popsicleian

For nearly two years I've been living in Baltimore, working in DC. I've been taking the MARC down and riding my folding bike to/from the stations on both ends.

My wife and I are trying to move down to the DC area, preferably Arlington or Alexandria, and I really can't wait to be off the train and doing a full bike commute.

We're considering making an offer on a condo in Alexandria on Holmes Run Pkwy and I've been poring over the Alexandria city bike map trying to figure out how I would get to work. I selected a number of possibilities and mapped them out on gmap-pedometer. It looks like no route would be shorter than 11ish miles (I work near L'Enfant Plaza), which I can deal with, but I'd like something a bit shorter. I'm fairly comfortable with riding on busy streets, but I would strongly prefer to bike on calmer streets or trails.

Below are the routes that I've mapped out as possibilities. I'd appreciate feedback on which would be the nicest/most pleasant/fastest and especially on any shorter or faster routes that I've missed.

1. Holmes Run Trail SE to Cameron Run trail, then loop up to Commonwealth and take that to 4 Mile Run Trail and over to the Mt. Vernon. Distance: 11.5

2. Holmes Run trail NW to Chambliss St, to Dawes St, through NoVA CC, up Beauregard/Walter Reed to 4 Mile Run, then over to Mt. Vernon. Distance: 11

3. Holmes Run Trail to Latham to Taney to Howard, To Braddock Rd to Valley Dr, take Valley up to 4 Mile Run and over to Mt. Vernon trail. Distance: 11 (There are several variations on this one, but all basically just meander up towards 4 Mile Run and all are about 11 miles)

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

PaulH

My office is off Edsall Road and I live in Arlington. My route home includes Beauregard to Arlington Mill, to the Four Mile Run Trail, and then off at Eads, which is near my house. It works quite well during the summer, but the trails here are not always usable in the winter without studded tires.


Paul

JCFlack

I live near your potential condo and I commute up to Rosslyn. Your route #3 is the one I use the most. From Jordan to Seminary on Howard has two steep hills. If you want an easier path, go up Pegram to a right on Seminary and a left on Howard instead - there is still a hill but not as steep. The place where Braddock intersects with King and Quaker is fine in the morning but has very heavy traffic in the afternoon. I like to go Valley to Preston and cut through Fairlington on 33rd, Stafford and 34th to Wakefield. You cross King at Wakefield, then take the service road to Menokin to Early to a right on Braddock.
On #2, after you cross Beauregard on the Holmes Run trail, the most obvious continuation of the trail is straight ahead, but this crosses the creek through a ford which can be deep when we've had a lot of rain - like now. If you go right on Beauregard and cross the stream on Beauregard, there is another branch of the trail to the left of some tennis courts - no ford. Or continue to left on Sanger and rejoin the trail just past Ramsey Elementary School. You could also start like you would in #3, left on Taney right on Pegram left on Rickenbacker which becomes Sanger at Van Dorn. The trail from Holmes Run to Chambliss is very steep through the woods on the outbound direction.
I've done #1, and sometimes just stop at King Street Metro fold my bike and ride.

popsicleian

Thanks for the suggestions so far. We may have to come down to DC to do a couple of things next weekend anyway, so I think I'll bring a bike and try out a couple of different routes.

Anyone else have any thoughts?

cc_rider

#2 and #3 if you want hills.
#1 if you don't.
For #1 you can also go to the circle at the end of Eisenhower and cut over to Wilkes (instead of Duke St) and pick up the MVT at the tunnel.
As JC said #2 is be more weather dependent than the others. The trail can get mucked up and covered with debris after a storm.

JCFlack

There are lots of good ways to get to the 4 mile run trail. For instance, this morning I made the right from Howard to Braddock, continued on Braddock to a left on Windsor, which leads to Commonwealth. I wouldn't do that in the reverse direction - afternoon traffic and killer hills, but around 7AM traffic is light and it is all down hill.