East Potomac Park (Hains Point) is a good location for shorter rides. While the short loop is only about 3 miles total, there are no intersections other than Buckeye Drive. I like to do bike speed workouts there (unless I’m looking for a hill workout too). Next month when the cherry blossoms are out, Hains Point is a must-do, although there is a lot of (slow-moving) traffic because of all the visitors. Even then, the traffic is not bad at all. There are so many cyclists and runners in the park that most drivers move carefully along Ohio Drive. Just watch out for some of the families with young kids who might wander into the road, and the ninja runners in the evenings. (I’m also a runner but I never run ninja-style.)