DTB - Cherry Blossom Breakaway 2015

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Washington, DC, US

Route Overview

Rudi Riet

Road Rides, short to long - and some gravel, too!

20 mi.

1,406 ft.

An ideal ride during the DC area's famous cherry blossom season, this route takes in the Kenwood neighborhood of Bethesda, MD, which has fewer crowds and equally spectacular (and bike-friendly) blossoms.

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Route Details

The route starts from @poi[Mitchell Park](1508030) in the Tony Kalorama neighborhood in DC, which is a few blocks from the Dupont Circle Metro stop. From there, it takes a route that avoids the typical (and often busy) MacArthur Boulevard, opting instead for the dips and rolls of neighborhood streets in northwest DC. Eventually, it crosses over to @slice[Kenwood for the cherry blossom loop](d,11026.95,21070.73), then returns to @slice[DC via MacArthur](d,21182.18,27250.86) - a boon if you ride this on a weekday evening, as the Potomac Pedalers do each spring (thus the origin of this route).

The main selling point of this ride is the bike-friendly roll through Kenwood. During peak blossom season, there will be car traffic on weekends but weekdays are far less hectic. The neighborhood often has a food truck or two at the central circle for refreshments.

# More resources

Be sure to check out cherry blossom status via the [National Park Service's blossom report](http://www.nps.gov/cherry/cherry-blossom-bloom.htm), which starts posting in March. The blossoms in Kenwood tend to peak 5-6 days after those at the Tidal Basin.

# Important Reminders

This ride is best done at peak cherry blossom season, though it is a great ride almost any time of year. Watch for road conditions (e.g. potholes and frost heaves), as in the spring both DDOT and MDOT often haven't had time to fill holes before blossom season.

This route is suitable for road bikes, touring bikes, hybrids, and tandems. Standard gearing (53/39 front, 12-25 rear) should suffice for most riders.

DTB - Cherry Blossom Breakaway 2015

Route Overview

Route Details

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