Mural Tour of Mt Vernon, Shaw, Logan Circle, Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, U Street! – eWheel Going Out Group
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Join us for our summer mural tour adventure!
Did you know there are around 150 murals scattered throughout Washington, DC? This summer, let’s roll through the city and discover some of the most vibrant, hidden, and iconic pieces of public art together!
What to Expect: We’ll explore the colorful neighborhoods of Mt. Vernon, Shaw, Logan Circle, Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, and U Street — stopping often for photo ops, sightseeing, and mural appreciation. I’ll share fun facts and stories about each mural and landmark along the way — turning every stop into a mini adventure. The route is about 6.4 miles long and 90% bike lane — perfect for a smooth, scenic cruise through the heart of DC.
Perks for Participants: Free swag for everyone who RSVPs and joins the ride (new item each tour!). Stick around ‘til the end for a chance to win a special raffle prize! New riders — this is the perfect way to jump in! Returning riders — you know how fun this is. We’d love to see you again (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).
No 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 an e-bike day pass (~$25 – $30 total for our ride). It’s a fun, affordable way to tour the city — and way cooler than a Segway. See the “eWheel Rental” section of the event posting for full details.
Whether you ride with us for the full tour or just part of it, you’re in for an unforgettable experience. Let’s make some summer memories — one mural at a time!
(Tour Overview)
We’ll meet up at the Mt. Vernon Square Metro at 2pm. Then we’ll ride west on M Street NW for ~480 feet, at 2:30pm. Once we come across 9th Street NW, we’ll turn right and ride north for ~340 feet.
(West on M Street NW, right on 9th Street NW)
We’ll quickly come across the Namaste mural (Blagden Alley NW, 1/2 block, left-hand side) once we’re on 9th Street NW. The mural, entitled “Namaste,” which means bow in Sanskrit (a classical language of India) and is a popular Hindu greeting used both upon meeting and departing, depicts a woman in a yoga pose levitating, surrounded by nature. The mural is the work of noted DC muralist Aniekan Udofia, who was commissioned by the Murals DC program in the summer of 2019. Wagtime Pet Spa and Boutique owns the building and donated the wall as a canvas for the work. The mural is a tribute to Lisa Schreiber, founder and co-owner of Wagtime. Schreiber, a former Shaw Main Streets board member, died in 2018 at the age of 45. The artist states the following: “In today’s chaotic, technology-filled world, we’ve lost our connection to nature. This mural expresses my wish for all of us to return to nature and be present in the moment. Just as the woman depicted is being embraced by trees and wildlife, I hope this mural inspires viewers to communicate with and through nature.” The artist’s love for fantasy art and comics influenced the style and composition.
(“Namaste” mural)
From here, we’ll backtrack back south down 9th Street NW for ~180 feet. When we reach Blagden Alley NW (1/2 block), we’ll turn right and go west for ~200 feet. Next, we’ll turn right to stay on Blagden Alley NW for another ~130 feet. We’ll make our first left to again stay on Blagden Alley NW for another ~90 feet. We’ll quickly make our next right to again stay on Blagden Alley NW for another ~300 feet.
(South on 9th Street NW, right on Blagden Alley, right on Blagden Alley NW, left on Blagden Alley, right on Blagden Alley)
Along the way, we’ll come across the “Space is the Place” mural (Blagden Alley NW, 1/2 block, left-hand side). The “Space is the Place” mural by DC muralist Aniekan Udofia was originally inspired by visiting DC Alley Museum co-curator / artist Bill Warrell’s studio at the 926 N Street NW, during the planning of the city’s Sun Ra festival. Quickly connecting over similar admiration for the performance artists Sun Ra and Erykah Badu, Udofia became inspired to create a mural that would pay homage to multiple generations of creative inspiration. Armed with pencils, which has become a signature of Udofia’s work, Erykah strongly gazes directly at the viewer while the Artist Sun Ra, an American jazz composer, bandleader, piano and synthesizer player, poet and philosopher known for his experimental music, “cosmic philosophy,” prolific output, and theatrical performances, floats behind her amongst the stars and planets. Created in 2015, this mural was a part of the artist’s personal series called ‘Reloaded.’ Udofia decided to go with a art nouveau style using the artist Alphonse Mucha as inspiration.
(“Space is the Place” mural)
We’ll continue north on Blagden Alley NW. When we reach N Street NW (1/2 block), we turn left and ride west for ~0.1 miles. Upon reaching 11th Street NW (2 blocks), we’ll turn right and travel north for ~0.4 miles.
(North on Blagden Alley, left on N Street NW, right on 11th Street NW)
Upon reaching R Street NW (4 blocks), we’ll turn left and go west for ~0.8 miles. When we get to 18th Street NW (6 blocks), we’ll turn right and travel north for ~0.7 miles.
(North on 11th Street NW, left on R Street NW, right on 18th Street NW)
Along the way, we’ll stop by the “Shop Small” mural (Kalorama Rd NW, 6 blocks, right-hand side). The “Shop Small” mural was created by prolific DC murals artist Aniekan Udofia. It was commissioned by American Express to execute this mural in Adams Morgan for Small Business Saturday 2014, a promotion to encourage holiday shoppers to give some of their business to small, independent, and local brick and mortar retailers. The mural depicts a happy shopper jumping for joy and carrying bags of goodies. The bottom part of this mural has been painted over by the building owner. The artist is known for other work in DC, notably the mural for Ben’s Chili Bowl and the gagged George Washington both on U Street, as well as towering murals of Duke Ellington and Fredrick Douglas. He was born in DC and lived in Nigeria for 16 years before returning to DC where he has lived since 2000.
(“Shop Small” mural)
We’ll continue north on 18th Street NW, which will turn into Adams Mill Rd NW going west. Upon turning into Adams Mill Rd NW (1 block), we’ll immediately turn left into an unmarked alley (1 block) and ride south for ~200 feet.
(North on 18th Street NW, which turns into Adams Mill Road NW, left into unmarked alley)
At the end of the unmarked alley at the corner, we’ll come across the “Adams Morgan” mural (Adams Mill Road NW, 1/2 block, straight in front). The “Adams Morgan” mural is located behind a Fed-Ex office and was completed in the spring of 2017. This is yet another mural created by Aneikan Udofia and it celebrates the history and significance of the Adams Morgan community. This is the artist’s neighborhood where he has lived for the past 20 years. According to the Udofia, historically Adams Morgan started off as 2 separate schools, Adams and Morgan, one in a white neighborhood, and the other in a black neighborhood. The mural depicts kids from the different neighborhoods coming together, having fun, working together, creating a community, beautifying the neighborhood, planting Adams Morgan, and watering it, where it’s shown sprouting out of the ground. You can also see the pencil motif, found in many of the Udofia’s murals, which the artist calls his mambo sauce.
(“Adams Morgan” mural)
We’ll backtrack north in the unmarked alley for ~200 feet. When we reach Adams Mill Road NW (1/2 block), we’ll turn right and ride east for ~340 feet. Upon reaching Columbia Road NW (1/2 block), we’ll turn left and travel northeast for ~0.4 miles.
(North on unmarked alley, right on Adams Mill Road NW, left on Columbia Road NW)
When we reach Harvard Street NW (4 blocks), we’ll turn left and ride northwest for ~340 feet. Next, we’ll make a right to continue on Harvard Street NW (1 block) and go northeast another ~240 feet. Upon reaching Mt. Pleasant Street NW (1 block), we’ll turn left and travel northwest for ~0.1 miles. At Irving Street NW (1 block), we’ll turn right and ride east for ~0.3 miles.
(Northeast on Columbia Road NW, left on Harvard Street NW, continue right on Harvard Street NW, left on Mt Pleasant Street NW, right on Irving Street NW)
When we reach 14th Street NW (3 blocks), we’ll turn left and go due north for ~0.1 miles. Upon reaching Park Road NW (1 block), we’ll turn right and ride northeast for ~0.2 miles. When we reach 13th Street NW (2 blocks), we’ll turn left and travel north for ~190 feet.
(West on Irving Street NW, left on 14th Street NW, right on Park Road NW, left on 13th Street NW)
Immediately after we turn onto 13th Street NW, we’ll come across the “Calla Lillies” mural (13th Street NW, 1/2 block, left-hand side). Kaliq Crosby’s 2017 mural “Calla Lilies” is multi-dimensional in that it springs off the wall of a building and onto a dividing wall, creating a dynamic effect that combines two separate entities into one cohesive piece. In the unconventional layout of this mural, you can see the flowers coming and going, and it transforms the otherwise retreating space of a corner into a full presence that almost leaps off the wall. The sharp lines of the intersecting walls contrast with the undulating lilies in a very clever way, and the colors are very well chosen; they are vibrant and warm without crossing over into technicolor. The mural draws attention to the Addis Park Market, whose wall was chosen for the work, a fact that artist Kaliq Crosby was particularly mindful of. The owners of the Addis Park Market are Ethiopian, so he chose the calla lily, the national flower of Ethiopia, as his subject, and used the palette of the Ethiopian flag to fill in the design. The mural is intended to honor the owners who offered their space, and bring their voices into the community through an expression of joy and peace.
(“Calla Lillies” mural)
We’ll continue north on 13th Street NW for ~140 feet. When we reach the first unmarked alley (1/2 block), we’ll turn right and travel northeast for ~460 feet. Upon reaching 11th Street NW (1 block), we’ll turn right and go south for ~0.3 miles.
(North on 13th Street NW, right on unmarked alley, right on 11th Street NW)
Upon reaching Columbia Road NW (5 blocks), we’ll turn right on Columbia Road NW and go west for ~0.3 miles. Once at 14th Street NW (2 blocks), we’ll turn left and ride south for ~0.4 miles.
(South on 11th Street NW, right on Columbia Road NW, left on 14th Street NW)
Along the way, we’ll come across the “Columbia Heights Community” mural (Clifton Street NW, 5 blocks, right-hand side). The “Columbia Heights Community Mural” is a large, community-based piece of art that celebrates the strength and resilience of women in the community. The mural is a significant part of the city’s public art collection and was created by Byron Peck in 2009. This prominent 16 by 60 foot mural celebrates Columbia Heights landmarks including Cardozo High School, Meridian Hill Park, and the Tivoli Theater. Also featured are dancers from the Dance Institute of Washington and a Boys and Girls Club double-dutch team. The mural is framed by a colorful one-foot mosaic border. More than 20 professional artists and student apprentices worked to create the mural, which was funded by the DC Neighborhood Investment Fund and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities. Two multi-ethnic, intergenerational warrior women guarding the city, juxtaposed with lotus botanicals and clouds, representing the strength and resilience of womanhood and the need to protect nature.
(“Columbia Heights Community” mural)
We’ll continue south on 14th Street NW for ~0.2 miles. When we arrive at W Street NW (2 blocks), we’ll turn left and go east for ~0.2 miles. Once at 12th Street NW (2 blocks), we’ll turn right and travel south for ~0.2 miles. Upon reaching U Street NW (2 blocks), we’ll turn right and ride west for ~70 feet.
(South on 14th Street NW, left on W Street NW, right on 12th Street NW, right on U Street NW)
Next we’ll see the “Duke Ellington” mural (12th Street NW, 1/2 block, left-hand side). The “Duke Ellington” mural was painted in 1997 by acclaimed muralist G. Byron Peck and a team of local students. It is a bold, larger-than-life tribute to one of the city’s most iconic sons. Originally perched above Mood Indigo at 12th and U Streets NW — right near where Ellington grew up — the mural captures the jazz legend in a powerful, contemplative pose inspired by the frontispiece of his autobiography, Music Is My Mistress. Using vibrant Keim mineral paints on concrete panels for durability, the artwork became a beloved cultural landmark almost instantly. To ensure it remained visible and protected, it was relocated in 2004 to the historic True Reformer Building — a place deeply tied to Ellington’s own history, as it hosted his first paid performance. After years of exposure, the mural was removed in 2012 due to structural wear, but a meticulously restored replica was triumphantly reinstalled in 2019. Towering over U Street, once known as “Black Broadway,” the mural stands as a glowing homage to Ellington’s genius, legacy, and the soul of DC’s rich Black cultural heritage.
(“Duke Ellington” mural)
We’ll now backtrack east on U Street NW for ~70 feet. When we reach 12th Street NW (1/2 block), we’ll turn right and travel south for ~0.1 miles. Upon reaching T Street NW (1 block), we’ll turn left and ride east for ~0.3 miles. When we arrive at 7th Street NW (5 blocks), we’ll turn right and go south for ~0.3 miles.
(East on U Street NW, right on 12th Street NW, left on T Street NW, right on 7th Street NW)
Along the way, we’ll come across the “She Got We” mural (R Street NW, 2 blocks, right-hand side). The striking “She Got We” mural by local artist Miss Chelove (Cita Sadeli) rising 3 stories above 7th Street NW in DC’s historic Shaw neighborhood. Unveiled during the June 2022 Open Streets event, the mural features powerful, photo-realistic portraits of women spanning multiple generations — mothers, daughters, and grandmothers — representing the strength, beauty, and interconnection of Black and multicultural womanhood. Each figure radiates resilience and grace, set against a vivid palette of warm ochres, deep greens, and soft pinks. The mural’s title, “She Got We,” speaks to unity, sisterhood, and collective empowerment — offering a visual anthem of community care and shared strength. Commissioned by Shaw Main Streets and funded by Capital Medical Supply, the mural transforms a commercial wall into a cultural landmark, echoing Shaw’s rich legacy of Black creativity and community pride. Miss Chelove crafted the work not just as an aesthetic statement but as a tribute to the women who hold families and communities together.
(“She Got We” mural)
From here, we’ll continue south for another ~0.4 miles back to the Mt Vernon Metro.
Come join us as we spend an afternoon together exploring the murals and landmarks Mt Vernon, Shaw, Logan Circle, Dupont Circle, Adams Morgan, Columbia Heights, U Street 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 the Mt Vernon Metro. 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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