A Little Bit of Heaven Along the Canal

Dan Wittenberg travels between home and office by bike, rollerblade, cross-country ski, ice skate and foot. (By Robert A. Reeder -- The Washington Post)

It's the question everyone in this area asks and is asked: How long is your commute? The 30-minute commuters feel superior to the 45-minute commuters, who feel superior to the hour-long commuters, who have abject sympathy for those folks hauling all the way in from West Virginia. Yes, there's a thousand different commutes. Here is one of them. An occasional Page Three feature.

I've got the best commute in Washington -- perhaps in the world. I live in Brookmont. That's in Bethesda just over the District line, and it also happens to abut the C&O Canal National Park.

For 20-odd years now, I've commuted the five miles from there to my office in Georgetown by way of the C&O Canal towpath and/or the parallel Capital Crescent Trail.

Depending on the season, I do it by bike (an unalloyed pleasure), by rollerblade (a bit more work), by cross-country ski (a lot more work), by ice skate (exquisite when it's doable) or by foot (rarely). If all else fails I can take the bus down MacArthur Boulevard, which actually takes slightly longer.

The only traffic jams I encounter are too many deer blocking the path during the rutting season. The only road rage I see is the occasional malevolent Canada goose protecting its goslings.

Not only do I get my exercise during my commute but I can also compose my day's thoughts to the accompaniment of bird songs on the way in and can decompress amongst the verdant foliage and shimmering water on the way back.

My wonderful "Zen" commute is no accident. I bought my house in that then-unfashionable neighborhood just so I could have that commute. Years later, when my employer moved to Rockville, I bought out my division of the company (and the office lease, too) so that I could maintain the commute I'd fallen in love with. And, ultimately, when that building's landlord would no longer renew our third lease, I bought a small office building in Georgetown near the canal so that I didn't have to sacrifice the "perfect commute."

Most people dread their commutes. I absolutely adore mine.

-- Dan Wittenberg, Brookmont