Bike Tour of DC's Bridges

I can't think of another 17 miles that demonstrates the diverse beauty and challenges of our city.  

I've tried a continuous route of DC's bridges before but usually got stuck or had to double back due to an incomplete trail, lack of nerves over a too busy road, or even the Navy Yard closing off their section of the Anacostia River-walk trail. Last week, I made the tour successfully: A West-to-East, criss-crossing tour (no backtracking).

This ride is really special; it brings together so many diverse views and experiences of D.C. The majesty of the Lincoln and Jefferson Memorials, industrial remnants near Buzzard Point, the raw flow and speed of 395 traffic, booming commerce around Nats Park, RFK Stadium's fading glory, D.C. General Hospital homeless shelter (looming over Congressional Cemetery no less), and some pretty darn serene nature scenes along the Anacostia and Kingman Island. Of course, starting in Georgetown and ending on Benning Rd produces its own socioeconomic contrast.

The route's a little grueling with the traffic and way-finding but I can't wait to get out there an do it again; maybe starting at Chain Bridge? There's also the Ohio Dr bridge that crosses the Reflecting Pond. I also included the bridge at Yards Park for fun, and the semi-secret bridge going from Ohio Park to L'Enfant. That one's fun because it gives a great view above the Maine Ave Fish Market. Trickiest one is probably East Capitol St, it takes a little doubling back on the East side. 

Methodology: Tracked the route on Map My Ride app and exported the kml file from Map My Ride. Just did a but of annotation in QGIS (will someone buy my ArcMap already), scalebar, satellite image basemap.

Turn list after the jump (honestly some of the turns are pretty complicated):

  

0.01 mi                      Turn left toward N Lynn St Entering Virginia

0.43 mi                      Turn left onto Mt Vernon Trail

0.75 mi                      Slight right to stay on Mt Vernon Trail

0.86 mi                      Head southeast on Mt Vernon Trail

0.94 mi                      Slight right Entering District of Columbia

1.65 mi                      Head northeast toward I-66 W

1.94 mi                      Turn right onto 25th St NW

2.06 mi                      Turn left onto Virginia Ave NW

2.33 mi                       Turn left onto Rock Creek Park Trails (loop underneath the bridge then around the circle)

3.81 mi                      Head east on Arlington Memorial Bridge  

4.38 mi                      Turn left toward Mt Vernon Trail

4.65 mi                      Turn right onto Mt Vernon Trail

5.62 mi                       Sharp right to stay on Mt Vernon Trail Entering District of Columbia (14^th St Bridge)

5.64 mi                      Sharp left toward E Basin Dr SW

6.22 mi                      Turn right onto E Basin Dr SW Destination will be on the right

6.47 mi                      Head east on Ohio Dr SW

6.48 mi                      Turn right to stay on Ohio Dr SW

6.66 mi                      Head northeast

7.02 mi                      Turn right to stay on L'Enfant Plaza

7.51 mi                      Head south on 4th St SW toward I St SW

7.65 mi                      Turn left onto I St SW

8.28 mi                      Turn right onto First St SE

8.59 mi                      Head south on First St SE toward N St SE

8.6 mi                         Turn left onto N St SE

8.73 mi                      Cross South Capitol St

8.89 mi                      Turn right onto 4th St SE

8.97 mi                      Head south Capitol St Bridge

8.99 mi                      Turn left toward Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

9.04 mi                      Turn right toward Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

9.06 mi                      Turn left onto Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

9.07 mi                      Head west on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

9.15 mi                      Turn right to stay on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

9.21 mi                      Turn left to stay on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

9.45 mi                      Turn left onto Potomac Ave SE

9.47 mi                      Head southwest on Potomac Ave SE

10.09 mi                    Turn right at Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

10.1 mi                      Turn right to merge onto S Capitol St SE

10.21 mi                    Head northwest on S Capitol St SE

10.57 mi                    Turn right onto Potomac Ave SE

10.58 mi                    Turn right toward Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

11.05 mi                    Continue onto Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

11.14 mi                    Slight right to stay on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

11.62 mi                    Head northeast on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail Destination will be on the right

11.84 mi                    Head southwest on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

11.97 mi                    Turn left toward Anacostia Dr

11.98 mi                    Turn left onto Anacostia Dr

11.99 mi                    Turn right onto Good Hope Rd SE

12.05 mi                    Sharp left onto Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE Destination will be on the left

12.39 mi                    Head north on Martin Luther King Jr Ave SE

12.39 mi                    Turn right toward Water St SE

12.51 mi                    Turn right onto Water St SE

12.74 mi                    Head northeast on Water St SE

12.78 mi                    Slight right toward Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

12.86 mi                    Turn right onto Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

13.09 mi                    Turn right to stay on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

13.41 mi                    Sharp left to stay on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail Destination will be on the left

13.49 mi                    Head west on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

13.56 mi                    Slight right to stay on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

13.64 mi                    Slight right to stay on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

13.66 mi                    Slight right to stay on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail Destination will be on the left

13.68 mi                    Head northwest on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

13.69 mi                    Sharp left to stay on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

14.06 mi                    Turn left to stay on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

14.25 mi                    Head northeast on Anacostia Dr toward Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

14.34 mi                    Turn left onto Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

14.34 mi                    Turn right to stay on Anacostia Riverwalk Trail

15.65 mi                    Head south on Anacostia Ave NE

15.67 mi                    Turn left toward 33rd St NE

15.74 mi                    Turn right onto East Capitol St NE

15.75 mi                    Turn left onto Whitney Young Memorial Bridge

15.91 mi                    Head west on Whitney Young Memorial Bridge

16.26 mi                    Sharp right to stay on Whitney Young Memorial Bridge

16.35 mi                    Turn left onto Anacostia Riverwalk Trail Destination will be on

16.87 mi                    Slight left toward Oklahoma Ave NE

17.04 mi                    Turn right onto Oklahoma Ave NE

17.04 mi                    Turn right onto Benning Rd NE

17.21 mi                    Head east on Benning Rd NE toward Anacostia Ave NE

17.72 mi                    Destination