Most humble salutations from a new forum member

@Powerful Pete 90447 wrote:

I seem to have read about Friday morning coffee locations?

You posted this as I was writing my response. Come to Coffee Club.

Welcome! You seem like a serious cyclist with a really good sense of humor. You will fit right in with this group of misfits. Enjoy the relatively humidity free days while you can. August is right around the corner and it is never pretty.

Definitely come out to a coffee club and/or happy hour when you can. Makes a big difference to meet the avatars in person.

What city did you move from if you don’t mind sharing?

@Powerful Pete 90473 wrote:

@ AMTwoWheelsDC Ok, yes that is an option for me.

May I ask why the entry off Lorcom/Thrifton Hills is problematic?

First, the pavement through the park is terrible and often slick with moss. Then you have to take a hard right onto a sidewalk that is overgrown with branches and strewn with debris. Then you have to ride up a steep-ish hill to the trail entrance, where you have to make a 170 degree turn onto the trail (think of it as riding the wrong way up a freeway onramp, then turning right to enter the road). I mean, it’s not the worst thing in the world, but it’s suboptimal for sure.

https://www.google.com/maps/@38.898017,-77.093992,3a,75y,356.53h,68.46t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1subimz5ygZAF5d5cnmp-rew!2e0?hl=en

Welcome, neighbor (I’m in Cherrydale, just east along Lee Hwy)!

On the route, you’re route looks fine. Others have pointed out the issues with Lorcom/Thrifton Hills/Custis. You may also find that M –> Pennsylvania has its drawbacks.

But not to worry, you have lots of options.
For getting on the Custis, you can take Old Lee to Quincy to the trail, like on this route.
Or you can take Old Lee to Lee for a few blocks to Monroe, to 20th St to the trail, like on this route. FWIW, on the way home, I would take the Maywood turnoff over to Monroe, then Lee Hwy to Old Lee Hwy, like shown here.

Depending on where you’re going on K Street, you may consider the TR Bridge instead of the Key Bridge, as shown here. The TR Bridge path is far too narrow, but that scares most people away, so you normally don’t encounter many other people. When you do, passing sucks. Once you’re in the District, H St and the numbered streets are pretty easy.

Basically, you have lots of options. Some here will recommend you go the long way around. You sound like you’ll figure out what works best for you.

Although some call me crazy, when I worked in DC I took the Whitehurst off the Key Bridge (only inbound; do not ride the Whitehurst outbound). It has the advantage of no intersections. It has the disadvantage of feeling like an expressway. However, sight lines are good, there’s a 4′ shoulder (with debris to make it more exciting), and you get a downhill running start.

When you reach the light at the pedestrian crossing just before Washington Circle, go through and wait right in front of the yellow crash barriers between the tunnel traffic and the circle traffic–essentially where the “W” is in the picture below.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]6209[/ATTACH]
Then when the light turns red for the cars on K St., you get a private tunnel to ride through. Right down the middle if you want. Then you’re at 21st & K and almost there.
Here’s a map:
https://mapsengine.google.com/map/edit?mid=zEvc2a-Mh8bY.kIFFx0EBCQrw

You may not want to try this route on your first day, but maybe try it out on a quiet Sunday morning or something at some point. Then you can integrate it into your commute later.

Welcome and good luck. Hope to see you at an FCC or other event before long.

Oh, and I’ll amend Dickie’s note slightly. Stragglers at FCCII may stay until after 8:30, so don’t be shy about showing up around 8; some of us will still be there.