Distance: 44.65 Miles
Pedaling Time: 3 Hours 50 Minutes
Avg Speed: 11.6
Real Time: 5 Hours 30 Minutes
Total Miles For The Week: 151.41 Miles
Total In 12 Days: 275.59 Miles
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| G.Mason Bridge |
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Take T. Roosevelt
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While taking the Mount Vernon Trail towards Roosevelt Island is smooth, riding through Roosevelt Island and heading to the Custis Trail is a slight precursor of things to come. First there's a sharp and winding welcome to what looks like entering Emerald City, then comes the first of series of what can only be described as "widow-maker" hills that go on for at least 4 miles following route 66. I took it as humorous that there's an emergency call sign at the top of the hill.
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| The Start Of An Uphill Swing |
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| "Emerald City" |
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| Georgetown University |
As you can see from some of the pictures below, the hills are killer! Oh yeah, did I mention the hills? Enough of that for now, this route is called the Custis trail, spans about 5-7 miles and takes you to the Washington & Old Dominion Trial to Arlington or Purcellville, Va.
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| Hill Along Route 66 |
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| Bog |
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| Custis To East Falls Church |
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| #$%^ing Hills |
When you finally, (and I do mean finally) make it to the W & OD Trail, it's a straight shot for the most part. Head left and there's Arlington or head right toward Purcellville. The trail is flat and wide open along side an old railway, which means often times you will get a tail wind one way and a head wind the other way, but it's well worth the pedaling. You'll hit Alington, Falls Church, Vienna, Fairfax, Leesburg, Hunter's Mill, Reston, Herdon and Purcellville with each has stop having shops and of course it's own charm. The trip we took had us go 25 miles out or about 12 miles on the W& OD Trail the trail goes 45.5 miles in total.
About the cursing thing, This trail is by far the toughest trail I have hit since I started this challenge. I used to take it years ago and it was always tough, but now with my added weight these hills are crazy. 1st you are hit with a hill alongside 66 that is straight but totally an uphill climb for about 1+ miles. Next you are hit with another series of hills and winding hills that are quite steep and require a bit of a gut check. After all of this you reach the W & OD, but are greeted with a tail wind (which is great), but as any rider knows, when you come back (tired of course) the same tail wind that had you going 22 MPH is now a head wind and is responsible for why you are now struggling to hit 7 MPH. Trying this when you are tired can be defeating, but you have to get home right? It's a true character defining moment traveling 25 miles in a head wind, totally drained and discouraged, but if we got through it then so will you. That being said, this trail is by far my favorite and my most hated at the same damn time. I'll be hitting it again on Tuesday to the tune of 60 miles. @#$% me…
* Funny, but true story: As me and my boy Aaron were headed back home, somewhere around mile 30 or so, we stopped at a store to get a quick snack and drink to carry us for the trip back. We sat there, tired as hell and waxing poetic about our heroics of the day, after all, we had just logged 30 or so hard miles. An older guy came up with his wife on their bikes and we struck up a conversation in which he tells us that he's out for a light ride today. As the exchange continued he shared that in 89' he and a friend cycled from Va. to Portland. We looked at him and shook our heads, sure Va. to Maine is impressive, but it's all East Coast so… He went on to tell us that it was Portland, Oregon.
Moral to the story: Shut The &^%$ up with your small accomplishments when you are in the presence of a cycling GOD. Damn! Talk about humbling.
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