[SerialCarpins]

I recently received the bike map I ordered through WABA….for a whopping $1.00. This thing is great…has the entire DC area, and also a blowup of downtown. Very detailed, very well-done, and lots of little tips and what-not for cycling in the area in general….just a general thumbs-up if you’re thinking of getting a map from them….I also don’t have a GPS for my bike, and while my commute is fairly standard every day, I like to mix it up, and also like to know my options should I have to change my route for any reason on the fly…I just tuck it into my panniers, and I’m good to go.

[SerialCarpins]

I second that….I ride in to work from up on East West Highway down to Independence and 3rd SW (Near the American Indian Museum) and I have tried all three routes on numerous occasions….even though the CCT is technically a couple miles longer than the other routes, I consistently shave about 10-15 minutes off my trip by using it because of the subtle grade….it’s also WAY prettier to look at.

Connecticut Ave is really an up and down trip….after the one big hill heading north from Dupont, you really are constantly going uphill and then down over and over…if you’re not one that likes to ride with traffic, and wants to use the sidewalks, they are abyssmal especially past Chevy Chase Circle (where you also have to contend with numerous driveways that are filled with blind-spots for drivers)

Wisconsin is a little better I have found, but you still have to go up some pretty severe hills any route you take (Wisconsin from G-Town, Massachusetts from Dupont, nearly any sidestreet from Connecticut) in order to access it…then there’s that “Dead Zone” between Friendship Heights and Bethesda that’s a little hairy if you’re not comfortable with cars….the sidewalks here are in even worse shape than CT Ave and VERY narrow….

Just my two cents….good luck, and see ya out there!

[SerialCarpins]

I have to say, I had the same fear when I first tried the trail, and luckily I discovered that the grade is mild enough that you shouldn’t have too tough a time…my ride into town is about 43 minutes, my ride home is just under an hour these days…so, obviously I’m moving slower, but luckily since (I believe) these trails started off as railroad tracks, the hills couldn’t be too steep. Even though the route home for me on the CCT is about 2.5 miles farther than going directly through the city, I make it home quicker by about 15 minutes because of how hilly the ride through DC is…

Good luck out there! To join the chorus…take it slow, hydrate, enjoy the ride. It’s a gorgeous one that I still haven’t gotten tired of yet.

[SerialCarpins]

Excellent…thanks for all the advice/anecdotes everyone!

Yeah, I certainly didn’t have an hour to let my patch dry…the instructions that came with the kit said at least five minutes, and since I had a two year old waiting for me to pick him up at daycare, I waited for the minimum five minutes, slapped the tire back together, inflated (with my small manual hand pump) and got home safe. I was lucky, having watched a few “how to” videos online, and also being able to read and follow directions. :p That, and the fact that I was also lucky that it was the front tire, which is a bit easier to deal with than the rear, and that the huge thunderstorm had stopped already…

At any rate…all the planets lined up, and it went well…

Since I don’t do any huge rides (12 mile commute each way for work) I’m gonna stick with riding on the patched tube for at least the next week until I have a free moment to hit up a bike shop for new tubes…

Thanks again, everyone! As always, great advice (and amusing bits) from the forum…

[SerialCarpins]

Just a quick add-on…

I make an almost identical commute (I go from Bethesda to right next to The Capitol) and I have a Trek hybrid. Good comfort, solid build, fairly inexpensive.

Also, someone mentioned trying the trail out on the weekends, which is a good idea, but keep in mind that the trail in MontCo is PACKED on the weekends with all manner or cyclists, joggers, people with strollers, roller bladers, little kids on bikes and on foot, and pretty much anyone else you can imagine. Not to say that’s a bad thing, I love to see the trail getting a lot of use, but it might give you a skewed idea of how long the trip might take during the week.

Good luck! Hope to see you out there. I guarantee you’ll be passing me before long. Safe travels!

[SerialCarpins]

As someone stated above, I don’t know the exact trouble you’re having, but to chime in, like Jim, my pedals have adjustments that can be made to them to be able to unclip a little easier. Yours might have the same thing, and you can maybe adjust them down a little to make twisting out of them a bit easier until you get used to it. Good luck….I had a couple days of trouble with mine, but now I can’t live without them…and haven’t had any trouble since. I even got clipped by a cab, fell off the bike, and my shoes unclipped instantly when I fell…

[SerialCarpins]

@PrintError 3492 wrote:

Clear traffic: Home in an hour.
Total gridlock: Home in an hour.
Foot of snow: Home in an hour and a half, where it took my coworkers TEN.
Torrential downpour: Home in an hour.

etc

In addition to arriving at work stress-free, and happily enjoying some amazing scenery…Easily one of the best reasons, as you state above, is that I almost always beat my driving time when I bike in, and I certainly beat my Metro time (I am also WAY more consistent than Metro.)

[SerialCarpins]

I had the same problem recently…years ago I biked home to Bethesda from Rockville using the Rockville Pike, and it was a bit nervewracking…so, I tried the route that Riley mentioned above (Bethesda Trolley Trail) and though there are a lot of spots where the trail uses roads, they’re mostly all back roads, and it’s very clearly marked. There are certain sections where the trail goes directly by some housing, and there are a lot of access points there, so be on the lookout for dog walkers especially. The trail comes out on Old Georgetown Road, and you can head up Old Georgetown towards downtown Bethesda.

[SerialCarpins]

I take the same route as Lucky…

As for the “Long-cut” I would assume you could take the CCT into G-Town, cross onto Virginia Ave in front of the boathouse, and then take Virginia Ave up to the Foggy Bottom area…

[SerialCarpins]

Cool. Thanks for the replies, everyone. I’ll definitely help out where I can!

[SerialCarpins]

Same here….I live up in Bethesda and can’t vote, but just wanted to pop in and say I enjoyed your son’s design. Fine work. Biking is such a great thing to share, and I hope to do the same with my son someday (Well…beyond the rides we take with him in his little bike seat. )

Best of luck on the contest!

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