I rode my bike to the Tidal Basin with a few friends this morning to see the cherry blossoms. Since they were coming from Falls Church, they opted to drive to my house and then ride bikes downtown together. This being my neck of the woods, they looked to me to lead the way.
I have loved biking for as along as I can remember. I learned on a blue and white bike with a banana seat in the late 70’s, my dad holding onto the back to steady me, running behind as I pedaled around the island of shrubbery planted in the center of our townhouse court. When he eventually let go and I discovered I was riding on my own, I felt a new kind of freedom.
When mountain bikes hit the scene at the end of the 80’s, we all began riding around our town and through the power line meadows (not mountains). I was getting to know my hometown all over again from an entirely new perspective.
Portland, Oregon is where I really learned how to bike on the streets and to claim part of the road for myself. Back in the mid-90’s, Portland was a rare gem of a city with dedicated bikes lanes running north and south on main roads and across several of the many bridges that connected the west and east sides of the city over the Willamette River.
Back home in the DC area, I have watched in delight as the region has become more and more bike-friendly. I maintain my vigilance and use my arms to signal turns, braking, and stops, but it’s nice to know drivers are more used to sharing the road with cyclists these days.
The route I chose to the Tidal Basin took us through the streets of Crystal City and onto the Mount Vernon Trail, over the 14th Street Bridge, and down to the Jefferson Memorial. We locked up our bikes and walked around the Tidal Basin. The crowds weren’t too thick, so we had plenty of space to enjoy the blossoms and memorials along the way (we made sure to find “Stumpy,” the folk-hero cherry tree that continues to produce blooms every year, despite its nearly hollowed-out trunk from relentless flooding over the years).
Once we completed the loop and got back on our bikes, I resumed my role as bike tour guide. I thought I’d show them something new. I led them back over the bridge but then turned north along the river to then take the wide graceful arc back under the parkway and over to the Columbia Island Marina. Then it was a wooded stretch through Ladybird Johnson Park, a short bridge over the Boundary Channel, and then a ride alongside the Pentagon. We emerged by the Long Bridge Aquatic Center, and then made our way to the bright green, protected bike lane on Eads St. that took us all the way back to my street.
Maybe I really should consider biking to work.
Stumpy
My Corner of the Village 