minutes before the game when the stands filled.  http://rausnitz.com/blog/2013/08/nationals-bikeshare-3.html
 

[madj55]

How early should one arrive if they want to get a Harper bobblehead? I know it's a Monday night game, but I feel like the lines are gonna be absurd.

[mitlen]

How early should one arrive if they want to get a Harper bobblehead? I know it's a Monday night game, but I feel like the lines are gonna be absurd.

25K at the gate  ...   I was listening to Byron Kerr on 106.7 today and he had a Nats' person on.    She said if you don't get one at the gate, there may be another way to get one.    Not sure of the details   ....    It's gonna be a give-away at all entrances.   On occasion, not too many folks are at the home plate entrance.    They're usually backed up at the CF entrance.

[madj55]

25K at the gate  ...   I was listening to Byron Kerr on 106.7 today and he had a Nats' person on.    She said if you don't get one at the gate, there may be another way to get one.    Not sure of the details   ....    It's gonna be a give-away at all entrances.   On occasion, not too many folks are at the home plate entrance.    They're usually backed up at the CF entrance.

Thanks! I wasn't sure if they were gonna give em away at all the entrances, that helps a lot.

[CALSGR8]

Usually with Bobbleheads.  In the store if you buy a Tshirt, they give you a bobblehead with it.  Not announced.

[imref]

How early should one arrive if they want to get a Harper bobblehead? I know it's a Monday night game, but I feel like the lines are gonna be absurd.

At least 1 hr.

[CALSGR8]

Gates open 2 1/2 hours before the game.

[OldChelsea]

Rockies have actually been a pretty good draw here at times - last year we hosted a Th/Fr/Sa/Su series against them (20th-23rd June); each of the four fixtures drew at least 31,927 with the Sunday finale breaking 39k.

Should ordinarily be a little less tonight, what with it being a Monday night, 30% chance of rain with isolated thunderstorms from mid-afternoon through early match time.

[blue911]

Rockies have actually been a pretty good draw here at times - last year we hosted a Th/Fr/Sa/Su series against them (20th-23rd June); each of the four fixtures drew at least 31,927 with the Sunday finale breaking 39k.

Should ordinarily be a little less tonight, what with it being a Monday night, 30% chance of rain with isolated thunderstorms from mid-afternoon through early match time.

It's a Harper bobblehead night.

[tomterp]

Rockies have actually been a pretty good draw here at times - last year we hosted a Th/Fr/Sa/Su series against them (20th-23rd June); each of the four fixtures drew at least 31,927 with the Sunday finale breaking 39k.

Should ordinarily be a little less tonight, what with it being a Monday night, 30% chance of rain with isolated thunderstorms from mid-afternoon through early match time.

It's not the Rockies that are drawing, it's the fact that it's a June weekend that draws. 

[Natsinpwc]

How early should one arrive if they want to get a Harper bobblehead? I know it's a Monday night game, but I feel like the lines are gonna be absurd.

You should be plenty ok to get there a half hour before and probably even at game time.  Nats crowds are notoriously late arriving.

[Galah]

You should be plenty ok to get there a half hour before and probably even at game time.  Nats crowds are notoriously late arriving.

Last's years Harper bobblehead was gone by 12:30 with a 1:30 game, admittedly, it was a Sunday afternoon game, but if you really gotta have one, 30 minutes before game time is probably not going to do it.

[Ali the Baseball Cat]

What do people do with all of these bobbleheads?  At least it's the Rox and not the Phillies or Barves, or area ERs would be flooded with emergency extraction cases

[Natsinpwc]

Last's years Harper bobblehead was gone by 12:30 with a 1:30 game, admittedly, it was a Sunday afternoon game, but if you really gotta have one, 30 minutes before game time is probably not going to do it.

Always best to get there early but if they are giving away 25,000 I don't see how 25,000 would be gone by 6:00 pm.
Not a weekend as you say.  Good advice by others to avoid the CF gate.   

[mitlen]

What do people do with all of these bobbleheads? 

See Galah's avatar   ...   .

[tomterp]

What do people do with all of these bobbleheads?  At least it's the Rox and not the Phillies or Barves, or area ERs would be flooded with emergency extraction cases

They look great on my bookshelf at work. 

[Galah]

What do people do with all of these bobbleheads?  At least it's the Rox and not the Phillies or Barves, or area ERs would be flooded with emergency extraction cases

I've got 22 of them lined up on shelves in my office, they keep our record over the past 22 game (currently 12-10)
I live with a very understanding and patient woman, but they make a good conversation piece at the office (especially since the home office is in Pittsburgh)

[imref]

What do people do with all of these bobbleheads?  At least it's the Rox and not the Phillies or Barves, or area ERs would be flooded with emergency extraction cases

glue them to the hood of my car.

[Mathguy]

We have them lined up on bookcase shelves

What do people do with all of these bobbleheads?  At least it's the Rox and not the Phillies or Barves, or area ERs would be flooded with emergency extraction cases

[Mathguy]

Whoever suggested going into Nats Park at any gate other than the Centerfield gate, thank you.  We went into the right field gate, got our Harper bobbleheads, and got seats in the Red Porch bar while many lined waiting up at the Centerfield gate.

[mitlen]

Whoever suggested going into Nats Park at any gate other than the Centerfield gate, thank you.  We went into the right field gate, got our Harper bobbleheads, and got seats in the Red Porch bar while many lined waiting up at the Centerfield gate.

I accept full responsibility for posting that on Sunday.   

[wj73]

Capital Bikeshare worked last night - we took Metro from Glenmont to Union Station, grabbed a CaBi bike, rode through Capitol Plaza then basically coasted downhill on New Jersey Avenue all the way to the ballpark.  There was very little traffic to contend with.  We were able to park the bikes at the stand right next to the ballpark. 

I hate having to wait to transfer from the red to green line - with Metro, you never know how long that'll take.  By getting off at Union Station, we save having to transfer, plus it was FUN!  Something about riding a bike across Capitol Plaza brought home to me how lucky we are to live here.  People come from all over the world to visit our city and see sights like the Capitol building, and we get to pedal past it on our way to a baseball game like it's nothing. 

We didn't try to bike back in the dark and heat, but grabbed the Circulator back to Union Station.  Another bonus of going by way of Union Station - it provides a good spot for a bathroom break if needed.   

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Yes, the sights are pretty neat when you take that ride.  I always get a kick out of coming down Pennsylvania Ave from the Fed Triangle area and just looking up at the Capitol when I'm stopped at a light.