I am in DC for work this week, damn I am sick of traveling for work. But I took my cross bike with me.
DC is a great place to be stuck for work if you are a cyclist. On the weekend, the Rock Creek Parkway closes down to cars and can get you form georgetown out past the national zoo to silver spring.
The C&O canal cuts right through Georgetown. In fact, I ride this a lot. I always stay at the Key Bridge Marriott, which is on the VA end of the Key Bridge, right on the Custis trail and Mount Vernon Trail.
The C & O is good for a cross bike, but you will need lights as it is pitch black. Here is a pic of my wife running on it from a year ago… since a pic of my headlight would not be very exciting…
But then if I don’t have time and a bright light I’ll do some miles on the custis trail which heads uphill right from the parking lot of the Key Bridge Marriott.
I rode out the trail to the Kennedy center, then to the Lincoln memorial, to the Jefferson memorial out to Hains point for some laps, then back to the Washington Monument and back to the hotel. 95% on trails at night. Awesome.