Some W&OD reflections

[lordofthemark]

1. I want to do a long W&OD ride on a day that is cool enough to get me to want Cafe Amouri’s hot coffee, though their iced coffee is not bad
2. The people at Green Lizard are really nice. And also the community that hangs out there.
3. So one of the W&OD guides mentioned a “general store” on the trail – I had made it my goal to reach there as a turn around (which would have been just far enough to make a full 100 km round trip, I think) and then stop by Old Ox for beverage, before heading home. Alas no such place exists (is it the building that is now Carolina BBQ?) BBQ did not fit my plans for the day, so I continued on, but alas, there is not much retail close to the trail in that stretch until you get to Leesburg. I met some folks who suggested heading on to Leesburg (including one fellow who is in the market for a MTB, who is thinking about a Kona, and to whom I recommended Bikenetics of course) I finally decided to head the final few miles into Leesburg and risk a dreadful last few miles on the ride home
4. The folks at Visit Loudoun really should know more precisely where the bike parking in that complex is. Also there needs to be more of it.
5. South Street Under was okay. Crooked Run makes at least one really nice beer. Which meant I could skip Old Ox on the way back (as my custom is to have only one beer on a long ride)
6. Leaving Green Lizard on the way home, I thought OMG, Buckthorn.
7. I could have made it all the way up Buckthorn had I been paying complete attention to what gear I was in. As it was my mind drifted, I was in the wrong gear, and ended up walking the bike the last five feet or so. Still felt like a victory.
8. Leaving the Vienna Whole Foods, I thought OMG, Brandywine Castle, but it was not as bad as I feared.
9. It felt good the rest of the ride, realizing I had enough energy to make it home. Though I was pretty slow on Lucky Run (the ride up Walter Ride from Arlington Mill to King) and on Alpe de Park Center (which segment appears to have moved over to the sidewalk, in some strange quirk of stravaness)
10. Total miles were right about 70 so over 100km. There is really no obvious goal between 100km and 100 miles, I guess. I suppose riding from MP zero to Purcellville and back could be the next goal – which is 88 miles, but between trail access and the beginning and end, and inevitable pulls off for stops, should be over 90 miles for me.

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[KLizotte]

Whoa lordofthemark. 70 miles on such a hot day to boot. You’ve come a long way baby!

[kwarkentien]

I saw your Strava track out there. Great job!

[ursus]

@lordofthemark 122158 wrote:

3. So one of the W&OD guides mentioned a “general store” on the trail – I had made it my goal to reach there as a turn around (which would have been just far enough to make a full 100 km round trip, I think) and then stop by Old Ox for beverage, before heading home. Alas no such place exists (is it the building that is now Carolina BBQ?) BBQ did not fit my plans for the day, so I continued on, but alas, there is not much retail close to the trail in that stretch until you get to Leesburg. I met some folks who suggested heading on to Leesburg (including one fellow who is in the market for a MTB, who is thinking about a Kona, and to whom I recommended Bikenetics of course) I finally decided to head the final few miles into Leesburg and risk a dreadful last few miles on the ride home.

I knew that there would eventually be a post which would get me out of lurking mode.

You are correct. Partlow’s General Store used to be where the BBQ is now.

[Kitty]

Thanks for the further inspiration LoM! I’d wanted to go all the way to Purcellville as part of my century training, but ran out of time. I think I’m going to take it easy this weekend (maybe a 30-40 mile ride somewhere), but will “complete” the WO&D the weekend after.

Did you stop to eat? Any recommendations?

[lordofthemark]

@Kitty 122432 wrote:

Did you stop to eat? Any recommendations?

Iced coffee at Caffe Amouri. Smoothie at Green Lizard. Lunch at South Street Under in Leesburg. Beer at Crooked Run Brewing. Cookie at Green Lizard.

I stop for breaks ALOT.

Folks here can tell you more about Caffe Amouri. GL is a must stop, for the scene if nothing else. SSU was sort of standard upscale bakery/sandwich place.

[JimF22003]

the BBQ place is not a “general store” but they have stuff you might want to get — bananas, energy bars etc. I sometimes like to pick up a Diet Coke and some peanuts or something there.

[lordofthemark]

same place apparently

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/library/wwl/wwashbur.htm

Went from old fashioned country store, when that part of Loudoun was rural, to more convenience store, and then became the BBQ place.

“I don’t know what some bikers on the path would do if Partlow’s wasn’t there,” said Susan Strisik, 37, who has lived at Ashburn Farm for six years.

Well, we either stop for BBQ, or some of us (but not ALL of us) know there are snacks for sale there too, or we suffer hunger pangs till we get to Leesburg

[consularrider]

@lordofthemark 122446 wrote:

same place apparently

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/local/longterm/library/wwl/wwashbur.htm

Went from old fashioned country store, when that part of Loudoun was rural, to more convenience store, and then became the BBQ place.

“I don’t know what some bikers on the path would do if Partlow’s wasn’t there,” said Susan Strisik, 37, who has lived at Ashburn Farm for six years.

Well, we either stop for BBQ, or some of us (but not ALL of us) know there are snacks for sale there too, or we suffer hunger pangs till we get to Leesburg

A nice cold Cheerwine on the way home from Purcellville.

[mstone]

yikes, how old was the W&OD guide? did it talk about the need to pave the part in loudoun?

[JimF22003]

It might be a little heretical to point it out, but you can head off the W&OD trail to the right (when heading west) for a block or two and there’s a strip mall with a 7-11. I’ve stopped there a few times when I’ve been out riding before carolina bbq opens up.

[lordofthemark]

By the time I stopped to check on my phone, I was a good mile or so past Ashburn Rd. But thanks for the heads up – next time I will not be looking for a general store on the trail though.

[Vicegrip]

Self suport is where a GPS enabled phone is handy. Open map app. Zoom out and see what is around you. Often times what you need is available 30 seconds peddling to the right or left of the trail.

[Kitty]

@lordofthemark 122441 wrote:

Iced coffee at Caffe Amouri. Smoothie at Green Lizard. Lunch at South Street Under in Leesburg. Beer at Crooked Run Brewing. Cookie at Green Lizard.

I stop for breaks ALOT.

Folks here can tell you more about Caffe Amouri. GL is a must stop, for the scene if nothing else. SSU was sort of standard upscale bakery/sandwich place.

Oooh man. I’m not even going to do this until next-week Saturday (need to rest my knee with some easy riding this weekend) and already I want to start plotting out my “pit stops”

[ursus]

@lordofthemark 122158 wrote:

7. I could have made it all the way up Buckthorn had I been paying complete attention to what gear I was in. As it was my mind drifted, I was in the wrong gear, and ended up walking the bike the last five feet or so. Still felt like a victory.

I have always felt that the Buckthorn hill heading east was difficult mainly because it curved which causes additional effort to be expended to stay in lane while climbing.

[Kitty]

Well thanks to your info and inspiration, I set out yesterday and rode the W&OD all the way to Pucellville yesterday! 😎

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I started out from Mile 0 of the Custis Trail in Rosslyn (largely to get counted by the bike counter – #10 for the morning!) in lieu of going down to Shirlington for the W&OD trailhead as both routes are about 4 miles until the converge.

Following LotM’s suggestions I made the GreenLizard my first stop for a smoothie (and was probably the only one who bothered to lock my bike…), rode on to Purcelleville where I chatted with nice folks for a bike before returning to Ashville for the famous BBQ and a visit to Old Ox. (If you haven’t had their seasonal raspberry basil, it was amazing!). From there a final stop at Cafe Amouri where the only thing better than the cold drink thing they made me (too brainfried by midday heat to care, asked them to make me something good) was the classic rock soundtrack!
The hit of caffeine. and the adrenaline of familiar territory convinced me to not take Custis home, but instead go down to Shirlington so I could say I did the whole W&OD, and sucked it up and took MVT home. When I hit the Rosslyn bike counter I was no. 1647!

Best part was at the end of it all, I did a full century. A great way to spend a Saturday and add another trail to my “Conquered in Full” list.

[Author]

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