Mural Tour of Mt. Vernon Square, Downtown, Dupont Circle, U Street Corridor, Shaw, Truxton Circle, and NoMa! – eWheel Going Out Group
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UPDATE #1: Due to a death in the family, unfortunately I will need to reschedule this tour to the following Sun. May 4th @ the same time and place. I hope you are still able to join us. This update has been sent as an email to the yes RSVPs.
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Let’s get together for our first tour of the year!
Washington, DC is home to over 150 breathtaking murals — let’s go on an electrifying adventure to explore some of them!
Join us for a thrilling e-wheel tour through some of DC’s most vibrant neighborhoods, where art, history, and culture come to life. Whether you’re a first-time rider or a returning explorer, this is your chance to see the city like never before! Previous participants, come join us again (I’m looking at you — Adolphus, Adrian, Aian Neil, Aiden, Alejandra, Ali, Alina, Alphonso, Amelia, Amy, André, Anibal, Arturo, Ben, Benen, Benicio, Bird, Bob, Brad, Brandon, Brian, Brooke, Chad, Chris, Christina, Claire, Clarissa, Claudia, Connor, CY, Daniel, Darryl, Dave, Declan, Denis, Diane, Dilraj, Don, Ecca, Ecks, Edwin, Ekaagar, Eli, Emmanuelle, Eric, Erwin, Gary, Gav, Gemma, Geoff, Greg, Francis, Haitao, Hannah, Heather, Jackson, James, Jan, Janis, Janovah, Jason, Jay, Jeff, Jenna, Jennifer, Jenny, Jeremy, Jessica, Joe, John, Johnny, Jonathan, Kannikar, Kelvin, Kevin, Kim, Kris, Lam, Laura, Lauren, LeRoy, Loren, Lori, Lutalo, Maggee, Mark, Maureen, Mayu, Megan, Melissa, Michael, Mikel, Nancy, Nathalie, Nick, Olga, Paul, Phil, Rakesh, Rahul, Raul, Raymond, Reyna, Ricardo, Richard, Riley, Rob, Robert, Rodney, Ron, Saiju, Saphal, Sasha, Sean, Sergey, Shelly, Soo, Steve, Steven, Tim, Zay, Zobair, Zoltan)!
Bonus perks! Everyone who RSVPs and attends gets an exclusive swag item (a different one each tour!) Make it to the end, and you’ll be entered into a raffle giveaway—because every ride should have a little extra excitement!
Don’t own an e-wheel? No problem! You can rent an e-scooter or e-bike through apps like Lime, Lyft, Spin, Veo, Hopp, or Capital Bikeshare. Capital Bikeshare even offers a budget-friendly e-bike Day Pass (approx. $25–$30 for the full tour); Lime also offers Day Pass options (as of the date of this event announcement). It’s a fraction of the cost of a Segway tour — plus, way more fun! See the “eWheel Rental” section of the event posting for full details.
Our adventure awaits! We’ll cruise through Mt. Vernon Square, Downtown, Dupont Circle, U Street Corridor, Shaw, Truxton Circle, and NoMa, stopping along the way for epic photo-ops and a closer look at DC’s stunning murals, neighborhoods, and hidden gems. With 90% of the route in bike lanes, this is a safe and scenic way to soak in the city’s energy!
As we ride, I’ll share stories and insights about the art and landmarks we pass — turning every stop into a fascinating discovery. We’ll aim to ride together at a steady pace. Total distance: ~7.2 miles of unforgettable exploration! Whether you stay for the whole ride or just part of it, you won’t want to miss this adventure!
Ready to roll? Let’s ride, explore, and experience DC in a whole new way!
(Tour Overview)
We’ll meet up at Mt. Vernon Square Metro at 2pm. Then we’ll ride west on M Street NW for ~1.2 miles, at 2:30pm. Once we reach 20th Street NW (12 blocks), we’ll turn right and ride north for ~0.2 miles. At Sunderland Place NW (1 block), we’ll turn right again and go ~200 feet east.
(West on M Street NW, right on 20th Street NW, right on Sunderland Place NW)
We’ll quickly come across the Toy Theater mural (20th Street NW, 1/2 block, right-hand side). The Toy Theater mural, painted by Peter Waddell in 2012, depicts a giant toy theater similar to one owned by the artist as a child. Other fellow artists assisted Peter with the mural, including with the Eric Ricks, Trevor McDonald, Cedric Thomas, Liseli Drum, Dominic Green, Siggy Noram, Anne Cherubim, and Ivana Zambrana. The toy theater showcases the Dupont Circle neighborhood at the beginning of its development in the 19th century. Beneath the monumental proscenium arch, 40′ high, the stage is set with scenery representing the first two great mansions of Dupont Circle. The British Legation on Connecticut Avenue and “Stewarts Castle” on the Circle arose from the area’s rough farmland in the 1870s. These grand houses marked the beginning of Dupont Circle as a fashionable neighbourhood for the rich. The buildings depicted in Waddell’s mural were amazing in their day. Both buildings were large and ornate but they were not long-lasting, since they were demolished to make way for more development.
(Toy Theater mural)
We’ll backtrack on Sunderland Place NW going west for ~200 feet. At 20th Street NW (1/2 block), we’ll turn right and travel north for ~0.2 miles. Upon reaching Q Street NW (2 blocks), we’ll turn right and ride east ~0.6 miles.
(West on Sunderland Place NW, right on 20th Street NW, right on Q Street NW)
Upon reaching 15th Street (5 blocks), we’ll turn left and go north for ~0.4 miles. Once we reach Caroline Street NW (3 blocks), we’ll turn left and ride west for ~140 feet. At our first right (1/2 block), we’ll turn right into an unnamed alley and travel north for ~180 feet.
(Left on 15th Street NW, left on Caroline Street NW, right on unnamed alley)
Our next stop is the Ruth Bader Ginsburg mural (Caroline Street NW, 1/2 block, left-hand side). Painted in late summer of 2019, two-story high Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wears a pleasant smile and judicial robes with a decorative collar. The mural covers the outside wall of a woman-owned real estate company, and was created by a woman muralist, DC artist Rose Jaffe. Ginsburg appears to be releasing a flock of tiny birds from her hands, meant to inspire viewers to release their own creativity, dreams, etc. Jaffe said the project took 10 days from start to finish. She painted Ginsburg’s face, collar and hands on exterior wood panels, which were then installed on the brick wall. She felt she couldn’t do Ginsburg’s portrait justice if she painted directly on the textured brick, so Jaffe spent days meticulously painting Ginsburg’s face in the studio. In the immediate aftermath of Ginsburg’s death in September 2020, the sidewalk in front of the mural was festooned with flowers, and the bottom part of the mural was covered with post-it note messages.
(Ruth Bader Ginsburg mural)
From here we’ll quickly turn right on U Street NW and travel east for ~0.2 miles.
(Right on U Street NW)
Almost immediately (~50 feet), we’ll come across the Gagged George Washington mural. Created in 2011, the gagged George Washington mural was painted by well-known local artist Aniekan Udofia and Liz Brown. In a statement, Daniel Solomon, owner of the building on which the mural is painted and founder of the advocacy group DC Vote, said, “This mural expresses in one image the injustice Washingtonians suffer, even though our founding fathers fought to end taxation without representation. D.C. residents are still fighting to have their voices heard today.” According to DC Vote spokesperson Leah Ramsay, the mural, which took a couple of days to put up, was something that Solomon had been aiming to do for some time. In early 2025, the bottom portion of George Washington’s face was partially painted over with white paint as the rest of the red brick building was being painted white. Not long after, his face was restored to it’s former glory.
(Gagged George Washington mural)
We’ll continue on U Street NW and when we reach 14th Street NW (1 block), we’ll turn right and ride south for ~160 feet.
(Right on 14th Street NW)
We’ll soon come across the Wailin’ Mailman mural (14th Street NW, 1/2 block, left-hand side). The Wailin’ Mailman mural features a man in a U.S. Postal Service uniform as he leans against a brick wall. He’s playing a tenor saxophone, with his mailbag resting at his feet. He’s also nine stories tall. The 70-foot-tall mural of Buck Hill is D.C.’s tallest outdoor mural paying tribute to any individual figure. Hill was a native and lifelong Washingtonian who died in 2017 at the age of 90. He began performing in jazz clubs along the U Street Corridor in the 1940s when the area was known as “Black Broadway.” He played with jazz greats like Dizzy Gillespie and Miles Davis, but passed up offers to perform in other cities and countries in favor of staying close to home. Hill also spent more than 40 years as a mail carrier with the Postal Service, and his dedication to his dual careers earned him the nickname “the Wailin’ Mailman.” Fittingly, the mural of Hill is kitty-corner to the U.S. Post Office in the Reeves Municipal Center. Arizona-based artist Joe Pagac says the portrait is the largest work he’s ever done.
(Wailin’ Mailman mural)
We’ll now reverse course on 14th Street NW and travel north for ~0.2 miles. When we reach W Street NW (2 blocks), we’ll turn right and ride east for ~0.3 miles. Upon arriving at 11th Street NW (2 blocks), we’ll turn right and go south for ~0.2 miles.
(North on 14th Street NW, right on W Street NW, right on 11th Street NW)
We’ll continue south on 11th Street NW and when we reach T Street NW (1 block), we’ll turn left and travel east for ~0.1 miles. When we arrive at an unmarked alley road (1/2 block), we’ll turn right and go ~275 feet. When we reach Westminster Street NW, we’ll turn right and go another ~70 feet (1/2 block).
(South on 11th Street NW, left on T Street NW, right on unmarked alley, right on Westminster Street MW)
Immediately, we’ll come across the Community mural. The Community mural was completed in 2002 by artist Anne Marchand. The Capital at the top sets the scene for this mural within the larger community of DC. The mural evokes the history of the neighborhood by including bicyclists, recalling the city’s first bicycle club on the block in the 1870s. Views of the Westminster Neighborhood and the 14th and U Street corridors depict the late 19th Century architecture and the pride of community professionals, working people and craftsmen, who made the Shaw neighborhood their home from the late 1800’s to the present. Bold, vibrant colors reflect the common celebrations and achievements of community throughout the century. The mural illustrates a feeling of shared vision in the neighborhood, characterized by children linking arms; “a community sustained over generations and a neighborhood functioning well for its members where people are highly regarded, comfortable and safe.” Ella Fitzgerald heralds the vitality of the U Street Arts and Theatre district by singing from the rooftops in front of the Lincoln Theater marquee.
(Community mural)
We’ll reverse course on Westminster Street NW traveling east for ~200 feet. At 9th Street NW (1/2 block), we’ll turn right and go south for ~0.3 miles. When we reach Q Street NW (2 blocks), we’ll turn left and ride east for ~0.4 miles. Upon reaching New Jersey Avenue NW (5 blocks), we’ll turn right and go southeast for ~0.2 miles. At O Street NW (2 blocks), we’ll turn left and travel east for ~0.4 miles.
(East on Westminster Street NW, right on 9th Street NW, left on Q Street NW, right on New Jersey Avenue NW, left on O Street NW)
When we reach North Capitol Street NW (2 blocks), we’ll turn right and ride south for ~500 feet. At New York Avenue NE (1/2 block), we’ll turn left and go northeast for ~500 feet.
(Right on North Capitol Street NW, left on New York Avenue NE)
We’ll next come across the Don’t Go mural (North Capitol Street NE, 1/2 block, right-hand side). The Don’t Go mural, painted by Michael Roy (better known as the muralist Birdcap), was created in 2018 for POW! WOW!, an international mural festival that organizes events in cities around the globe. This was the festival’s third year in the District. Birdcap works in a style equally steeped in Saturday morning cartoons and history paintings. He creates densely colored scenes that slide between references to Jim Henson and the Crossing of the Delaware. Using a vocabulary of fantastic shapes that make a Birdcap mural identifiable across the world, the artist takes up deeply personal subjects such as grief and loss, tackles political anxieties, and traverses a contemporary landscape both absurdly beautiful and troubled. Roy studied painting at Memphis College of Art, but got his start as a muralist when he left the south and moved halfway across the world, where he began and became a part of the thriving street art scene in Seoul, South Korea. The character of “Birdcap” was born in South Korea.
(Don’t Go mural)
Right across from the Don’t Go mural is the Mother mural. The Mother mural, painted by Yis “Noségo” Goodwin, was created in 2019, also for the POW! WOW! international mural festival. Noségo is a Philadelphia based artist with a passion for combining fine art with contemporary styling. Through a marriage of dynamic patterns and vibrant colors, he creates whimsical environments with characters created from a place of playful imagination and the natural world. Deriving from infinite inspiration, that is, we are inspired therefore we can and should inspire others, themes of boundlessness run as a common motif throughout his work. This can be found through the interminable subjects he puzzles together through constant addition. Knowing that there’s perfection in the imperfect, he believes his work always has space for more in the constant pursuit of inspiration. He describes his style as a fusion born from his childhood toybox, where GI Joe clashed with Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, sparking wild imaginings of fantastical, anthropomorphic creatures.
(Mother mural)
From here, we’ll continue northeast on New York Ave NE. When we reach 1st Street NE (1/2 block), we’ll turn right, and go south for ~0.4 miles. Upon reaching K Street NE (4 blocks), we’ll turn right and ride west for ~0.4 miles
(Northeast on New York Ave NE, right on 1st Street NE, right on K Street NE)
Finally, we’ll come across the Neighbors and Friends mural (1st Street NE, 1/2 block, right-hand side). Created in 2020, the Neighbors and Friends mural is painted on the back of the John and Jill Ker Conway residence, a 124-unit, mixed-income residence for veterans who have formerly experienced chronic homelessness and low-income residents. The people portrayed are actual residents of the home. The artist Kate Deciccio, previously based in DC, has since relocated to Oakland. Murals have become a cornerstone of her practice, although she continues to have a multi-dimensional approach to her art. She has said her work is “driven by [her] interests in equity, mental health, humor, community building and of course a passion for the activity of art-making.” In addition to murals, she also participates in making art with people in locked spaces like mental institutions, prisons and juvenile detention centers. She also works with young people. But beyond just fostering their creative and artistic development, she sees arts education as a tool for coping, improving self-esteem, developing confidence and connection for those young people.
(Neighbors and Friends mural)
Continuing west on K Street NW, when we reach New Jersey Ave NW (2 blocks), we’ll turn right and ride northwest for ~0.2 miles. When we reach M Street NW, we’ll turn left and travel west for ~0.4 miles back to our starting point.
Come join us as we spend an afternoon together exploring the murals Mt. Vernon Square, Downtown, Dupont Circle, U Street Corridor, Shaw, Truxton Circle, and NoMa have to offer. Also, please help spread the word of our group and the tour.
I look forward to seeing you there!
– J.T.
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METRO & PARKING
We’ll meet at Mt. Vernon Square Metro (Green, Yellow lines). Other nearby Metro stops include Chinatown (Green, Red, Yellow lines) and McPherson Square (Blue, Orange, Silver). I suggest taking Metro / taxi / ride-share services if you can. I also recommend using wmata.com for travel planning. Don’t forget to account for Metro, traffic, and parking delays. If you are driving, you will need to find street parking or a garage. For Sunday events, street parking is typically free in DC. I recommend using parkopedia.com for garage parking planning.
EWHEEL RENTAL
Don’t own an e-wheel? You can rent one (e-scooter, e-bike) using a micromobility app (e.g. Lime, Lyft, Spin, Veo, Hopp, Capital Bikeshare). Capital Bikeshare offers an e-bike Day Pass option that will end up costing an estimated $25 – $30 for our tour length ($8 day pass + a discounted rate of $0.10 per minute); Lime also offers Day Pass options (as of the date of this event announcement). Since the tours are free, the cost is significantly less than a comparable Segway tour (that uses older technology). Join us for some or all of the tour! If you plan to rent an e-wheel, some members have run out of charge in the past. Please try to find one with as full of a charge as possible. Also, some people have had challenges with Capital Bikeshare bikes, and some have not.
DONATIONS
My e-wheel tours have always been FREE (since inception in 2016)! Full transparency, it costs me ~$650 annually to run the group (~$300 of which are Meetup fees alone; other costs include website fees, swag items, raffle items, GPS tracker app fees for creating videos of each tour, etc.). I only have time to host 3 tours a year (I have 2 little ones that I take care of), so each tour costs me ~$215 to run. I also spend roughly 40 person-hours to put together each one (finding interesting spots to visit, mapping out a route, creating a detailed tour description, doing a dry-run, hosting the tour itself, uploading pictures, creating a video of the tour, etc.). If you like what we’re doing, you can support the eWheel Going Out Group by donating any amount you feel comfortable. It’s completely optional and greatly appreciated. Click the “Donate Now” button on the Meetup event page. A couple of notes when donating: (1) The “tip” part of the donation is optional and 100% of it goes to Meetup proper and to Pledge (the payment processor), not me (they already take a percentage of the donation for themselves). You can bypass that amount by clicking “Enter custom tip” and zeroing it out. (2) You have the option to donate anonymously by withholding your name and email. Ideally, I’d like know who’s contributing to the group so I can acknowledge those that do and to show my appreciation!
DRESS
Please dress appropriately for the weather. For those with problems having their feet go numb or tired during long rides, I recommend wearing shoes with a stiff and flat sole.
RIDING ETIQUETTE / RULES
Please be as courteous as possible to other pedestrians, bicyclists, etc. Based on personal experience (I’ve been riding daily since 2015), I’ve noticed some general good practices and rules to follow. 1) ALWAYS give pedestrians the right of way. 2) When riding on a narrow sidewalk, and you’re coming up behind a pedestrian and you need to pass them, either a) wait until there’s an opening, or b) clear your throat and say “excuse me” or “on your left” in a *gentle* manner (I’ve noticed people tend to get startled / surprised when they see and hear a tall figure behind them on a wheel) before passing them. 3) SLOW DOWN to a pedestrian’s walking pace (until you are completely clear of them) whenever approaching or passing (whichever direction they are walking). Only after passing a pedestrian for a little distance is it a good idea to go faster than walking pace. Whatever you do, please do NOT wiz by them. 4) Thank the pedestrian as you are passing. 5) Slow down as you are going around a turn (whether there are other pedestrians in sight or not) with a lot of bushes or other obstacles next to the sidewalk, as they can be coming from the other end of the turn (and not be visible initially). 6) Ride single file whenever pedestrians are around (on the sidewalk), or cars are around (in the bike lane). 7) Dismount when in the official memorial areas, such as the FDR Memorial (it’s the law). 8) Please stay behind me since I know the route and may be turning left or right at any time.
RIDING SKILL
For the safety of others and ourselves, we will all be required to be able to: (1) comfortably balance on the wheel while riding straight and turning left or right (2) ride at a snail’s pace and (3) start and stop comfortably without the need to hold onto any wall, post, or similar structure.
LEGALITY
People have asked me questions regarding the laws pertaining to riding our e-wheels in the DC metro area. I did a lot of research before purchasing my e-wheel to ensure I could make use of it. In short, they are generally considered Personal Mobility Devices or Electric Personal Assistive Mobility Device. (1) Virginia: “An electric personal assistive mobility device or motorized skateboard or foot-scooter may be operated on any highway with a maximum speed limit of twenty-five miles per hour or less. An electric personal assistive mobility device shall only operate on any highway authorized by this section if a sidewalk is not provided along such highway…” See link here. (2) Washington DC: “Personal Mobility Device (“PMD”) means a motorized propulsion device designed to transport one person, OR a self-balancing, two non-tandem wheeled device, designed to transport only one person with an electric propulsion system. Permitted on Sidewalk – Yes, except PMDs are generally not permitted on sidewalk space in the Central Business District. Permitted on Bike Lanes – Yes.” See link here. (3) Maryland: “‘Bicycle’ means […] an electric low speed scooter […]” and “has the rights and is subject to the restrictions applicable to pedestrians […]: (i) on a sidewalk or sidewalk area; or (ii) in or through a crosswalk[…]. At an intersection, a person […] is subject to all traffic control signals […].” See link here and here. “Green” devices for the win!
RAIN
If there’s a greater than a 35% chance of rain, we’ll cancel or reschedule. Having hosted over 1000 events since 2007, when the percentage chance of rain is below 35% at the event start time for the location’s zip code, I’ve observed that 95% of the time, we’ll get no rain. I’ll post an update to the top of the event posting by 11:30am on the day of the event, and also send an email out to the yes RSVPs.
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