29 out here is pretty grim, especially at rush hour. (60mph, no shoulder, and cage rage.) Depending on what part of 29 it is, there may be a side path or parallel road, which will almost always be a better choice. Take a look at the Google maps bicycle overlay for starters (vdot didn’t actually design a continuous side path on the road, so they come and go depending on developer proffers–you want to know whether you’re suddenly going to be dumped onto the main roadway). Then just explore on a weekend to look for routes. You can also look at the strava heat map to see where other cyclists have gone, or ask here about specific sections.