[GovernorSilver]

What a coincidence!

I took my bike to my bike shop for a bike maintenance class last night. The rain provided a great opportunity to ask how to maintain the bike if it got wet from rain. Because of the rain, I was the only student who showed up. The personal attention was great. I was given a maintenance checklist to help remember what I should be doing. As a bonus, I got to practice what I just learned when I got home.

Seems like a lot of local bike shops teach free classes on bike maintenance, how to handle flat tires, bike maintenance for women, etc. Try checking your bike shops.

[GovernorSilver]

@lordofthemark 85951 wrote:

Google suggests bypassing N Kings highway and the metro lots by using a path from Biscayne to Blair – I am not clear on the quality of that path.

Zombie thread, but I’m a few weeks new to the WABA forums, live near Courts at Huntington, and have been exploring the same question (how to get to MVT from the neighborhood). I really should have been posting in this thread instead of in the Commuting forum.

The Biscayne to Blair path is asphalt. As you can see in Google Maps it winds left and right. I’m not that good at climbing, having learned how to ride early May 2015. I can climb from Huntington Ave. up Blair to that path but not up the path itself because of the combination of grade and winding. I couldn’t climb MVT to Mt. Vernon Estate without taking a couple of breaks. Descending is also beyond my skill level, though I saw a neighborhood kid descend on a mountain bike, with his buddy loudly claiming credit for teaching him “the trick”. The kid appeared to be standing on one pedal.

Mt. Eagle Park is not gated and has the asphalt paths running through it. Going through the park, then down to that winding path to Blaine is probably your best bet, coming from Courts. The park technically closes at sundown, but there’s no gate anywhere. You’ll probably want a light if you think it’s going to be night time when you come back from MVT, because I didn’t notice any lights in the park.

Once you’re down on Huntington Ave, just take the right lane to the Rt. 1 intersection. I have tried both options to get to the pedestrian bridge leading to MVT:

1. Stay on Huntington, wait for all the cars to pass, then switch to left lane, then turn left on Ft. Hunt and right onto the access road in the direction of the pedestrian bridge. Pro: You avoid more of the car traffic pulling out of Ft. Hunt onto Rt. 1. Cons: You have no control over the traffic light unless you stay in the right lane to get at the pedestrian traffic light button – which is hazardous for cyclists as car drivers tend to be in aggressive competition to see who can get to the right turn lane first.

2. At stoplight, switch to pedestrian crosswalk to cross Rt. 1. Wait for the light and cross Huntington. Take sidewalk all the way to pedestrian bridge. Pros: You avoid the Huntington-Ft. Hunt stoplight mess and it’s a more straightforward route to MVT. Cons: Drivers coming out of Ft. Hunt may have a tendency to merge into Rt. 1 aggressively, especially the ones that try to cheat on the red light. My first time riding to MVT, there was a truck that stopped and blocked the pedestrian walkway – I think he was thinking of cheating the red light to merge ahead of oncoming traffic, then realized he was too late.

Personally, between the two I prefer the better control over traffic lights in option 2, because option 1 leaves you at the mercy of cars coming out of the country club to trigger the traffic light.

Coming back from MVT is tricky as you can’t do the reverse of 1 or 2 above. Well, I tried to do the reverse of 1 but was stuck waiting for a car to trigger the light. Anyway, the next time I come back from MVT, I’m going to try pulling a left onto Ft. Hunt, then making a right onto Huntington Ave for the ride back to the neighborhood. I’m nervous about switching to the left lane on Huntington to turn back onto Blair – I can turn my head to look but I don’t think I can see far enough back to tell if there’s a car approaching at high speed. I had a mirror but it kept slipping on my handlebar. What I did last time was pull to the right somewhere then walk my bike across.

On the other forum, the Metro parking area was mentioned as an alternative to climbing the hill. There are two parking structures, one on each side of the station. I believe there is an access road or path that can be used to go from the lower structure to the one uphill but I haven’t tried it.

[GovernorSilver]

Looks like they just updated their Google calendar. I looked two days ago – I just learned to ride 3 weeks ago myself – and didn’t see a thing for June. Now they have one scheduled for June 14 in Arlington. I’ll have to wait for the next one as I’ll have a visitor.

https://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=hrolrgvj9ckridudaep3tajn6o@group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York

[GovernorSilver]

@Amalitza 117047 wrote:

Huntington/Ft Hunt is definitely demand-driven at slower times (and does *not* recognize bikes, or at least not my bikes), so Huntington/Rt.1 might be too.

I tried the Huntington<->Ft. Hunt<->access road route to MVT as you suggested. Going to MVT was ok.

Coming back was a problem as I was completely at the mercy of cars coming out of Belle Haven Country Club to trigger that stoplight. If there weren’t any cars coming out of the country club, I’d have to use the pedestrian button and crosswalk to cross Ft. Hunt to get back on Huntington, and that crosswalk would take me to the wrong side of Huntington (traffic going west), unless I cheat and cut back into an eastward road lane after I get the light, which may be a problem if there are any cars that come out of the country club just as I start crossing through the intersection.

[GovernorSilver]

@Amalitza 117047 wrote:

And speaking of Huntington/Ft. Hunt– if you are crossing Rt.1 at Huntington with the intent of picking up the pedestrian bridge to Washington St, you might consider/try taking Huntington all the way to Fort Hunt and across, turn left onto the access road across Ft. Hunt, and take the access road to the ped bridge. This lets you avoid crossing Ft. Hunt along Rt 1 and the steady stream of cars turning right-on-red across the ped path onto Rt. 1.

While I’m now more comfortable riding on the road on Huntington, I’ve continued pondering ways to get to that pedestrian bridge to Washington St. I’ve considered cycling on Huntington all the way to Ft. Hunt as you say above. What concerns me is the number of aggressive drivers heading east on Huntington that jockey for the right turn to Ft. Hunt. They love to be on the left lane before the intersection, and after crossing the intersection, race ahead of whoever is in the right lane, then cut into the right lane to ensure being in front after turning right on Ft. Hunt.

I guess the solution would be to stay on the right lane before crossing Rt. 1, and during/after crossing allow all the speed demons to pass on the left lane, then change to the left lane in anticipation of crossing Ft. Hunt after all the cars have passed me.

On the way back, just take the right lane on Huntington, and take the Mt. Vernon+Farrington route to the Biscayne & Huntington intersection to get back to the south side of Huntington Ave.

[GovernorSilver]

@vvill 116876 wrote:

The best thing about cycling is that it’s also transportation. You see a lot more on your bike than in a car, and you tend to ride to places you wouldn’t travel to as easily/often otherwise.

That’s what I like about cycling too, even though I’m a beginning rider and not very good at it. I live in a hilly neighborhood, so i always get a workout of some sort cycling home but I, too, do not treat it as a sport. I’m not a racer – I ride just for the pure fun of it, primarily, with the eventual idea of using the bike for grocery shopping and commuting to work maybe a couple of times a year.

[GovernorSilver]

@Terpfan 116882 wrote:

I know it sounds crazy, but if you do the Rt 1 way, also take a moment to count the time from when the folks on Huntington first get a green to when Rt 1 southbound gets their green. I think you will find it’s time enough to take Rt 1 up to Mt. Eagle. Worst case, just stop and shuffle bike up onto the sidewalk there. Although, I’m no fan of that dirt path at all and find it rather annoying.

The Telegraph to Eisenhower overpass may be your best bet. I’m not sure about that construction as I haven’t driven through there in a few weeks. But the other thing is you can always ride through Metro’s parking garage. It really makes the hill far less challenging. Flip side, you do have some vehicles.

For this evening’s practice ride, I rode on Huntington Ave. east on the slow lane. A big black pickup truck on the other lane honked at me. I prefer to think it was because of my wobbly riding style and not because the driver thought I should stay on the sidewalk. I pulled into the parking lot on the corner of Rt.1 and Huntington and rode on the sidewalk along Rt. 1 southward. I see what you and Analitza mean about the dirt path – it is a very narrow dirt trail. I was unable to access the bike paths inside the Montebello complex because as it turns out, Montebello has a gate and a guard who made me go back outside the property. Fortunately I was able to cut through the Cityside Huntington Metro apartment complex parking lot back to Mt. Eagle Park – I was so glad to be able to do so, I almost didn’t mind the hard (for my ability) climb. I was very close to my limit when I entered the park.

The construction across the Metro station on Huntington Ave has eliminated the sidewalk on the north side of the street, between the access road leading to the Metro Kiss & Ride and the auto shop. The fence around the construction site is all the way to the curb. Google Earth view now shows it. After riding on the street, I’m more comfortable now just taking the slow lane in the westward direction. The only issue for morning commuters going that way is during the heaviest rush hour traffic, the cars tend to be backed up all the way to the auto shop, sometimes beyond. Fortunately I don’t have to go that way during morning rush hour – other times do not look as bad.

[GovernorSilver]

Good idea! Thanks!

[GovernorSilver]

I was briefly into hiking, because I thought my parents wanted to do the Camino de Santiago in Spain on foot. As it turns out, they’re planning to do it on bikes, and they’ll lend me one. So the distance training I thought I was going to do on foot has become cycling distance training, which is fine by me because despite my lack of experience and occasional terror being on a bike, I enjoy cycling more than walking. By “training” here I just mean working up to being able to bike all day – every day for up to 3 weeks, not race or anything.

Played on a “championship” softball team several years ago. It’s one of those local leagues where the majority play to unwind from work, and the minority actually care about winning; and everybody brings coolers of beers to hide from the Park Police. I was a terrible softball player but I happened to be on a team with a good offense. Passing the trophy full of beer around to drink out of as part of the celebration was probably not hygienic but it was a fun time and didn’t seem like anybody got sick. The bar gave us Jello shots on the house, to show appreciation for us choosing to go there after every game.

I’ve been exercising on gymnastic rings. The hardest skills I can do are Skin The Cats, Dips, and Tuck Roll Chin Ups – so I’m not advanced at all. However I got a bruise on my forearm from hitting the wall, cycling on my way back from MVT towards Rt. 1, so that cuts the exercises I can do on the rings in half (any that require the ring strap to be up against my forearm) so I’m switching to parallette exercise.

Speaking of Comic Con, I attended regularly with a couple of buddies in San Diego. They were more active though than typical geeks – one was into long distance running at the time and the other was into cycling and Brazilian Jujutsu. They were the serious comic collectors – I just tagged along and bought only a few things here and there. Around Comic Con time we indulged in the annual heart-attack-on-a-plate of choice: the almighty Carne Asada Fries – french fries w/ carne asada, guacamole, sour cream, cheese, etc. BTW, my avatar is from an anime about a nerd who gradually gets recruited into the high school cycling club.

[GovernorSilver]

@Amalitza 116821 wrote:

Yes I am talking about south on rt. 1 from Huntington. The dirt path is not really a very good dirt path but it is there. I really don’t understand the point of the sidewalk that ends before it connects to anything.

If you’re not comfortable on Huntington, have you tried the telegraph (sidewalk) =>> Eisenhower connector that was also suggested earlier in the thread?

Thanks for the clarification.

As for the Telegraph <=> Eisenhower connector, I haven’t tried it yet, but that’s the one I’m going to have to use to get to Whole Foods and such. I just have to accept that I’ll have to ride on the road to get to it, due to the construction across the street from the Metro station.

[GovernorSilver]

@Amalitza 116805 wrote:

I’ve done that. The sidewalk does end there. There is a dirt “desire” path that pedestrians have worn. Depending on your preference, you can walk your bike on that path, ride your bike at pedestrian speed up that path and dismount if you encounter a pedestrian coming the other way, or simply take the lane on Rt. 1. After testing out all options, I mostly preferred taking the lane in all but the heaviest traffic times, though I would take the lane starting at Huntington rather than start on the sidewalk and then try to jump back in to the road among the cars. THAT (going between sidewalk and road) is highly scary.

Are you talking about going south on Rt. 1 past the intersection with Huntington, towards Mt. Eagle Drive? I’m going to check this out this evening, if time and weather allow (still don’t know enough about bike maintenance to expose it to the rain). I think I’d be more comfortable going this way back to the Huntington metro neighborhood (from Mt. Vernon Trail) than going west on Huntington Ave. in the left lane of the street.

Or are you talking about going on Huntington to the Eisenhower overpass?

[GovernorSilver]

BTW, on the way back from Mt. Vernon Trail, a more experienced cyclist passed me. I followed him a bit across Huntington Ave. then across Rt. 1 at the Huntington and Rt. 1 intersection. I noticed he then turned left and went south on the sidewalk along Rt. 1.

I was intrigued because I thought there wasn’t a safe way to bike along Rt. 1 in the southerly direction after the intersection. I looked in Google Maps’ Earth view and saw that the sidewalk he was traveling on ends abruptly, just after passing the tennis courts on the right, before it would have met Mt. Eagle Drive. Assuming the Earth view is still current, I wonder if he simply dismounted and carried his bike to Mt. Eagle Drive. According to Google Maps, Mt. Eagle Drive eventually intersects with a bike trail – a trail that eventually splits, with one direction going to Mt. Eagle Park.

[GovernorSilver]

@Amalitza 114578 wrote:

I like Huntington Avenue in general, though I haven’t ridden it during rush hour. It is a better place to cross Rt 1 than either Kings Hwy or Fairhaven/Quander if heading to MVT and takes you right to Eisenhower bridge the other way.

I am not sure if the route you mapped to get there is rideable and publicly accessible? If so, I approve. I’ve also cut through metro parking garage before…

Huntingon Park Dr. goes through an apartment/condo property, but there’s no gate. Mt. Eagle Park is publicly accessible – theoretically until “closing time” – but there’s nothing to stop cyclists from entering any time. The winding path between the park and Blaine Dr. however is steep enough to be a tough challenge for a beginning cyclist such as myself. Blaine Dr. is also steep enough to be a challenge for me (fast descent, climb gives me a hard workout).

Once the cyclist is on Huntington Ave, it looks like he/she pretty much has to bike on the street. I tried the sidewalk yesterday and hit trash cans, and got bruised from falling, trying to maneuver around objects left lying on the sidewalk. Going east doesn’t look so bad because one can easily switch from road to pedestrian walkway to set up for crossing Rt. 1 then crossing Huntington to get to Mt. Vernon Trail. Going west though looks tricky because the cyclist would eventually have to get back to Blaine Dr. – either take the left lane and risk getting in front of a speeding motorist, or pull over to the sidewalk then try to cross as a pedestrian.

Also, going west from Blaine Dr. to the Eisenhower overpass trail is tricky because a good chunk of the sidewalk has been eliminated by construction across the street from the Metro station. The cyclist may be forced to weave in traffic if there’s a long line of cars waiting to turn right from Huntington to Telegraph Rd – until usable sidewalk is found again.

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