mjdwyer23

Hey Everyone-
I'm going to try to start commuting to my new job at WL Gore about 20 miles away from my new place near Wilmington DE. It's about 20 miles away which should make for a good workout, but in DE there's no side streets, just main roads! Does anyone else commute in DE that can give me tips for not getting killed or any newbie commuter tips? Thanks!

ken cummings

Your (DE) state Department Of Transportation gives away a beautiful waterproof map of the whole state and urban areas that shows bike routes. FREE. I sent away for one and got it in two weeks. Go to bike shops and recreational bike club meetings and ask about routes. Read a lot of BF threads. Enjoy.

huhenio

JoeJackson will help you if you ask him

french.ace

mjdwyer, where near wilmington are you? where is WL Gore? I commute from just across the PA border down to the christiana hospital. Not sure how much of that (if any) would be on your route.....

mjdwyer23

My new townhouse is about 10 minute from where you work, off of Limestone road. Gore is in elkton MD right past Newark. I haven't moved to the area yet so I haven't really scoped out traffic patterns and stuff, but any help I can get is greatly appreciated! Thanks a lot

MAK

Depending on where you are off of Limestone Road, if you are near Goldey Beacom College, you can take Paper Mill Road (long hills) all the way into Newark and then to Elkton Road. If you are closer to Kirkwood Highway, you can take Milltown Road to Kirkwood Hwy (pretty flat) into Newark or just Kirkwood Hwy itself. Yes, Kirkwood Highway is a busy road but it does have shoulders and should be a decent ride. Answer with more specifics regarding your townhouse and I can be more specific myself. Where are you moving from?

mjdwyer23

I go to school at Lehigh currently (Bethlehem PA, lots of hills) and am from NE Philly suburbs originally. I'm living at the Walden Townhomes at about the midpoint between the college and Kirkwood. Like I said earlier I haven't really scoped out the roads, I just got a little worried looking at the map! Thanks again

joejack951

Wow, where'd all these Delaware people come from? Nice to know I'm not the only one riding every day. Any chance one of you commute across Route 1 on Brinton Lake Road, to Spring Valley, to Temple, to Kirk, to Garnet Mine? If so, I'm the guy going the other way. Anyway, I can probably be of some help if you can give an ending address. There are plenty of backroads through DE and MD that should make your trip much more enjoyable (and probably hillier) than riding down Route 7 or 2. Biggest problem with any shouldered road in DE is riding there puts you in the turning lane at intersections. Those roads are manageable but they can be a hassle to ride in heavy traffic. During what time period would you be riding?

french.ace

geez joe. You practically ride through my backyard. I live on smithbridge at 202, so I shoot down smithbridge into DE. Are you starting at garnet mine and commuting somewhere over in the briton lakes shopping center?

Good point about the turn lanes. Most of my major roads through DE have nice wide shoulders, but you have to pay attention when they turn into a right turn lane. In fact I just had a minor "encounter" this morning in this exact situation.

joejack951

I live right near Foulk and Naamans (in Ballymeade) and commute over to Southco (right across the street from the shopping center). I'm often found on Smith Bridge Road biking to Hockessin where most of my family lives. We've probably crossed paths at some point.

I have 3 relatives (1 aunt, 2 cousins) who work as nurses at Christiana. Any chance you know any Kaminskis? (yes, I'm 75% polish and have Jackson as a last name)

french.ace

I knew a Ben Kaminski when I was high school. Actually, I don't work at the hospital. I work at Nationwide which is right next to the hospital. Figured the hospital was a more recognizable landmark than nationwide.

Well listen. I ride a grey cannondale with a fairly noticeable red headset, usually with one (sometimes two) red arkel pannier on the side. If you ever see me out there, my name is Adam.

Sorry for hijacking the thread a little matt

mjdwyer23

My ending address is 325 Blue Ball Rd Elkton MD, so about 17 miles from where I'll be living. Should be a nice trip. Do side roads exist in that area??

joejack951

home.comcast.net/~joejackson951/bike/Gore.pdf

This should at least be a start. I've biked on most of these roads and they are pleasant for the most part (you'll enjoy them more than biking on Kirkwood Highway). This is a hilly route but given where you are from, you can probably handle it. Let me know how it works out. I wouldn't mind doing a little exploration around there to help find some better roads either (any excuse for a ride).

joejack951

I'll keep an eye out for you. If I'm commuting, I'm on either a blue Specialized Hardrock with an Arkel Tailrider (and maybe the Bug) or a silver Specialized Sequoia (with same pannier setup).