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

[eminva]

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

[thecyclingeconomist]

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…

[SilverSpring]

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!

[KLizotte]

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:

[CCrew]

@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?

[consularrider]

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.

[thecyclingeconomist]

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”)

[KLizotte]

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

[thecyclingeconomist]

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

CLICK HERE

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