As a member of the Tour de France KAL, I am way behind. I'm lagging in both my project (the second one cast on) and in reading the blog entries of other participants. However, I have not given up. Yesterday and today, I have been knitting like a sprinter. Today, I made a personal commitment to the second intermediate sprint competition.
This sprint emphasizes regions. One of three choices for the sprint entries, the "cycling option" and the one I selected, is to "get on your bike and show us something special about your own region where you live and cycle!"
I live in a DC suburb, Chevy Chase, Maryland. Four blocks from my house, I can access the Capital Crescent Trail. It's tagline, "the outstanding Washington Area Hiker-Biker Trail," could not be more accurate. It is a primary reason that we chose to live where we do.
Unfortunately, the trail is in trouble. The new "Purple Line" of the area's mass transit rail system is expected to be built right where the trail currently exists. Because the cost of building an underground tunnel for the subway is prohibitive, and because the area desperately needs the line to connect the ends of the existing system, there are simply not many reasonable alternatives. I "get that," to some extent, but the thought of losing the trail saddens me.
Recently, one of the tunnels on the trail became the target of a hotel developer. It pours out into downtown Bethesda, Maryland, with its many shops, businesses and residences.
Bethesda also has a subway station, thereby making it an attractive setting for a hotel. Routing trail traffic around the tunnel will mean that trail users will have to cross the very busy and congested Wisconsin Avenue. This controversy threatens the trail immediately. A large building beside the tunnel has already been abandoned. I have been a part of a large group who reject the project and hopefully, our words and concerns will be heard by the officials who will make the ultimate decision.
Moving down the trail from Bethesda, about 3 miles later, you leave Maryland, entering into DC. Almost immediately, the Potomac River is on your right and the C&O Canal on the left. The towpath of the canal runs from Georgetown to the far western corner of Maryland, in Cumberland. In fact, I once went on a weekend ride between Georgetown and Harper's Ferry, a distance of about 50 miles each way. The trip was magnificent; with peaceful and beautiful spots all along the path.
Here, at Fletcher's, situated just above Georgetown, a variety of fun activities are available, from canoes and kayaks to fishing and picnics.
For us on this very hot DC day, the $2 bottles of very cold water were a godsend. About a third of the water got poured on my head and down my shirt!
The trail ends just below Whitehurst Freeway, one of the thoroughfares between Georgetown and downtown DC.
Also from this spot, you can see an underside view of Key Bridge.
Not far beyond the end of the trail, you emerge from under the freeway and onto a trail that runs beside Rock Creek Parkway. This road takes you next to Watergate and then under the Kennedy Center patio.
Growing up as a child in DC, recreational activity on the river was prohibited because of the pollution in the Potomac. Although it is not fully clean today, it is wonderful to watch the kayakers and boaters out on the river. I drive (and sometimes ride) this route to work every day and there is almost always someone out on the river.
Once beyond the Kennedy Center, we went to and over the 14th Street Bridge to Virginia, via the road to Hains Point. This is the area next to the Tidal Basin where the cherry blossoms bloom each spring. In fact, cycling there during cherry blossom time is a test of patience and cycling skills, with the thousands of tourists who flock to DC for them.
Our quick cycling tour of DC ended in Virginia, where we turned around and rode the same route back home.
There is never a time that I ride the route we did today that I don't fall in love all over again with Washington, DC. I grew up in the area and then was away for over 20 years. Almost 11 years ago, I moved back and I believe that you can come home again.
This post was not begun as a plea to save the trail. But, if you are in the area yourself, or just want to be a part of the contingent to save it, please go to the site and help. Hopefully, you will be able to enjoy the trail ride into and/or around DC sometime, yourself. If you are in the area and seeking cycling pals, let me know.
PS#1: It was very, very hot while we rode and my little digital camera got wet from sweat and some of the pictures didn't turn out; the really good ones, of course :-|.
PS#2: For those of you who watch the Versus Tour coverage, you no-doubt know about the Saab commercials, ad nauseum. We needed a new car and I guess the commercials became so ingrained in this family that look what we bought - a Saab Sport-combi!
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