Southeast - Hillsboro > Rt 9 > Harpers Ferry Rd -- condition for solo riding

Hey All,

I'm heading out to Breaux Vineyards on Saturday for their annual Cajun Festival. Was going to ride my bike out to there from Reston and meet some friends who will give me a ride home.

The only question I had is how is the riding on Rt. 9 from Hillsboro to Harpers Ferry Rd and then the approximately two miles up HF Road to Breaux Vineyards. I'd probably be on there around 11:00ish in the morning. FYI, I'm used to riding a lot of the roads in that area (Mountain Rd, Stony Point/Woodgrove, Hillsboro Rd, Milltown, Hamilton Station, etc.), just have never ventured west past Hillsboro to know the width of the road, shoulders, etc.

I will NOT be riding home on those roads after hundreds of people have spent the day in the hot sun drinking wine and eating crawfish.

Thanks!

Wish I could help. I've thought about heading up that way to get to Harpers Ferry. I've seen lots of people make routes on mapmyride etc. that include those roads.

Good luck and stay sober :)

I'd try searching the forums for other references to Harpers Ferry Rd. I've only cycled the section of Rt 9 from where it enters Hillsboro from the west (old Reston Century route) where there is a shoulder and the speed limit is lower. I sort of recall from driving the section out to Breaux that 9 looks do-able. I don't think Harpers Ferry Rd has faster (but less) traffic or any-to-much of a shoulder, so I'd try to keep my time on it to a minimum, wear a helmet or sunglass mirror to check overtaking traffic, run a taillight with a bright strobe and wear my brightest most hi-viz jersey or a vest.

Unrelated - there are wineries off Dry Mill and Harmony Church Rd near Leesburg, on Moutain Rd, and near 287 north of Purcelville that are bikeable.

BTW, the Grandale Farm restaurant is just before Breaux on the west side of the road - excellent for a late lunch or dinner after the wine festival.

I've never biked that stretch of route 9, but I've driven it and the Harper's Ferry Road many time. I remember thinking "I wouldn't want to try to ride on this road." Too narrow with no place to bail out and traffic too fast for my taste. But tastes vary.....

My choice would be to cross into MD at Brunswick and take the C&O a few miles. Since my bike has 700x35's, I've got no worries about riding the canal trail.

edit - never mind about the C&O. I thought you were headed to HF, but I see from the festival website that it is not that near.

I remember thinking "I wouldn't want to try to ride on this road."

That's all I needed to hear. :thumb: Thanks!

Plans changed a bit (person who was to drive me home will be out of town), so I'll drive out and park at the school in Hillsboro in the morning, do my ride, then drive up to the winery.

I am familiar with some of the other wineries in the area. Doukenie is right on Mountain Rd. and they put on some nice little festivals during the year. I'm sure I'll make similar plans for one of their events.