Jeff Bikes: Tidewater Potomac

It was 2 pm before I finally locked the cats in the house, said goodbye to my neighbor who was smoking on her front step, pushed my bike down the front walk and off the curb and started pedaling up the street. I was beginning to think I might not get started at all today. With the exception of my trip to Richmond a couple of weeks ago I haven't traveled much in the last couple of years, but I never remember having such a problem tying up whatever it is that I seem to think are essential loose ends and just getting my butt out the door. And I worked on loose ends all day yesterday as well!

I gotta tell you I was in a weird mood riding up the street this morning. A feeling that wasn't quite depression, or loneliness, or melancholy but similar. I had the feeling while riding along familiar streets that I was only visiting here after being away for a long time. Sort of alien, disassociated. Of course racing around doing chores for a day and a half combined with not eating anything all day I'm sure had a lot to do with it. I rode down the street to Subway and wolfed down a foot-long then stopped in the grocery store next door for bananas before finally setting off, at nearly 3 pm now, and finally getting started.

I took took the same exact route to Fredericksburg that I took on the first day of the Richmond trip. Down Dumfries Road to US Route 1, Route 1 through Dumfries and Triangle to Quantico Marine Corps Base, then down through Garrisonville and finally linking up with the Adventure Cycling's Tidewater Potomac route on Map 3, just about where 651 meets 628. I've got the route mapped at Bikely.com and I take it because being retired military I can get on and off of Quantico fairly easily and it cuts about 15 miles off the alternative, which is to go west along Dumfries Road (Route 234) and pick up the route at Independent Hill, where it intersects with Hoadley Road.

It was a nice day to bike. The weather was warm and humid with a nice breeze and huge clouds that blocked the sun most of the day, but no rain. The ride through Quantico and down to Fredericksburg was very nice, scenic and except for a few busy spots, very low traffic and enjoyable. My favorite spot was just north of Fredericksburg. A mile or two after turning right onto Potomac Run Road (CCW directions on Map 3) at the bottom of a rather long downhill run there is a swamp (bog? partially-submerged foresty area?) off on the right (west) side of the road. I've ridden past this spot three times now and two of the three times was treated to the sight of great blue herons, and what look to be smaller white herons (I have no idea really what kind they are...just a guess) taking off and flying back into the woods (do they see me coming?). I didn't get good pictures but the swamp is just very lush and green and interesting looking. I've got a picture below.

My weird mood didn't really break until a couple of hours into the ride, shortly after taking a banana break (hmm, bananas as mood boosters? I'm not normally a big banana consumer, but am following the advice of my fabuous, beautiful and very smart girlfriend Pattye who told me I should be eating bananas and dried apricots). Within the space of a few minutes, pedaling the bike started feeling less like "one more chore" I was getting out of the way and more like fun! I was worried about fatigue setting in (I'm not in really great shape and maybe logged 20 miles on the bike in the last 10 days) but I just kept feeling stronger all afternoon until I finally pulled into the motel just before dark.