Bike Ride

Today, I took my first ride since I arrived here. My plan was to get on the Capital Crescent Trail, take it to the northern end of the Rock Creak Park Trail, and take that south until it met up with the CCT again. However, this was easier said than done. Dad and I had found a way onto the CCT while scouting on Sunday, but it required a left turn onto Canal Road which didn't appear to be legal (or practical) during rush hour. So I took a right instead and managed to get onto the C&O Canal tow path -- which is now an unpaved bike path -- from Chain Bridge. I then backtracked until I reached the CCT. The CCT was very nice, although also very busy. After going though Bethesda (which included a cool tunnel) the path became dirt, which was fine. I took it to the trestle over rock creek, before doubling back to descend down into the rock creek valley and join the rock creek trail. The RCT started off well defined, although a little narrow. It wound around soccer fields, baseball diamonds, and even a horse stable and practice field (with jumps and whatnot). However, the trail seemed to end when I reached DC and the start of the park. However, the main road, Beach Drive, wasn't very busy and had a low speed limit, so I took that. However, soon I was in the odd position of being sort of lost. Sort of, because I knew I simply had to follow the creek downstream, but I couldn't find my position of my DC bike map. Going downstream really wasn't that hard, but the road became busier, paved paths weaved about, and intersections were often badly marked (or, at least, I couldn't find the names on my map). Eventually, I found a park map and figured out where I was (right where I was supposed to be). The road got busier and I eventually decided to take to the bike path (which I had been on and off of). The path itself was not very good. It was twisty, bumpy, and narrow. Maybe next time I'll stick to the road, it wasn't that bad. Anyhow, I eventually ended up by the Potomac, but couldn't find the start of the CCT. (However, I have since found it on a map and know how to get there). So I took a detour through Georgetown and eventually ended up on the C&O tow path. Although the towpath paralleled the CCT, I had to continue for some time before I could cross over. I continued on the CCT, going past where I had first got on it, to an entrance from Potomac Ave -- which is a quiet residential street unlike Canal Road-- which I had spotted the first time I went by. From there I went back up Arizona Ave to Nebraska Ave to American University. Detours included, the ride totaled around 26.5 miles.


I should add that I didn't overheat, although cool weather would have been nice and I was drenched in sweat by the end.