Harper’s Ferry via roads

[Subby]

@sethpo 74369 wrote:

I’m looking really hard at doing this on Sunday. Great weather!

From my starting point in Rockville it’s just shy of a century using back roads and not the canal trail.

Anyone?

Alternatively: I still need to finish my White’s Ferry / W&OD loop that was thwarted on New Year’s Day by a closed ferry and lack of bike floatation devices.

Weather is going to be too nice not to ride big.

Just a quick tip on your way out – when you come off of Mt. Ephraim, take a left on 28 and there is a nice little country convenience store there on your left about a minute down the road. Then just go back the way you came and stay on 28 (which has some nice stretches of fresh pavement).

The store is even more clutch on the way back at mile 75-76 (stay straight on 28 past Mt. Ephraim). I crushed a chocolate milk + pop-tarts there on New Year’s Day. It saved my life. Maybe. Probably.

[sethpo]

@Subby 74371 wrote:

Just a quick tip on your way out – when you come off of Mt. Ephraim, take a left on 28 and there is a nice little country convenience store there on your left about a minute down the road.

I know that store! I’ve stopped several times going to/from Sugar Loaf.

[DismalScientist]

http://www.strava.com/activities/45204781
In retrospect, I should have taken the towpath from Point of Rocks to Brunswick. Point of Rocks road was nearly the end of me.:rolleyes: There is a bit of Towpath in there after Brunswick, but get on Keep Tryst Road as soon as possible.

After this route, I turned south on Harper’s Ferry Road and took this: http://www.strava.com/activities/45204645 to Purcellville and back on the WOD.

[sethpo]

@DismalScientist 74379 wrote:

http://www.strava.com/activities/45204781
In retrospect, I should have taken the towpath from Point of Rocks to Brunswick. Point of Rocks road was nearly the end of me.:rolleyes: There is a bit of Towpath in there after Brunswick, but get on Keep Tryst Road as soon as possible.

After this route, I turned south on Harper’s Ferry Road and took this: http://www.strava.com/activities/45204645 to Purcellville and back on the WOD.

Nice! I’m trying to avoid the canal as much as possible and keep this a road bike adventure. I don’t (yet) have the right equipment for that gravel that I’d be willing to ride this far.

[eminva]

@sethpo 74387 wrote:

Nice! I’m trying to avoid the canal as much as possible and keep this a road bike adventure. I don’t (yet) have the right equipment for that gravel that I’d be willing to ride this far.

I was going to say, what bike are you riding? The towpath will be very muddy after all this rain.

Liz

[DismalScientist]

From Brunswick, I would be tempted to take 180 west onto 340 for 1/2 mile and hop the median to get to Keep Tryst Road which only intersects eastbound 340 at that point. This would avoid the entirety of the towpath.

[sethpo]

@DismalScientist 74403 wrote:

From Brunswick, I would be tempted to take 180 west onto 340 for 1/2 mile and hop the median to get to Keep Tryst Road which only intersects eastbound 340 at that point. This would avoid the entirety of the towpath.

Is 340 bikeable? I thought I read somewhere it wasn’t…or maybe that was just the bridge.

[DismalScientist]

It’s basically a freeway with a shoulder there. Bikeable? Yes. Legal? Don’t know.
The preceding maneuver is easier eastbound than westbound.

My earlier comment was just about the bridge over the Potomac.

[sethpo]

@DismalScientist 74409 wrote:

It’s basically a freeway with a shoulder there. Bikeable? Yes. Legal? Don’t know.
The preceding maneuver is easier eastbound than westbound.

My earlier comment was just about the bridge over the Potomac.

That makes sense. So probably best to do this loop clockwise: White’s Ferry => Leesburg => Harpers Ferry => MoCo

Thanks!

Anyone wanna ride?

[JimF22003]

340 is legal, but not fun. I have done all of this and lived:

340 West from 180 to the official left turn onto Keep Tryst Road
340 West from 180 , hopped the median where the access point to the Appalachian Trail crosses (CAREFUL, ZOIKS!), to the other end of Keep Tryst Road

Rohersvile (67) south to 340, then East to 180 towards Brunswick
I THINK I followed a cue one time that put me on Valley Road running south parallel to Rohersville, but I can’t remember. It was a Potomac Pedalers cue you might be able to find.

–Jim F.

[Dirt]

This is a route that I’ve done many times. 671 and 9 are not much fun. There isn’t much of shoulder on either and the speed differentials are pretty high. That said, I enjoyed the ride.

http://www.mapmyride.com/routes/view/3073755

Pete

[DismalScientist]

Apparently it is illegal to ride bikes on that part of 340. http://www.marylandroads.com/Index.aspx?PageId=596

The only part of 340 on which it is legal is west of Keep Tryst/Valley road, which means the bridge that I wouldn’t be caught dead trying to ride.:confused:

[Author]

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