Bike Mt. Vernon Trail: DC Down to Visitor Center. 40+

**Check back to see if the date or start time has changed. This ride will be postponed (possibly replaced with another ride) if the chance of rain is above 49%, or wind speed or wind gusts are above 15 mph (per Accuweather) ** TRAIN OR BUS STOPS unknown PARKING ADDRESS Island Time Bar & Grill at Columbia Island Marina/Lady Bird Johnson Park Washington, DC 20001. The red pin on the map should take you there. Note: The entrance to Lady Bird Johnson Park can only be reached from the southbound lanes of the George Washington Memorial Parkway. PARKING AND MEETUP SPOT Park near the Island Bar & Grill end of the lot. Meet us in the parking lot near the Island Bar & Grill. We’ll be wearing a red helmet and a white helmet and we both have black bikes. After check-in, we’ll do an icebreaker question. Restrooms, water fountains, and trash cans are located in the parking lot near the Columbia Island Marina. (Since the Theodore Roosevelt Island parking lot is usually full, we are parking at the next available parking lot, which is 1.5 miles south of mile 0). MT. VERNON TRAIL INFO The Mount Vernon Trail is an 18‑mile paved multi‑use path running along the Potomac River from Theodore Roosevelt Island down to George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate. Managed by the National Park Service, it’s one of the most popular and scenic cycling routes in the DC–Northern Virginia region, offering river views, historic landmarks, and easy connections to other major trails in Northern Virginia, stretching from Theodore Roosevelt Island (near Rosslyn, VA) to George Washington’s Mount Vernon in Fairfax County. Why we love this trail: • Continuous riverside riding with views of the Potomac\, marinas\, wetlands\, and DC monuments • Mostly flat\, paved terrain with gentle curves • Historic and scenic highlights including Old Town Alexandria\, Dyke Marsh\, and the Mount Vernon grounds • Great connections to the Capital Crescent Trail, Custis Trail, Potomac Heritage Trail, and DC’s bridge network * • BIKE ROUTE SUMMARY Expect a mix of quiet wooded stretches, open waterfront views, and busy urban segments near Alexandria and Gravelly Point. The trail is narrow in places with blind curves, so riders should stay alert and maintain safe passing etiquette. Weekend traffic can be heavy, especially in popular scenic areas. Notes: Two short but steep hills near the northern and southern ends can challenge newer riders. SKILL LEVEL: All levels can enjoy this trail. It is well marked and mostly flat. PACE: It’s up to you, but note that paved trails have a speed limit of 15 mph. We make stops at tricky points on the trail and /or to regroup every 2-4 miles and at the road crossings. Since paved trails can sometimes be crowded, we don’t have expectations of being able to go very fast. We often break up into groups based on participant’s speed. · If you prefer a faster pace than the lead riders, you can make stops to wait for them to catch up. · If you’re not sure what your avg. speed is, be prepared to use a nav app to ride solo in case you don’t catch up to us at our stops. DISTANCE OPTIONS Find out if we can get a bike shuttle Participants can choose to return at any point. These are just suggestions. Places that are bolded are definite stops for the leads: 1.2 miles down: Gravelly Point Park to watch airplanes taking off and landing 3.9 miles down: Washington Sailing Marina to café/bathroom 5.1 miles down: Canal Centre Plaza to see water sculptures There are some nice places in the next mile that we usually dismount and walk through along the river. 6.3 miles down: Windmill Hill Dog Park. Take a bike walk along the river boardwalk to enjoy the newly installed sculptural seating and other touristy things to do in Old Town Alexandria 6.9 miles down: Jones Point Park bathrooms Take a detour to the lighthouse. 8.4 miles down: Belle Haven Park bathroom stop 13.4 miles down: Fort Hunt Park tunnel: For bathroom, take connector trail 16.2 miles down: Last…