Unforgettable Riverfront Ride and Hike

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See Peaking Pink Lotuses, Lively Waterfront Parks, an Island Oasis, an Important Civil War site, and Forever-Silent "Celebs" on this 19-ish mile ride and 3-ish mile hike along the paved Anacostia Riverwalk Trail.

(WE'LL RIDE AT A "MODERATE" 12ish-MPH PACE BUT HIKE RELATIVELY SLOWLY THROUGH KENILWORTH FOR PHOTO OPS.)

(MEET: Big brown "Ropewalk Pavilion" next to the restrooms at Bladensburg Waterfront Park, 4601 Annapolis Road, Bladensburg, MD. 38.933575, -76.937981, http://outdoors.pgparks.com/Sites/Bladensburg_Waterfront_Park.htm ( http://outdoors.pgparks.com/Sites/Bladensburg_Waterfront_Park.htm ) )

1. Bladensburg Waterfront Park (Civil War Battle before British burned the Capitol during the War of 1812.) http://outdoors.pgparks.com/Assets/Parks+$!26+Recreation/Pagelets/2017+Blandensburg+Water+Front.pdf ( http://outdoors.pgparks.com/Assets/Parks+$!26+Recreation/Pagelets/2017+Blandensburg+Water+Front.pdf )

2. Navy Yard/Capitol Waterfront (Picnic brunch break at award-winning park.)
   Eateries include Five Guys burgers, brewery, and much more.
   http://www.capitolriverfront.org/things-to-do/eat-and-drink ( http://www.capitolriverfront.org/things-to-do/eat-and-drink )

3. Congressional Cemetery (Forever-Silent "celebs.") [MOST LIKELY WE WILL JUST PEER INTO THE CEMETERY INSTEAD OF RIDING OUT OF OUR WAY TO REACH THE MAIN ENTRANCE.] Graves include FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover, Civil War Photographer Matthew Brady, the first Architect of the Capitol William Thornton, DC Mayor Marion Barry, Washington Monument designer Robert Mills, Native American chiefs, and many members of Congress. http://www.congressionalcemetery.org/ ( http://www.congressionalcemetery.org/ )

4. Kingman Island (We'll walk our bikes about a half mile on a dirt hiking trail to cross this "wild" natural island where the famous DC Bald Eagles from the National Arboretum hang out.) http://www.dceaglecam.org/ ( http://www.dceaglecam.org/ )
   http://www.kingmanisland.org/maps-and-directions/ ( http://www.kingmanisland.org/maps-and-directions/ )

5. Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens (3-ish mile hike on dirt/grass trails -- which could be muddy -- and a boardwalk, past mammoth pink and white Indian Lotuses, bright blue singing Indigo Buntings, and Great Blue Herons and Great Egrets hunting for lunch.) https://www.nps.gov/keaq/index.htm ( https://www.nps.gov/keaq/index.htm )

IMPORTANT NOTES**

(1) RAIN CANCELS EVENT.

(2) DIRT: After re-scouting the area on 6/20, we agreed that instead of having to walk our bikes on the dirt segments, most road bikes can negotiate the 1ish miles of dirt trail on this otherwise paved route. There is 0.7 mile on dirt on Kenilworth's dirt River Trail to reach the paved Anacostia Riverwalk Trail (
https://www.scribd.com/doc/92771695/AWI-Riverwalk-Map ) and there's roughly a half mile of dirt trail crossing Kingman Island. ( http://www.kingmanisland.org/maps-and-directions/ )

(3) BRING: helmet (mandatory), air pump, tube, patch kit, tools, bike lock, water, sunblock, bug spray, camera, and phone.

(4) METRO/CARPOOL: Participants can message each other on Meetup to arrange carpools. The Cheverly and Landover Metro stations are the closest train stops. https://www.wmata.com/schedules/maps/upload/english.pdf ( https://www.wmata.com/schedules/maps/upload/english.pdf )

(5) VOLUNTARY DONATION: Sierra Club Potomac Region Outings (SCPRO) appreciates a voluntary $2 per person donation to support our many volunteer-led activities. You can become a valued member of the Sierra Club by clicking "JOIN" in the upper right corner of the Sierra Club's Virginia web site: https://www.sierraclub.org/virginia ( https://www.sierraclub.org/virginia )

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