Things I have learned about my neighborhood (Alexandria and Arlington)

[lordofthemark]

A. It is quite possible to cross King Street at Park Center Drive, if it takes a while
B. However the sidewalk on the NE side of King from Park Center to 30th street sucks. Multiple obstructions of a narrow sidewalk. Easier to dismount than to ride.
C. Fairlington is a very nice place to ride around, and the signage really helps
D. Going down 31st to Shirlington is much easier than going up. If still a bit scary.
E. In Shirlington it feels like biking is “normal”
F. The Glebe road bridge leaves something to be desired
G. Valley is the best way among the hills on that side of Fairlington.
H. Spokes really does want to be my LBS
I. There is a little path connecting from Quaker into Fairlington by Stafford and 35th. There are some resident only signs there. Surely no one minds someone taking their bike quietly through there?
J. The going up 4MRT to Walter Reed and around to King is easier for me than going up the hill on 31st.
K. I kind of like the Walter Reed trail, will consider the sharrows on the road
L. The intersection at King and Beauregard sucks. But then City of Alexandria knows that and is planning a big fix.
M. I am getting more comfortable taking the lane on uphills – too comfortable for one driver on Hampton Drive

Topic

[KLizotte]

Be sure to check out the Del Ray neighborhood! Lots of nice, quiet streets there and some very good restaurants/cafes. Also, check out the new bike path by Potomac Yards. Commonwealth is a great road to ride as well.

[PotomacCyclist]

Plus Del Ray now has CaBi stations. And the Potomac Yard bike/ped path will be extended to Braddock Rd., just around the corner from the Metro station. I think that should be completed by the end of the year.

[lordofthemark]

So naturally today I had to check out the least likely cardinal direction – west. Alexandria bike map suggests going through NVCC to Dawes and then west to Chambliss and Holmes run (completing the Alexandria loop?) The hill on Hampden Drive up to Braddock was steeper than I had hoped, but that height made taking the lane on Braddock to Beauregard more comfortable, as I was going pretty fast. Then up again onto campus only to find Campus Drive closed for construction, so that route is a no go. Rather than try to find another, I headed down the Beauregard sharrows to the Walter Reed bike lane to the W&OD, and on the 4MRT to the shopping center (hadn’t realized how redone it was) on S Glebe at Mead. Then back home.

[CaseyKane50]

@lordofthemark 93544 wrote:

So naturally today I had to check out the least likely cardinal direction – west. Alexandria bike map suggests going through NVCC to Dawes and then west to Chambliss and Holmes run (completing the Alexandria loop?) The hill on Hampden Drive up to Braddock was steeper than I had hoped, but that height made taking the lane on Braddock to Beauregard more comfortable, as I was going pretty fast. Then up again onto campus only to find Campus Drive closed for construction, so that route is a no go. Rather than try to find another, I headed down the Beauregard sharrows to the Walter Reed bike lane to the W&OD, and on the 4MRT to the shopping center (hadn’t realized how redone it was) on S Glebe at Mead. Then back home.

Yesterday, I also discovered Campus Drive closed, except that I was up on Dawes having coming up from the Holmes Run Trail. I continued on Dawes to King Street and then turned onto Walter Reed. Fortunately, traffic was very light on King, otherwise I would have probably used the sidewalks.

You could have continued south on Beauregard Street to Seminary Road. Then turned left onto the sidewalk on the north side of Seminary (in front of the Southern Towers apartments) The sidewalk leads to a pedestrian bridge over 395. Continue on the sidewalk to Library Lane. Using the crosswalk cross Seminary Road and then either ride through the Hammond Middle School parking lot or take the sidewalk to Pickett Street. Turn right on Pickett and ride to the first stop sign, make a slight right onto Peagram and then enjoy the downhill ride to the Holmes Run Trail.

[lordofthemark]

I did not know there was a Sunday farmers market on Mt Vernon Avenue in Arlandria/Chirilagua. Bought some cucumbers, and some books. Spoke to a guy (a volunteer?) from Alexandria T&ES who had a stand about compost pick up, but who needed to know where he could find a bike shop, so I pulled out by map and showed him how to get to Spokes. Checked out where the MOM’s was. I find the neighborhood quite “chill”.

The Mt Vernon Avenue bridge could use at least wider sidewalks. Mt Vernon Avenue below the bridge is two lanes in each direction and 25 MPH, so seemed bike able.

Some guy who had a bike was off the 4MRT making what looked like an art installation with rocks. I called out “cool” but I am not sure he appreciated that.

[lordofthemark]

Time for another exploration ride, and pick me up on a gray day.

Home to Shirlington to Bluemont to Ballston to south on Jackson and over rte 50 via the bridge to TJ Middle School, then 2nd Street to Ft Myer (I was inspired by Dasgeh’s many references to try this route) to Henderson Gate – Southgate-Joyce-Hayes (to try NoVa’s first real cycle track) to 18th to a break at Crystal City and to try out the fix station – to Eads to 4MRT to Shirlington (where I now am, and will return home from after getting a book out of this library.)

1. Walter Reed lane from 4MRT to W&OD could be better, esp the grates
2. Connection from Bluemont to Fairfax left me scratching my head. But I guess this problem is known
3. I like riding on Fairfax lane and seeing the new development
4. Jackson was a lovely place to ride, and the halloween decorations added to it
5. That bridge over Rte 50 is not terribly well designed for cyclists coming from the north side, now is it?
6. I got a bit confused at TJ even with my map, but figured it out
7. 2nd is okay, drivers usually cross the yellow to pass. Hmmm.
8. The guy at Hatfield Gate was very nice – I had forgotten to take my Fed ID, he was fine with my Va drivers license, let me in quick and gave me directions
9. Not a bad ride through the fort. Lots of people driving to the PX?
10. I took the lane on Joyce – I usually am not a fan of taking the lane on 35MPH roads, but its 2 lanes in each direction, the traffic was light, and the sidewalk looked like a mess
11. I really liked the Hayes cycle track
12. I bought a smoothie at crystal City. The shops in the underground really look like they could use any support.
13. The pump at the fixstation (sp?) was not really better than my old one at home. Lots of interesting tools, but I really don’t know what to do with them. I did take the opportunity to put my bike up so I could get the number to register it.
14. Eads pavement is nice, but the road is still a mess.
15. Anyone know what is up with the bike (looks like a kids’ bike) on the island in four mile run?

[JustinW]

“15. Anyone know what is up with the bike (looks like a kids’ bike) on the island in four mile run?” — Noticed that last weekend. Was wondering if it was deliberately placed there, propped against a tree, or if the stream flow on a rainy day simply plopped it there. Pretty eye-catching in many ways.

[Arlingtonrider]

Just fyi — The Sunday Mount Vernon Ave. farmer’s market that Lord of the Mark mentioned above is small in terms of vendors (it has all the basics) but awesome for its incredibly easy accessibility from Four Mile Run trail and totally ride-through-able shopping. Also, great live music played at a nice background volume. I almost always see biking friends there.

I’ve wondered about that bike in the middle of the stream too. I like it as art, at least on a temporary basis, even though I know it’s debris and I probably shouldn’t.

Also, as Lord of the Mark mentioned, the pedestrian bridge across Rt. 50 is extremely difficult (impossible without a map) to find and get to, at least from the north. I wish Arlington or VDOT could improve the safety of the Rt. 50 crossings in that general area, or at least provide signage to the (not bike friendly) bridge. It would be really nice to have a bridge designed for bikes somewhere around there. I cross at the lights when I need to, but it’s always just a little nerve wracking with all the crazy drivers and the history of bike/ped accidents around there.

[DismalScientist]

@lordofthemark 98534 wrote:

.
7. 2nd is okay, drivers usually cross the yellow to pass. Hmmm.
.

IMHO, drivers are supposed to do this. If the sightlines are OK, I want drivers to pass me if I am the equivalent of slow moving farm equipment. I certainly don’t want them to feel it is important to stay to the right of the yellow line and pass me within the lane if they can give me more room by moving somewhat into the opposite lane. This is particularly true in rural areas.

[dasgeh]

@lordofthemark 98534 wrote:

then 2nd Street to Ft Myer (I was inspired by Dasgeh’s many references to try this route) to Henderson Gate

Aw, thanks. The best is riding downhill through the Cemetery. Maybe next time.

@lordofthemark 98534 wrote:

5. That bridge over Rte 50 is not terribly well designed for cyclists coming from the north side, now is it?
6. I got a bit confused at TJ even with my map, but figured it out

Two of the reasons why I just take the light at Irving.

@lordofthemark 98534 wrote:

10. I took the lane on Joyce – I usually am not a fan of taking the lane on 35MPH roads, but its 2 lanes in each direction, the traffic was light, and the sidewalk looked like a mess

The sidewalk is great under 395, but the end closest to Southgate is horrible. Hopefully this will be fixed sooner than later.

@lordofthemark 98534 wrote:

11. I really liked the Hayes cycle track

Yay!

[CaseyKane50]

@lordofthemark 93544 wrote:

So naturally today I had to check out the least likely cardinal direction – west. Alexandria bike map suggests going through NVCC to Dawes and then west to Chambliss and Holmes run (completing the Alexandria loop?) The hill on Hampden Drive up to Braddock was steeper than I had hoped, but that height made taking the lane on Braddock to Beauregard more comfortable, as I was going pretty fast. Then up again onto campus only to find Campus Drive closed for construction, so that route is a no go. Rather than try to find another, I headed down the Beauregard sharrows to the Walter Reed bike lane to the W&OD, and on the 4MRT to the shopping center (hadn’t realized how redone it was) on S Glebe at Mead. Then back home.

Rode through NVCC today and discovered that Campus Drive is still closed.

[Author]

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