The best way to approach Washington from Waynesboro, Virginia???

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  • February 22, 2011 at 6:46 pm #925099
    baiskeli
    Participant

    Hmm. I would imagine you’d want to take advantage of having a trail that extends so far to the west, and take the W&OD option. But I’m partial to trails. As you get closer to DC, that makes sense because of traffic. Also, it’s easier to navigate.

    How you get to Purcellville is a different question.

    February 23, 2011 at 1:16 pm #925116
    JimF22003
    Participant

    I’d much rather ride the Skyline Drive to Front Royal unless I was in a big hurry. There are some nice roads between Waynesboro, to Charlottesville, to Culpeper, to Warrenton etc., but you can’t beat Skyline Drive if you have the option.

    From Front Royal to Purcelleville (where you catch the start of the W&OD trail) I would do:

    522/Remount to Hume Rd
    Hume to Crest Hill and in to Marshall
    Rectortown Rd, turn on Atoka Rd.
    X Rt 50, catch St. Louis Rd
    St. Louis turns into Silcott Springs, which takes you right in to Purcellville

    A shorter, but busier route would be to take 340 to Berryville, and the Rt. 7 to Purcellville.

    Here’s the BikeRouteToaster cue sheet for the first option

    Leg (mi) Total (mi) Name Directions
    0.0 0.0 Turn Left Take the 1st left onto E Criser Rd
    0.7 0.7 Turn Right Turn right at US-522 S/Remount Rd
    0.6 1.3 Straight Head southeast on US-522 S/Remount Rd toward Slate Hill DrContinue to follow US-522 S
    5.9 7.2 Turn Left Turn left at Co Rd 635/Hume Rd
    11.5 18.7 Turn Left Turn left at Co Rd 647/Crest Hill Rd
    4.5 23.2 Turn Left Turn left at Co Rd 721/Free State RdContinue to follow Free State Rd
    0.3 23.5 Turn Right Turn right at US-17 BUS S/VA-55 E/W Main St
    0.7 24.2 Turn Left Turn left at Co Rd 710/Rectortown Rd
    4.0 28.3 Turn Right Turn right at Atoka Rd/Co Rd 713
    5.1 33.4 Turn Right Turn right at US-50 E/John S Mosby Hwy
    0.6 33.9 Turn Left Turn left at Co Rd 611/New Ford Rd/State Route 611/St Louis RdContinue to follow New Ford Rd/State Route 611/St Louis Rd
    7.5 41.4 Turn Right Turn right at Snickersville Turnpike/State Route 734
    0.1 41.4 Turn Left Take the 1st left onto New Ford Rd/State Route 611/Telegraph Springs RdContinue to follow State Route 611/Telegraph Springs Rd[/CODE][CODE][/CODE]

    February 23, 2011 at 2:09 pm #925118
    VQV
    Participant

    Merci! Thanks to both of you!

    I took down the directions from Front Royal to Purcellville! Thanks!

    I was told that the W&Do trail gets very busy. As we more likely will be riding into Washington on a sunday in august, is it a good option???

    Would using bike path-bike friendly streets in Arlington county be better? What about Custis trail and Mt vernon trail? Are they aslo busy on week ends?? Would they still be good options to consider?

    Would exiting the Skyline at panorama and cycling to Warrenton and the next day to Washington be a nice option?

    Also, for a average-good cyclist, how difficuclt are the Blue Ridge Parkway and the Skyline? Which one is harder? Do you know where I could fin the hill profil?

    Thanks a lot! Many questions, many concern. I would really try to find the best route!!!
    Au plaisir

    February 23, 2011 at 2:33 pm #925121
    baiskeli
    Participant

    De rien.

    How many are in your group? The W&OD may be busy that day, but it may not be worse than roads unless you have a large group.

    The Custis Trail runs along I-66 into downtown. It connects to the W&OD. Are you headed downtown? It would work fine, and probably won’t be as busy as the W&OD.

    February 23, 2011 at 3:12 pm #925124
    Rootchopper
    Participant

    Skyline Drive is incredibly hilly but it’s also a beautiful ride. As an alternative you could wend your way up the Shenandoah Valley all thr way to the C&O Canal (see below).

    I have used an alternative route from Front Royal to Purcelville that included some riding on VA 55 and did not involve Hume Road. Hume Road is very pretty so go with that.

    If it’s August and it hasn’t been raining you should consider the C&O Canal towpath. You can pick it up near Leesburg at Whites Ferry. This would give you some time on the less congested part of the W&OD.

    Another alternative is to check out the Adventure Cycling Association’s Transam Route from the Blue Ridge Parkway to Ashland. And then the ACA’s Atlantic Coast Route north to DC.

    Good luck.

    February 23, 2011 at 3:15 pm #925125
    baiskeli
    Participant

    C&O is a good idea – very scenic and not too crowded. It’s not paved though.

    February 23, 2011 at 8:25 pm #925132
    VQV
    Participant

    We will be approximaly 20 cyclists, each of us riding at our own pace (so not necessary as a group).
    We really want only to ride on paved surfaces.
    Thanks for all your ideas!
    So far…I’m temted to do on the W&DO trail…

    February 24, 2011 at 3:32 pm #925141
    consularrider
    Participant

    I would go with the W&OD option, hard to get lost once you get on it. Also, I would avoid bringing a group through on Sunday, August 18th since that is the date for this year’s Reston Century which utilizes the W&OD for some of the routes.

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