Today's Mileage:44
Cumulative Elevation Gain: 1650 ft.
Weather: Sunny and 70's
Attitude: Back to relaxed and happy, thank you!
Today was SO much better than yesterday, and I am so glad that I, along with a van-full of others, "bumped up" the first 43 miles this morning. This gave me time to walk over to Starbucks for a grande triple shot latte. In addition, I save leftover salmon and bake potato from our excellent dinner last night to have for breakfast, thus avoiding both hotel eggs and coffee this morning. And my stomach behaved better today, perhaps because I finally got around to cleaning and bleaching my cruddy water bottle last night.
Much of that first 43 miles looked beautiful, but it was on narrow, winding, very hilly roads, and those that rode it said it was a harder day than the century they did a few days ago. By the time my group got on our bikes, the roads had flattened and widened considerably, and where there was traffic there were shoulders or sidewalks most of the time. After getting vetted for day passes we rode through Fort Belvoir, which was very pretty and peaceful, the military housing area looking like a town out of the 50's. Then for the last 10-15 miles we were on a beautiful, winding bike path along the Potomac. We rode right by Mt. Vernon but elected not to go in, as it cost $17 and there was a long line of tour buses and kids on field trips.
This area is quite beautiful and I can see why people would want to live around here. Lots of parks, lots of greenery, but of course with big cities and lots of culture nearby. Still, I'll take the west coast.
Tonight and tomorrow night we are in Alexandria, Virginia, just a few miles from Washington DC. Tomorrow I am hoping to have the energy to take the train into DC to go to the American Art Museum at the Smithsonian, and the National Gallery of Art.
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| Alexandria |
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| Dinner at the trailer |
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| Vickie in a dress!!!! |
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| Just a bucolic view along the way |
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| Occoquan, VA |
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| Bike trail along the Potomac |
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| One of the beautiful roads from yesterday |
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| Snack stop in Occoquan |
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