Overnight trips by bike leaving from DC or metro?

[ShawnoftheDread]

All cyclists named Shawn like hills. It’s a rule. And the tennis courts are easy to avoid.

[Mikey]

@americancyclo 87276 wrote:

How’s riding on the FFX Cty parkway path? enjoyable at all?

Parts are okay, parts need work. From the FFX County Parkway path you can reach Burke Lake from the North (back enterance) the county bike map shows the trails. You can also hop on the Ox Road/VA 123 side path at Burke Center Parkway, and take that all the way down to Burke Lake Park (front entrance).

[americancyclo]

@lordofthemark 87483 wrote:

Mosaic…CCT.

I might take some of your suggestions and to add .8 miles and maximize my trail time.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4927833

[Mikey]

@americancyclo 87506 wrote:

I might take some of your suggestions and to add .8 miles and maximize my trail time.

http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4927833

It’s only 300meters but you may die on Old Keene Mill. I believe that Tim Robbins had an easier 300meters escaping Shawshank Prison.

[americancyclo]

@Mikey 87524 wrote:

It’s only 300meters but you may die on Old Keene Mill. I believe that Tim Robbins had an easier 300meters escaping Shawshank Prison.

Thanks. I removed that part. now i’m torn about taking the shorter 16 mile route directly there, or considering the 21 mile route that goes all the way to FFX county parkway.

From streetview I get the impression that a lot of the riding on these larger roads will be on a sidewalk. ugh.

[Mikey]

@americancyclo 87533 wrote:

Thanks. I removed that part. now i’m torn about taking the shorter 16 mile route directly there, or considering the 21 mile route that goes all the way to FFX county parkway.

From streetview I get the impression that a lot of the riding on these larger roads will be on a sidewalk. ugh.

You’d be luck if there are at least sidewalks. There are some nice routes (FFX Co Parkway south/east of Braddock) but they don’t always last very long before they get narrow, and dangerous; there is very little consistency even on the same stretch of road. You might be on a nice 10 foot wide asphalt sidepath, then be spit out onto a 3 laned high speed road going the wrong direction without a shoulder, and then find yourself in a neighborhood. You can also find some secret paths that travel through 100 feet of park space but save miles of sidewalk riding. It sounds like you need a scout ride.

[cyclingfool]

@Mikey 87536 wrote:

It sounds like you need a scout ride.

Sounds like Fairfax County bike infra sucks in many ways is more like it. But then again, that’s no secret or surprise to anyone here, I suppose.

[lordofthemark]

@cyclingfool 87543 wrote:

Sounds like Fairfax County bike infra sucks in many ways is more like it. But then again, that’s no secret or surprise to anyone here, I suppose.

It’s better to light a candle ……

[americancyclo]

@Mikey 87536 wrote:

You can also find some secret paths that travel through 100 feet of park space but save miles of sidewalk riding. It sounds like you need a scout ride.

Any chance you know of shortcuts on this route? Don’t really have time to scout it out but I’ll definitely post a trip report when I get back

[reji]

@americancyclo 87548 wrote:

Any chance you know of shortcuts on this route? Don’t really have time to scout it out but I’ll definitely post a trip report when I get back

Here’s a possible route. Minimal riding on sidewalks with just a little on Pickett and Roberts. The Roberts sidewalk isn’t bad – it’s wide and not heavily used.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/fullscreen/435369046/

And, apologies in advance if the link doesn’t work… it’s my first time posting here.

[Mikey]

@americancyclo 87258 wrote:

Heading out to Burke Lake Park this weekend for camping. Any suggestions for routes from Falls Church that aren’t too congested? I’d like to ride on part of the CCT and would prefer to avoid the sidewalk riding on Braddock.

Are you taking the whole family, carrying gear? I’ll try to see what I can offer as well.

[americancyclo]

Thanks for all the advice so far. Ms.cyclo and minicyclo are taking the car with the tent and supplies, so carrying gear is not an issue. They tend more towards glamping, and the ride is just for fun for me. Turns out that it’ll be easier schedule wise for me to ride back from Burke Lake, so there’s no time pressure and I can explore as much as I want. Still open for suggestions that combine riding on the Long Branch, Lake Accotink, and Cross County Trail or other fun (read: non-standard roads/less traveled paths/parks) and minimize sidewalk riding on highways.

[Mikey]

@reji 87572 wrote:

Here’s a possible route. Minimal riding on sidewalks with just a little on Pickett and Roberts. The Roberts sidewalk isn’t bad – it’s wide and not heavily used.
http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/fullscreen/435369046/

And, apologies in advance if the link doesn’t work… it’s my first time posting here.

Roberts is fine to ride on, except for the section in FFX City, the rolling hills have bad site lines and cars go way to fast, before you know it they are on top of you. That’s easy enough to fix from Old Lee, cut through down town FFX and over to University, Ride University up to GMU, cut through GMU. There is a short cut through the GMU parking lot that takes you on an asphalt path directly to the light at Roberts and Braddock. You should be fine on Roberts from here south all the way to FFX County Parkway.

[mstone]

@americancyclo 87575 wrote:

Thanks for all the advice so far. Ms.cyclo and minicyclo are taking the car with the tent and supplies, so carrying gear is not an issue. They tend more towards glamping, and the ride is just for fun for me. Turns out that it’ll be easier schedule wise for me to ride back from Burke Lake, so there’s no time pressure and I can explore as much as I want. Still open for suggestions that combine riding on the Long Branch, Lake Accotink, and Cross County Trail or other fun (read: non-standard roads/less traveled paths/parks) and minimize sidewalk riding on highways.

Well, that’s why I suggested taking the W&OD to vienna. It’s not direct, but it increases the CCT time. Alternatively, if you don’t have gear and & are riding light you could take W&OD out to hunter station road & then get on the CCT at Lawyers (for a nice hill). Or a little further on the W&OD to avoid the hill on hunter station. At the discontinuity in the CCT at Jermantown I’d just take the road to Mantua park most times of day (there is a sidewalk if the road looks too bad).

[americancyclo]

In light of the removed time constraint and riding from Burke Lake Park to Falls Church, this is how I intend to go.
http://ridewithgps.com/routes/4935763

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