What if I can’t make it home up the Cap. Cresc. trail? Newbie commuter…

[BethesdaRider40]

I plan to start biking the Capital Crescent trail from Bethesda to downtown (Union Station-ish), mostly for the exercise benefits of biking to work. But I am not in very good shape yet – I have 20 lbs. to lose and haven’t done much exercise in the last year or two other than walking and a little running. The Cap. Crescent trail is downhill so much of the way inbound that I’m comfortable with the ride to work — but I’m worried that I won’t have enough strength/stamina for the uphill ride home! What are my backup options? Can I bail at Dupont Circle and take the metro with my bike during rush hour? If not the metro, what about a bus? Is there anything else I can do to ensure success (other than ramping up with some practice rides)? TIA!

Topic

[mstone]

if you have a smartphone, google maps has a transit option which you can use as a “find me a way home” option

[JeffC]

I live in the alternate universe that is Virginia but I second the idea to time the return ride home so you know how long it takes. I did not think it was that far from Bethesda to DC. I wll say that compared with the CCT trail or biking from DC south to Alexandria, biking north along the Custis and W&OD trail is much more challenging physically, at least based on the conversations I have had with others, so count yourself fortunate in that regard.

I have noticed that Metro is not very picky about people getting on with bikes a few minutes before the curfews end. I’ve seen people try at like 6:45 or 6:40 pm and not get turned away. There is a sweet spot in time when most people have gone home for the day and the trains are still running frequently enough that they are not too crowded, usually around 6:40 to 7:15 or so in my experience.

I’ve also left my bike at work when there are serious thunderstorms.

[karinc]

Since I’m going to Silver Spring, I take the S9 Express, but there are probably better buses to Bethesda–if you’re not sure how to put the bike on the bus, google bike rack bus or something like that, there are several helpful youtube videos.

I am working up to biking back, though–I did it once and was really worried about the uphill climb, but as someone else said, it really isn’t that bad–even for me, who isn’t all that in shape either.

[americancyclo]

@karinc 7703 wrote:

google bike rack bus or something like that, there are several helpful youtube videos.

[Author]

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