How 'bout a visit to Mt. Vernon?

[7rider]

Hey, all, TE-DC!!
I was reading this thread: http://forums.teamestrogen.com/showthread.php?t=28981
And, I was thinking... (always dangerous! :p:rolleyes:) ...
Hmmmmmm....
There's an outing for the TE-DC group.
Is Mt. Vernon (http://www.mountvernon.org/) "do-able" to ride from D.C.? Day trip?
Would any of you be up for a biking adventure - probably this spring?
Thoughts/plans/ideas welcome here....

[Zen]

Of course it's do-able. It's only eighteen miles one way.
It would probably be crowded on a nice weekend, though :(
http://bikewashington.org/trails/vernon/vernon.htm

I still want to do a monuments at night ride.

[Cataboo]

It's definitely a doable ride. I haven't done the bottom section since I was a teenager - but I've done the dc to Belle Haven Marina section a few years back. Definitely up around DC, National Airport, the bike path is heavily used. It is very pretty, especially the bridges over the wetlands. The kayaking in the wetlands south of Belle Haven Marina's also very pretty.

[tulip]

Yes, it's more than doable. My commute from Prince Georges County was almost to Mount Vernon when I lived in the area, and I did it almost every day.

Beware, though, on a beautiful spring day the Mount Vernon Trail will be packed with all sorts of users and you'll have to ring your bell (you NEED a bell on that trail) alot.

Have fun!

[divingbiker]

I rode to Mt. Vernon on a weekend a couple of years ago, and never again! The path is narrow and overrun with walkers and joggers and bicyclists.

(Zen, if you didn't like the W&OD you'd HATE the Mt. Vernon trail.)

I think a night-time monument ride sounds fun, but we'd have do it early in the spring before it gets dark too late for me to stay up.:p

[HillSlugger]

I had my only bike wipeout on the Mt Vernon trail! It was my first time riding out of the basement and back in the sunlight. Got banged and bruised, but it didn't stop me from riding!

[Zen]

(Zen, if you didn't like the W&OD you'd HATE the Mt. Vernon trail.)


That's all I need to hear.
I'm out.

What a shame.
And what have we learned from this?
Discuss.

[Je Suis Sam]

Any group rides...I'm there! I wanna meet other female riders in the area.

Keep me posted if you gals wanna meet up for a trail ride!

[Kalidurga]

Any chance we could all arrange the same weekday off? I rode the Mt Vernon trail a lot when I was living in Arlington a decade or so ago. It's wonderful on a quiet day. And, uh, could we wait till after I'm all healed up? :o

Sam, do you live in Va or Md? Keep an eye on this section of the forum, we arrange fairly frequent group rides on road, trail, downtown, and on the C&O towpath.

[Possegal]

Oh I'm all about the weekday off - my leave is meant to be used, not saved! :) I would love to do the trail on a weekday with everyone! And we can surely wait until you heal up nicely! (impressive hematoma by the way!)

[sfa]

A weekday ride to Mt. Vernon sounds good to me (although getting to the starting point during busy weekday traffic doesn't sound so great, but I'll deal). It's easier for me to take a weekday off than it is to find a free weekend day.

Sarah

[tulip]

A weekday ride to Mt. Vernon sounds good to me (although getting to the starting point during busy weekday traffic doesn't sound so great, but I'll deal). It's easier for me to take a weekday off than it is to find a free weekend day.

Sarah

Can you ride there from where you are?

[divingbiker]

I'd be happy to take a day off mid-week.:D:D:D

[7rider]

I'd be happy to take a day off mid-week.:D:D:D

Ibid.

[sfa]

Can you ride there from where you are?

In theory, I suppose I could, and back when I was young and very fit I might have even tried it. I'm in suburban Baltimore, so there's about 40 - 50 miles of highway between me and the Mt. Vernon trail. I'm pretty sure I could make it down there, but then I'd have to pitch a tent on George Washington's lawn and sleep before attempting the trip back!

But MARC trains allow bicycles and I'm only a few miles from a MARC station.

Sarah

[madscot13]

I had my only bike wipeout on the Mt Vernon trail! It was my first time riding out of the basement and back in the sunlight. Got banged and bruised, but it didn't stop me from riding!

I wouldn't call it a wipe out but it was my first clipless fall. A train was going overhead on one of the bridges and it made scrap metal rain from above. I quickly stopped and that was about all I did- no unclipping, no trackstand, just stop and fall. good news was that I was not impaled with metal bad news was that I scraped my knee up. I felt like a beaten person that day.

[tulip]

In theory, I suppose I could, and back when I was young and very fit I might have even tried it. I'm in suburban Baltimore, so there's about 40 - 50 miles of highway between me and the Mt. Vernon trail. I'm pretty sure I could make it down there, but then I'd have to pitch a tent on George Washington's lawn and sleep before attempting the trip back!

But MARC trains allow bicycles and I'm only a few miles from a MARC station.

Sarah

Ah, well, that's far! When I lived in Maryland I was much closer in (the third house from the DC line, in fact). I suppose Balto is considered the DC area to some.

MARC is a great system. They might have restrictions on bikes during rush hour (except for folding bikes).

I could take Amtrak up and join y'all...I'll have to think about that.

[HillSlugger]

I wouldn't call it a wipe out but it was my first clipless fall. A train was going overhead on one of the bridges and it made scrap metal rain from above. I quickly stopped and that was about all I did- no unclipping, no trackstand, just stop and fall. good news was that I was not impaled with metal bad news was that I scraped my knee up. I felt like a beaten person that day.

We had a rider coming the other way wipe out and slide into our path. My friend ran right into him and endo'ed and almost ended up in the stream; my rear slid out when I tried to stop and I went down on my left side. I guess I should be glad it was smooth wood rather than rough pavement. So far, this has been my only bike accident (knocking on wood)..

[Cataboo]

ouch. I wiped out along the trail once as a teenager along there when I couldn't make a sharp down hill turn to get on to a wood bridge and decided wiping out was better than ending up in the creek.

But I think there were wet leaves about.

I sanded my thigh a bit.

Unfortunately, I can't say that's my only wipe out.

[tulip]

We had a rider coming the other way wipe out and slide into our path. My friend ran right into him and endo'ed and almost ended up in the stream; my rear slid out when I tried to stop and I went down on my left side. I guess I should be glad it was smooth wood rather than rough pavement. So far, this has been my only bike accident (knocking on wood)..

Was that south of the marina? Those boards are often slippery and those hard-core guys on bikes take it way too fast. It stays shady, so the moss grows on the boards.

[HillSlugger]

Was that south of the marina? Those boards are often slippery and those hard-core guys on bikes take it way too fast. It stays shady, so the moss grows on the boards.

I think so, but I'm not very familiar with the trail or exactly where we were. I know it was damp and shaded and I doubted that the wood ever really dries off. They should consider applying something to the wood to increase the traction; can't be good for runners or walkers either.

[tulip]

I think so, but I'm not very familiar with the trail or exactly where we were. I know it was damp and shaded and I doubted that the wood ever really dries off. They should consider applying something to the wood to increase the traction; can't be good for runners or walkers either.

I'm sorry you and your friend crashed. I've been in a close call there in the same situation. The guy was going WAY too fast and his bike slid out from under him. I stayed upright, but I was going very slowly. I think they have signs up indicating that it's slippery (it's been a few years since I lived there).