Spring break 2024. We wanted to do something, but recent illness made it hard to book anything. First year with the kids in school...soooo much sickness! We mostly stayed local for the break but tried to do some special out of the norm activities to make the break seem more special. We were all finally healthy and decided the weather looked good enough to do another overnight bike trip as a family. We opted for a shorter ride than our first given the weather wasn't as warm. National Harbor in Maryland was our destination... 18 miles away from home but we would pass through DC, Virginia, before returning to Maryland for our destination.
We packed up that morning. That is the beauty of an overnight bike trip. You can't bring a lot and you don't need a lot!
Ready to go.... Oh wait, wrong set of wheels. (Just a random grocery cart abandoned in our front yard)
Ok. That looks better. Bringing the canopy was a game time decision. The weather was suppose to be in the mid 50s with no rain, but the clouds looked ominous. We got caught in unexpected rain without the canopy the day before. Plus it helps block the wind so I opted to bring it last minute. (probably the right call)
As soon as we got to the bike trail by our house the kids were off riding on their own.
Attempting to keep up.
Dorothy biked about a mile of the trip. Part on this trail and part on a trail in VA.
Gabe biked as much as we would allow. Here he is on a protected bike line for a few blocks connecting two sections of trail.
Red light chat with dad.
He biked all the way to Union Station downtown.
We made Gabe load up here. Dad told him because we were going to be on streets without bike lanes. Well, we ended up on a road with a bike lane. Gabe noticed immediately and disgruntlely said, "Why am I not biking in this bike lane?!?" We explained it was much busier and it was not a protected bike lane. That appeased him. Well, we turned and were then in a protected bike lane. Again. Gabe even more disgruntled, "Why am I not biking in the protected bike lane?!?!" We explained that the protected bike lane was actually going to end soon (which it did) and that we would let him bike again as soon as we got on the trail in VA. Navigating downtown on a large bike in the height of tourist season is always an adventure. Right before crossing the Potomac River into Virginia we stopped for a snack and to zip close their window as they were getting cold. (Guess it was a good thing we brought the cover). We crossed the river and got on a trail. We were stopping soon for lunch and Gabe was hungry so he opted to just ride on the cargo bike until after lunch.
We planned to stop for lunch in Crystal City. As soon as we got off the trail there was this little park with a ton of food options. (Think permanent food trucks kinda). We decided to stop there since they had a lot of good options and it was literally right off the trail. The kid's opted for pizza. They got HUGE slices and devoured them and ate some of the snacks we packed.
Seriously hungry kids!
We loaded up after lunch and Dorothy insisted on stopping immediately before we got on the trail because "Spring is calling"
Finally back on the trail. Both kids were eager to get biking again as seen below.
And Dorothy even took the lead!
Dorothy biked a little bit of the trail before deciding to hop back on the cargo bike. The trail was nice, but it was really loud with all of the traffic making it hard to talk to the kids when they were riding on their own. We followed the trail until it went through Old Town Alexandria, and apparently this time we were okay with Gabe biking in an unprotected bike lane. So there he goes biking right along. Mike led, then Gabe and Dorothy and I were the caboose so we could keep an eye on him and traffic.
Up up up the bridge... which is especially hard when you remember his bike has no gears to shift.
1.25 miles and lets just take a moment to think about that. First of all a 5 year old just biked that. And also I biked it. Remember I said it was windy...now scroll up and look again what my cargo bike looked like with the rain/wind tent for the kids. I was like a sail up there! But we made it. Gabe biked all through National Harbor right up to our hotel where the kids were so excited to have a pool to swim in!
How Gabe still had energy to swim I don't know!
Then we walked down to the restaurants to find some dinner. Gabe was so excited to see a preview of the Titanic exhibit we planned to go to the next day! He is currently obsessed with the Titanic and sunken ships.
Our dinner spot was overlooking the bridge we biked over and the ferris wheel, which the kids were eager to ride on! So post dinner we walked out to the ferris wheel and got tickets.
The boys were so excited!
It was a pretty nice ride. Smooth, heated fully enclosed cars with music.
Dorothy was also so excited and loved it. Don't let my smile fool you. I am scared of heights but decided to be courageous and go on it with the fam. You know set a good example of overcoming fears. I was mostly okay for the ride.... until we stopped at the top to unload other cars...and it started swaying. Then I definitely started crying. We got off and I let the kids know that that the one and only time I would be accompanying them on a ferris wheel. Next time, just dad.
Me being sooo excited to have my feet back on solid ground.
We walked back to our hotel and retired for the night ready for the next day's adventure.
Bike Trip: 18miles
Dorothy: ~1 mile
Gabe: 13.2miles! (Also, how cool is it that the area has enough safe bike infrastructure that a 5 year old can bike that far??!!!)
This was an absolutely fantastic trip for your family, and your descriptions are out of this world.
ReplyDelete