Washington DC 11th-17th June

[joemarshall]

Hey all,

I'm gonna be in Washington DC 11th June to 17th June.

I'm gonna have to do work stuff 13th-15th. That leaves me like Monday, Tuesday, Saturday, and some of Sunday to go riding.

I'm obviously gonna do some sightseeing, I'm sure I can fit that in whenever.

So other than that, I'm gonna have tons of time to ride, so am looking for places to ride, people to ride with, that sort of thing.

I saw this
http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/showthread.php?t=23536 about the C&O canal path, which looks like fun. It looks like it is possible to get a train out to Harper's Ferry on either the Friday night, or the Monday night, sleep out in the woods, ride back the next day, is about 60 miles I think. This would be pretty cool. With a slight detour across one of the bridges into Virginia It'd go through 4 US states, which is kind of cool too.

I'm gonna be on the Schlumpf, so I can do distance, just pootling about, technical muni. Basically pretty much anything except trials. Is there any muni riding anywhere near Washington that I might be able to get to?

Joe

[joemarshall]

The combination of the three below sounds like a nice muni ride, 12 miles of trails at the first, 7 mile trail connecting them, then 10 more miles at Black Hills.

http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1205
http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/showthread.php?t=3406
http://www.more-mtb.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1201

Plus if I do it on my own, 10 miles each end to get to the nearest metro station which would make for a days worth of entertainment, although there might be a bus that makes it easier.

hmmm. Sounds fun.

Anyone ridden these trails? Worth doing? Fancy coming riding? Anywhere better that I might be able to get to?

Joe

[hell-on-wheel]

I'm not sure about the Germantown trails, but I rode the C&O Towpath about a year ago, perhaps the first unicyclist to do so. I guess I never did a final write-up about it. An excellent website detailing all the small towns, campsites, and places to eat is here. Some pictures from my trip are here.

I was on a non-schlumphed 700c so I didn't get to Harper's Ferry til after my second day of riding, but it was probably my favorite stop. If you're interested, rather than camping there's a nice little youth hostel on the MD side of the river, but near the bridge into Harper's Ferry. This is where the C&O towpath and the Appalachion trail cross paths, so you see a lot of tired looking bearded men that are attempting the whole 2,000 miles from Georgia to Maine (they usually make for good conversation). One thing you'll have to check out in HF is this mountain sport supply store, the first floor of which was blasted from the rock when the building was built in the 1850's. There's actually a little spring that flows out of a wall and along the bare stone floor.

Also, on your trip back, take some time to check out Great Falls, MD. From Harpers Ferry, it'll be about 45 miles into your trip back to DC. There's a wooden plank walking trail that winds through the beautiful bedrock terrace forest, and over crazy powerful rapids. At another place, the Potomac is super calm and clear, and the bedrock ruts out forming little islands perfectly reflected in the water. Some info here.

Anyway, wish I could join you. Maybe we could meet up for some unitour sightseeing around the Mall on Saturday the 16th. Anyone else free that day? James? Nova Max?

[joemarshall]

Originally Posted by hell-on-wheel

Anyway, wish I could join you. Maybe we could meet up for some unitour sightseeing around the Mall on Saturday the 16th. Anyone else free that day? James? Nova Max?

Riding that saturday would be cool as. Do you guys ride muni? Cos like sightseeing is cool and all that, I'll for sure make some time to see stuff, but it'd be really cool to head up to those trails or something.

Joe

[maximus unius]

I'll meet up with you for sure. I haven't ridden on any of the trails that you mentioned, but I have been on one of the three Great Falls Park (on the VA side of the river) on which they allow wheels, it's called Difficult Run trail. Unfortunately it's not really as technical as it sounds. It's really more of an XC trail, which might work for you since you're on a Shlumpf. I'm definitely up for a ride any place. Not sure I'll be able to keep up with you on my 24", but I could figure something out. And Frank you should come, that would be fun with more than 2 people. Riding around DC would be fun too. You get lots of funny comments. When I went riding with Jamey, he got a "Look, it's a one-wheeled segway!"

[joemarshall]

Cool.

So like the plan is, do some riding, Saturday 16th.

If its muni, or pootling around town I'm not gonna be too fussed about speed, so like it doesn't really matter what people turn up on.

Can work out the details nearer the time, I'm organising a monster weekend of riding next weekend and need to sort that out.

Joe

[joejumps4fun]

Hey, I might join you and Maximus Unius on the 16th if my schedule permits. I would just like to do some urban riding, 20" wheel, but I can bring my 29", BC wheel, and 5 foot giraffe for fun. Keep me informed!

Originally Posted by joemarshall

Cool.

So like the plan is, do some riding, Saturday 16th.

If its muni, or pootling around town I'm not gonna be too fussed about speed, so like it doesn't really matter what people turn up on.

Can work out the details nearer the time, I'm organising a monster weekend of riding next weekend and need to sort that out.

Joe

[maximus unius]

Anymore info? Thought about some trails you might wanna do, or what?

[maximus unius]

I really hate to persist, but my family is doing a father's day thing on saturday, and I kind of need to plan this around that, so if you could think of some times and places and post them in the next few days that would be really great.

[joemarshall]

Okay, seems like we have some people with weeny little 20" wheels and some with proper sized wheels.

I'm anticipating being a bit knackered, and my body clock is all screwed up from all the different time zones, so, I have come up with a cunning plan.

The plan is to ride along all the monuments and stuff, through Potomac Park out to Hains Point, then back.

If we do this as like an out and back, then there's a pretty big loop round Potomac Park that people might want to skip if they only have weeny wheels, plus there's tons of bits where we can like do loops round or whatever so everyone doesn't get totally split up with the small and big wheels.

Meet up point will probably be somewhere near the Capitol? At some time like 10am. Bring the biggest wheel you own, but don't worry too much if it's a silly small one.

Joe

[maximus unius]

So who else is gonna be coming? I'll be there. There is a good spot that we could meet up at right infront of the capital, it's elevated and it has two statues on either end of it. You really can't miss it. It's right next to a pool of water too.
I think that would be a good spot to meet up at, then ride along the mall and up to Potomac park.

EDIT: Frank, you coming?

[hell-on-wheel]

I don't know, maybe not. I work Saturday at 5:30pm, so I'd have to leave DC early afternoon. If I do go I'll be taking the metro from Springfield.

[joemarshall]

aaargh.

I hate to say this, but it's been a really busy week, and I'm still screwed around by all the different time zones, I'm just totally dead, I'm way too knackered to ride at the weekend. I'm gonna have to drop out of this one.

Joe

[hell-on-wheel]

If people want to meet up in Richmond instead, there's a bike trials comp going on at Belle Isle, uni's welcome:

http://www.unicyclist.com/forums/sho...t=55289&page=5

[maximus unius]

Originally Posted by joemarshall

aaargh.

I hate to say this, but it's been a really busy week, and I'm still screwed around by all the different time zones, I'm just totally dead, I'm way too knackered to ride at the weekend. I'm gonna have to drop out of this one.

Joe

That really sucks. Sorry to hear that. I'm not gonna be able to make the Richmond comp either.