Virginia Trails, Coffeeneuring #1, QOM

Bec and I canceled our ride last Sunday because the weather was so poor. But today was sunny and 75 (if breezy!), so we took the Mount Vernon Trail to the W&OD to the Custis. I hit just over 40 miles total counting the four miles between Bec’s apartment and mine. Here’s the Strava report:

We also coffeeneured at Baked & Wired! It was my first coffeeneuring ride. I do hope to make it to seven:

Baked & Wired serves Ceremony Coffee espresso, which I generally like (I didn’t get the blend name of this, but it was really sweet). I also had an OMG bar (marshmallow, caramel, and chocolate on a graham-cracker crust). Next time: actual shot of espresso.

Etc. observations:

• I’ve been on bits of the Mount Vernon and W&OD trails before, but not the Custis. While I did not enjoy the blind curves on the latter (I was moving pretty quickly), I did enjoy the hills after the relatively flat W&OD.
• Virginia’s trails are infinitely better-marked than Maryland’s. (Obvious observation is obvious.) Bec and I did not get lost. (We usually get lost.)
• I wore long sleeves today (#cyclewhatever shot here). I’m bummed I didn’t get to develop my sleeve tan further, but the breeze was chilly enough that I was glad to be covered up.
• We saw two kids drinking Icehouse tallboys around a curve on the W&OD. Would have totally chilled with them.
• I still largely dislike riding on trails. They’re busy, and the on-your-left thing is so damn frustrating—I feel more stressed out than riding in traffic. But it’s not like you can get decent mileage riding up and down Georgia Avenue, so.
• I am studying for the midterm in my American vernacular architecture class, which includes building styles and typologies. I tried to identify the styles of houses as I rode past them. I think I need to study some more, since I assumed everything was vaguely Georgian.
• I got my first Queen of the Mountain badge-thingy on Strava today. Strava!

I suppose I am using this blog for ride reports now (!).

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