paper maps?

[DismalScientist]

Arlington and D.C. have printed maps. Not sure how to get them. Maybe it will say in the where to ride or maps sections on http://www.bikearlington.com.
pdf versions are there as well.
Also, you can use the “bicycling” feature on Google Maps.

[consularrider]

DC, Arlington, Alexandria, and Fairfax County all have bike maps, both online and printed versions. You can usually get copies at WABA, BikeArlington, and other events in the area. I have also found them at the Metro Commuter Store in Rosslyn (but not always all of them). Both Montgomery County and Prince George’s County have online maps, but I have never run across a printed version, but I don’t spend much time in Maryland. I don’t see an overall map with the trails on the Prince George’s website. It doesn’t look like Loudoun County or Prince William have maps. Amazon sells some commercial maps geared towards cycling, but I haven’t looked at these in over ten years.

[Tim Kelley]

Arlington County offers a service through which you can place an order for publications and have them mailed to you for free:

https://www.commuterpage.com/freepubs/freepubrequest.cfm

[PotomacCyclist]

I’d recommend that you take the Capital Crescent Trail down to Georgetown. Then do most of your riding along the National Mall and on the Mt. Vernon Trail in Northern Virginia. Those are far more interesting than most of the Maryland bike trails. If you do that, then you’ll be fine with having just the D.C. and Arlington bike maps.

[Terpfan]

I picked up an Alexandria-area bike map at Al’s Steak House in Del Ray once. It was sitting off to the left corner. But they have all of this information online too as linked above. I just wanted the map to look at in case I wanted to use trails that I don’t know much about. I could also use my computer or phone though so I figured it was more to have something around. Either way, I’m positive the city has these maps somewere (presumbly at city hall).

[MCL1981]

They still print maps on paper???? :confused:

[Tim Kelley]

@MCL1981 10801 wrote:

They still print maps on paper???? :confused:

The Arlington County Bike Map is one of the most popular pieces of literature that is offered. We distribute more than 50,000 copies a year!

[DismalScientist]

@Tim Kelley 10806 wrote:

The Arlington County Bike Map is one of the most popular pieces of literature that is offered. We distribute more than 50,000 copies a year!

It’s the best street map of the county! (I’m not sure I actually use it for biking.) :rolleyes:

[Tim Kelley]

We hear that a lot. Realtors love to give it out to people who are new to the area.

[KLizotte]

The Arlington bike map can be found at any Arlington bike shop as well as Hudson Trail Outfitters at Pentagon Row.

The paper maps really got me into biking. I’d lived here for 10 years without realizing how many trails there were nor how they interconnected (and I only knew the roads I routinely drove). Since I have “dumb” phone, having a paper map on hand for long rides is invaluable.

[MCL1981]

Hmm. I thought paper maps were extinct with the advent of Google? I seriously haven’t opened a paper map since…. wow… I think the late 90’s.

[baiskeli]

@MCL1981 10818 wrote:

Hmm. I thought paper maps were extinct with the advent of Google? I seriously haven’t opened a paper map since…. wow… I think the late 90’s.

Paper maps are more accurate, and you can spread them out to get the big picture (literally).

[CCrew]

@baiskeli 10860 wrote:

Paper maps are more accurate

Huh? You are kidding I hope. :p

[vvill]

I still use paper maps sometimes, although most times I’ll use Google Maps. But I don’t have a smartphone or bike GPS so for portability, paper wins.

[baiskeli]

@CCrew 10862 wrote:

Huh? You are kidding I hope. :p

Nope. Google maps just isn’t the same. It’s still got more errors, both cartographic and technology-related, than a paper map. I see errors all the time. Small, but significant, especially for a cyclist.

Mapmakers can’t just copy others – that’s a copyright violation, and they actually put a few little mistakes on their maps on purpose to catch violators. They have to go get the data from scratch. So older mapmakers using their own older maps usually have better ones.

Some funny results of mistakes on Google maps:

Nicaraugan troops once mistakenly invaded Costa Rica because they used Google maps: http://www.newser.com/story/104797/google-map-mistake-triggers-invasion.html

Thousands of tourists flock to someone’s driveway: http://phandroid.com/2011/07/12/google-maps-mistake-brings-hordes-of-vacationers-to-new-jersey-womans-home/

P.S. I just found this interesting document – a list of Google Maps errors in Arlington, from our own map people. It’s 3 years old though, so probably many have been corrected.

http://magellan.co.arlington.va.us/maps/Compiled_List_of_Errors_Found_on_Google_Maps.pdf

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