President, Pope, and the W&OD Trail

 

September 23 – Americana Hotel, Arlington, VA to Leesburg, VA.  We had a great day!  It was about a six hour day, but only 4.5 hours cycling.  We would have been done sooner, but stops for minor adjustments to bike components. (This problem is an inevitability when you break down a bike and ship it. This is why we start this trip with a paved trail... it allowed us to"shake down" the bikes before jumping on the gravel C&O trail.)

Since the Americana Hotel did not serve breakfast we started our day by mounting up and riding about a mile to the Holiday Inn. There we were just in time to have breakfast with President Obama and Pope Francis (on the dining room big screen, that is).

After breakfast we rolled south on a city street, which had a bike lane between the sidewalk and the motor vehicle parking lane, until we hooked up with the Four-Mile-Run trail which runs along the Potomac, then connected with the Washington and Old Dominion trail (W&OD) which we rode all the way into Leesburg.   
W&OD is an excellent asphalt trail, and its suffered only from occasional street crossings until you clear the urban core.  Surprisingly there are several hills on the trail, but all are manageable. 

This W&OD trail is very well maintained and seems to be a high volume trail with a variety of users – long distance, day riders, young and old, families, couples, solos.  Most importantly, all the riders were having a good time. And salutations were exchanged for the whole 4 hour ride.  Beside the great pavement the W&OD has a load of bicycling amenities-- water, port-a-potties, strategically placed picnic tables, benches, and one rest stop even had electrical outlets and a free electric high pressure tire pump. (And if you are a follower of our past trips, you know we are always looking for "good air.")

We took a break in the shady parking lot of the Reston Academy of Christian Education.  One of the staff came out to talk with us about out our travel and then gave us fresh ice water and use of the restroom.   We left rested and blessed.

The hotel booked in Leesburg is off the beaten track, but we chose it because it provides transportation to the ferry we take to get on the C&O trail. In addition they also will transport you to the historic downtown and its many good restaurants. So we had a great meal followed by a short pleasant walk around the old downtown, then summoned our chariot. Back in our hotel Diane crashed into bed and Rob quietly read his book. That night we both dreamed of gravel.

The W&OD Trail from inside the DC Beltway to Leesburg, VA.

PS. Now my brakes don't rub.