Northeast - Question for DC cyclists

I'm flying to DC on 30 March for a 31 March interview for grad school at GWU. I'll be flying into Reagan and possibly staying on Bolling AFB (my wife is USAF). My question is, do I need to rent a car? I'm thinking about packing my folding bike and simply bee-bopping between the airport, Bolling, and GWU.

Thanks!

I'm not sure about bikeabilty in and out of the base, I've biked to Anacostia Park which is near the base and there is a sidewalk along the bridge that can be biked (a bit narrow in spots but everything else is doable on a bike. You may want to look at Google's bike directions, while still in beta it does show trails and (some) bike routes in the area. You may also want to try asking on http://groups.yahoo.com/group/BikeWashingtonDC/

Thanks,

I'm a little intimidated to be moving to DC. I've been living in West Texas for the last four years (remember the story the summer before last about the raid on the Fundamental Latter Day Saints compound? That's 30 miles from me...), and moving to the East Coast is going to be a bit of an adjustment.

I'm a little intimidated to be moving to DC. ...
We're just another sleepy southern town. :D

Don't know if Bolling has a bike entrance at the north end. If it does, you'll save a couple of miles and one big hill.
The main gate is at Malcolm X, couple of blocks from MLK Jr Blvd. MLK has a very bikeable wide outside lane. Big hill at St E's, which you'll get both ways. Don't know how weekday traffic is.
There is supposed to be a crossing at the Douglas Bridge, but I've never used it so I'll give you the way I know.
MLK to Good Hope Rd and across the Welsh Bridge, then M St to the waterfront, cross the channel on the Case Bridge. then the River trail to Virginia Ave (at the Watergate). GW is just a couple more blocks.
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3544432
And Metro is easy bike distance from Bolling. Probably the Anacostia Station. Bikes allowed at non-rush hours, but folders might be ok anytime (you'll need to check.)

Good luck.


ps Good time to be riding in DC. The cherry blossoms should be out and near peak.

The fun bit about DC there is a lot of nice country riding in a lot of directions outside the city.

If the base has any kind of website or office that handles commuting info, check with them. Also waba.org and bikewashington.org for possible routes, and wmata.com for Metrobus and Metrorail info. The trip planner at wmata.com recommends a bus that goes to the Congress Heights station - that may be the closest metrorail station. I do not know the routes at all in that area; the goggle maps bike option uses Suitland Parkway which I am skeptical is at all bikeable. On the plus side, all metro buses have bike racks, folders (bagged) are allowed at all times, and as you may have noticed, GWU is crawling distance from the Foggy Bottom metro rail station.

Wich department are you visiting? A very good friend is a long-time professor I think in Middle East poly-sci. (PM me as I may not revisit this thread for a while)

Thanks for all the great info. We'll be in DC in August hell or high water, my wife is getting stationed at Bolling. We're both very excited to rejoin civilization!

You can bike from bolling. you can take the northern gate and cross the bridge at South Cap. Easiest way downtown. Keep an eye open though, SE is a rough part of town.

Folded bikes are allowed during rush hour. A Metro worker advised me that it's not folding bikes, it's folded bikes.

you can also take the metro from DCA to Federal Triangle, then cross the street and rent a bike from these folks: http://bikethesites.com/

they only use Trek, so if you're a devotee of another company you'll want to look elsewhere. I got one of their road bikes last week and enjoyed it immensely.

Back from my trip, when I have time sometime this week I'll provide a trip report about the guy from West Texas who got off the plane at Reagan International and biked around DC for three days. It was a blast!