New commute for the next 2 weeks, rough first day

[Dirt]

@dasgeh 24854 wrote:

Full disclosure: I know nothing about this area. But I have to ask: would it be better to turn the other way on Telegraph and take that over US1 to Stewart Rd to Poe Rd?

Telegraph in that direction is really good. It has a bike lane and fairly wide shoulders. That might work. I honestly don’t remember what Poe is like.

[Mikey]

I tried Poe Road on the first day, ran into a sign that read something like, ” Warning, entering US Government property, Military test range, live fire and unexploded ordenance can cause severe bodily harm. . .” I figured that this option was closed to me; my government ID would not protect against live fire and unexpoded ordenance. 😮

[Dirt]

@essigmw 24859 wrote:

I tried Poe Road on the first day, ran into a sign that read something like, ” Warning, entering US Government property, Military test range, live fire and unexploded ordenance can cause severe bodily harm. . .” I figured that this option was closed to me; my government ID would not protect against live fire and unexpoded ordenance. 😮

Wimp.

[dasgeh]

@essigmw 24859 wrote:

I tried Poe Road on the first day, ran into a sign that read something like, ” Warning, entering US Government property, Military test range, live fire and unexploded ordenance can cause severe bodily harm. . .” I figured that this option was closed to me; my government ID would not protect against live fire and unexpoded ordenance. 😮

LOL. I agree, live fire and bikes don’t mix.

It reminds me of the time I drove through Camp Lejeune during a tropical storm. It was like being on the set of Apocalypse Now.

[dbb]

The live fire dates from long ago. There used to be a couple of explosives ranges on the south side of Poe Road (I blew up several trees there in the late ’70s). The construction of the housing on the north side of Route 1 pretty much eliminated that as an option.

They also had a construction waste landfill of some sort out there. It has been quiet for probably 25 years.

[Mikey]

My two week adventure in “SOFAX” is finally over and I can actually say that I will miss part of it, not all of it.
Things I will miss:
1) sustained sections of Pohick road south where I could stay in my largest gear and just crank away.
2) The large downhill section with bike lane leaving Fort Belvoir where I could keep up with and the pass traffic and arrive first at the light at the enterance of the post.
3) Quietness of the trail (very few zombie joggers, open sightlines).
4) Big miles for the B-team (36 mi per day).

Things I definitely not miss:
1) Telegraph road (even roads with bike lanes are scary if traffic routinely zipps by at 55 mph + (speed limit 35) just a few inches from your left shoulder
2) See #1,2 in the like section but in the opposite direction.
3) Afternoon thunderstorms that seem to consistantly pop up over Springfield.
4) poorly maintained sections of the FFX co Parkway sidepath.

Things I learned:
1) a roadkill deer only lasts about 2.5 days in 98F heat before it completely disappears
2) Rain won’t kill you, Wind-fallen tree limbs will, lightning will, but rain won’t
2A) After about 3 minutes of heavy rain, you will not be getting wetter than you already are.
3) ding-ding- “passing” works fairly well
4) Heat index should be limited to 96F, anything above that should just be reported as >96F. When it’s that hot it’s just too damn hot, no real difference between 97F and 106F.
5) Ice cold Gatoraid is quite refreshing, 85F Gatoraid is hard to swallow.

[TwoWheelsDC]

I did some riding down that way this past weekend and agree with all your observations…riding down there definitely gives me an appreciation for how relatively compact DC/Arlington are and how sprawltastic and car centric FFX county can be (but it’s not all bad, some places are quite nice). The southern portions are also where the bike infrastructure is very spotty…Telegraph road for instance. Over the course of several miles, it goes from wide and quiet backroad, to narrow bike-no-mans-land arterial, to bike-laned highway, rinse and repeat.

[Birdstrike]

@dbb 24866 wrote:

The live fire dates from long ago. There used to be a couple of explosives ranges on the south side of Poe Road (I blew up several trees there in the late ’70s). The construction of the housing on the north side of Route 1 pretty much eliminated that as an option.

They also had a construction waste landfill of some sort out there. It has been quiet for probably 25 years.

I live in the housing area north of Poe and have also explored back in there extensively on my mountail bike. All you have to do is say (a) you were in the Accotink Creek Wildlife Refuge and got lost (b) you’re a bow hunter checking out the high seats for next season or (c) Sign, what sign? I still use Poe once in a while to get to Tulley Gate but it’s just as easy to take Telegraph to the Fairfax Pkwy Extension bike trail to Backlick and cross at the Hess station. I, too, never use Rt 1 but don’t ever need to, there’s plenty of alternates.

[Mikey]

@Birdstrike 25969 wrote:

I live in the housing area north of Poe and have also explored back in there extensively on my mountail bike. All you have to do is say (a) you were in the Accotink Creek Wildlife Refuge and got lost (b) you’re a bow hunter checking out the high seats for next season or (c) Sign, what sign? I still use Poe once in a while to get to Tulley Gate but it’s just as easy to take Telegraph to the Fairfax Pkwy Extension bike trail to Backlick and cross at the Hess station. I, too, never use Rt 1 but don’t ever need to, there’s plenty of alternates.

Yep, I think I turned off of the main road too fast and ended up by the horse stables. With a fast aproaching deadline (not in class by 8:00 on first day lose spot) I decided to double back and take Rt 1. Every day after that I took Telegraph to ffx co parkway. Not a bad trip 9 days out of 10.

[KLizotte]

essigmw,

You are one helluva dedicated cyclist. I salute you.

And thanks for the miles for our team!

Kathy

[Author]

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