Riding a bike in DC can bring you sights you might never see. There were scores of pictures from my #bikedc friends and me of cherry blossoms this week. Yesterday morning I rode Big Nellie so that I could get a better view of the bald eagle nests on my way to work.  At the Tulane nest, I spotted a bald eagle as it hopped out of the nest and perched on an adjacent branch. I pulled over to get a picture but by the time I had my camera ready it flew away. One flap, two flaps and off it went banking hard to the right into the thick of the trees along the trail. It banked left, then right again swooping among the trees. It put on quite a show. The rest of the way was just one fine ride to work. It’s that time of year.

After work I rode through the city to meet up with a friend for a beer (or four). I was a little freaked out about the prospect of riding Big Nellie in rush hour city traffic, especially in light of the fact that the Speedplay Frog cleats on both my cycling shoes are worn out. I managed to clip and unclip without incident but I did nearly get doored from the left side. A passenger hopped out of a car into the bike lane I was riding in. Had I been a second or two slower he’d have hit me with the door for sure.

I met up with Katie (@flyingovertrout on Twitter – don’t ask) at the Right Proper Brewing Company. It was a nice night so we sat outside at a picnic table. Katie had her back to the Howard Theater next door to Right Proper. Some sort of event, perhaps a fund raiser, was being held in the theater. Limos kept pulling up and the rattle-your-jewelry crowd was popping out of them. Then I look up and there is Colin Powell with Alma, his wife. They posed for a formal picture in front of a backdrop in front of the theater. Katie and I had fun swapping stories about random encounters with famous politcians. Fun fact: our national leaders buy TVs and drink alcohol just like their constituents.

After a couple of hours, Katie led me down 7th Street. She being a city dweller rides the streets like the eagle in the trees. I was having considerably more difficulty clipping in and out. And the sensitive steering of my recumbent seemed even more so. Katie peeled off for home and I managed to ride through the city unscathed. I even avoided getting hit by a slow moving cab that did a u-turn in front of me near Pennsylvania Avenue. (“What are you doooo-ing??!!!!”)

I took the empty Madison Drive along the mall to 15th and the Washington Monument. Soon I was cruising around the Tidal Basin and on to the 14th Street Bridge. Once in Virginia I had the treat of riding in the dark on a 60 degree night with the Mount Vernon Trail nearly all to myself.

Today’s ride featured no bald eagle sightings on the way to work. I did notice that the big birds that were hanging around the Belle Haven nest had white bellies which means they are probably ospreys not eagles. It was so nice out in the evening I did two loops down to Hains Point in DC on the way home. After my little diversion I rode south on the Mount Vernon Trail where I passed the year’s second northboung bike tourist. In Old Town, the bike advocates were out reminding cycists to stop at the intersection of Union adn King Streets. Unlike the other day, I managed to unclip and avoid embarrasment.

At the Tulane nest I stopped to check out the back end of an eagle. It was sticking out of the edge of the nest, flapping from time to time. Unlike the Powells, he refused to pose for pictures.

As I watched the Nationals game, I replaced the cleats on my bike shoes. Maybe now I can ride without fear of an Arte Johnson moment.

Today was a pretty amazing bike commute. I had recently started to ride a less direct route from my house to the Mount Vernon Trail. Previously I would ride a diagonal route and pick up the trail at Tulane Drive, about two miles south of the beltway. This route is the shortest and has a fun downhill on Park Terrace. My new route picks up the trail about a mile or so further south at the stone bridge (Alexandria Avenue). I pass up the fun downhill but get to check out the Morningside bald eagle nest.

This morning there wasn’t any action at the Morningside nest. Another three quarters of a mile further north, I passed a cyclist who was riding slowly and craning his neck to look up into the trees next to the trail. I looked up and spotted a big eagle nest. This one is the biggest of the four I know about and may be bigger than the hard to spot nest in Fort Hunt Park. The cyclists said the nest was definintely occupied with eaglets so I can’t wait to check it out some more.

The rest of the ride in was splendid. The weather is really sublime these last few days. As I do every year, I rode into the city and walked around the Tidal Basin where the biggest crowds gather to check out the cherry trees in bloom. Today was the very last day of peak blossoms. The walk as always did not disappoint. It’s hard to take a bad picture of the cherry blossoms. I thought I had done well, but my friend Emila came down later in the day and took pictures that blew mine out of the water. Unfortunately she doesn’t have a public account that I can link to so you’ll have to take my word for it.

After 8 plus hours of work or something resembling it, I headed back to the city for a ride in East Potomac Park. The road to Hains Point is lined with blooming trees and it is also a favorite place for after work cycling. The traffic on Buckeye Drive at the western end of the Hains Point loop was gawdawful. Once I cleared the backup I rode to Hains Point alone. Along the way I could clearly see that driver after driver was on his or her cell phone, sometimes talkng, sometimes taking pictures, sometimes texting. It’s a wonder nobody got hit. At the point I failed to notice that Ryan was yelling “ROOTCHOPPER” at me. He was there having a picnic with his wife.

As I I reached the turn to head for the point a second time, I spotted Chris and Dave hanging out. Soon Rudy joined us and we headed back to the point. Despite their conversational pace they nearly dropped me. They slowed a bit to allow me to catch up.

After the second lap I headed for home knowing that I had a strong headwind to deal with for 12 miles. Yesterday’s 48 hilly miles were zonking my legs. I stopped to take the above picture of the bald eagle nest. A passing runner said there were eagles at yet another nest on an island in the river. This is NUTS!!! Four nests in three miles. I am not entirely sure that these were eagles and that the nest was an eagles nest but I’ll see if any of my readers can figure it out from this picture.

The only downside to todays’ riding was the fact that I learned that Mary, Aaron, Brian, Ricky, Megan, and Katie were all down in the same area at about the same times I was. How I missed so many #bikedc peeps I’ll never know.

In two days I’ve ridden 89 1/2 miles. I am a tad tired. Tomorrow it is supposed to rain. To save my legs, I’ll bike commute from the car dealer in North Arlington in the rain.

Here are more pictures from today’s ride.

Yesterday was Mrs. Rootchopper’s birthday. Right on schedule the two young men from the Hybla Valley Nursery delivered her weeping cherry tree. It replaces a dead silver maple transplanted last year. Since I had to plant the cherry tree alone (Mrs. Rootchopper had to work. Don’t get me started on her employer!) I had pretty much one shot at getting the heavy root ball into the hole. The nursery folks advised widening the hole that I had already dug. So I did. Then, with fingers crossed, I dropped the root ball into the hole. PEFECTION!!!! My father’s gardening gene really helped I think.

In celebration I took the holy sweater to the dry cleaner. After that I drove to get Mrs.RC some candy and flowers.

Then I mowed the lawn.

While I was doing all of this, I was also doing three loads of laundry. And I didn’t shrink anything. (I lost 6 socks but nobody’s perfect.)

Last night I watched Boston U, my alma mater, play for the national championship in college hockey. They score four goals. Providence College scored three. Providence won. BU’s goalie inadvertantly kicked the puck in his own net.

I needed some outdoors therapy. So this morning I put Big Nellie on the back of my car and drove to The Plains Virginia for some country riding. I rode up Bull Run Mountain. It wasn’t bad. The ride down was very steep in spots. I would have loved to let it rip but the road is not in the best condition so I had to feather my brakes often. There were stone fences and horses and mountain vistas. The trees have not quite leafed but there were flowers and blooming trees and blossoming shrubs and hills. Did I mention the hills? Recumbent bikes don’t much like hills. Going up them at least. Neither do my glass knees. If you want to do street luge you gotta climb the hills.

Spin, spin, spin. 

Yeeeehah!

Repeat. About 20 times.

During the fun I missed a turn because I was using a 10 year old cue sheet. So much for my 44 mile day.

I rode into Middleburg and Marshall and Rectortown and Atoka, in declining order of excitement.

But I really wasn’t after excitement. I wanted a nice long, not-too-hard, ride during which I could contemplate nothin, enjoy an earworm,  and sing badly and get a halfway decent workout. Misson accomplished.

I regret to report that I neglected to get an OBS (Obligatory Barn Shot) or a OCS (Obligatory Cow Shot). This means that I will get a black mark from Mary the Randonista. I deserve it, I’m afraid.

Tomorrow I plan on hitting the tidal basin on the way to work. Not literally as it is filled with water. I am going to walk around it under the cherry blossoms as long as they are still in good shape. Based on the 2,798,345 pictures I have on my social media feeds I suspect I will get a decent show.

I did not get the photography gene in my family. This genetic anomaly has not kept me from taking photos. So today I present some less than amazing pictures from today’s bike commuting extravaganza.

First, the obligatory cherry blossoms in the gloom picture I took on my way to Friday Coffee Club.

It’s hard to get a depressing picture or the cherry blossoms in all their glory but I managed to pull it off.

The Mount Vernon Trail in addition to being my main route to work is also a part of several interstate bicycle touring networks. On the way home I spotted yet another sight of spring: the year’s first bicycle tourist. I pulled out my camera and promptly misfired. So I took this picture over my shoulder.

There he is. Four panniers and a handlebar bag with a map. He even gave me a big smile thinking I was actually taking a picture of his face.

Oh well.

Tomorrow I will attempt to help Mrs. Rootchopper celebrate her birthday. I will probably not get any good pictures of the event. I caught a weather report on one of the Spanish language channels tonight and even though I don’t speak Spanish I could tell that “excelente” and “fin de semana” means the tiempo will be muy buen for a bike ride. I hope to do one on Sunday.