[JohnL]

This will have a huge impact on my commute home. Because you can’t enter Fort Myer from the cemetery (the bike route through the cemetery is one-way eastbound), the best way to bike from the Memorial Bridge to South Arlington has been to enter through the Wright Gate and exit through the Hatfield Gate. This provides a great connection to 2nd Street South and the on-street bike routes that connect Fort Myer to the W&OD Trail. The bike route through Fort Myer is used pretty heavily by folks going between South Arlington and DC, and there is a steady stream of bike commuters at the gates in the 8-8:30 a.m. and the 6:30-7 p.m. time frames.

I suppose the only alternatives to bike from the Memorial Bridge to South Arlington would be the Route 50 trail (which is currently a mess) or the narrow Route 27 sidewalk (with it’s multiple crossings of exit ramps) to Columbia Pike. The latter appears to be only 0.4 mile longer, but it is considerably more dangerous, with several at-grade crossings where cars move at highway speeds. The Columbia Pike underpass at Washington Boulevard is also currently a mess.

Anything that can be done to either extend the Wright Gate hours to 7 p.m. or to develop a base pass for bike commuters would be greatly appreciated.

[JohnL]

@dasgeh 32390 wrote:

It’s true that you can’t ride uphill through the cemetery, but it’s not because there’s no guardpost. There is a guardpost at the top of the hill, and if you were to walk up the hill, you can come on the base, just like at any other guardpost. I’ve never gotten an honest answer as to why they don’t allow riding up the hill in the cemetery…

When I asked about this, I was told that the guardpost at the top of the hill is an Arlington National Cemetery post — not a Fort Myer post — and that the cemetery personnel were not authorized to conduct checks for bikers entering Fort Myer. I’ve never tried to walk onto the base.

[JohnL]

One alternative going down the hill on Marshall Drive can be to ride through Fort Myer and Arlington National Cemetery to get to Memorial Drive and the Memorial Bridge. There is an ID check to enter Fort Myer; with a driver’s license the guards will record your information, with a federal government ID they will just check it and wave you through. There is no stop to enter the cemetery from Fort Myer.

Major downside is that the cemetery gates don’t open until 8 a.m., so if you need to ride earlier than that, Marshall Drive is your only option. Cemetery gates close at 7 p.m. through this Sunday, then close at 5 p.m. from Oct. 1 through March. And, of course, you cannot ride uphill through the cemetery to Fort Myer, as there is no Fort Myer guardpost at that gate.

One thing to watch for is the occasional horse-drawn caisson carrying a casket from the chapel into the cemetery; you are not supposed to pass the horses. I got stuck behind one yesterday for several minutes. Not a big deal, just unexpected.

[JohnL]

I would suggest giving serious thought to the Military Road/Lorcom Land option to the Custis and Mount Vernon trails. The C&O is unpaved and can get soft after it rains, the Crescent Trail is crowded, and the connection from the end of the Crescent Trail to the Lincoln Memorial isn’t my favorite.

There is a bike lane for most of Military Road, the hills are manageable, and the Mount Vernon Trail is a great ride. However, the connection between the Mount Vernon Trail and Memorial Bridge is poor; I always take the 14th Street Bridge from the Mount Vernon Trail. If you do use the 14th Street Bridge, consider continuing on to the Case Bridge and either L’Enfant Promenade or G Street SW.

If you decide to use the Chain Bridge or Memorial Bridge, my advice from the Lincoln Memorial would be to ride along the south side of the Reflecting Pool and on Jefferson Drive in the mornings, when there are fewer tourists. I avoid the Mall in the evening due to traffic and tourists; consider the Case Bridge to Ohio Drive to the Lincoln Memorial in the evening. It’s slightly longer, but no stopping for lights or peds.

[JohnL]

One question: Where is your final destination in the District? There is no sense in riding past the Memorial Bridge to the 14th Street Bridge if you are on the west end of town. Memorial Bridge has wide sidewalks that can accommodate a trailer.

If you park in Bluemont Park, consider taking the W&OD trail to 9th Street South and follow the route shown on the Arlington County bike map along 9th, 8th, 7th, 6th and 2nd streets to Fort Myer. These are side streets that are comfortable to bike on, though I try to minimize my time on 2nd. After an ID check at Fort Myer, you can ride on base to Arlington Memorial Cemetery (gate opens at 8 a.m.), then through the cemetery to Memorial Drive. There are two intersections on your right to watch as you ride toward the Memorial Bridge: one at the Route 110 off ramp, the other across Washington Boulevard. Morning traffic is usually moving slow enough at Washington Boulevard that someone will let you cross. Once across the Memorial Bridge, ride along the Mall until you need to head to your destination.

Going home, you cannot ride through the cemetery. From Memorial Drive, take the Route 110 path north, then ride up the hill on Marshall Drive past the Netherlands Carillon to the Wright Gate of Fort Myer, then through the base to the Hatfield Gate, where you exit onto 2nd Street South. That will add about a quarter-mile to the ride home. This is also the route to use inbound when the cemetery is closed.

It is 6.8 miles from S. Taylor St. and 8th St. S. to Capitol Hill. I would estimate that Bluemont Park to the Hill would be in your desired 8-9 mile range.

If you are feeling good, you could ride the W&OD and Four Mile Run Trail to the Mount Vernon Trail to the 14th Street Bridge. This would add about 2 miles to the ride.

John

[JohnL]

The Two Wheel Gear garment bag is a brilliantly designed commuter bag; I put a suit and dress shirt in the main compartment, and it folds over and attaches to my rack, with no wrinkling. It has side pockets for shoes, toiletries, compact pump, spare tube, papers, laptop, etc., so it has become my daily commuter bag. A dry-cleaner bag keeps the suit dry on rainy days. It has a loop on top to hang on a hook in the locker room at work, so it is easy to access when you are getting dressed.

My only complaint is that I seem to wear out the bag after four years or so of use; I’m about to retire my second one. I’d love to find a bag with its design features that is more durable.

[JohnL]

For the past eight years, I have used a folding garment bag that hooks onto the rack on back of my bike. I can lay a suit, dress shirt and tie in the main pocket and dress shoes, toiletries, work papers and a flat repair kit in the side pockets. The bag folds in half across my rack, and the suit is unwrinkled when I get to work.

See http://www.twowheelgear.com/

[Author]

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