Commuting - MT Vernon Trail

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View Full Version : MT Vernon Trail


jrafter
10-09-03, 09:12 PM
I need help finding a place to park my car overnight so i can commute to work along the Mt Vernon bike trail in virginia.there is a park called grist mill park near MT Vernon that i could use if i worked days but the parks closed at night and i need to park from 4pm-8am so im out of luck.Im hoping someone could give me some ideas.......thanks


meb
10-10-03, 12:55 AM
I need help finding a place to park my car overnight so i can commute to work along the Mt Vernon bike trail in virginia.there is a park called grist mill park near MT Vernon that i could use if i worked days but the parks closed at night and i need to park from 4pm-8am so im out of luck.Im hoping someone could give me some ideas.......thanks

At the moment, most of Mt. Vernon trail is closed south of Alexandria due the hurricane, 12 bridges were wiped out by hurricane Isabel, 11 south of Alexandria. The only one knocked out north of Alexandria has been repaired.

I've seen cars parked at Gravelly Pt. after midnight, although I always though t overnight parking was precluded. Maybe Dangerfield Island, but it could be the overnight parking is beyond the gate for slip renters. National Airport (though expensive). You could probably rent monthly parking in alexandria/crystal city garages. Potomac Yard. Huntington Metro Station.

After things get back up down south, I notice there are a lot of residential areas north of Ft. Hunt you might ba able to park on the street.

jrafter
10-10-03, 04:29 AM
parking near crystal city wouldnt work,thats where im trying to get to.i work at the treatment plant next to the trail on glebe rd.i just started looking into riding my bike to work and i havent been on mt vernon since early summer.i did nt realize isabel had done any damage to the trail.no telling how long the park service will take to fix all the bridges...........thanks for the info.


jchet
10-10-03, 08:42 AM
I need help finding a place to park my car overnight so i can commute to work along the Mt Vernon bike trail in virginia.there is a park called grist mill park near MT Vernon that i could use if i worked days but the parks closed at night and i need to park from 4pm-8am so im out of luck.Im hoping someone could give me some ideas.......thanks

I own a condo where the Mt. Vernon Hwy and Rt 1 intersect. There is a Roy Rogers Rest. on one side of Rt 1 and a Gas Station I think Exxon staion on the other side. If you were driving down Rt 1 going north and turned left at this intersection as if going into Roy Rogers this is Olde Mill Road. You can park on this street during the night. Ride down Mt. Vernon Hwy to Mt. Vernon and pick up the bike path there.

Or if your uncomfortable leaving your automobile on the street there (perhaps your driving a C-4 Porche) then let me know and you could park in the condo parking lot where I live during the week. It's about 1 block from where I suggested. I ride that route in the mornings to train so know the area well.

SteveE
10-10-03, 09:29 AM
There is a Roy Rogers Rest. on one side of Rt 1 and a Gas Station I think Exxon staion on the other side.
This is off-thread but I thought all of the Roy Rogers Restaurants had been either shut down or converted to Hardee's. When I lived back in Falls Church, we always went to Roy's for burgers and fried chicken. My younger daughter would die for some of Roy's fried chicken. It's probably the only thing she still misses from the DC area after 7 years.

jchet
10-10-03, 09:38 AM
This is off-thread but I thought all of the Roy Rogers Restaurants had been either shut down or converted to Hardee's. When I lived back in Falls Church, we always went to Roy's for burgers and fried chicken. My younger daughter would die for some of Roy's fried chicken. It's probably the only thing she still misses from the DC area after 7 years.


It may be Roy's last store? Come to think of it I don't recall many around other then that one.

jrafter
10-10-03, 10:36 AM
the street along side roys sounds like it might work.i was scouting the area yesterday and will go back and check that out.also Mep stated some of the bridges along the trail where taken out by isabel and parts of it are closed.does anyone else take this route to work and did you find away around?would i be able to ride on the parkway or is that a bad idea?

jchet
10-10-03, 10:50 AM
You can make the ride with no real problem. I have taken the MTV bikepath from Mt Vernon down the hill to Riverside Park. I don't know how the trail is from there as I cut across the parkway and take a residential street that runs along the parkway. This allows me to keep my speed up since the bike path has too many turns or people in my way. I connect back with the bike path before the Belle View Marina and follow it into Old Town. I have taken the bikepath from Old Town to Bethesda last week with no problems. I would assume you should have no problem the whole way. I know it was a mess a few weeks ago but I believe it's cleared enough to ride from Mt Vernon all the way to where your going. The few bridges I have gone over were fine.

jrafter
10-10-03, 12:57 PM
thanks a lot for the info.....im going to ride it tomrrow and see how long it takes me to get to work.

jchet
10-11-03, 12:36 PM
thanks a lot for the info.....im going to ride it tomrrow and see how long it takes me to get to work.

I stand corrected, if you rode to work today you did see the bridges out. I usually ride off the parkway for portions of that ride and hadn't noticed until todays training ride that these bridges that were mentioned were out. Sorry. :(

meb
11-14-03, 05:14 PM
Mt. Vernon trail reopened 11/12. The Park Service cautions there will still be debris along portions of the trail for about a week till cleanup is completed.

http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/events/index2003.htm

meb
11-14-03, 05:33 PM
Mt. Vernon trail reopened 11/12. The Park Service cautions there will still be debris along portions of the trail for about a week till cleanup is completed.

http://www.nps.gov/gwmp/events/index2003.htm