The Capital

      One hundred eighty miles of beautiful forests, the Potomac and the Cheasepeake and Ohio Canal, every mile an obstacle course.  The history of the canal from its origins under George Washington to the Civil War battles beginning with John Brown give this canal a special place in our history. I finally emerged from the tree canopy of the canal to see the Washington monument in the distance.  From the woods to the city was amazingly abrupt as I entered the maddening pace of Georgetown minutes after leaving the canal path.  I was separated from John, Aaron and Eli as we all entered at our own pace. For the sixth time I jammed my chain between the chain rings and found a corner to make the necessary repairs and start my search for a place to stay.  Summer in the city without a reservation put me in tight position, nothing new.  My Warmershows app was not yielding  results so I found a bed at the William Penn House (a Quaker Hostel) behind the Capital.  Cyrus was in contact with me as I negotiated my way through the maze of tourists, monuments and traffic.  The hostel was virtually empty so I had the place to myself. After sixty-nine miles of precarious tow paths to the madness of Washington traffic I needed and hour to collect my wits before Cyrus came over.

     Seeing Cyrus for the first time since Christmas was worth the ride into the city. He treated me to a superb dinner with, of course, a few pints of IPA. I am a lucky father to have Cyrus as my son.

    No A/C made for a somewhat restless night but better than being in a tent in the  same heat.  The day started with a Quaker prayer meeting which was essentially total silence for twenty minutes. After a basic breakfast the house provided, I took on a list of things to do, i.e.,picked up medication and maps for the trip, washed my water bottles, bought a new bluetooth  and did my laundry at Cyrus' house. Every day off is more of a regrouping operation.  Nevertheless, Cyrus and  I made a visit to Starbucks in the afternoon and later a restaurant for dinner with an astounding selection of five hundred beers!  Cyrus loves his boutique bourbons; man is that stuff expensive.  I will stick to my plebeian ways of drinking beer. (Always remember, you never  purchase beer, you rent it.)

         Tomorrow, I will negotiate my way out of town via as many bike friendly routes as I can find.  Once out of the city, it is off to Annapolis.  No bikes are allowed on the Cheasepeake Bay bridge so I will need to bum a ride over it somehow.   Another day, another challenge.  I can almost smell the salt water.