Weekend Cycling in Washington DC

It was a great autumn day in Washington DC, as I cycled along Capital Crescent Trail and Mount Vernon Trail from Bethesda to National Airport for the last bit of nature colors before winter kicked in.

Autumn Colors in Downtown Bethesda

 Autumn Colors in Downtown Bethesda
Autumn Colors in Downtown Bethesda


As it’s converted from abandoned railroads, Capital Crescent Trail was level and mostly straight and well-maintained, making it almost the most casual-rider-friendly bike trail around Washington DC. The downside was that, it got pretty crowded during weekends.
Since the (unpaved) segment from Silver Spring to Bethesda was closed for Metro purple line construction, I started my trip in Bethesda, among a diverse local crowd ranging from professional cyclists to toddlers. It just seemed everybody was treasuring the year’s last few good days as much as I did.

Oh, I got my new phone (Samsung Galaxy S9) just a few days before, so this was the first trip I took with it. Amazingly, algorithms behind its camera way exceeded my expectation, so that I would have the following stunning pictures on a wonderful day with minimal post-processing. However, slightly to my dismay, I won’t get as much satisfaction from my hobby of Photoshopping as the photos were already too much to my taste.

Capital Crescent Trail

 Capital Crescent Trail
Capital Crescent Trail Capital Crescent Trail
Capital Crescent Trail Capital Crescent Trail
Capital Crescent Trail

Near downtown Bethesda the trail had mere 15mph speed limit, which wasn’t much to my liking. Unfortunately, that’s as far as one can reasonably weave around traffic without knocking people over.

Dalecarlia Reservoir


Dalecarlia Reservoir


Tunnel


Tunnel
The only tunnel along the trail.


Chesapeake and Ohio Canal under Arizona Avenue Bridge

 Chesapeake and Ohio Canal under Arizona Avenue Bridge
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal under Arizona Avenue Bridge

With the help of gravity (that I later figured out), it was a pleasant cruise reaching C&O Canal from Bethesda. After that, the trail runs parallel to Potomac River.

Arizona Avenue Bridge


Arizona Avenue Bridge


Chesapeake and Ohio Canal


Chesapeake and Ohio Canal
Chesapeake and Ohio Canal


Capital Crescent Trail

 Capital Crescent Trail
Capital Crescent Trail

From now on and occasionally, the line of bushes broke off giving way to views of the mighty Potomac River on a bright sunny day.

Potomac River


Potomac River


Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge across Potomac River


Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge across Potomac River
Washington Monument in the background.


Island of Rocks in Potomac River

 Island of Rocks in Potomac River
Island of Rocks in Potomac River


Capital Crescent Trail along Potomac River


Capital Crescent Trail along Potomac River


Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge across Potomac River


Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge across Potomac River
Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge across Potomac River


Remains of Alexandria Aqueduct


Remains of Alexandria Aqueduct

An hour or so after I started in Bethesda, I reached Georgetown Waterfront, where I took a break in gentle breeze from Potomac River, caught a few Pokemons and had my lunch there. My next stop was Roosevelt Island across the river.

View from Georgetown Waterfront


View from Georgetown Waterfront


Roosevelt Island across Potomac River


Roosevelt Island across Potomac River


Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Georgetown


Chesapeake and Ohio Canal in Georgetown


Francis Scott Key Memorial


Francis Scott Key Memorial
Fifteen-star-fifteen-strip flag of early 19th Century United States flew in memory of the poet that wrote the poem which became “The Star-Spangled Banner”.


Potomac River


Potomac River


Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge


Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge


Delta A321 Taking Off


Delta A321 Taking Off

Roosevelt Island was connected to Rosslyn via a footbridge and no bikes were allowed on the island. Its parking lot was pretty much filled, just to show how much the locals loved nature when weather’s right.

Highrises of Rosslyn across Potomac River


Highrises of Rosslyn across Potomac River


Theodore Roosevelt Monument

 Theodore Roosevelt Monument
Theodore Roosevelt Monument


Ponds by Theodore Roosevelt Monument

 Ponds by Theodore Roosevelt Monument
Ponds by Theodore Roosevelt Monument


Spires of Georgetown University across Potomac River


Spires of Georgetown University across Potomac River


Branches Lying in Potomac River


Branches Lying in Potomac River
And I went for a little adventure on those branches in Potomac River.


Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge across Potomac River


Francis Scott Key Memorial Bridge across Potomac River


Georgetown Waterfront from Theodore Roosevelt Island


Georgetown Waterfront from Theodore Roosevelt Island


Trail

 Trail
Trail
This portions of trail was over a swamp, so this boardwalk was built.


Swamp

 Swamp
Swamp


Ducks

 Ducks
Ducks


Ducks and Pond


Ducks and Pond


Autumn Colors


Autumn Colors
Different stages of foliage.


Trail

 Trail
Trail


Bridge to Theodore Roosevelt Island


Bridge to Theodore Roosevelt Island

So after spending an hour an half hiking and Pokemon hunting on Theodore Roosevelt Island, I went back to cycling on Mt. Vernon Trail. Again, this segment of Mt. Vernon trail has all the good attributes, level not curvy and well-maintained, with wonderful views of Potomac River and nice buildings of the nation’s capital on one side.

Mt Vernon Trail

Mt Vernon Trail
Mt Vernon Trail


Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument


Lincoln Memorial and Washington Monument


Theodore Roosevelt Bridge and Downtown Rosslyn


Theodore Roosevelt Bridge and Downtown Rosslyn


Theodore Roosevelt Island across Potomac River


Theodore Roosevelt Island across Potomac River


Arlington Memorial Bridge


Arlington Memorial Bridge


My Bike by Mt Vernon Trail


My Bike by Mt Vernon Trail


Mt Vernon Trail

Mt Vernon Trail
Mt Vernon Trail


Lawn


Lawn


Tree in Golden Color


Tree in Golden Color


Arlington Memorial Bridge and Washington Monument across Potomac River


Arlington Memorial Bridge and Washington Monument across Potomac River


Arlington Memorial Bridge


Arlington Memorial Bridge


Mt Vernon Trail

 Mt Vernon Trail
Mt Vernon Trail

Half an hour after that, I reached Gravelly Point, just to the North of National Airport’s runway, which was an favorite spot for local families for picnics and plane spotting.
Well, I shall say plane spotting here would be more spectacular should National Airport be under south-bound operation as Gravelly Point would be right below its landing path. Nonetheless, takeoff’s were still great to watch.

Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport


Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport


Potomac River


Potomac River


US Capital across Potomac River


US Capital across Potomac River


United A320 Landing


United A320 Landing


Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport


Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
United A320 waiting at end of runway, presumably waiting for a gate to clear.


Air Canada CRJ-900 Taking Off

 Air Canada CRJ-900 Taking Off
Air Canada CRJ-900 Taking Off


Southwest B737 Taking Off

 Southwest B737 Taking Off
Southwest B737 Taking Off


Delta A321 Taking Off

 Delta A321 Taking Off
Delta A321 Taking Off


George Washington Memorial Parkway


George Washington Memorial Parkway

So everything went right this Saturday, my bike didn’t break down, my new cell phone were taking spectacular pictures, and the weather’s perfect if not a bit too windy. That is, right until the last moment, when I entered Washington Metro Crystal City Station and watched the information board displayed “delayed” for half an hour. Ok, I understand why people in Washington DC hated its metro.
END

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