Biking to Washington DC!

Wow!

Over
400
miles
we've
biked!

from
the shores
of
Virginia
Beach....


to

the crest

of

Skyline
Drive....

We've
seen
history....

agriculture....

architecture...

and
lots...

and
lots...

of
food!

And
today....

we
bike
to
the
Capitol!

Start
early.

on
bike
trails
wending
under
power lines.

Early
morning
biking....



















past
joggers....

and
doggers.

Bridges...

and
tunnels...

carry
us
past
cars....













to
our
first
glimpse.

Over
Memorial
bridge...

eyes
focused
straight
ahead...



to
the
Lincoln
Center.

Yes!

Time
for
photos.

Onlookers
look.

Teams
of
bikers
beam!

Such
looks
of
accomplishment....

of
pride....

in
ourselves
and
each
other!

Okay!

Let's
gather
the
troops...

It's
time
to
explore
the
city!

There's
the
White
House...

The
Washington
Monument....

The
Smithsonian....

This
is
fun!

How about
we
go
buzz
the
Capitol?

We
aren't
the
only ones
with that
idea.

We
spin
the
circle
three
times...

Back
past
the
big guy...

Pause
at
Grants
Tomb

for
the
group
photo...

Such
a
stalwart
crew!

And
now
we're
off
to....

the
National
Arboretum...

to
plant
a
tree...

in
honor
of
Phil's
Dad...

who
died
the day
before
our
event.

Phil's
Dad
taught him
his
love
of trees.

I think
of my
Dad.

His
love
of
adventure....

My Dad died
soon
before
my ride
across
America.











I think about
how we all
hand
down
to our
kids...

such
values.

A
moment
of
reflection...

and
we're
off
again?!

We
don't
stay still
for
long!

But
we're
always
willing
to
park
our bikes...












for
lunch!













Brought
to us
today....

by
Casey
Trees!

Reminds
me
of
my
KC
(Casey)!

Which
reminds
me
of Kitty...

I don't know why.

But
back
to
the
bike ride....

Are
we
ready....

for
our
last
ride....






together?

It's
a
daring
ride....

not
without
mishap...

through
the
crowded
streets
of
Washington.

Hey, Dude!

What's
with
all
the bikers?











IDK!

I'll
try to
catch up
with
them!

But
we're
too
fast
for
them!

Spinning
up
to the
campus
of
American
University!

Around
the
quad
we
bike...

surprising
students...

What
the
hey...?!

"We're
the
STIHL
Tour
des
Trees!"
we call out

and
we
come
bearing
shovels!

A
redbud
tree
for
American
University!

Go to it,
guys!

Do
you
need
help?

It's our
last
tree

of the
2011
STIHL
Tour
des Trees.

We
made
it!

485
miles
biked...

Forty-five
new
trees
planted!

The
2011
STIHL
TDT
has
been...

such
a
wonderful
experience...

can
we
all
hope...

to 

be

back

together...

in
August,
in
Portland,
Oregon...

for the
Tour
des
Trees
2012!

the end.