Furry Friends on Bike Rides

Something to remember when you are riding on the paths by the Lincoln Memorial.

The cute furry critters that run around when it is lights out are squirrels.

The cute furry critters that run around when it is dark out are usually squirrels but sometimes they are rats.

One woman found out the hard way much to her distress.

The other day I raced a rat running from one side of the path to the other. I almost got him but then he put on a burst of speed and made it across.

Spectacular Sunrise

A spectacular sunrise this morning. It brought a much needed smile to my face. I only went to the Lincoln today. I hadn't been on the bike for about a week and when that happens I do a short ride. Mostly to make sure I don't cramp up. And judging by the "graceful" dismount from the bike, it was a good call.

The other thing I've noticed is it's getting lighter later and later which of course makes sense. But it's surprising how in just a couple of weeks how much of a difference that makes. I could leave my house around 5:30 and have no problems because the sky was starting to lighten. But now it's closer to 6.

 

Riding Over 100 Miles in Four Days

 

I am very pleased and proud about what I accomplished today. This is something that I haven't done in at least ten if not fifteen years. This week actually over four days I rode over 100 miles. 107.55 to be exact. 

 

 I left 15 minutes later than yesterday for my ride.

 

 

Wow what a difference that made. When I got into Virginia I could actually see the trail. What a concept seeing where your riding. Who knew?

 

It was really humid out. Dew point was 70 which made for a very soupy ride. I rode 24.05 miles. 

 

 

I tried the Crystal City path again. Rode for a while and then it literally just ends. There's construction for the new Amazon facility instead of the path. So I just turned around and got back on the Mt. Vernon trail.

 

I like riding on Sunday because there is no one out at all. By the time I come back into the city people are beginning to stir.

 

I have an interesting story on scooters but that's for another post.

 

 

Tomorrow is a rest day. As for next week it look like it is going to get hot again so I'm not sure how many days I'll ride. Also I have a stress test on Thursday so definitely won't re riding that day. As we say in my family we'll see.

 

Finally got the full reflection of the Monument in a picture.

My Century Ride

I probably haven’t ridden a century in 10 years. The last time I would have done it would have been for the AIDS Ride and the last time I did that was in 1999. And I was riding with other people not by myself.

Anyway my adventure began very early. I got up around 3:40 in the morning. I’d hope to be off by 4 am but quickly decided that was not going to be possible. There is a lot of stuff to do before you head out. I had to get my sun screen on even though the sun wouldn’t be up for a couple of hours and I wouldn’t be directly in it for a couple more. I had to fill my camelback. Make sure all my food was packed (proper placement of pop tarts is essential).

I set out just at 4:20 am. It was dark but not as dark as I thought it would be. The street lights really made it easy to see things. For added safety I had two flashing amber lights. One I put on my back pack underneath my seat and the other won went on the back of my helmet. If I decide to do this again I think I’m going to get some sort of light. It would have been handy for a couple of things that happened later in the trip.

The trip through the city went off without a hitch. Funny thing at 4:30 in the morning there’s not a whole lot of traffic in DC even Georgetown was empty. I crossed over the Key Bridge and then the fun really began. The Custis Trail which what connects DC to the W&OD Trail is not all that long but there’s where I had the most fun of my trip.

The first occurred while I was crossing a bridge. I heard a rustling to my right. I’d obviously spooked an animal. Now it wasn’t some cut bunny but something else entirely. I couldn’t see what it was but all of a sudden it was making loud noises at me. Sort of like a cross between a cat hissing and a dog barking. Needless to say it scared the hell out of me. My immediate reaction was to pedal much faster even though I couldn’t see all that well ahead of me. And I kept peddling for a while to get out of range of, as I like to call it, the monster on the bridge. I can’t blame the animal it felt trapped since I was about half way across the bride when I spooked it. I sure it felt completely trapped with no place to go. I’m also sure I didn’t hit it because I know I would have felt that.

The next incident occurred about twenty minutes later. I’m coming down a hill and making a right hand turn on to the last part of the Custis Trail before it links up with the W&OD. There are lights along this part of the trail but none of the lights are on. It is dark. Not pitch dark but still very dark. I slow way down. For the next half mile or so none of the lights are on. The street lights nearby are on. The lights illuminating the express way are working too. This gives some light to the trail but not a great deal. Finally I come up over a small hill and the lights are back on again. The only thing I can think of is that the storm we’d had the night before must have knocked the power out of this section.

I make it to near where one of my friend’s live and use the port-o-potty that is near the dog park. It has taken me an hour to go just a little over 10 miles. I’ve very pleased with my progress. Now on to the W&OD. Here I pull out the cord to my odometer so I loose the recording of some mileage. I figure it is just about 3 miles. There’s a lot of stopping and starting since the trail crosses several roads. I slow down and stop for all but one. Dawn is still 40 minutes away.

All of a sudden I start to hear the birds. It’s funny to think I started out before the birds were up. With more light it is easier to see and easier to go faster on the bike. There are now joggers out on the trail as well as other riders. At 6:02 the sun officially rises. For the next hour or so my glasses fog up from time to time.

I’m making very good time. Much faster than I expected. The plan was to be by my friend’s house around 6. I beat that by forty minutes. The next goal is Smith Switch Station which is approximately mile 26 on the trail. I’m beginning to pick up some speed. There are a few towns I’m passing through. Vienna, Reston and Herndon. But because it is so early there is hardly any traffic either on the roads (several of which I have to cross) or on the trail. At this rate I’ll be at the Switch Station right around 7.

I reach the Switch Station right around 7. I stop and have a banana and use the rest room. I figure Leesburg is ten miles away I stop there and get something more to eat. But I’m now really moving. 17, 18, 20 miles an hour on the bike for long periods of time. I decide to head on to the end of the trail at Purcellville. I’m getting a little hungry now but decide to keep going.

I reach Purcellville at 8:20. 4 hours (take out the stops and it’s closer to 3 hours 40 minutes) to cover 50 miles not bad at all. I’m also over an hour ahead of when I expected to get here. I thought 9:30-10:00 at the earliest. I thought I stop at a store and buy some more water and maybe something to eat. But nothings open around where I am. I take a moment eat my chicken sandwich and call some people let them know how fast I got to the half way point. I’m completely blown away by it. My legs feel really good. I don’t feel tired.

I take a little time to rest up. Around 9 I start back.

I took things a little slower. Part to conserve my energy and also in part because I was a little tired. The ride around Purcellville is really nice. The path is like a tunnel because of the trees. It’s very shady and the temperature is moderate.

I begin to gain some speed again. I find that this goes in cycles. My legs seem to be spent and then slowly I start to speed up. I’m going 17, 18 19 miles an hour. I do this for 10 or 15 minutes at time and then I slow back down. I don’t have any real problems until I suddenly run out of water. I’ve emptied my camelback. Thankfully the Switch Station isn’t all that far away and there’s a water fountain there. There are vending machines that sell water too but all I’ve got in my wallet are 20s. Not very helpful.

I reach the Switch Station and fill up my camelback. I take a good 15 minutes to rest. There are a couple of hills yet to come which will be hard and then it will be flat. I’d called my friend and said I’d be stopping by his house around 1. It turns out I get there are 12:20. 40 miles in 3 hours 20 minutes. Once again I’m really impressed by what I’ve done.

I stay at his place until 1. I figure I need the rest. The sun has come out and although not extremely hot I can tell it’s taken a toll on me.

Finally at 1 pm I head out. The last hour. Back onto the Custis Trail the majority of which is down hill. I don’t have to expend as much energy. I cross the Key Bridge again which brings me into Georgetown. Now there is traffic in every direction. I weave in and out of it and maintain a good pace. I go around Thomas Circle. I’m about 20 blocks from home. There is one last obstacle the hill on Rhode Island Avenue that starts once you get past North Capitol. My legs are screaming when I go up this but I know it is the last hard thing I’ll have to do for the entire ride. Slowly and I mean slowly I get to the top of the hill. Then it’s a nice coast down.

I finally turn on to my street and get to my house. It is just 2:10. The whole 100 miles including stops in 9: 50 minutes. According to my odometer (this is minus the 3 miles it lost because the wire was out of it) I went 97.08 miles in 7 hours 29 minutes and 12 seconds. My average speed was 12.9 miles an hour and the maximum I reached was 25.5. Not a bad days work.

And what did I do today — I got up and went to my hour spinning class.

A Century on the My Bike

A Century. I went 100 miles on my bike today.

I left at 4:20 am. Yes that's right 4:20 am. Got to Purcellville which is just about 50 miles by 8:20 am. On the ride back I took more time. I left around 9am and got back to my house a little after 2.

I'll give all the details especially the monster on the bridge but it will have to be tomorrow. Right now I need to rest.

Riding the Bike

I had set a goal for riding this weekend. I wanted to do 50, 40, and 30 mile rides. I based the declining mileage on how well my legs would hold up and what the weather promised to be. I rearranged the mileage for Sunday and Monday because I was going to a movie in the afternoon.

It turns out I was able to met the goal. Of course this morning I can barely walk and I'm not sure how easy it will be to get out of my chair at work.

Total mileage for the weekend: Saturday-51.61, Sunday-36.15, Monday 40.12. Just about 128 miles over the course of the three days.

The weather was good all three days. No rain. Monday was the most humid day. It was also the hardest in part because of my legs but also I took a new route that didn't give me all the mileage that I needed. I had to retrace some of my route but that proved to be a good thing since I needed to use the bathroom.

Sunday yielded some fun things on the trail. I was on my way back into Alexandria and I heard what at first sounded like metal rubbing on metal. But then at the sound became clearer and closer I realized it was a dog barking. Then I realized it was two gods barking. But the thing was one dog would bark then the other dog would bark. They took turns. Now I'm riding on the path which is next to the road and I hear this while listening to my iPod. The sound isn't too loud but I heard these two dogs as if they were next to me. I can only image how loud it must have been in the car. The other site also involved dogs where I saw a guy walking seven dogs. Imagine the fun of cleaning up after all of them.

In all a very successful weekend on the bike.

Morning Ride

A spectacular morning ride today. The weather could not have been better. It actually didn't rain for a change. I got off at 6:06am. Even earlier than I'd hope for. I wanted to get out at 6:30. So leaving early was great.

A bright sunny day. I never get over how beautiful it is to look out across the Potomac while riding down to Mt. Vernon and see the monuments. This being Memorial Day weekend there are lots of celebrations and events going on. The pictures of the flags are for one.

I had no problems on the trail. I got down to Mt. Vernon in really good time. It took my about an hour and 45 minutes to get there. I then went further down the road to where it ends at a t-intersection. That's where I turned around and started heading back.

I had a really wonderful thing happen on the way back. I was on the bike path and came under a canopy of trees and there were all these cardinals singing. There must have been at least six or more singing. It was just fantastic.

The path got a little more crowded as I was heading back. I'm glad I got out early. I took the path up towards the Key Bridge. I thought I put on a few extra miles by getting on the Rock Creek Trail and riding up to the zoo. Once on Rock Creek I remembered why I don't ride it. It really is not trail for bikes. It is just too narrow at least at this point of it. Also the road is literally right next to you so if you went off the path you'd be right on the road. I got off the first chance I found.

That's when I headed toward DuPont where I found my next surprise for the day which you can see below.

Oh yes the total for today 51.61 miles.

Back on the Bike

I am officially back on the bike. Finally the weather cooperated and we actually had two spring like days in a row. The few times there's been half way decent weather I was always doing something on those days. But this weekend was different.

I wasn't as completely prepared as I'd hope to have been yesterday morning. I got off 15 minutes later than I wanted to. But it was a nice bright and very sunny day. You can get an idea of what it was like by looking at the pictures below.

I like going out as early possible on the weekend. It is very very beautiful when you get out that early with the sun coming up over the city. Also there are hardly any people on the path which is always a plus.

I got just into Alexandria and turned back. I had to get to my spinning class which started at 9:15. I did about a total of 23 miles on Saturday.

Today was not as nice. It was a little cloudy. It seemed, at least at the start of the ride, warmer than yesterday. I got as a far as Belle Haven which is a little south of Alexandria. I was thinking of going as far as Mt. Vernon but thought better of it. I'd put in a great deal of time on the bike for the past two days and throwing in the spinning class, I decided to play it safe. Also I'm going to a spinning class tomorrow morning. Today I did 30 miles.

I think 53 miles for the first weekend of riding is pretty good.

Weekend Rides

Two great rides this weekend. The days could not have been more different.

Saturday I got out of the house at 5:40 am. The air was fresh and clear and not all that humid. I started out wearing my regular glasses. It was a little too dark out to be wearing my sun glasses. I was not the only one out that early. There was another guy who passed me on the hill on Rhode Island Ave. I felt like I was standing still he went by me so quickly. Not the greatest thing to inspire you for a long ride.

I have to say I’m always a little grumpy when I start on a ride. Part of the reason is that is damn early. It also takes me a little while to get into a rhythm. Once I get out of the city there is less stop and go. Also there are a series of hills when you get on the Custis Trail. After you get to the East Fall Metro stop the path flatten outs. At that point you’re officially on the W&OD Trail.

Between Reston and Herndon were a whole bunch of runners training for some sort of run. They were better at moving so I could pass them. Unlike the group on the Mt. Vernon Trail two weeks before. I went to Smiths Switch Station which is about at mile 26. There were port a-potties there (yeah a place to pee) and vending machines. There was also an air hook up. It is a pretty nice place to stop. This is the farthest I’ve been on the W&OD since I was training for the last AIDS Ride I was in which was in 1999.

Before you get to the switch station there is parking off one of the main roads. I’m not sure which one it is because I ride over it. It looks like commuter parking where people would park their car and then take a shuttle to a metro stop probably Vienna. On Saturday this place was filling up with riders. Lots and lots of cars with racks on the back.

I reached the station around 8:30 or so. Probably about half a dozen or more riders stopped while I was eating my banana and my chocolate pop-tarts. I matched my top speed of 23.1 miles an hour. I had to slow down because of traffic and wasn’t able to get back up to that speed again. I spooked a little baby bunny. It ran across the path and got hit by another bike. I looked back. He appeared to be only stunned because he righted himself rather quickly and ran into the safety of the shrubs.

The ride back was pretty good. I had my usual time frame of feeling like I would not be able to make it back. I had that a couple of times on the way back. I just ride through it. I’ve decided that down shifting makes it easier to peddle the bike but it takes a great deal of energy. I’ve found it I can push through these spots in the higher gears I suddenly find myself back up to a reasonable speed.

I made it back into the city around 10:35. I stopped off at Dupont Circle to run an errand and was home around 11:30. Then I had all the fun with the garbage disposal. Total for Saturday 63.

Sunday could not have been a more different day. I stepped out on to my porch with my bike and could tell at 6:00 am that it was going to be a very warm and uncomfortable day. The humidity was already way up there. My ride on Sunday I was actually dripping in sweat. It ran off my face.

I decided I was going to ride as far as Saturday. I figured my legs would not be able to take it. I did ride all the way to Mt. Vernon. Something I haven’t done for years. It was a pretty easy ride except for the last part of the trail before you reach Mt. Vernon. It seems like long hill the last quarter mile or so before you get there. I arrived before 8. My goal was to ride until 8 and then see where I was and take it from there. I was right at the end of the trail. I sat down had my snack and headed back.

There were not many people on the trail. I have to assume that was due to the early hour and the fact it was Sunday. Total for Sunday 45.

A very good weekend for riding.

Two Great Rides

I did two great rides this weekend. Saturday out the W&OD for 63.48 miles and Sunday down the Mt. Vernon trail for 45.01 miles.

More details but first I'm going to collapse actually I have to go out and do some shopping. But I'll be getting to the stores in my car not on my bike.

Down the W&OD for 48 Miles

I made it down the W&OD Trail to the tune of 48 miles today. I got off just about the time I was supposed to right around 6:15 am. I'd like to say I was more prepared than yesterday but that's not the case.

The weather was as nice as yesterday. There was a slight breeze on the way back which helped keep things cool but I always have problems with wind no matter how little it is.

There were very few people out on the trail. Thankfully there were no groups of people running in large groups. On one of the very flat straightaways I was able to get up to 23.1 miles per hour and maintain it for a little while too. As I've said in the past, one of the things I like about the W&OD is the flats on the trail. It is amazing to me look down at my speedometer and see how fast I'm going.

Here's a strange thing that happened to me on ride. I was on my way back. This woman passed by me in the other lane on roller blades. I could have sworn that it looked like someone I worked with. I dismissed it at first but the more I thought about it the more I decided it had to be her. So I turned around. I got close to her and then called out her name. Sure enough it was her. Even with her back to me, I could more or less see her expression after I'd called out her name of who the hell is going to know me on this path. The thing is she doesn't live out in Virginia she live in DC. We chatted for a little while and then headed on our respective ways.

On the way home I stopped off at the gym. I did this in part because I had to pee really bad. I still don't understand why there are so few restroom facilities on the trail. I also wanted to do some exercises. My shoulders really hurt when I go on long rides especially if I'm using the camelbak. After about 25 minutes there I headed back home. I got in just about at 11:15.

Not a bad bit of riding in 5 hours including stops.

For the weekend it means I went 90 miles.

And now I'm taking a nap!

Mt. Vernon Trail Today

I'm going to try (the operative word here is try) and do two 40 mile rides this weekend. I've got the first one under my belt. Hopefully, I'll be able to move tomorrow and do the other one. Oh and after that I plan on going to the gym and working out.

First of all I went up to Hudson Trail Outfitters to have them look at my brakes on Friday. I think the brake noise has finally been solved. I got a little noise on my ride but not much. And when it did happen it seemed to be coming from the front brake. Of course in the past the noise had been coming from the back brake guess you can't win them all. It was sort of a busy Friday afternoon for these guys. In fact they had only one full time mechanic there but he was able to get to my bike in under an hour. I really appreciated it.

My plan was to leave between 6-6:30 am. I got off around 6:40. Not too bad. I was a little disorganized. I hope to be a little better at it tomorrow. I got to try out the camelbak that I got for my birthday. It was great. I stay much more hydrated with a camelbak then with bottles. It's so much easier to get a drink when riding using a camelbak then a bottle.

I set out on my journey. I went on the Mt. Vernon trail. I had a good ride until just before I reached Alexandria. I started running into all sorts of groups of runners. They were obviously training for something. Too bad they didn't seem to know how to share the path with other people. I passed several groups saying on your left. They moved just enough for me to get by and when I say just enough I mean just enough. They left me about half of the passing lane. On one occasion I stopped before even attempting to pass. The other lane, the one I'd be passing in, was not a full lane width. It also dropped off into well gravel is a nice way of referring to it. It was rocks you'd drop off into. I decided to detour around these guys. I continued to run into groups of these runners some as small as three or four some groups well over 15 until I reached Belle Haven. It thinned out a little after that but not by much. One other time, when I called out on your left, a women actually moved into the left hand lane. I barely missed hitting her.

I was a little frustrated with this. But very slowly I ran into fewer and fewer of these groups. I made it almost to Mt. Vernon but had to stop because I had to pee really badly. After that I decided to just stop where I was. I ate my banana and my two chocolate poptarts and headed back. On the way back the runners were mostly gone. There were still a lot of people out and about. I got home around 11 so it was a pretty good ride all in all.

Hopefully I can get out a few minutes earlier tomorrow. Tomorrow it's off on the W&OD!

First Ride of the Weekend, 42.10 Miles

I just got in from my first ride of this weekend. I did 42.10 miles.

I'll write a little more about it later.

Right now I need to take a shower and get all the layers of encrusted grime off of me.

But then again maybe I don't have any encrusted grime. Maybe it's all in my mind.

Guess I need to call Phil Graham and ask him about that.

The Bike Ride

I did the majority of my ride on the Washington and Old Dominion Trail (W&OD).

If you want to learn more about the trail go here. It was once the Washington & Old Dominion Railroad which was in operation from 1847 to 1968. The trail came into existence in 1982.

I was on my bike at 6:53 am Sunday morning. Needless to say that early in the morning there were not many people out. I made good time. My plan for the ride was to go out on the W&OD and then after going around 25 miles or so turn around and head back to a friend's house where I'd take a shower and then we'd go out to lunch. I carried a change of clothes with me. In retrospect I should have dropped the clothes off at my friend's house on the way out. The backpack got rather heavy. My friend's house is just a littler over 10 miles from mine. I got there in about an hour.

I picked up the W&OD trail at the 5 mile marker. I went to Herndon, Virginia which was a little over 25 miles into the ride. I stopped there for a quick snack and headed back. I got to my friend's house a little before 11; we sat around for awhile then I took my shower. We went to Joe's a great Italian place for lunch. I was back on my bike by 2:30 and home a little after 4.

In all it was one fantastic ride.

I haven't been on that trail for several years and haven't been to Herndon probably since training for the AIDS Ride which is 9 years ago. I was reminded of one of the things I do not like about the W&OD there are hardly any bathrooms. There was one port-o-potting in like 20 miles. That's not to say you can't pull off the path and pee in the woods but come on a couple of johns wouldn't hurt anyone.

However, there are many things to enjoy about the trail. When you are out of the towns you are very much out in the country side. I saw many creatures: several rabbits, more chipmunks then I could count and a fox running across the trail. The most impressive thing was a hawk that dived down and caught itself breakfast and then flew off with it. I did not take a close look to see exactly what breakfast consisted of.

Another thing I really like about the trail is how flat it is. You can really work up some speed in places. A couple of times I got into the top gear of my middle ring and was going between 17-20 mph. I thought I was doing well until several guys past me and left me in their dust. Oh well I still did damn good.

I'm hoping to do another ride on the trail in the next couple of weeks. I want to be completely prepared and leave by 6:30 if not earlier and see how far I can go. Maybe ride until 11 and then start heading back. And this time carry a lot less stuff so I hopefully go even faster and farther.

54.11

That's how many miles I rode my bike yesterday.

Yeah!!

That's the most miles I've ridden in probably eight or more years.

I broke the ride up into two parts.

But more on the ride a little later. And all the fun things I saw on the way.

Right now I need to head out and face Monday.

Early Morning Ride

I was up early today and on the bike shortly after that. I was out the door at 6:03 am. It was a little over cast. The temperature wasn't too bad but it was still very humid from the storms we had the afternoon before (it poured poured poured for like an hour or so).

Needless to say there were not many people out on the path. For that matter there were not many people out on the streets. The goal for this ride was to go 40 miles. I wasn't entirely sure I could do it. I take the Mt. Vernon Trail and it would mean riding almost to Mt. Vernon and back. A couple of miles from Mt. Vernon there was a bridge on the trail being repaired. You could walk your bike around it but I decided not to try that. I got on the road and was on that for a little while but decided I was running out of gas and needed to turn around.

I decided on the way back to ride up to Hudson Trail Outfitters where I bought the bike. I wanted them to take a look at a couple of things on the bike. I also wanted to ask about getting a tune-up. Hudson Trail is located on Wisconsin Avenue. I rode up Wisconsin from M Street. I'd forgotten how many hills were on it. I made it up but of course the store was closed. They don't open until 11 am on Sundays. I should up a around 9:30. I'd hope they'd open at 10. I decided not to stay around and wait until they opened.

I stopped off at another bike store that's near DuPont Circle. I got some oil for the chain. It made a difference but the main thing I need to do is get a tune up.

It was an interesting drive in one aspect. I had more courteous drives then people on bikes. I had several people yield to me while making left turns. A couple people waved me on when we both stopped at stop signs. I even had a taxi driver stop and let me pass a drive way he wanted to turn in to. Pretty surprising. People on bikes well several were just jerks. Passing me without letting me know they were there. A couple of guys passing me when traffic coming in the other direction. The guys passing barely made it back in time. Then there was the group that cut me off not once but twice.

In the end I covered 44 miles. A good early morning ride.

Back on the Bike

I rode my road bike yesterday!

This is probably the first time in like two years that I've actually been on the bike. I didn't ride all that far. I went to DuPont Circle to run some errands then down to talk to someone at my gym (more about that later) and then around the White House and then home.

I even tackled the big hill on Rhode Island Avenue which really isn't all that big now that I've ridden up it. Actually going down the hill is something to be carefully about. You can build up pretty good deal of speed if you don't watch yourself.

I think the bike needs a little work. I'd like to have it tuned up. I'll need another odometer too. It looks like the only problem with the one I have is the battery needs to be replaced. The problem is sincerely doubt I'd be able to fine the instruction. I will give it a try and hope for the best but I'm thinking I'll be getting another one.

I hope to be able to ride a couple times or more a week to start things off. I actually think I can park the bike in the garage next door at work. If I can, it means I can start riding to work and save a little money while I'm getting in shape.