Bike Metropolitan Branch Trail: Fort Totten to Capital Monuments 20-30s
About the event
**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 29%, or wind speed or wind gusts are above 14 mph (per Accuweather) **
TRAIN OR BUS STOPS Fort Totten Station BIKE REPAIR SHOP NA
PARKING AND MEETUP SPOT Park at Fort Totten Station.
Arrive by 10:20 so you have time to prepare your gear and test-ride your bike. Meet us in the parking lot by the fence facing the road by 10:30 latest to check in. After check-in, we’ll do an icebreaker question and then start the ride. ---If you're running late, post your ETA in the comments so we can decide if we want to wait for you to catch up at our regroup stop.
BIKE ROUTE SUMMARY This is a very different type of bike route for us compared to the usual rail trail for several reasons: 1) There is still a train line in use running along the trail!, 2) This trail takes us into DC where we can easily connect to bike friendly paths and lanes for sightseeing, 3) This trail has a lot of fantastic mural art, and 4) This trail is more urban than the other trails in Maryland that we ride. It connects several neighborhoods. Riders will see a large variety of colorful and mentionable graffiti wall art, urban art, a dog park, outdoor movie area, garden areas, and restaurants along both sides of the path. See attached images for an idea of what it's like.
We’ll start from the Fort Totten Metro Station and bike straight down along the Metrorail to Union Station - about 4.6 miles. We’ll stop to regroup at least once along the way. We will stop at Union Station for water/bathroom/ a visit inside. Participants can return from there or continue biking with us.
Next, we'll bike over to the Capitol, National Mall, and some surrounding points of interest. We'll take a break and then return the same way. We expect to do about eight miles each way.
If you’re interested in stopping for lunch somewhere, let us know in advance. One nearby option is Bryant Market and the very cool [Metrobar](https://metrobardc.com/#:~:text=We%E2%80%99re%20you%E2%80%99re%20non-stop%20stop!%20Open) (right off the trail). It's the 2024 winner of Best Bar in DC. You can opt to eat/drink in the refurbished metro car or outside in cozy seating areas. They sometimes have food trucks parked there as well.
TYPE OF BIKE: Any kind of bike frame and tires. Ensure it is the correct frame size for your height so you can get maximum output. Participants are responsible for ensuring their bike tires, brakes, and chain are in good condition and they have a spare tire on hand. Organizers can try to help but aren't responsible for everyone's bike conditions.
SKILL LEVEL: All levels can enjoy this trail. It is well marked and mostly flat.
PACE: It’s up to you. Most of us are casual riders. Some of us like to do a cardio workout at some point. Since paved trails can sometimes be crowded, we don’t have expectations of being able to go very fast. If you prefer a faster or slower pace, feel free to let the group know before we start. We often regroup at certain points so everyone can ride at their own comfort level. DISTANCE OPTIONS Participants can choose to return whenever they feel like it. These are just suggestions. OPTION A: Bike 3 miles out and back. OPTION B: Bike 4.6 miles to Union Station and back. OPTION C: Option B plus continue on with the organizers to ride around the monument areas for a couple more miles before returning. OPTION D: You can add on miles by connecting to additional bike trails. TRAIL HISTORY When completed, the Metropolitan Branch Trail will start further north, from the Silver Spring Metro station down to Union Station, for eight miles. It is very flat, maybe 40 feet of elevation change. To learn about the history of how this trail was conceived, see [Metropolitan Branch Trail - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolitan_Branch_Trail) BATHROOMS Union Station Retail establishments that can be accessed…
