Cycling The Globe

Distance: 113.6 km
Ride time: 6:05:41
Average: 18.7 km/h
Max speed: 48.6 km/h
Total: 40302 km

I would have imagined that Washington D.C. would be a very rich and fancy place. In the area around the White House it obviously is – in the other parts, not so much. I was cycling through some rather dodgy neighbourhoods in the morning while leaving the Capital.

In the South I liked to take a photo of each state I was visiting. Today I went from Maryland to D.C. and then back into Maryland. Unfortunately I didn’t see any welcome signs, so I missed the photo oppertunity this time.

In Laurel I stopped for lunch with John K3TN. Great to see you John, and thanks for that delicious pasta lunch!

I continued cycling on busy roads towards downtown Baltimore. This city has been hit by some pretty bad riots over the last months. I didn’t really know what route would be the best to take through the city, and suddenly I found myself in some neighborhoods where I didn’t feel completely save. In fact, I would say that these places were just as dangerous as any place I have visited in south and central America.

I was out of the questionable neighborhoods as soon as I got in, luckily without anything happening. Suddenly cycling through fancy suburbs with huge houses. Big contrast!

After 100 km of cycling I had been on busy roads all day and was getting tired of the traffic. Then magic happened; as I was leaving the last suburbs of Baltimore I was on the country side again. I was enjoying cycling through quiet back roads towards the home of Kam N3KS who had invited me to stay for the night.

As soon as I arrived at Kam’s house I was given the royal treatment including one of the biggest steaks I have ever had. At Kam’s house I also got to say hi to Nate N4YDU again. I had been staying with Nate and his wife Allison two weeks ago in North Carolina. What a nice summer evening at Kam’s place in the hills of Maryland.