Route advice: DC to Reston

[hozn]

Well, that is gonna vary a bit from person-to-person. I would probably assume closer to 90 minutes? For reference, it probably takes me 45 minutes [elapsed time] on average to get from Custis & W&OD intersection (equiv) to Whiele. (It takes me 50-55 minutes to get to RTC; Whiele is probably 5-10 minutes closer to DC.)

[dkel]

Rolling time 90 minutes, maybe a tad more. Total time could be 10 minutes more, depending on how you hit the few major intersections. If I were doing it, I’d probably allot two hours, and then end up getting there much too early.

[jabberwocky]

From DC to ~Falls church is uphill and a bit slow, but from there out its a pretty easy ride. I know I can hit EFC from my place (which is a few miles further out than Wiehle metro) in about an hour at moderate effort, and I’m far from fast. I’d be surprised if it took you much more than 1:30. Maybe 1:45.

[jrenaut]

Ok, thanks. That sounds a bit more reasonable. If I can get out of the house early enough, maybe I’ll see a few of you tomorrow morning on your way in.

[TwoWheelsDC]

I did that exact ride (same destination, starting from Capitol Hill, but the distance was the same as you cite) twice a week for several months, and it took me 1:45 +/- 5 minutes without fail. Maybe my time initially was closer to 2 hours, and dropped slightly as I got stronger (this was back when I first started riding), but most of the time variance was dictated by traffic patterns in DC, with actual speed on the trail only accounting for a couple minutes difference day-to-day.

Also, are you able to shower when you get there? With the exception of the short section between Vienna and Difficult Run, it’s almost entirely (albeit gradually) uphill, so it’d be tough to keep your time down without sweating like a m*%^#$er, especially since the relative humidity is actually higher in the morning.

[jrenaut]

@TwoWheelsDC 116966 wrote:

Also, are you able to shower when you get there? With the exception of the short section between Vienna and Difficult Run, it’s almost entirely (albeit gradually) uphill, so it’d be tough to keep your time down without sweating like a m*%^#$er, especially since the relative humidity is actually higher in the morning.

It’s just meeting with my boss to iron out a transition plan for me peacing the [expletive deleted] out of my job, so I’m not worried about how I smell.

[jrenaut]

I think I’m shooting to leave my house tomorrow at 730, which puts me at the IOD a bit before 8. I’ll miss Coffee Club, but such is life. Wave on your way in!

[vern]

From DC I would bank on 1 hour and 45 minutes until you demonstrate for yourself you can do otherwise. The lights can be a big factor and add 5-8 minutes if you happen to stumble upon them at an unfortunate time, especially Gallows and Maple. I commute between Reston and Crystal City each day…it takes a bit longer going back to Reston because it’s more up the grade, and usually takes me between 1 hour 25 minutes to 1 hour 33 minutes, but I never stop Strava during the ride.

[jrenaut]

On the way out it took me an hour and a half and I got to low five half of the Coffee Club caravan.

On the way back it took longer total, shorter moving because I 1) got a flat 2) stopped at Bikenetic to get a new tube and top off the pressure and 3) had lunch with my wife a few miles from home.

[vern]

I wouldn’t have guessed that your trip from DC would only be a half mile longer than my commute.

[jrenaut]

@vern 117075 wrote:

I wouldn’t have guessed that your trip from DC would only be a half mile longer than my commute.

Crystal City is far.

[Author]

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