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 stop at Mt. Vernon Estate Visitor Center.

->Same stops on the way back to the start

Option to continue up to mile 0 at Theodore Roosevelt Island parking lot (another 1.5 miles up) for a break then bike another 1.5 miles back to the starting point

BATHROOMS

Details to be added
BIKE RENTALS
To be added
BIKE REPAIR
To be added
FOOD & DRINK INFO
To be added
OPTION TO SOCIALIZE AFTERWARDS
Participants are welcome to make suggestions
RECOMMENDATIONS
Bring: Water bottles, snacks, biking gloves, bike bell, bike lock, helmet visor, sunglasses, bike tube, pump, patch, first aid kit, mobile phone with nav app installed (e.g. Google maps, we use RidewithGPS). If you get leg cramps during or after a ride, take electrolytes before and during your ride (or add salt and magnesium to your water). A change of clothes for your ride home or a car seat cover to absorb sweat.
Clothing: Wear biking gloves and durable clothing so that if you do fall, your skin is protected. Avoid wearing all black, all grey, all dark brown, or all dark blue, which blends in with pavement, especially while riding through a shady segment. Consider wearing something lighter to help others notice you.

REQUIREMENTS

Participants must wear tightly secured helmets when on their bike.
Be proactive to avoid a fall/crash and minimize injury:
· Keep a distance between yourself and other bikers. If the biker ahead of you suddenly stops, you should be able to avoid hitting them.
· Don’t make stops on the trail. Pull over to the side and use hand gestures to let people know you’re slowing down to make a stop.
· Yelling out “Passing on your left” and/or ringing a bike bell as you approach people ahead of you, so they don’t inadvertently move in your line of travel.
· Slowing down to wait, rather than speeding up when trying to pass people at the same time walkers/bikers are approaching you from the opposite direction.
· Avoid potholes and debris and slow down when approaching bumps
· When approaching road crossings and iffy situations, triple-check before crossing and don’t let yourself be distracted by talking, etc.
· Ensure your helmet is tightly secured so that it won’t move if you hit the ground.

MEETUP POLICIES
Participants should understand that biking is an inherently dangerous activity, and an accident could happen at any time. Participation is at your own risk.
An RSVP of “Yes” to an event is your digital signature acknowledging that you have read, understood, and agree with Meetup’s and MD Rail Trail Biking’s policies, esp. section 6 “Release” and section 8.2 ” Limitation of Liability,” found at https://www.meetup.com/terms/