I'm not sure whether this belongs in the travel section or on other topics but what the hey. DW and I took a nice 35 mile bike ride out to Leesburg Virginia along the WO&D rail trail. We stayed at a B&B in Leesburg and returned to DC on the C&O Canal Towpath on the Maryland shore of the Potomac. The towpath was a trail for mules to pull barges down the canal from Harpers Ferry to Georgetown. You can now take the trail all the way to Pittsburg. Here are the photos with obligatory bike shots.
Along the WO&D - the entire trail is paved like this. Makes for nice riding. It is a long, very gentle climb toward the mountains. Unfortunately we faced a 15-20 mph headwind the entire 35 miles.
Reston Town Center where we stopped for lunch. I have lived in DC since 1980 but have never been here. Reston is one of the first planned communities in the US.
A cute general store and BBQ pit along the way
Cows along the WO&D. You see a lot of this country when you get way out of town
The Norris House Inn where we stayed the night in Leesburg. Nice place, that caters to bikers. We ate a a nice French Restaurant across the street.
White's Ferry where we crossed over the Potomac to the Maryland shore. THe B&B proprietor gave us a ride to the Ferry
DW and bike along a nice section of the C&O tow path. The first 12 miles of the path were muddy and bumpy. It is like that all the way to Pittsburg - so be careful NOT to go when it is rainy. Luckily we were two days past the rains or the ride would have been a drag
Great Falls on the Potomac - a premier kayaking area
The obligatory shot of me and bike along the C&O