I almost got stuck... could not fit in that window of opportunity

today I tried to ride out to Mount Vernon with my friend Dudley
was watching the clock the whole ride out
there just was not enough time to get out to George Washington's house and back in the time in between getting off work and having to pick up my younger son from school

or was there...

a few miles shy of Mount Vernon Dudley and I pause for a snack
water from the water bottle
and a cut of yogurt and half a granola bar for each of us
then we pointed our separate ways

Dudley pointed forward and further with the intention of going all the way to Mount Vernon
while I raced the clock to get home and changes so I could pick up my younger son from school
well...
at the Wilson Bridge I got a little confused

on the ride out I I noticed the LARGE bridge with its massive pedestrian ramps on the side and asked Dudley... can we cross over and head back on that side... do you know? do you know?
Dudley said no... and we continued on
but on my way home I was on my own

some confusion on my part
I crossed over the bridge instead of under the bridge
I got on one of those massive pedestrian bridges
then I started across



I had never ridden my bicycle across the Wilson Bridge
it was amazing... a massive structure
a long bridge
a massively long and massively wide bridge

as I crossed I scanned the horizon trying to pick my way back to the city
even The National Harbor was far in the distance
I pedaled across expecting to see a sign
I did not see a sign
so I pulled out my iPhone and started a search
but before I could pull up a map I was back tracking across the bridge

it made more sense to go with what I knew than to guess my way back
I knew that my route backtracking would get me home JUST IN TIME to get in the car and head across town to get my son
just in time

so I back tracked

https://www.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=104137098603613628078.00046cf0b00f7410f2c26&z=13