Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Biking to Mount Vernon

It's no wonder that President Washington chose the spot he did for his estate.  It is a lush area with a scenic winding road to get there.  Driving along the GW Parkway to Mt. Vernon is one that sends me into relaxation mode every time I am on it.  I have driven that strip of road a few times when the girls needed a little help falling asleep for naps.  

Biking from Old Town Alexandria to Mt. Vernon is a lot more work than driving, but the work pays off with landscapes of cascading fall leaves, travels over wooden bridges, and lots of spots to just take in the beauty of the sparkling water.  
Adam pulled these little beauties behind him the whole time and they loved the ride (most of the way)!

The 9-mile ride is really enjoyable and you don't have many hills, until the end when you realize Mr. Washington really did choose a mountain :)
After reaching our destination, we switched Olive to the co-pilot seat to give the girls their space.
Just in case you need to make a phone call, I saw two pay phones that just cracked me up.  I know they are there for emergencies, but there was actually a man using one of the phones.  When was the last time you used one?  I didn't know they still existed!
The homes along the way capture the essence of charm.  
And the benches along the way are perfect for taking in a rest and a snack.
I recommend stopping to take all of your pics because I almost made people crash twice :)  I was shooting pics while peddling because the leaves were gorgeous and I loved everything about the trail.
Biking is something I think I could really enjoy doing a lot as a family.

3 comments:

The Winegar's said...

The scenery is gorgeous and the girls are darling. It looks like you had a great time!

Halley said...

Super jealous! I miss that beautiful area... and having real family time to do things like that! Miss you guys!

Corinne said...

That picture of Olive is adorable. Love you!