Looking out the window, the weather seemed dreamy. I decided to go for a long Sunday bike ride. Just before leaving I checked Twitter and saw that my cycling friend Lisa just arrived at Mount Vernon about 3 miles from my house. I tweeted her to be on the lookout for me.
I interesected the Mount Vernon Trail 1 1/2 miles from my house. I turned right and in about 30 seconds saw Lisa coming my way. I joined her for her ride back toward DC. Along the way we stopped at the Morningside bald eagle nest. Just as she dismounted behind me on the side of the trail, I pointed out the nest. No sooner had she said that she saw it, a bald eagle swooped in from the skies over the river and landed in the nest.
After the bird show, we resumed riding. I kept getting far ahead of her because I was on Big Nellie and we were heading downhill. Big Nellie goes downhill incredibly fast. (Of course, going up hill is quite a chore, so all is fair.) We stopped at the Belle Haven bald eagle nest but there were no eagles around. Next I showed her how to get on the Woodrow Wilson Bridge trail. Once she saw it she had to ride it so we took the trail over to National Harbor.
After gettting a drink at a coffee shop we wandered over to The Awakening statue. The Awakening used to be on Hains Point, but the Park Service kicked it out and it ended up in a cramped spot on a teeny bit of riverside beach. We posed for the obligatory pictures and started to leave when we bumped into Ted and Jean from Friday Coffee Club and their friend Jenny. We chatted and then headed out for Alexandria and lunch.
We rode through Old Town and stopped at Buzz, a coffee shop and bakery on Slaters Lane. Here we partook of more chat and a light lunch (if you can call coffee and a cookie “lunch”).
The wind was making a nice sunny day a little bit uncomfortable (just 10 more degrees and we are THERE, BABY!!!) I headed home with a mighty tailwind. I rode onto my lawn and just managed to avoid running over the first crocus of spring.
It’s be here any day now.
A Few Spokes Shy of a Wheel 
Nice unexpected ride for you today! Lucky you…. I saw some crocuses in my yard today too! :). Yea, Spring!!
I am watching the Oscars AND reading your blog —> multitasking. This sounds like a lovely day. One day you have to tell me where to find these bald eagle nests!
I thought NPS got into a $$$ dispute with the awakening artist – and the artist, well, found a higher bidder. Drove past BUZZ today and thought to myself “that’s where all the cyclists go.” It is amazing what a good mood good weather puts people in.
That was a fun time! Thanks for showing me around places new to me. Spring is just around the corner!
How fun, an impromptu meetup ride. When my crazy winter/early spring training schedule lets up I am totally going to make you take me on the Rootchopper tour!
Okay, but bald eagles cost extra.
That first photo reminded me of the saying, “And now let’s give her a big hand!” 🙂
When I was in high school (a really long time ago), my family lived out where you are and I rode from Mt V to Old Town Alex almost every weekend. I wasn’t allowed to go past there and can’t imagine doing the Wilson bridge — of course there was no National harbor either. At any rate, I am envious — even out here in Reston with the W&OD in spitting distance and Reston covered with paths. To go across the bridge … ah, maybe when the weather is a tad warmer I’ll venture your way.
The bridge itself is pretty cool. There’s a cork screw to the trail on the MD side that’s fun to ride if only for a few hundred feet. National Harbor is a disappointment. And Oxon Hill is nothing to get excited about either.
Ah well, maybe my envy is decreased a wee bit. Still, riding trails new to me is always fun. On GW’s bd I took some neighbor kids to MV (by auto) and it was killing me to see the trail and not have my bike or time or freedom to jump on!