Biking from Takoma Park to National Harbor

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  • January 3, 2014 at 4:08 am #914734
    ebubar
    Participant

    HUGE astronomy conference at the National Harbor next week. I’m pondering biking out to it a couple days, but the trip is 19 miles according to google maps. I’d go down through the city, over to the Mt Vernon Trail and apparently follow that to the Woodrow Wilson bridge, cross there and meander down to the Gaylord Convention Center. I’ve been advised by folks I know to avoid biking through SE DC and the on road routes don’t seem very bike friendly on that side of the river, so I’m fine with sticking to bike trails (weather dependent…might still be iced over around then).

    What does the assembled knowledge here think about this route? How hilly is it? Will it knock me out and leave me aching on my return trip?

    I’m used to a 30 mile roundtrip between Takoma and Marymount University, to give an idea of my fitness/hill climbing “prowess”.

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  • January 3, 2014 at 6:06 am #989837
    KLizotte
    Participant

    If you can get to the MVT then you will find it very easy fitness wise to get to Nat’l Harbor as there are hardly any hills (with the exception of getting up/down the ramp to the bridge on the MD side). The only potential difficulty you will have is finding your way through Old Towne to pick up the trail again at the bridge. The trail turns into city streets and is not marked. It’s not hard, just a couple of turns but it’s best to familiarize yourself via a map online or on paper.

    Go slow over the wooden and concrete bridges, they will be icy at this time of the year.

    January 3, 2014 at 12:45 pm #989851
    eminva
    Participant

    Your route is good. You can also go through southeast DC; it’s perfectly fine and the roads are no busier than what you are used to. However, there are more hills that way.

    Liz

    January 3, 2014 at 2:39 pm #989868
    Justin Antos
    Participant

    @ebubar 73320 wrote:

    I’ve been advised by folks I know to avoid biking through SE DC and the on road routes don’t seem very bike friendly on that side of the river

    I disagree, I think the route on the SE DC side is no worse than anywhere else in the city. Oxon Hill Farm is a hidden gem. But it is hillier than the MVT. Here is my preferred route through to the Wilson bridge/National Harbor: http://www.strava.com/activities/102794104

    Here’s Oxon Hill Farm:
    9262748232_97f3e3510b.jpg

    9259989569_ee2b0dc602.jpg

    January 3, 2014 at 3:45 pm #989895
    baiskeli
    Participant

    @ebubar 73320 wrote:

    HUGE astronomy conference

    Well yeah, it’s destined to be downright astronomical.

    January 3, 2014 at 3:55 pm #989900
    Tim Kelley
    Participant

    @baiskeli 73385 wrote:

    Well yeah, it’s destined to be downright astronomical.

    Out of this world, perhaps?

    January 3, 2014 at 4:18 pm #989908
    ebubar
    Participant

    @Tim Kelley 73390 wrote:

    Out of this world, perhaps?

    Some would say stellar!

    January 3, 2014 at 4:21 pm #989910
    mstone
    Participant

    unfortunately, there’s just a lot of cosmic noise

    January 3, 2014 at 4:22 pm #989913
    Mikey
    Participant

    Nerd alert

    January 3, 2014 at 4:28 pm #989917
    Tim Kelley
    Participant

    @Mikey 73403 wrote:

    Nerd alert

    Sorry, I won’t comet any more on this thread.

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