Route 55 west?

[Lt. Dan]

Anybody have experience recently riding the length of Route 55 to Front Royal and back? Was thinking it would make a fun trip out for some pizza at Melting Pot, and then back…

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[DismalScientist]

From driving, 55 is busy from Gainesville to Haymarket and from Linden to Front Royal. West of Marshall, it follows I-66 until US 17 North. From the map, I think you can take the northern frontage road to avoid this. Street view suggests that the shoulders are narrow.

[creadinger]

@Lt. Dan 136372 wrote:

Anybody have experience recently riding the length of Route 55 to Front Royal and back? Was thinking it would make a fun trip out for some pizza at Melting Pot, and then back…

We use part of it on DCR brevets out that way. Mostly between Markham and The Plains, with Marshall as the center point. We’ll be out there in a couple weeks in fact.

It is a higher speed main road (55mph speed limit) without much of a shoulder. I’m sure traffic can be bad at times, but if you pick the right time of day it might not be terrible. It’s not an enjoyable road, but it should be doable for what you’re proposing. I don’t usually like getting passed by a lot of cars going that fast, because it raises my stress levels.

Unfortunately I don’t really see any alternatives. I did notice the train tacks parallel the route there. Maybe strap on some rail compatible wheels and ride the rails out that way?

[JimF22003]

I’ve ridden 55 at various times all the way from Front Royal to Gainesville. Almost all of it is OK. The hairiest part is getting from Front Royal to Linden because of the very steep hills and narrow road. I won’t do that section again.

Fortunately there’s a much better route for that part. Go through town out through Happy Creek and Dismal Hollow:

https://ridewithgps.com/routes/12522350

[Author]

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