[trailrunner]

The parkway is a sore point for me. I’ve lived on the southern end of the parkway, near the split into the Franconia-Springfield parkway and the continuation of the Fairfax County Parkway, since before the parkway was built. Before it was opened, I remember riding down the middle of road. When the parkway was first opened in the 1990s, my friend and I biked northwards, trying to figure out the route that the path took. We were befuddled in the region around 123, and especially the stretch near Fair Lakes. No sounds, very little logic. It took us a lot of exploring to figure it out, and even then, it was clear that the route was barely viable. The flips from one side to another, random departures into neighborhood (with no signage), all showed that nobody cared when they built it.

About 10 or 15 years ago, when the Army abandoned the Engineer Proving Grounds and they essentially extended Rolling Road southward to I-95 and renamed it the Fairfax County Parkway, I had high hopes that they would do it right and install some bike lanes. That could be my daily commuting route, and on my weekend rides, I often ride around that area. But it is an umitigated disaster. There is no easy way for me to get from my neighborhood north of the Parkway(s) south on Rolling Road when it turns into the Parkway (there is a way, but it is circuitous and not at all obvious). Putting in a simple way get south of Rolling Road would have made it easy for me to bike (or run) to the bus stops at Saratoga, or to commute when I worked at Fort Belvoir. I figured it out, but it’s a PITA, and the average person interested in biking or walking among neighborhoods will not be as adventurous. There is a short stretch of a bike path along the Fairfax County Parkway south of Barta Road, but then it just abruptly ends. And very importantly – there is no easy way to cross I-95 while on 286. I am a fearless and experience rider, but there is no way I’m riding across that interchange. Every day, I had to go way out of my way each day in a piecemeal route, and I spent hours on Google maps figuring out the best route. My friends at work would ask me my route, and it would take several minutes for me to explain it. I was dedicated to make it work, but my routes were still crappy, and I’m certain that the average person would have given up long ago. So when they built the stretch of 286 through the Engineer Proving Grounds they completely missed an opportunity to make it right.

At one point about 5 years ago, I contacted the bike advocacy reps in Fairfax County. They tried to school me on routes that didn’t make sense. I got the impression they were looking at a map and trying to figure it out, and most of us know that approach doesn’t work well. I sent them screenshots of my rides and the issues, but I got the impression they had never visited that area. I even offered to take them on a ride and show them around (I’ve also made this offer to my county rep).

I’ve lived here over 30 years and know this area very well. I have commuted by bike and by foot (and bus and car) all over. Fairfax County just sucks when it comes to biking infrastructure. When I used to commute to Alexendria and Arlington, it was night and day when I reached those counties – they did biking right.

[trailrunner]

I used to rely on CaBi for the last leg of my commute. The station I used was often out of bikes. I used to send reports but I got the impression they did not care one bit.

[trailrunner]

The sign on the right with the emergency calling information has a number 37 on it. Does that help?

[trailrunner]

A few years ago I took several bins of bike parts to Phoenix Bikes.

[trailrunner]

Regarding the wheels – a modern 36 spoke wheel is pretty indestructible. My Kona Sutra is heavier than an M1 tank, but it’s also as rugged as an M1 tank. Part of that ruggedness comes from the wheel set. I curse the weight of the bike and wheels when I’m riding up a hill, but I don’t think my spoke wrench has touched those nipples yet. I’ve built a few wheels before, and I can build a light, strong 28 spoke wheel, but have to keep up with truing it.

I think the tires in these photos were 32s. They are not the lightest, and I have gotten the occasional flat, but they are pretty rugged for city and suburban riding. When I was actually commuting somewhere for work (instead of upstairs), I made it a priority to get a reflective tire.

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[trailrunner]

I sort of had the opposite experience. My membership was supposed to renew in April 2020. COVID hit right before then, and I started working from home and stopped using CaBi. I didn’t pay attention, and my account was automatically renewed in April 2020. I just searched my emails and text and I didn’t get a notification. I guess I opted in when I first signed up for auto renewal and forgot about it. I didn’t notice this until 6 months later, so I wound up paying for a year but did not use it a single time.

[trailrunner]

Why use a 2 stroke engine when you can use a jet?

[video=youtube_share;Oa3uYIe75iI]https://youtu.be/Oa3uYIe75iI[/video]

[trailrunner]

Here’s a photo from when I was there in 2014. Have a good time!

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[trailrunner]

@Smitty2k1 211162 wrote:

What’s a good bike route down to Pohick Bay/Mason Neck area? Seems like MVT and ECG go most of the way there but some in-between stuff looks wonky.

The Mount Vernon trail will get you to Mount Vernon. From here take Mount Vernon Highway to Route 1. Mount Vernon Highway has a side path, but I’d recommend riding on the road and dealing with the traffic for about five miles. When you get to Route 1, cross it, then go left on the nice new bike path on the north side. Follow the path to Old Colchester Road. Turn left on Old Colchester and follow it to Gunston Road, then turn left. These last two roads have a lot of cyclists on the weekends, and I’ve ridden them many many times, including with my camping gear.

Note: The bridge on Old Colchester Road had been closed, but it looks like it was just reopened last week, so your timing is perfect.

https://www.virginiadot.org/projects/northern-virginia/old-colchester-over-pohick-creek.asp

[trailrunner]

Fairfax County has some candidates. I’ve bike camped at Pohick Bay several times, and you’d have good bike-friendly routes from DC down there. Burke Lake is another option with decent routes. Bull Run Campground and Lake Fairfax are two more options.

Prince William Forest Park is another great choice that would be close to your 40 mile criterion. I’ve spent a lot of time down there and I like that park. However, probably wouldn’t have the most bike-friendly route down there, but it’s doable.

[trailrunner]

@Alcova cyclist 210933 wrote:

The Pentagon Athletic Club is a great place to shower up if you have a long ride, but you do have to pay to be a member unlike most base facilities. You can enter directly into the PAC from north parking or take any entrance and walk through the Pentagon to get there.

Minor clarification – As of a year or two ago, the PAC is now free, at least for active duty and government civilians. There are also several large bike racks right outside the PAC that are convenient but actually get pretty full. One advantage to parking your bike at the PAC is that it is inside the guards, and would probably be very secure. When I worked at the Pentagon, I parked my bike at the corridor 2 entrance, which was outside the guards. My bike never got stolen, but it was a minor concern.

[trailrunner]

https://www.wsj.com/articles/self-driving-cars-could-be-decades-away-no-matter-what-elon-musk-said-11622865615?st=olcelibz2mcuy57&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

Self-Driving Cars Could Be Decades Away, No Matter What Elon Musk Said

[trailrunner]

@ImaCynic 210710 wrote:

I can assure you that this is not the only law being ignored by motorists.

More bicycle laws are NOT going to make things safer; they simply add to confusion and ignorance.

Maybe not by themselves, but with education and enforcement, they will.

If we don’t have laws, then education and enforcement can’t happen.

Yes, motor vehicle laws are confusing, and probably contradictory in some places. That’s because they, and the transportation system, have evolved over 120 years. Perhaps they need to be re-written from the ground up, but just like the revenue code, that’s not going to happen anytime soon. So we’re stuck with a patchwork of laws, and this is an attempt to fill in the holes.

Ignorance can be overcome with education, and perhaps changing the licensing system. Perhaps it is too easy to get a license, and the standards should be made much harder. Perhaps harder exams should be given every two or three years to ensure that drivers keep up with current laws. Perhaps bicycle and pedestrian safety need to be emphasized more, much more. But ignorance is not a good reason not to create laws to protect cyclists.

[trailrunner]

I used to bike commute from Springfield to the Pentagon. The bike paths in Arlington and Alexandria are pretty good. There are several popular trails and paths leading to the Pentagon.

The logistics need to be thought through. A lot of bike commuters park near the PAC and enter there, take a shower, then go to their office. I parked my bike on the racks by the corridor 2 entrance, walked to my office to get my clothes, then walked to the PAC and took a shower. I kept my work clothes in my office and used the dry cleaner in the building.

If you wind up living in Pentagon City or Crystal City, you could probably walk or run to work.

[trailrunner]

https://www.nbcwashington.com/news/local/bicyclist-killed-in-crash-had-tweeted-just-hours-before-about-the-dangers-of-biking-in-dc/2636800/

Quote:

Bicyclist Killed in Crash Tweeted Just Hours Before About the Dangers of Biking in DC

[Author]

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