This week's biking

I've been happy enough posting my bike trips on Everytrail, so I've stopped putting them here. Instead, I'm going to post weekly summaries and pointers. (The embedding last time didn't work too great.)
 
Last Wednesday, we went to Arrow Bicycle to get a replacement inner tube, a full sized bike pump and other accessories. The picture is of the bike pump strapped to Christina's bike rack, since that was the only good way to transport it home.
Thursday morning, I had a quick ride out to Lake Artemesia.
 
Saturday morning, I rode to the end of the Paint Branch Trail (and saw a turtle).
 
Sunday, we saw a tree dedicated to our former mayor, and looked at some nice houses in town.
 
Monday, I rode out to the store and brought back some food (useful biking!). Tuesday, I explored the Indian Creek Trail and other new routes.

Flat Tire Ride

Martin yesterday told me about Everytrail an application/website for tracking and sharing your bike rides (and other GPS-tracked activity...hiking, motorcycling, skiing, etc.) I came home yesterday with the idea of riding out to Paint Branch Golf Complex, but the reality was much less exciting. I therefore present to you my first Everytrail ride: Flat Tire Ride.

Flat Tire Ride

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Sunday Riding

My riding yesterday was divided into two parts. In the early afternoon, I headed to the bike shop for some supplies, including a bell and a rear light. I had a horn, but riding up behind people and honking the horn tending to be overkill. I also needed a rear light that wouldn't pop off the bike (usually at the wrong moment -- crossing the street, headed through a mud puddle). Afterward, I went down to the Anacostia. As you can see, I got confused at first and headed towards the Northeast Branch Trail before doubling back to the Northwest Branch Trail. I was looking for the Sligo Creek Trail, which heads towards Takoma Park and Silver Spring. I passed the West Hyattsville metro station (where the trail system will eventually connect into DC) and made it to Sligo Creek in time to look across the bridge, turn around and head back.

In the evening, I installed the bell and the rear light. I didn't need the bell, but it had gotten dark enough to need the light. I went up the College Park Trolley Trail to the Paint Branch Trail, but when I got to campus, I cut back through the university. It was nice riding past the chapel where Christina and I got married.

I don't usually like riding along the sidewalk, but it was too dark to turn back onto the trail, and biking Route 1 is a suicide mission. So I hugged the sidewalk through downtown College Park, then cut through University Park to get home as the light was fading.
 
 
 

Trolley Trail in the Rain

Since we've had continued storms, I decided to avoid paths that seemed like they had danger of mud. That led me to the College Park Trolley Trail. I started out on my usual path and was happy when I crossed Paint Branch Road and got to the less-crowded part of the trail. Since the maps I've been posting are probably not too interesting to those who don't live around here, I broke out my camera mount to take a few pictures.  


Good timing, too, because right after that, a deer crossed the trail.
 


On Thursday, I turned right towards the University, but today I headed north along Rhode Island Avenue. I was pleasantly surprised that the trail only followed the road for a few blocks before becoming a separate trail again.


 
After 24 minutes of riding (my GPS tracks moving time and stopped time separately), I made it to Greenbelt Road, a busy thoroughfare that I'd have to walk my bike across. Unfortunately, at this point, the skies opened up, so I decided to head back. Because the rain was, at times, heavy, I tried to see how fast I could make the return trip. 22-and-a-half minutes. Longer, really, since I slipped my chain and spent several minutes getting it fixed with the help of friendly passers-by -- I'll have to do bike maintenance and cleaning on a sunnier day (hopefully tomorrow). Anyway, as always, I was happy to make progress on a new route. Given more time and less rain, it should be pretty easy to make it up to the businesses north on Rhode Island Avenue.
 

Paint Branch Trail

 

Today after work, the storms subsided enough for me to get in some bike riding. Since the trails around Lake Artemesia can get quite muddy after rain, I decided to look for another path. So I took the College Park Trolley Trail, but instead of turning right to go to Lake Artemesia, I made a left on the Paint Branch Trail. The trail meets Route 1 near the University -- on the way out, I didn't find the tunnel, so I walked my bike across. It then continues on through the University to the Paint Branch Golf Complex. I turned around right before there (since I wanted to keep my round trip under an hour). It's tempting to see if I can strap a golf club to my bike (note to self: I'll need a golf club for that) and ride up to the driving range. This was an out-and-back route, which I find less interesting than the loops.

As for avoiding the mud, that didn't work so well. There were three places on the Paint Branch Trail where I had to leave the trail to avoid puddles. So I need to wash my bike this weekend. I think next time I may stick to the Trolley Trail, which is mostly on-road.

8.5 Mile Loop

 

Well, 8.7 miles, according to my GPS receiver, but next time I won't take the detour in Magruder Park looking for the trail connection. This is a variant of an unplanned trip I took a couple of weeks ago which started out with a trip to the bike shop. This time, instead of taking the usual route through Hyattsville via 41st to hook up with Route 1, I took 40th, which ends at Magruder Park, and then connects up to the Northwest Branch Trail. I took that south to where the two branches of the Anacostia meet, then picked up the Northeast Branch Trail. After a couple of miles, I'm back in Riverdale, and this connects up with some of my usual riding -- around the airport, then past Lake Artemesia. Eventually, I hook up with the College Park Trolley Trail, then cut over to University Park for the trip home. It took me about an hour and fifteen minutes, so it's a good ride for the weekend when I have more time. If I wanted to extend it, I could go the long way around Lake Artemesia. I could also head up the Northwest Branch Trail to see where that went. There's also a short segment heading south.

I'm also glad that I'm getting in good enough shape that this doesn't feel like a ridiculous ride.

Missed it by That Much

 

When I went out to my car today to head to the farmers market, I was surprised to see my path blocked by part of a large tree branch. I was even ore surprised to see how close the branch came to taking out my car...some of the twigs were poking into my wheel. Sometimes I feel like I lead a charmed life; a few inches in the wrong direction, and I would be missing a side-view mirror.