Low stress route NoVa (IE Shirlington area) to A Baked Joint

Absolutely do not follow those directions once you’re in DC. I can’t speak to 4MR detours, but if you come over on the 14th St Bridge, head north and go right on Jefferson, left on 7th, right on Indiana, left on 5th, right on K.

@TwoWheelsDC 149135 wrote:

I’d rather ride 15th than 7th. 7th is a nightmare up by the Verizon center.

Yeah, but my directions have you turning off at Archives. Agree that 7th is awful north of there.

@jrenaut 149136 wrote:

Yeah, but my directions have you turning off at Archives. Agree that 7th is awful north of there.

I was actually typing my response before I saw yours…although I will say that, as someone pretty comfortable riding with traffic, I’d just take the 15th>NY>Eye route. I think riding 15th north is not that bad (south is much worse during rush hour), NY is fine, and Eye actually isn’t that bad either since traffic moves slowly through there anyway and isn’t that heavy for the most part. I guess my view is that a direct route is going to be safer more often than not, since you minimize the number of turns you need to make and run less risk of getting confused. But again, I deal with some pretty hairy suburban roads on my commute, so there’s very few routes within the city that I find “stressful.”

@TwoWheelsDC 149135 wrote:

I’d rather ride 15th than 7th. 7th is a nightmare up by the Verizon center.

For 15th street, you can also ride the sidewalk the entire way to the cycle track and then cross the street to New York. In the mornings it is relatively led free except for joggers and other cyclists.

Jon’s suggested route is probably the least stressful route. New York has a bike lane, but it’s frequently blocked and it has more traffic.

The route I gave is what I did when I was working at L’Enfant and going to pick up the kids. I tried a bunch of routes and that’s the one i settled on. That’s on the longtail, so also big and slow.

3rd St won’t get you far enough north, although the stretch until you’d have to turn is not unpleasant.

@huskerdont 149144 wrote:

So yeah, what jrenaut said (as usual).

This forum needs more of this truthfulness.

@huskerdont 149157 wrote:

(That’s right, it’s seven o’clock on a Friday night and I’m on the forum, but at least I’m half-way to drunk.)

Right there with you.

@Judd 149163 wrote:

In that case, I am offering reasonable rates at the Judd Lumberjack school of riding in bike lanes built on 55 mph highways. Proof of my expertise here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjKzj_w3Mmw&feature=youtu.be

*Warning: Lots of clicky clacky bicycle sounds. I don’t quite have the Bobco video editing skills yet. Turn them speakers down.

Terrifying considering the number of people on devices while riding. Virginia Beach has a bike lane next to a road that is at times 55 mph (Shore Drive). It’s a bit scary, but it does have a rumble strip between the road and the lane, so at least you’ll hear what’s about to happen when you are about to die.

And actually, there is a ghost bike along it.