I'm going to be in DC on a business trip at the end of October. (I'm SO excited -- I absolutely LOVE DC!) I think I'll be able to build in an extra day before or after the conference I'm attending and I would love to rent a bike and ride the mall/monument area and maybe a bike path if time allows. A couple of questions: 1) Any recommendations of which bike rental place is best? (I'll be staying at the Grand Hyatt on H St. NW.) 2. Will the rental places still be open end of October? 3. I'm a small-town girl; most of my riding is on bike paths and rural roads. Am I crazy to consider riding in DC? 4. I think there are several bike paths, right? Which one would you recommend I try?

(Yeah, I know, I'm planning early -- mostly because I need to get my airline reservations made before the nonstop flights sell out but partly because I'm anal about planning travel stuff ).