DC: Mount Vernon Trail

 My favorite bike path in DC was the Mount Vernon Trail. Not only was it the only one that wasn't a converted rail bed or tow path, it followed the Potomac for 17 miles along the George Washington Parkway National Park from Arlington, through the historic streets of Alexandria, to George Washington's Mount Vernon home.

Not being a converted rail bed, it had plenty of pleasing turns, narrow clearing, and moderate climbs. It often rode like paved single track for road bikes, giving it an aesthetic and kinesthetic advantage over the other trails.

Downtown historic Alexandria has done a remarkable job of preserving their waterfront and historic buildings. The Torpedo Factory art center, the old town square, the cobbled residential streets lined with blooming dogwoods and crabs were all highlights. Not only that, the Mount Vernon trail connects to several other trails heading into Virginia, including the W&OD rail trail that heads 45 miles west past Dulles airport and on to Leesburg. It in turn intersects the Custis trail to Arlington, making a nice loop back. But I was headed the full distance to Mount Vernon - 18 miles out and back.

You could see repeated evidence of the risks of waterfront trails and the recent flooding of the Potomac. There was still water on the lower streets of Alexandria when I rode through in the morning, though it was receding by afternoon. There were short flooded sections of the trail itself, and regular piles of debris and the occasional downed tree too.

The investment in infrastructure here was remarkable. I lost count of the bridges across wetlands and streams, many hundreds of feet wide and 12 feet wide. As you approach Mount Vernon, the trail changes character from generally flat to rolling to a moderate extended climb (hence the mount in Mount Vernon) and commences to twist an turn. I knew this could be a blast going back, but afternoon traffic on the trail is pretty regular (including the young woman cursing her husband as they climbed that last hill - she did not appreciate the grade or his earlier misrepresentation of it), and I didn't feel confident that time of day that I wouldn't encounter a dog leash or skater, so I decided to use some brake on the descent.

I finally reached Mount Vernon. I'd contemplated going in, but was surprised to find that it is not part of the national park, but has been privately run by Mount Vernon's Ladie's Association since 1853 as  a non-profit. The $15 dollar admission is quite reasonable, and the grounds and home are spectacular, but I'd been there only 6 years ago with Ann and Ben. So I decided to forgo the tour this time out, and count our tour of Lee's Arlington House at Arlington Cemetery as our historic residential visit for the year. So a quick photo of the gate to the house and grounds, and I was on my way back.

Another cool feature of the Mount Vernon Trail is the approach path to National airport. Jets fly down the Potomac, make a sharp turn over a city park and roar in right over the bike path just beyond the end of the runway. It's awesome having a multi-ton flying machine roar a few hundred feet overhead  at 200 mph. Folks bring picnics and the kids just to watch.

 Rock Creek park is a close second, but in the end, this ride was tops.