Temporary commute to Navy Yard

[DaveK]

@acl 43667 wrote:

I probably have a week’s training at the Navy Yard coming up week after next. This means that, if I can figure out the logistics, I might be able to commute by bike for a whole week. Yay. But, logistics.

Question 1: Google maps says 14th street bridge, down Maine and east on M. Experienced bike commuters who know the area agree or disagree? (I’ll be coming up the MVT from Old Town).

Question 2: I’m not really sure how to handle the “carrying stuff I need” logistics. Since I’ll be in training, I won’t have an office or, presumably, any place to store gear or hang up sweaty am riding clothes to dry for the ride home. I presume I will have access to restrooms where I can change, and I will ask about a bike rack. I certainly won’t be able to store things overnight, so I’ll have to bring clothes with me each day, plus make sure I’m properly attired for the ride home (should I carry rain gear all the time, just in case?). At 13mile trip each way, I would be fine riding without padded shorts, but NOT in dress shoes and slacks, and I’ll get sweaty on the way in. Any thoughts on how to dress/what to carry to make it as easy as possible? As in, carrying the least amount of stuff possible, both for ease of carrying and to deal with inability to store stuff during the day? But still being comfortable both while riding and in class…

M St is hairy through Southwest and through S Capitol St area, try these:

http://goo.gl/maps/oZkCu

Disclaimer: I have never been in the Navy Yard and don’t know if there’s a gate on that southern route. I’d ride the I St SW/SE route, I do it regularly now and it’s a nice easy way to get across the area. It might be quicker to ride the southern route if there’s an entrance there.

[Justin Antos]

Thumbs-up to the I Street route; it now has bike lanes all the way from Maine to New Jersey (ha!) and some nice green paint for bikes crossing S. Capitol. Connect with K St SE and you can even roll through the new Canal Park.

I agree with Dave – avoid M at rush hour.

Good luck!!

[Mikey]

I commute to the Navy yard every day.

14th street bridge to Ohio to Maine. Ride down Maine (or Water if Maine is too trafficy for you) to 7th, Turn left at 7th the right on Eye street and follow Eye to Maryland and maryland down to M street. M street from Maryland to the ISAAC HULL gate (6th street) is not too bad just watch out for the circulator buses. The only access to the yard would be this gate, the 9th street gate, and the O street gate (Eastern side of the yard but watch out for traffic coming and going on the new 12th street bridge. There is no bike access from the waterfront.

There usually is ample bike ng on the yard, depending on where you are going. You must have a helmet to ride on the installation, and traffic is forced to go slow. There is a gym with lockerroom which is open to Fed employees and Military (same building as SBARRO Food court). Send me a PM if you have any other questions. I may even be able to hold some items at my office for you if you like.

[Steve]

Here is the way I went when I worked at the Navy Yard (I worked there until recently): http://goo.gl/7ud1P

To me that’s the safest/easiest way to get there. There is no gate at the southern entrance, unfortunately. This route keeps you off M St. until the last block, which is usually backed up with people getting onto base (i.e. slow going there).

As far as getting cleaned up/etc, there is a free gym in the building that Google Maps shows in the middle as housing “Rice King.” The gym is right off the food court in that building. It is free to anyone with a CAC Card. You have to sign up, but if you have one, my guess is they will allow you to use it for the week without signing up. They might just give you temporary access to use it. There are showers and a locker room there. While I don’t think you can leave things there overnight, my guess if little would be done if you left things during the day. Also, they have towels there if you need to shower. There are bike racks in the parking garages. A main one is inbetween Isaac Hull and Patterson, south of Tingey. They racks are wheel busters, but if you get there early you can park it on the side of the rack. Either way they can usually get the job done and lots of people use them. They are safe.

I think that about covers it for me. If you have more questions, please let me know and I’d be happy to try and help. I think someone else on the forum commutes there (can’t remember who), so they might be able to provide more guidance.

[Steve]

@essigmw 43673 wrote:

I commute to the Navy yard every day.

Beat me by mere seconds (or minutes)!

[Amalitza]

Thanks! I will avoid M street and ask about the gym. I’m a navy employee and have a CAC, so that sounds promising.

[creadinger]

@acl 43693 wrote:

Thanks! I will avoid M street and ask about the gym. I’m a navy employee and have a CAC, so that sounds promising.

I tried M St one morning because I was getting sick of crossing the terrible Douglass bridge. Anyway, it wasn’t the traffic that got me, it was the hitting EVERY SINGLE red-light that annoyed me enough to never try that route again.

[consularrider]

@creadinger 43695 wrote:

… Anyway, it wasn’t the traffic that got me, it was the hitting EVERY SINGLE red-light that annoyed me enough to never try that route again.

That’s my experience just about every time I try to ride through DC to go anywhere. Same with the very rare times I drive there. Has anyone figured out what DC lights are timed to (that’s assuming DDOT actually has a master timing plan)? I’d rather ride Royal or Union Streets in Alexandria with their every block stop signs! At least you know before you go.

[5555624]

I’ve been commuting to the Navy Yard for more than 14 years. Admittedly, I do ride in earlier than everyone else here, but I always take M Street. (Even if I ride in later than usual, I take M Street.) The lights are the real problem. If you’re comfortable riding in traffic, the only spots that can be tricky — at whatever hour you’re riding in — would be 4th Street SW (Fort McNair) and S Capitol St, since both have lots of cars turning right.

Commuting back to Virginia, I follow the same route in reverse. (Sometimes, such as during the Cherry Blossom Festival, I’ll take the Case Bridge.) If you’re before 5:00 p.m., the biggest problem is at the DMV, where traffic can be backed up trying to turn into the parking lot. (As I have told people, the “Parking lot full” sign is really a secret code for “Free burgers.”)

As for the gym, you should be okay next week. A major renovation project will start on 27 February. (I believe the second floor locker rooms will be closed first, then the first floor.)

[TwoWheelsDC]

My wife hates that I did this, but before I got my garment bag pannier (one of the best bike-related purchases I’ve made in a while), I put my dress clothes (shirt/tie/suit pants) in a rectangular tupperware container and carried it in a pannier or backpack. It keeps everything dry, neat, and organized. Otherwise, when I stuff a shirt and pants in my bag, they get crumpled immediately.

[Steve]

@TwoWheelsDC 43780 wrote:

My wife hates that I did this, but before I got my garment bag pannier (one of the best bike-related purchases I’ve made in a while), I put my dress clothes (shirt/tie/suit pants) in a rectangular tupperware container and carried it in a pannier or backpack.

That is so awesome.

As an aside, I find that rolling clothes as opposed to folding them helps a lot with reducing wrinkles. My Grandpa owned a clothing store and ALWAYS wore suits, and he said that with suit jackets, it is best to turn them inside-out before folding to prevent creases.

[KLizotte]

I use a packing cube.

http://www.rakuten.com/prod/ebags-luggage-packing-cubes-3pc-set/203422652.html?listingId=-1

There are a lot of variations on the theme.

[dasgeh]

Wearing dresses is also a good solution — there are lots of options in materials that won’t wrinkle and that pack small.

PS. Don’t wear dresses if you’re pumping.

[consularrider]

@dasgeh 43786 wrote:

Wearing dresses is also a good solution — there are lots of options in materials that won’t wrinkle and that pack small…

You mean like Princess Peach last night?

[Tim Kelley]

@consularrider 43795 wrote:

You mean like Princess Peach last night?

That dress is so wrinkled by now that there is no hope for it. Even if I wanted to iron it, I think the material is so cheap that it would burst into flames immediately. Definitely gotten my money’s worth at this point though…

[Author]

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