The Capital Crescent Trail is as nice a ride as you’ll ever find. You’ll find it if you ride down “K” Street toward the Potomac and, when K dead ends under the overpass, just keep going. (The “under the overpass” is a funky place with shops and up scale places to eat, in what could be a Batman set.) At any rate, the paved path runs along the canal, which is quite pretty and flat. After that, there is a gentle climb through beautiful green forests along some streams, past what must be Dick Chaney’s country club, and then up to Bethesda. That’s probably the highpoint, very yuppie town, a very weird intersection that makes you wonder if you’ve lost the trail. Just follow the sign near the parking lot and choose any one of the crosswalks. (There is a bike shop on the right somewhere around here.) The trail goes on for a few more miles but is weird, going through what seems like an industrial basement, through an auto body repair shop, and then onto streets that lead to the Silver Springs Metro stop. This part of the trail could used some TLC.
The karma of the Capital Crescent Trail reminded me a lot of Boston’s Esplanade. There were lots of runners, walkers, folks with their kids, and of course, cyclists. All sorts of cyclists. (Yes, I know that’s a fragment, give me some poetic license.) There were decked-out cyclists with matching shorts and jerseys, huffing puffing cyclists determined to get some exercise, cyclists who just wanted to get out after work, and the commuters with their panniers, dangling ID cards, and 10,000 watt LEDs. The trip was 24 miles round trip from my hotel, just the right distance to fit in after work, but before dusk. This ride was reason enough to have brought the bike.
If you’re hungry, follow the students. I’m staying at the River Inn, near George Washington University. I followed the students to find my dinner. They led me to a pub, a Chinese place, a pizza joint and an Indian restaurant -all in the same block of Pennsylvania Ave. A bunch of Indian guys in traditional garb walked out, so I walked in. The lamb kabobs were outstanding!
The dilemma I’ve been invited to watch the Nationals play the Mets from the box seat of (sorry I can’t say who)(No, not George W, or even GHWB, or that multinational food company, so don’t guess). What do I wear? My wardrobe consists of business casual and cycle gear- neither are quite right for the ballgame. I guess a sports coat would be less bad than spandex and a fluorescent green wind jacket. I should have packed that cool sweater from Mexico….
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