My Plan to Swim the Anacostia Before I Croak

I love stand up paddling on the Potomac, but on the Anacostia?

The new Anacostia River license plate (costs $25 to purchase)

Why there's too much ice up river?  Not really, Anacostia is my home and this forsaken river is my backyard.

This afternoon, I launched from Diamond Teague Pier, the brand new pier built to one day facilitate ferries to and fro the Nationals Ball Park.   What a perfect memorial for a smart kid that cared so much for the development of his community.  Diamond Teague was a charismatic young volunteer at the Earth Conservation Corp who was shot in the head in front of his house in 2003 at the age of 19.

Big Bear Bike Sale for Charities

Today I bought a bike, no actually two, and the proceeds, all 100% of it goes to charities!

The first is a Bianchi Mountain bike for an amazing $190. With this bike, I can use as a commuter and even take it with me to NYC on the Bolt Bus.  Lots of people know Bianchi for the road bikes, but they may not be aware that Bianchi was one of the first mountain bike designers.  In 1915, Edoardo Bianchi manufactured a mountain bike in support of the Army Alpine Corps of Italy.

The second bike, a vintage Cannondale aluminum racer for a very good price. I was very glad to know that the money I paid will go to ship donated bikes to Ghana.

Once the bikes arrive in country, the locals work on reconditioning the bikes, creating jobs and taking full ownership and pride in their work.

Now, youths throughout Africa and South and Central America are provided with affordable bicycles for personal transport to work, school and health services.

Since 2005, more than 41,000 bikes have been shipped to countries throughout rural parts of Africa, central America, Haiti and even Afghanistan.

The bikes are used by the indigent as well as by aid workers. Like Nick Colombo said "It's like giving them a car." What a wonderful cause!

The SE Anacostia Loop

This Thanksgiving weekend, a few of us hardy souls will attempt to do a 12-mile Md to DC SUP followed by a 15-bike loop and a 10-mile run

The bike loop will be different since we will be biking the SE quadrant to National Harbor.

This is the route from Anacostia to NH:


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Rowing Hudson

There's only one thing better than running along the Hudson River, and that is paddling or rowing on the Hudson River, itself.

After the invigorating Inaugural Vimeo Festival, I was ready to charge onto the River and meet and film rowers pushing through the large swells and strong Manhattan current.

On this particular trip, I was blessed to join an avid rowing group at Pier 40, sit in the back by the Coxswain and film to my heart's delight.

I've never crossed the Hudson to New Jersey before and definitely never made an interstate trip across the mighty River.

But on this day I definitely made a lot of friends from and around the Downtown Boathouse.

And yes, I'd rather be paddling (Stand-up), but once in a while, it's better to work as a team.

Now here was my lucky chance.