Road rides in Washington DC area...

[mtbchica]

Hi, new to the DC area and I would like to get out and road ride more often from my apt instead of driving 30 miles to meet up with a group. Anyone out there live in DC want to show me some rides and maybe ride together? I would say right now after a quiet winter I am a C level rider with B potential. That means I can ride for a couple of hours at a moderate pace say 12-15mph relatively flat, with some short steeps or gradual climbs but not for miles (yet!).

[Arsbars]

Have you tried MORE? They are a mtb group but many of them ride road.

http://more-mtb.org

I no longer live in the DC area (moved in January) but there is Hynes (spell check me) Point where most the roadies get their fast miles in. There are also all the greenways around DC.

[cc_rider]

Have you looked at PPTC yet. They do rides all over the area. For some of them I bike to the start, others I have to drive. There's a mulit level ride leaving from Pierce Mill in Rock Creek next Saturday. I've done that one before and plan to be there this weekend. It's a good ride at 25 miles and only a few hills. I'll probably add a few miles before and after.
http://www.bikepptc.org/
If you decide to show, post or PM your bike description. I can fill you in on some of the local routes.
I'll be on the blue TREK 750 with the rear rack-pack.

[dynaryder]

What type of riding are you looking to do? If you want to follow a pace line of roadies,I can't help you. But if you'd like to hang with some folks who ride around the city,do alleycats,play bike polo,and just have a good time,you're welcome to come out and join the DC Pirates. We're having a get-together tomorrow(Wed). We're meeting up in the park at 14th and K streets NW at 7pm.

Check out our thread in the Singlespeed/Fixed Gear forum(http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...&page=81&pp=25) or PM me for details.

[Nick Carraway]

Hi, new to the DC area and I would like to get out and road ride more often from my apt instead of driving 30 miles to meet up with a group. Anyone out there live in DC want to show me some rides and maybe ride together? I would say right now after a quiet winter I am a C level rider with B potential. That means I can ride for a couple of hours at a moderate pace say 12-15mph relatively flat, with some short steeps or gradual climbs but not for miles (yet!).

Lots of good places to ride around here. Rock Creek, Capital Crescent, Mount Vernon Trails, Beach Dr. (for on-road), as well as plenty of other good road routes. Are you actually in the District, or somewhere in the 'burbs?

[joshdcu]

The above suggestions are all good. Also, some of the local racing teams host weekend group rides that leave from Pierce Mill in Rock Creek Park, or from other close-in locations such as the Java Shack in Clarendon or Capitol Hill Bikes in Capitol Hill. These rides can be pretty challenging, but sometimes will also break into smaller groups depending on how fast people want to go, and they're a good way to learn the local roads.

Where in DC are you?

[mtbchica]

I live in DC, Capitol Hill.

[mtbchica]

I dont have a fixie or single speed, but that is so cool you all do the alley cats etc. I have a friend in Seattle who tells me and sends me photos of the events they put on out there.

[mtbchica]

Have you looked at PPTC yet. They do rides all over the area. For some of them I bike to the start, others I have to drive. There's a mulit level ride leaving from Pierce Mill in Rock Creek next Saturday. I've done that one before and plan to be there this weekend. It's a good ride at 25 miles and only a few hills. I'll probably add a few miles before and after.
http://www.bikepptc.org/
If you decide to show, post or PM your bike description. I can fill you in on some of the local routes.
I'll be on the blue TREK 750 with the rear rack-pack.

I have a USA Cycling update clinic on saturday and I am officiating a race on sunday or I would join you all. I have done the pierce mill ride, in fact that is where my car was broken into. I ride a red fuji roubaix.

[mtbchica]

I live in DC and I am looking for someone to show me some nice routes and ride with me. I am not comfortable riding solo here with all the crime etc. I am too used to riding back in central ny on wide shoulder roads in farming communities !

[dynaryder]

I dont have a fixie or single speed, but that is so cool you all do the alley cats etc. I have a friend in Seattle who tells me and sends me photos of the events they put on out there.

I don't ride fixed either. We take in all kinds.

For safe routes,PM Chimblysweep. She's female and has been here for years. Just tell her I volunteered her services.

[joshdcu]

I don't ride fixed either. We take in all kinds.

I went on a couple rides with the Pirates (Sunday laps at Hains Point, followed by grilled cheese and beer... yum), and they're a swell bunch of kids.

[Trek_Rider_05]

Hi, new to the DC area and I would like to get out and road ride more often from my apt instead of driving 30 miles to meet up with a group. Anyone out there live in DC want to show me some rides and maybe ride together? I would say right now after a quiet winter I am a C level rider with B potential. That means I can ride for a couple of hours at a moderate pace say 12-15mph relatively flat, with some short steeps or gradual climbs but not for miles (yet!).

Hey there. Dont live in DC, but im a short bike/ metro ride from cap-hill. I live in Old town Alexandria (in Del Ray.) Lots of great biking out here. WO&D and the Mt. Vernon Trail are two of my faves. IM kinda of a "beginner" cyclist myself. Mainly road/ paved trails here. Id be happy to show you around NoVa if you ever wanna get out this way. The rides along the potomac river on the Mt. Vernon Trail are quite beautiful. You, or anyone else in my area looking for a cycling bud can feel free to email me kpj.dca@gmail.com

[tulip]

I live in DC and I am looking for someone to show me some nice routes and ride with me. I am not comfortable riding solo here with all the crime etc. I am too used to riding back in central ny on wide shoulder roads in farming communities !

You are missing out on alot of fun urban riding. The crime is not as bad as folks make it out to be. Do you commute to work on your bike? That's a great way to learn the city. I don't do the allycats and such because I don't think I can keep up with that gang (neither by bike nor by keg), but they do seem to have alot of fun. Maybe one of these days I'll get up the gumption to hang with them.

My recommendation would be to ride with lots of folks, get an ADC Bike Map of DC and start going places that you normally go...on your bike.

[Guest]

What crime?

I mostly can't stand the trails out here- initially, I thought it was so cool to have so many trails, but with all the stupid pedestrians, people bringing kids, runners with strollers, pedestrians with dogs, etc., it's a nightmare and a pain in the ass to bother with. I only take the trail to jump into Washington, DC- that's it.

I vote for meeting up with the Potomac Pedalers. Alternatively, you can head towards the Montgomery County in MD and do some great road riding out on the other side of DC. I mean- REALLY GREAT RIDING.

Koffee

[rpc180]

There's lots of good options for soloing in the district or going in groups. I'm a CC-B rider also.
Solo:
Bike Washington http://bikewashington.org/ maps of all the trails in the area.
Rock Creek Parkway on weekends (N. Georgetown to Silver Spring)
Capitol Cresent Trail (E. Georgetown to Bethesda)
Mt. Vernon Trail (Roslyn to Mt. Vernon)
Custis Trail (Roslyn east through Arlington)
Haines Point (a 2-3 mile loop around East Potomac Park)

Groups:
PPTC www.bikepptc.org - Some great distance rides that I do every weekend but most of the close in rides are in the D and C categories. Their B pace is about 15mph hilly, CC is a little less (12-13 hilly). I haven't been on a ride that wasn't fun or scenic.
Pirates - The nationally known fixie group! Bike polo every other Wednesday, Haines Point rides each Sunday and random hanging out often.
Capitol Hill Bikes - Saturday and Sunday rides leave the shop in the morning, they are usually very fast and B-A riders but they'll go into Arlington or out to Bethesda depending on the group.
Critical Mass - First Friday of every month starting from Dupont Circle, its coming up this week, I think it will have some good attendance.

BTW - I went to school in Binghamton, NY, were you anywhere near by?

[sch]

I visited WashDC in June 2yrs ago and stayed with a friend who was about 1mi from Rock Creek park about 2-3mi outside the DC border. I rode all up and down Rock Creek both onthe bike trail and the road, and then discovered a couple of other rails to trails corridors and did a 40mile loop down to the ?Erie canal tow path, into the city and up Rock Creek. It was very nice, shady and relatively cool with almost no traffic on the bike paths. I was out during the day, and in certain areas the traffic did increase as people got off work. Google on Washington DC bicycle clubs, and adjacent cities same way for lists of bike clubs and go to their web sites for posted rides. Some are exclusive: you have to be a member to get access but others are public. Once you make contact with a group you can usually cross reference to other groups. I got the impression from my researches that somebody somewhere in DC metro has an organized ride almost every day of the week from now til weather closes down in October. The number of rides was HUGE and that was 2yrs ago.
Steve

[Lithuania]

I live in springfield va and would love to ride with anyone if they get out this way. I live right at the end of the blue line. The gw parkway from olde town is a nice ride that I do. I also have some routes going from springfield to sterling that are abour 50 - 60 miles round trip.

I am still a beginner. I can ride far but not fast.

If anyone wants to ride let me know. I also dont really like riding by myself if I dont have too.

[man910]

When you do the GW Parkway, do you ride on the road or on the trail? How fast do you normally ride?

I live in springfield va and would love to ride with anyone if they get out this way. I live right at the end of the blue line. The gw parkway from olde town is a nice ride that I do. I also have some routes going from springfield to sterling that are abour 50 - 60 miles round trip.

I am still a beginner. I can ride far but not fast.

If anyone wants to ride let me know. I also dont really like riding by myself if I dont have too.

[Guest]

I live in springfield va and would love to ride with anyone if they get out this way. I live right at the end of the blue line. The gw parkway from olde town is a nice ride that I do. I also have some routes going from springfield to sterling that are abour 50 - 60 miles round trip.

I am still a beginner. I can ride far but not fast.

If anyone wants to ride let me know. I also dont really like riding by myself if I dont have too.

PM Cyclochica. She lives out in Springfield and sounds like she rides about your speed.

Koffee

[rocks in head]

Hi, I'm moving to the Arlington/Alexandria area (starting a job at the Patent Office June 5) and was wondering if there's any place I should look into living that's an easier commute to there (King St Metro, basically). From what I hear I shouldn't choose a place based on the paths b/c of all the peds. Are there some streets that are safer to ride on? I ride an old univega right now, but I'm building up a ross as a fixie and will probably ride that mostly if there aren't too many hills.

This thread is great for hearing about the other groups up here, I just joined the pirates' mailing list, but I think I might be interested in some of the other stuff too.
(search fn on bf is awesome)

Thanks people, and hope to see you on the road. Now I just need to get my fiancee to get on a a bike.

[rpc180]

Hi, I'm moving to the Arlington/Alexandria area (starting a job at the Patent Office June 5) and was wondering if there's any place I should look into living that's an easier commute to there (King St Metro, basically). From what I hear I shouldn't choose a place based on the paths b/c of all the peds. Are there some streets that are safer to ride on? I ride an old univega right now, but I'm building up a ross as a fixie and will probably ride that mostly if there aren't too many hills.

This thread is great for hearing about the other groups up here, I just joined the pirates' mailing list, but I think I might be interested in some of the other stuff too.
(search fn on bf is awesome)

Thanks people, and hope to see you on the road. Now I just need to get my fiancee to get on a a bike.

Yikes, you definately don't want to live South of Duke Street. That would mean having to to deal with Route 1, Telegraph road, I-495 and Wilson Bridge Traffic. There are some neighborhoods north of Duke Street but I don't know the rent / prices, but it would mean only having to cross Duke.

[StanSeven]

Telegraph road isn't bad. I ride it all the time. Kingstowne is an area 5 miles south of the Patent Office location with lots of housing. You can get to work by using Telegraph Road or South Van Dorn Street. Springfield near the Mall has lots of apartments and that involves riding along a bike path and then getting over to Van Dorn. At the west end of Eisenhower Ave, there are lots of apartments and condos. Eisenhower is flat and easy riding but the first couple blocks from some of the apartments there have hills. Old Town Alexandria is on the east side but is expensive

[DC Wheels]

Unlike Koffee I like the trails in DC but she has a point - alot of walkers and skaters in the way. To solve this problem I just get out super early and avoid the crowd and then I have the day left over for fun things like chess and relaxing with friends. Wait till the day is going and you might as well hang it up for going fast when the weather is nice. Anyway there is a good trail map as well as suggested road trips at bikewashington.org.

Peace

[Trek_Rider_05]

Hi, I'm moving to the Arlington/Alexandria area (starting a job at the Patent Office June 5) and was wondering if there's any place I should look into living that's an easier commute to there (King St Metro, basically). From what I hear I shouldn't choose a place based on the paths b/c of all the peds. Are there some streets that are safer to ride on? I ride an old univega right now, but I'm building up a ross as a fixie and will probably ride that mostly if there aren't too many hills.

This thread is great for hearing about the other groups up here, I just joined the pirates' mailing list, but I think I might be interested in some of the other stuff too.
(search fn on bf is awesome)

Thanks people, and hope to see you on the road. Now I just need to get my fiancee to get on a a bike.

Hi there. Welcome to Old Town!

Well, as far as where you might want to live, there are tons of great options especially if you are working at the King St Metro. Depending on what you are looking to spend, there are places right next to the king st metro, but they are going to run you higher dollar / month. If you generally stay inside the beltway ( north of it) and East of Russell Road, you wont be dealing too much w/ hills. Basically, anywhere from Russell Road east down to the Potomac River and south to where the Woodrow Wilson bridge is, youll be good. That south end tends to be slightly more hilly, but nothing in the way of what I would consider major hills. The big hill is from the King St Metro station, up king street. Russell Road essentially runs along the bottom of this hill. Anything west of Russell Road, and your going up a fairly large hill. In this area I described to you there are several nice neighborhoods. There is old town proper, though that is going to run you a pretty penny as well, There is Rosemont ( also more espensive and not ALOT of rentals there) There is Del Ray, which is a great little "mini city" type neighboorhood with its own "main street" (Mt. Vernon Avenue.) Im a big fan of Del Ray, because I also live there. There is a metro station at the south end of Del Ray, at the intersection (basically) of Mt. Vernon Ave, and E. Braddock Road. Del Ray is an EASY bike ride over to the USPTO / King St. Metro station. There is even a short, off road paved "path" that runs between E.Braddock Rd and King St. I call it the Braddock-King Trail. its only about 1/4 mile long.

Communting along Mt Vernon Ave, Russell Road, or Commonweath ave. should be fairly easy, fairly FLAT, and all through pretty nice neighborhoods.

If you want, feel free to PM me on here ( I think we can send PM's through this board right?) and I can try and help you out in finding a place if youd like.

I think youll enjoy living and working in Old Town. WELCOME!