Trip to Reagan Airport

The Mt. Vernon trail goes from the historic Mt. Vernon, north beyond the Reagan National Airport. From where I live, the journey to the airport is only about 15 miles (vs. 20 to Mt. Vernon). I thought I'd mix things up and give it a try. So glad I did! The trail was a lot of fun - going underneath the Woodrow Wilson Bridge, through Old Town Alexandria, over the Potomac, and finally to the airport. There are a few benches at the landing strip, so enjoyed taking a water break as the planes came rolling in overhead. The day was a hot one - a sign of things to come. My legs felt like jello, especially after doing the trek to Mt. Vernon only a few days prior, but I made it back home in one piece :)

2nd attempt to do 20 miles

After only riding 14 miles on the Mt. Vernon trail on my first attempt, I decided to give it another shot. According to mapquest, riding from my home to the historic Mt. Vernon and back should be approx. 20 miles. The course is hilly and windy, but quite beautiful as it curves around the Potomac. I was a lot more stable on my bike this time around - pedaling constantly and making good time.

That was atleast until I got stuck behind a herd of people - strolling the path at a leisurely pace, taking up both lanes. Ugh!!! I screamed "Passing to the left!" more times than I could count. Perhaps these folks didn't speak english. "Excuse me!!". Everyone knows that one, right? Still, they made no achknowledgement of my presence. To make matters worse, I was making my way up a rather steep hill. I would have had enough momentum to get to the top, if only I hadn't been caught behind this road block! Well, I was pedaling so slow up this hill that I might as well have been going backwards. Oh well, no use even trying - I made the move to hop off my bike....but my feet were still in the toe clips!!! This was fall # 2 on the trail. As I slowly tumbled off my bike, the lane hogs finally realized they were in my way. "Oh..you should have told us you were trying to get by". Thanks. I new it was best to keep my mouth closed. Who knows what words would have come out. The steam was shooting out of my ears. I think they got the point.

Anyways..on with my journey. About an hour into the trail, I finally made it to Mt. Vernon. Whoo hoo!! I was a bit disappointed to find out that I couldn't see the home at the end of the trail...but the trip was a good one nonetheless. On the way back I met a friendly groundhog.

I finished the journey in ~2 hours, 20 miles total.

Spin Class

It's been a scorcher these these past few weeks, so I've had to take the training indoors. I've been attending spin class the past few months - it's an hour long bike session that sucks every ounce of sweat out of your body. Our instructor is a bit of a nutball. He enjoys taking us on "trips" through Alexandria (in our minds, or course). We visit/stalk famous celebrities, get stuck in traffic, etc. Recently I had a falling out with the instructor. He caught me skipping his class, riding a stationary bike in the gym. What can I say - I have a tight schedule, and his class doesn't fit my schedule at times. He apparently took offense - rolling his eyes and making some snide comments under his breath. I guess i'll be taking my training back outdoors!

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Funny "It's Always Sunny in Phili" spin clip...