Safe route to Lost Rhino from the W&OD

[jrenaut]

I think the plan is Crooked Run, Rocket Frog, and Old Ox. All these options, though - gives me some goals for Freezing Saddles.

[Paul Hart]

There's Old Ox, Crooked Run and Beltway Brewing all in the Sterling area. Green Lizard has local beers, too. Probably not a good reason to find oddsdigger betting info.

Sounds great! And RocketFrog is close to Crooked Run in Sterling.

[jrenaut]

Re-upping this thread because I never really got an answer, and we're considering this for this weekend. Is there a reasonable way to get from the W&OD to Lost Rhino if we're biking with kids? Google Maps makes it look like you might be able to come in from behind the brewery and that might not be a terrible route?

[bentbike33]

Re-upping this thread because I never really got an answer, and we're considering this for this weekend. Is there a reasonable way to get from the W&OD to Lost Rhino if we're biking with kids? Google Maps makes it look like you might be able to come in from behind the brewery and that might not be a terrible route?

Strava Global Heatmap shows many riders using Smith Switch Station Rd, which becomes Waxpool at the intersection with Farmwell. There is also an industrial park before Smiths Switch you could go through (where Old Ox Brewery is) since Smiths Switch is no wider than it was when it was gravel. Lots of wide non-busy (on a weekend) streets that will get you most of the way to the industrial park containing Lost Rhino. Unfortunately, at least a short jaunt on the Cartopian Thoroughfare of Waxpool is unavoidable.

[jrenaut]

Didn't even think to look at the heatmap. We were hoping maybe you could get in the back way, but since NO ONE has ever Strava'd that route, I'm guessing it's not accessible. Thank you!

[n18]

This is the route that I recommend(through Ashburn Village Blvd, I have checked StreetView/Satellite thoroughly). It has either sidepaths or sidewalks. There are 2 spots where you have to walk your bike for 30 and 150 feet. Satellite images are more recent than Street View when checking for connections. Image date is shown in the bottom right of the map.

As shown on the map , you use sidepaths/sidewalks along the direction of traffic until you reach Farmwell RD. There is one block without sidepaths/sidewalks south of that on the direction of traffic, so at that block, you need to switch to the other side, then back again, as shown on the map. At Farmwell RD intersection, after crossing to the other side, you need to walk your bike(30 feet) to the sidepath on the southeast corner.

As you approach Red Rum DR, you have to walk your bike about 150 ft, then sidepaths/sidewalks will take you to your destination.

[reji]

Look for Boomer's mark on Red Rum Dr.

[Boomer2U]

Look for Boomer's mark on Red Rum

I hope that my “safe route”mark (from a failed bunny hop”) serves as a beacon for others to find the Lost Rhino. From what I recall, it was was well off the W&OD (Smith Switch) and not a very bike friendly hood! Don’t think I would attempt it with kids in tow.


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[huskerdont]

I think the plan is Crooked Run, Rocket Frog, and Old Ox. All these options, though - gives me some goals for Freezing Saddles.

I don't know if you ended up doing this, but I went to Lost Rhino twice over the weekend, and also scoped out Crooked Run and Rocket Frog for future trips. Obvs the easiest of all is Old Ox, but Crooked Run and Rocker Frog were pretty easy as well. I love Lost Rhino, but that ride over there is def. not family friendly. The two-lane portion is one thing, but once you cross 640 and get on the 4-lane--that actually seemed worse. Lots of SUVs doing 50+ mph and cutting back in front of me aggressively. Perhaps they would behave better toward a family than a single male though.

Laughably, there were intermittent pathways in some places. One started from Hampshire Park near the W&OD, but it just ended in the middle of some mud; after that I just stuck to the road. Perhaps they are planning to continue it and connect the pathways up eventually.

[jrenaut]

We did both Crooked Run locations (even the one that only brews sours on-site), Old Ox, and Rocket Frog. Rocket Frog we were running out of time and just split a beer and left, but we've been there before, so it wasn't a total waste. We did not attempt Lost Rhino. Maybe if I'm out there on my own sometime.