Need advice from DC area commuters
09-07-05, 06:42 PM
#26
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Tribe:
Congrats on the ride.
Sorry if I led you astray on the hills. Besides capitol hill and the hillcrest hill (penn and branch), what was the third hill you encountered? The downhill on the eastward trip is after passing Branch; longer but not as steep.
Also, I hate crossing GW Parkway during rush hour. If you continue to the 14th Street Bridge, you can avoid the road crossings. Even the crosswalk on the DC side of Memorial can be bad; the construction signs can really obscure bikes. If your interested, after crossing into DC, you can ride a wide sidewalk or uturn to your left and make a loop skimming potomac park. (potomac park is an excellent bike loop for riding). Work your way onto Raol Wallenburg and hang a right after passing independence.
Congrats on the ride.
Sorry if I led you astray on the hills. Besides capitol hill and the hillcrest hill (penn and branch), what was the third hill you encountered? The downhill on the eastward trip is after passing Branch; longer but not as steep.
Also, I hate crossing GW Parkway during rush hour. If you continue to the 14th Street Bridge, you can avoid the road crossings. Even the crosswalk on the DC side of Memorial can be bad; the construction signs can really obscure bikes. If your interested, after crossing into DC, you can ride a wide sidewalk or uturn to your left and make a loop skimming potomac park. (potomac park is an excellent bike loop for riding). Work your way onto Raol Wallenburg and hang a right after passing independence.
09-07-05, 06:50 PM
#27
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Originally Posted by emilymildew
Okay, can I hijack this thread to ask for help? I live in Rockville, near the Rio (let's say the corner of Key West and Shady Grove Road, if you want to map it) and I work on Executive Drive near Montrose Road.
I want to ride, but I don't see a good way to avoid Rockville Pike; the one route I thought of was to take Gude the whole way to Rockville Pike, but then I saw RP and realized that it's probably a bad idea.
Thoughts? Ideas?
I want to ride, but I don't see a good way to avoid Rockville Pike; the one route I thought of was to take Gude the whole way to Rockville Pike, but then I saw RP and realized that it's probably a bad idea.
Thoughts? Ideas?
Does Wootton and Tower Oaks to Montrose work? Some of the residential streets might keep you off of Montrose.
09-07-05, 08:11 PM
#28
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Originally Posted by freerangemike
Tribe:
Congrats on the ride.
Sorry if I led you astray on the hills. Besides capitol hill and the hillcrest hill (penn and branch), what was the third hill you encountered? The downhill on the eastward trip is after passing Branch; longer but not as steep.
Also, I hate crossing GW Parkway during rush hour. If you continue to the 14th Street Bridge, you can avoid the road crossings. Even the crosswalk on the DC side of Memorial can be bad; the construction signs can really obscure bikes. If your interested, after crossing into DC, you can ride a wide sidewalk or uturn to your left and make a loop skimming potomac park. (potomac park is an excellent bike loop for riding). Work your way onto Raol Wallenburg and hang a right after passing independence.
Congrats on the ride.
Sorry if I led you astray on the hills. Besides capitol hill and the hillcrest hill (penn and branch), what was the third hill you encountered? The downhill on the eastward trip is after passing Branch; longer but not as steep.
Also, I hate crossing GW Parkway during rush hour. If you continue to the 14th Street Bridge, you can avoid the road crossings. Even the crosswalk on the DC side of Memorial can be bad; the construction signs can really obscure bikes. If your interested, after crossing into DC, you can ride a wide sidewalk or uturn to your left and make a loop skimming potomac park. (potomac park is an excellent bike loop for riding). Work your way onto Raol Wallenburg and hang a right after passing independence.
. The third hill is actually a fairly long false flat I guess; I was going at 12 to 14 mph and on the way back I could cruise at 20/22. So not a third hill really.
09-07-05, 08:56 PM
#29
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Originally Posted by cc_rider
If you don't mind a paved trail, and during daylight hours, take Gude to the Rock Creek Trail. Southlawn, Avery and Baltimore Road (via Norbeck) all cross it, or pick it up at Needwood. Get off at Randolf Road (don't know how it is for biking, but Macon Rd gets you to the shopping center at Parklawn) If you can get across RP, you're there.
Does Wootton and Tower Oaks to Montrose work? Some of the residential streets might keep you off of Montrose.
Does Wootton and Tower Oaks to Montrose work? Some of the residential streets might keep you off of Montrose.
And if by that second part you mean taking Wootton and Tower Oaks to avoid Rockville Pike, I'm okay with being on the Pike for that short distance; it's in front of the country club by then, and I can turn right at Congressional (just past the cc) and take residential streets the rest of the way.
09-08-05, 06:21 AM
#30
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Originally Posted by emilymildew
Hm. I don't think I know where the Rock Creek Trail happens. I will see if I can find a map of it. Thanks.
And if by that second part you mean taking Wootton and Tower Oaks to avoid Rockville Pike, I'm okay with being on the Pike for that short distance; it's in front of the country club by then, and I can turn right at Congressional (just past the cc) and take residential streets the rest of the way.
And if by that second part you mean taking Wootton and Tower Oaks to avoid Rockville Pike, I'm okay with being on the Pike for that short distance; it's in front of the country club by then, and I can turn right at Congressional (just past the cc) and take residential streets the rest of the way.
Trail Head is at Lake Needwood and runs all the way to Georgetown. It's a nice ride.
Looking at the map, Wooton and Tower Oaks looks like it is more direct than RP. I've driven them both and, if memory serves, they seemed bikeable.
09-08-05, 09:37 AM
#31
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The road (Beach Ave) is rideable and a fun ride to Georgetown, but the trail... meh. It's too torn up. If you are just looking for a leisurely ride and you have fatter tires, then the trail is it (mind you, it does get narrow at points, and with pedestrians on it, it can be a tedious ride and not very enjoyable either). I more recommend jumping Beach Ave running alongside the trail if you're headed to Georgetown and you can be zippy on your bike.
Koffee
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09-08-05, 08:43 PM
#32
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Originally Posted by koffee brown
The road (Beach Ave) is rideable and a fun ride to Georgetown, but the trail... meh. It's too torn up. If you are just looking for a leisurely ride and you have fatter tires, then the trail is it (mind you, it does get narrow at points, and with pedestrians on it, it can be a tedious ride and not very enjoyable either). I more recommend jumping Beach Ave running alongside the trail if you're headed to Georgetown and you can be zippy on your bike.
Koffee
Koffee
There are a LOT of folks with kids and dogs (who are pretty slow reacting to bikes).
Also, as the trail skirts a stream valley, biking contributes to errosion.
Do yourself a favor and bike where trails are built suitably for such use.
check out the Capitol Cresent Trail!!! some bladers/peds/runners on it near the residential sections, but an awesome ride between Beach Drive (Bethesda) and Georgetown (where you can hop across the bridge and join up to the W.O.D trail)
09-09-05, 06:16 AM
#33
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Originally Posted by inja
Actually it is ILLEGAL to ride on the HIKING trail....
The paved portion of the Rock Creek Trail is a Hiker-Biker trail, and according to MNCPPC (who runs the trails) even the unpaved trails are legal for bikes unless posted.
Within DC, most of the unpaved trails through Rock Creek Park seem to be posted as "no bikes." But the DC part is controled by NPS, not MNCPPC.
Most of the trails around the DC area are multi-use. But that doesn't stop bikes from using roads, where permitted, instead of the MUP.
Agree with koffee. Between Piece Mill and Viers Mill I take Beach instead of the trail. Above Viers Mill there are no good parallel roads, but the trail is less busy than farther south, and except for a couple of spots that tend to flood, it is in good shape. The woods near Needwood are very pleasant.
Below Pierce Mill I stay on the trail inspite of conditions, 'cause DC drivers are nuts.
Last edited by cc_rider; 09-09-05 at 01:44 PM.
