Newbie bicyclist – looking for best commuting route between N. Arlington and L’Enfant

[corm0407]

Hi,
Going to give commuting by bicycle the old college try. Google maps has suggested this route. Do any old hands have a better route suggestion? I’d like to keep away from traffic as much as I can until I feel more comfortable. Also, because I’m not a bicyclist, I haven’t paid much attention to the trail system in the area. Does google have me riding on the walkways through the Mall and is that copacetic?
Thanks for any help you can provide.

Topic

[rcannon100]

Last I tried it, chain bridge had stairs on the DC side.

Nope. It is an ADA compliant ramp from bridge level down to tow path. Easy to bike.

[Guus]

@jabberwocky 30312 wrote:

I think those recommending military/custis are approaching this from more of an “experienced cyclists” perspective. The nice thing about the route the OP linked is that nearly the entirety of the climbing for the whole route is 41st st (which is easy enough to walk), and there is very little on-street riding. Military does have a bike lane for most of its length, but its also a fairly well-used road by motorists so you’ll have traffic turning on and off the whole way. That whole route is also very hilly.

I would agree. I’m more of a recreational bicyclist and I would not voluntarily take Military Rd. if I could avoid it, certainly on weekdays.

[OutsideTheLaw]

I live off Military Road and commute daily — and I have a total aversion to going one way all the time, so I’ve gone many different ways. Your route down to Chain Bridge is fine — I just ride Glebe, it’s not bad because the cars are slowed by rush hour in the morning — and you’ll have to deal with the bumpy C&O until you get to Fletcher’s where it connects to the CCrescent. But as everyone has noted, the ride home up out of the Chain Bridge Gorge (as I call it) is a b****.

So think out of the box. Several people have mentioned taking Military, and then to Lorcum, but Lorcum’s got a nasty (albeit short) hill too. You could just stay on Military until it crosses Lee and becomes Quincy, which is nice and flat all the way through Clarendon, and then downhill from there. But here’s the almost-flat route: take Glebe all the way to Marymount, then Old Dominion to Lee, and then pick up the Custis behind Lee Heights (check N. Utah Street). In the morning this is slightly uphill to Marymount. In the afternoon it’s downhill (once you’ve gotten up to Lee Heights, which is not bad coming off the Custis). Or mix and match — go your map route in the morning to maximize downhill and trails, and go Custis/Lee Heights/Glebe in the evening and avoid the Gorge.

Enjoy!

[americancyclo]

If you’re interested in playing with the elevation options on your route, ridewithgps.com has bicycle mapping and will show elevation.

[Dirt]

Here’s a possible alternative route. I’ve used variations on this quite a few times. Military road and Lorcom are hilly, but quite bike friendly.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/1678762

Edit: I started this post before people went on their Military Rd./ Lorcom Lane bash fest. Y’all hurt my feelings. I LOVE THOSE HILLS!!!! (Totally joking here. I know my hill fetish is “unique”.).

[Rootchopper]

I used to commute to L’Enfant from Mount Vernon. When I started I took 15th to Independence. Then I tried Ohio Dive to Buckeye to the Case Bridge. This route takes about the same amount of time, is much safer, is more scenic, and, in the summer time. you can ride through the spriklers.

[Author]

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