Author Topic: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition  (Read 40547 times)

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Offline Obed_Marsh

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #175: March 19, 2012, 09:35:27 AM »
My old regular loop was starting in Shirlington on the 4 mile run trail, continue west to the Custis trail, take that over the roller coaster ride down along 66 to Roosevelt Island, then Mount Vernon Trail back to the start of the 4 Mile Run trail just past National Airport.   

I have never ventured as far out as 4 mile trail and Custis. Worth the trip?

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #176: March 19, 2012, 09:37:51 AM »
Rides like that and you'll be scrawny in no time

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #177: March 19, 2012, 09:58:26 AM »
Here's what I was planning on doing next Saturday:

- Crystal City to Bethesday (~12 Miles)
- Bethesda to Nats Park (~13 Miles)
- Nats Park to Crystal City (6 Miles)

Total: 30 miles, should take around 3 hours plus a lunch break.

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #178: March 19, 2012, 11:57:10 AM »
Beach Drive (right down Rock Creek Park) is closed to cars on weekends & holidays from the DC line to where it picks up the bike path by the zoo. 

Here's what I was planning on doing next Saturday:

- Crystal City to Bethesday (~12 Miles)
- Bethesda to Nats Park (~13 Miles)
- Nats Park to Crystal City (6 Miles)

Total: 30 miles, should take around 3 hours plus a lunch break.


Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #179: March 19, 2012, 12:20:03 PM »
Beach Drive (right down Rock Creek Park) is closed to cars on weekends & holidays from the DC line to where it picks up the bike path by the zoo. 

I was planning on picking your brain on how best to get from Bethesda to Nats Park.  I assume taking 14th Street down would only be advisable if I truly want to live up to my nickname - Suicidal.

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #180: March 19, 2012, 12:32:27 PM »
Presumably you are taking the Capital Crescent to Bethesda...from there, you would probably want to continue on the Georgetown Branch trail (crushed gravel, but perfectly fine unless you are on a super-stiff road bike) to Beach Drive.  Two ways of doing this: either continue across the trestle bridge to the bike path and take that south until it runs into Beach Drive, or take a right on the first street you come to on the Branch trail and take that across East-West Highway where it turns into Beach.  Either way, once you are on Beach you get a nice wide road with a long fast run down to near the zoo, where the Rock Creek bike path picks up again.  Just follow that down to the river and follow your nose from there.  I generally rode on roads when I was still biking a lot, but one can do almost all of the ride you are considering without having to deal with cars on weekends.  Enjoy it while you can, the Georgetown Branch trail is about to turn into an all above ground Metro line (including the trestle bridge). 

I was planning on picking your brain on how best to get from Bethesda to Nats Park.  I assume taking 14th Street down would only be advisable if I truly want to live up to my nickname - Suicidal.


Offline Mathguy

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #181: March 19, 2012, 12:34:28 PM »
What metro line is that ?

Presumably you are taking the Capital Crescent to Bethesda...from there, you would probably want to continue on the Georgetown Branch trail (crushed gravel, but perfectly fine unless you are on a super-stiff road bike) to Beach Drive.  Two ways of doing this: either continue across the trestle bridge to the bike path and take that south until it runs into Beach Drive, or take a right on the first street you come to on the Branch trail and take that across East-West Highway where it turns into Beach.  Either way, once you are on Beach you get a nice wide road with a long fast run down to near the zoo, where the Rock Creek bike path picks up again.  Just follow that down to the river and follow your nose from there.  I generally rode on roads when I was still biking a lot, but one can do almost all of the ride you are considering without having to deal with cars on weekends.  Enjoy it while you can, the Georgetown Branch trail is about to turn into an all above ground Metro line (including the trestle bridge). 




Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #182: March 19, 2012, 12:35:50 PM »

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #183: March 19, 2012, 12:44:26 PM »
Purple

I thought the connector took care of that? :stir:

Offline Mathguy

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Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #185: March 19, 2012, 01:02:27 PM »
As i understand it, the western terminus will be on Connecticut Ave in Bethesda, and the eastern end will be at the current Red Line Silver Spring station.
Where does it run from/to ?




Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #186: March 19, 2012, 01:07:06 PM »
Where does it run from/to ?
It's a basic connector for the Red Line.  Here's a map for reference of what the "dream Purple Line" would be:


As Ali said, the real Purple Line will probably just connect the two Red Lines.

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #187: March 19, 2012, 01:08:49 PM »
I didn't know that it is going to go all the way to New Carrollton. 

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #188: March 19, 2012, 01:15:13 PM »
I didn't know that it is going to go all the way to New Carrollton. 

Oh, don't take that as the gospel, it's just one of the many maps I found for the Purple Line.  I found a more recent one but it's in a PDF and is more in line with the Red to Red connection.  Who knows though, we'll probably all be dead and gone before it sees the light of day. 

Offline tomterp

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #189: March 19, 2012, 01:47:40 PM »
I have never ventured as far out as 4 mile trail and Custis. Worth the trip?

Going West on the Custis along 66 is great if hill climbing is your thing.  Once Custis ends at Four Mile Run/W&OD (can't remember which it is there, but it's all the same trail) you have a gentle downhill coast all the way to Shirlington.  Here, you have to cut through Shirlington, stop by Cap City Brewpub to refresh, then climb up and over the 395 bike trail overpass and down into Parkfairfax.   A 1/4mile along a street reconnects you to Four Mile Run trail on the other side.    That last part of the trail is grungy - along the creek which is paved and underneath a series of bridges - Route 1, railroad, GW Parkway as you suddenly pop up on the Mount Vernon Trail.

I don't know if I would do it for the scenery overall.  But the Custis trail's hills are a worthy adversary.  You can do it in reverse and the hills are much less difficult.

Offline Ali the Baseball Cat

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #190: March 19, 2012, 01:50:39 PM »
I think the best hills in the area are Glebe or 123 up from Chain Bridge and Tilden St in NW DC up to Connecticut Ave from Rock Creek and then continuing up to the Cathedral.

Offline tomterp

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #191: March 19, 2012, 05:09:01 PM »
I think the best hills in the area are Glebe or 123 up from Chain Bridge and Tilden St in NW DC up to Connecticut Ave from Rock Creek and then continuing up to the Cathedral.

Alexandria has some nice ones, not the scale of the 123/Glebe area but enough to get your heart pumping - Russell Road runs near the bottom of a hill, turn right (if headed south) up Mansion Drive or any of the side streets into the Beverley Hills area.

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #192: March 20, 2012, 07:33:04 AM »
Now this is dedication my friends:

Offline HalfSmokes

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #193: March 20, 2012, 09:03:30 AM »
Pneumonia doesn't do anyone any good

Online JCA-CrystalCity

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #194: March 20, 2012, 09:47:32 AM »
Quote
Now this is dedication my friends:

I'd put up a picture of kittens and puppies flying around, but I don't want your cat to get angry.

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #195: March 20, 2012, 10:23:25 AM »
Pneumonia doesn't do anyone any good

This makes no sense.

I'd put up a picture of kittens and puppies flying around, but I don't want your cat to get angry.

:crackup:

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #196: March 20, 2012, 10:34:16 AM »
Not a bad ride at all this morning - 6.2 miles in 30 minutes with an average speed of 12 mph.  Can't wait to get my bigger Surly. 

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #197: March 20, 2012, 10:54:35 PM »
Total for the day - 14 miles, a little over an hour riding, average of 13 mph and managed to get a good 40 minute lifting session in.  Tomorrow will be at least a 20 miler since we're doing the Cherry Blossom Festival tomorrow night.  Bring on the sweat!!!

Offline MarquisDeSade

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #198: March 22, 2012, 04:31:36 PM »
The good news is I'll have put in over 80 miles this week. The bad news is it looks my bike is screwed.  The crack got damaged yesterday and it looks like a wheel got knocked way out of true today. Anyone got any suggestions for solid steel road bikes?  I'm saving up for a Surly but I need something in the interim.

Online Slateman

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Re: The Cycling Thread - 2012 Edition
« Reply #199: March 22, 2012, 04:35:21 PM »
It's a basic connector for the Red Line.  Here's a map for reference of what the "dream Purple Line" would be:
(Image removed from quote.)

As Ali said, the real Purple Line will probably just connect the two Red Lines.

Guess they don't update the maps in the Metro cars ...