Typically this loop involves riding south on the Rock Creek Trail (paved) until you can get onto parallel streets and then Beach Drive. And typically this time of year that trail has all sorts of overwash and mud on it. Bleh. Solution? Go farther east then head south through neighborhoods. Muuuuuch better. Plus no pedestrians of course. Bonus: Much of Beach Drive, once past the railroad and Knowles Ave, was closed to cars. Wooo! Warming trend continues, with today in the mid-50s. SHORTS! (but layers on top.) Was appropriately chilly in the first coupla miles (uh, downhill) but quickly warmed up and nothing was cold after that. Legs and stamina felt good. Still able to ride 30 without feeling like the dead at the end. Used some comp time to get off work early so i would not feel pressed for time. Awesome.