Howdy,

I'm a commuter in Portland, Maine, who will be travelling to DC tomorrow for the National Bike Summit. I'm staying with a WABA member in Alexandria (E. Mason Ave.), and am bringing along a folding bike to try commuting from there to the summit, at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center at 1300 Pennsylvania Ave NW. I'm told it's about 10 miles.

I'm guessing I'll be coming up to the river on either Route 1 or Mt. Vernon Ave. My host says he has only biked crossed on the Route 1 bridge. My question is, is that the best bridge to take, or would you recommend another? I'm comfortable riding vehicularly in car traffic. The Arlington Memorial Bridge looks very scenic. No shoulder, so I wonder how congested it would be at rush hour and how the motorists react to having a bike in the travel lane. Plus, the roads approaching it look kind of gnarly, although is that a bike path I see going under the bridge entrance on the VA side?

Recommendations, please? Maybe even a ride partner? (I'll probably be riding Wednesday, but will want to leave by 6 AM to get there by breakfast at 7.)

Lastly, how does bike commuting compare to public transit in terms of time taken (in case transit is faster and I decide I really need to be on time even if it means not bike commuting)? Perhaps with a folder the fastest option would be to combine the two?