Training Log Archive: Nadim

From Rosedale Ave., Bethesda, MD to 12th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. I rode in a bit easier starting out. With a couple of miles to go before reaching Georgetown, I found myself not wanting to pass two policemen on bicycles so I backed off even more. I suppose they were out because of all the outdoor activities going on associated with the upcoming July 4th Independence Day holiday but I also wondered about the new 15mph speed limits they put on the Capital Crescent Trail in the Montgomery County portion. Very near the end of the trail a couple of people came up rather fast and passed the officers while they were riding side by side with another bike coming from the opposited direction. The officers didn't do anything except start to ride single file soon after. I suppose I should have passed but I also wanted to observe if they stopped at the stop signs in Georgetown. They slowed but didn't stop. I opted to get ahead on the streets as they took to the waterfront. For a little while I got stuck behind a person towing a trailer much like Max's but smaller. I never saw the police again but hit some headwinds along the water. The heatpump of air from the south was going good. I noted more areas closed off for the holiday and greater numbers of tourists lining up to get tickets for various tours.

From 12th & C St., SW, Washington, D.C. to Rosedale Ave., Bethesda, MD. The parks in DC were full of people enjoying the pre-holiday stuff. The winds were mixed. I road back casually. However at one point when I was passed, I accelerated and was getting ready to hang on while going up the hill. I got a phone call and after figuring out what the ringing was, I had to stop to answer it. It was just our realtor.

Rock Creek Park, MD. From Mark Twain School and Park I walked through a section of park which I'd field checked last year. This time, I've got better contours and I'm using a GPS to help straighten up the map. While I get good data, it's harder to keep notes on what's good and what needs to go. I did a lot of walking up and down steep slopes and clamboring around the many small cliffs. The woods seem more open than last year and a few trees which had been newly fallen last year were much more easily passed over.

From Rosedale Ave., Bethesda, MD to 12th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. It was a nice cooler morning. I stayed up a bit late after the neighborhood fireworks last night so I woke up late too. I think I'm still a bit jet-lagged. I was doing an average pace past River Rd. when the slow-cadence-guy I tailed two weeks ago went by. I didn't bother to accelerate and try to hang on. He was gone pretty quickly. I rode by myself at a comfortable pace the rest of the way. I had a pleasant tailwind on Ohio Dr.

From 12th & C St., SW, Washington, D.C. to Rosedale Ave., Bethesda, MD. I made a stop at our realtor's office in downtown Bethesda to sign offer papers on the sale of our house, and to eat with Peggy and Max. The ride was nice; somewhat quick with mixed winds and cool temperatures but signing was bitter-sweet in this depressed housing market. We should be able to make up for it on the buying side and get ourselves in a nicer property but we'll soon miss our little convenient place with the nice running and riding locations too.

From Rosedale Ave., I made an 11pm milk-run on bike. It was a nice night so it should be good in the morning too.

Before going to bed I did some digging deep into the skin on my finger knuckle and pulled out a 3mm thorn. I didn't know it was there for a couple of months. My previous dig a month ago didn't turn up anything. It was swelling again lately and hurting when I brushed against things. I thought it might have been a wort; I know little about those never having had one before.

From 12th & C St., SW, Washington, D.C. to Rosedale Ave., Bethesda, MD via Rock Creek Park and Tennyson Ave. For a brief while, I got pulled along by a tourmobile blocking headwinds on Ohio Dr. I felt a new strain on my left knee; this time it was on the left side of the knee cap. With that, headwinds and recently having read Jon Torrance's log on a 5K race in Rock Creek Park, I opted to take the longer way. It was a good choice since I'd not ridden earlier in the morning (a rain and an apointment yesterday evening caused that). Once in the Rock Creek valley, it seemed that I had favorable winds more often than not. I moved well. I would have been quicker getting to Bethesda but made an errant turn on the Chevy Chase side of Bethesda. In the evening after eating dinner, we all went out for ice cream and walked over to see the fireworks from Lynbrook Park.

From Rosedale Ave., Bethesda, MD to 12th & C St. SW, Washington, D.C. It was a little cooler than over the weekend. After dropping off Max and while getting ready to hop on my bike without the trailer, several other cyclists went past on the trail. I caught a few of them soon but didn't catch the faster ones until trailing them all the way well past Fletcher's Boathouse. This got me winded at times so once I did catch up, I sat on them until reaching Georgetown and took over on the streets. There was probably a slight tailwind most of the way which turned into a slight headwind on Ohio Dr. All together, I made good speed considering that I was carrying my laptop along with the regular things.