Friday (04/13/2012): Silver Spring to Vienna and back (or something like that)

Our Community › Forums › Group Rides › Friday (04/13/2012): Silver Spring to Vienna and back (or something like that)

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  • April 12, 2012 at 12:21 am #911211
    thecyclingeconomist
    Participant

    Getting to know the area: riding from Silver Spring down the Capital Crest trail to the C&O trail to the Custis Trail to the W&OD trail…

    If anyone is interested… let me know (plan on a 15mph rolling average: 18-20mph on flats… but I hear there aren’t many “flats”)

    I can meet you at Silver Spring Cycles if you want. I am also not SET on this route… just want to get to know the area and get some good miles in (40+)

    You can shoot me a call at: 909-74-CYCLE (29253) if you are interested!

    Another option would be to go down and make a loop through Alexandria on 4-mile-run trail.

    [ATTACH=CONFIG]911[/ATTACH]

    I am open to various times.

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Viewing 9 replies - 1 through 9 (of 9 total)
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  • April 12, 2012 at 12:54 am #939036
    eminva
    Participant

    Be sure to check out another current thread — a bunch of us are getting together for Happy Hour right along the W&OD Trail that afternoon/evening. It’s the thread with “Chasin’ Tails” in the caption but don’t be put off by that. They serve Cajun food, apparently. If you can time your return so that you are hitting the Arlington county line by about 5:30, then by all means, join us!

    Liz

    April 12, 2012 at 1:29 am #939038
    thecyclingeconomist
    Participant

    My problem is that I don’t have my lighting system with me and I am renting from a shop in Bethesda, so I have to have the bike back there by 7pm…

    April 12, 2012 at 1:40 am #939040
    SilverSpring
    Participant

    CyclingEconomist,

    That should be a good ride. I’d join you but a) I have to work, b) I could not hit your speeds even if dropped out of an airplane (with cement galoshes). Are you renting from SilverCycles? Those are nice folks. One thing to consider (depending on your bike) is just sticking to the CCT and crossing over via the Key Bridge skipping the Tow Path altogether. And, although I think you’ve done this already, the Custis Trail can be a sometimes unholy challenge after the fun of bombing (safely, of course) down the CCT, especially the bit just before it crosses the Canal. Have fun!

    April 12, 2012 at 3:07 am #939050
    KLizotte
    Participant

    Good luck hitting those speeds with the wind-that-refuses-to-die we’ve been having. Course if you manage to snag a tail wind it is great fun.

    Welcome to the area! You’ll find quite a few fellow economists on the forum, including me (I specialize in transportation). Some are less dismal than others :rolleyes:

    April 12, 2012 at 6:35 am #939052
    CCrew
    Participant

    @KLizotte 17936 wrote:

    Good luck hitting those speeds with the wind-that-refuses-to-die we’ve been having. Course if you manage to snag a tail wind it is great fun.

    Tail wind westbound on the W&OD? Is there REALLY such a thing? :)

    April 12, 2012 at 8:10 pm #939093
    consularrider
    Participant

    Tail wind westbound on the W&OD does happen once in a blue moon (need wind out of the southeast, and that frequently accompanies heavy rain or snow too). However, the forecast winds for tomorrow are suppose to stay below 10 mph and it should be great weather for riding. Would love to join you, but as others have said I’ve got to work and have a meeting I can’t miss from 3:30 to 4:30. I’ll be lucky to get to Chasin’ Tails much before 6:30.

    Also a note, the CCT and MVT both have a posted 15 MPH speed limit and you will get yelled at on the CCT for going too fast, not so much on the MVT.

    April 13, 2012 at 3:17 am #939124
    thecyclingeconomist
    Participant

    Well, I rode 5 miles of the Georgetown Branch trail tonight home from the bike shop (rented in Bethesda), and it was nice and flat… though the “rails to trails” hard pack was a bit interesting on 700X23c tires. But… it was fun pretending to be on a cross bike.

    I’ll be leaving Silver Cycles a hair after 10 (gotta pick up a pair of shoes since they didn’t have any at Big Wheel Bikes where I rented from)…

    See you on the trail!

    (Wind where I am from… well, it’s constant and everyday being in the foothills of the Sierras in California: often sustained 15 to 20mph, and it flips from morning to night, so that can be a “joy”)

    April 13, 2012 at 3:24 am #939125
    KLizotte
    Participant

    FYI: City Hub in Crystal City rents Madones and shoes; they are located only a few blocks from the Mt. Vernon Trail.

    April 16, 2012 at 9:15 pm #939315
    thecyclingeconomist
    Participant

    So… I had a nice ride! Here’s a little video of the experience…

    CLICK HERE

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