two wheeled adventures

Recently I've been using my bike in the city for transportation. It's probably the fastest mode of transportation in the downtown area during heavy traffic. The past week I've used it at night, equipped with blinky tail lights and a front flashlight to go to class. Feeling rather squirrelly this weekend with the warmer temperatures and sun, particularly after the past two weekends of snow I was rather itching to see how I could get out of the city. Yesterday after biking to the gym and lifting I decided to hit the Crescent City trail. It's amazing how the Potomac looked, with the sun lowering on the Southern bank, clear blue sky, and a peek of an unusually clear blue Potomac river. After doing 200lb+squats at the gym, my legs ran out of juice about a 1/2 hour later. So I saw the perfect diversion, a little park on the bank, as I headed my bike through the parking lot I became mired in swamp. Snowmelt, how fun. Splattered with mud I took my brief respite to rest and continued back, making sure to save some juice for the quick starts on K St. so I could avoid being slammed into by a taxi cab. As the trees began to thin and buildings began to appear, I realized I was not happy about heading back into the urban environment.

This morning it was my intention to find the path to Key bridge out to Arlington. Didn't happen, after coming home at 0230, made the bad choice of giving my cat mardi gras beads and he decided to have a little party ... until I put him in the bathroom. (I know cruel, but I live in a studio!!!). But I had too much caffeine in Arlington and decided to take another ride ... this time up Rock Creek Parkway. Well naturally I almost died. I wasn't sure exactly how to get on the path, so I actually ended up on the parkway itself, which was a mad, Mad, MAd, MAD thing to do. I think those cars are used to road bikers who are apparently training for the Tour de France, because they were literally whizzing by me, only 5 inches away. I was scared to death ... I kept thinking to myself, don't lose your balance, don't lose your balance!!! Finally I saw an opening and crossed over to the path. Phew. And yay, more fun snow melt. I am covered in mud. It was satisfying, although the people at Whole Foods where I stopped on the way home probably thought I had pooped on myself. No really, I wasn't that scared.