As I was toodling down the Capital Crescent heading south towards Georgetown (just south of mile marker 9.5, a stretch with wooden railing just upstream from the curve not far from the sewer works/detour, enjoying my last ‘morning’ commute [term used loosely as it was already about 10:30 AM by this point] of the year and trying to evaluate layering options and my low temperature limits for the upcoming Freezing Saddles silliness that Bob encouraged me to sign up for), I came upon a US Park Police cruiser totally blocking the path with its emergency lights on. An officer was standing on the trail talking on his phone. I could see a second cruiser parked across the trail a few hundred yards down at the other end of the wooden fencing, but no other signs of activity or foul play. The light ice sheet on the river did not appear to be disturbed (so it did not look like anyone fell in), though I could not see the shoreline very well.
Officer: Stop! You must turn around. The trail is closed.
Me (surveying the otherwise calm winter morning scene, then pointing to the parallel canal towpath above us): “Is it OK if I go up on the towpath and ride in that way?”
Officer: “Hey, whatever, it’s your world!” He turns on his heel and walks away towards his cruiser, still on the phone.
Umm… how to interpret that response?
‘Gee, buddy, keep on riding in that direction. There’s an active shooter, but you can proceed at your own risk.’?
‘If you are stupid enough to be out riding a bike on a frigid morning like this, you deserve whatever may be coming to you.’?
My world indeed. On the plus side for me, I got to ride in through Georgetown on the towpath and saw the reason that the canal has been dry all year: locks 3 and 4 are being renovated, and a new canal boat will be built. Hopefully there was no foul play or such …
Happy new year all!
