Road/Trail Conditions 2/14/2013

[dasgeh]

My typical route is W&OD->Custis->Lincoln->14th->Nelson->Fairfax. I sometimes take the surface streets through the Williamsburg/Yorktown area just for some extra miles and hills, and sometimes I'll start by riding west to pick up the W&OD at Shreve/Virginia rather than north as usual.

I hadn't thought about going down to the turnoff just past Route 50 on the W&OD -- how is it crossing Route 50 at Henderson/Quincy?

Just curious: why don't you take the Custis to Quincy,then take the bike lanes down to Fairfax? Or take the Custis past that over the bridge over the exit from 66 to Glebe, down to the turnoff to Fairfax west of Ballston?

There are two lights where you can cross 50 having come up from the W&OD - Park and Henderson. In my very limited experience, Park gets the light more often. Either is super easy and safe. The hill coming from the W&OD though, not so easy.

[5555624]

I hadn't thought about going down to the turnoff just past Route 50 on the W&OD -- how is it crossing Route 50 at Henderson/Quincy?

Rather than cross at Henderson Rd, when I'm going through here, I usually take the light at Park Dr. I've never timed it, but it seems quicker. (I wish Pershing Dr wasn't blocked off.)

[slowtriguy]

Just curious: why don't you take the Custis to Quincy,then take the bike lanes down to Fairfax? Or take the Custis past that over the bridge over the exit from 66 to Glebe, down to the turnoff to Fairfax west of Ballston?

I've tried the Quincy->Fairfax route in the past, but I always have one problem: when I exit the trail at Quincy, I'm on the east side of the road, and I need to turn south (left) to head toward work. That means I either have to cross Quincy to the southbound side (which is a pain because cars tend not to stop at that crosswalk) or I have to salmon for a while down Quincy and cross over. Maybe I'm missing an obvious solution -- is there another way up to Quincy that ends up on the southbound side?

I do also sometimes exit at the little stub trail to 15th just west of Stafford, and then turn right on Stafford to head past W-L High School and on toward Fairfax, which works fine but cuts off a little distance.

Turning off on the overpass from the Custis directly to Fairfax means I'm salmoning up the sidewalk to Fairfax and Glebe, so I rarely use that unless I am running in and not riding.

There are two lights where you can cross 50 having come up from the W&OD - Park and Henderson. In my very limited experience, Park gets the light more often. Either is super easy and safe. The hill coming from the W&OD though, not so easy.

Great -- thanks to all!

Happy riding.

[DismalScientist]

I've tried the Quincy->Fairfax route in the past, but I always have one problem: when I exit the trail at Quincy, I'm on the east side of the road, and I need to turn south (left) to head toward work. That means I either have to cross Quincy to the southbound side (which is a pain because cars tend not to stop at that crosswalk) or I have to salmon for a while down Quincy and cross over. Maybe I'm missing an obvious solution -- is there another way up to Quincy that ends up on the southbound side?

I do also sometimes exit at the little stub trail to 15th just west of Stafford,...

Just take the stub trail to 15th and follow 15th down to Quincy and turn right.

[slowtriguy]

Just take the stub trail to 15th and follow 15th down to Quincy and turn right.

OK, so this is the sound of me smacking myself in the head with a water bottle while I feel even dumber than I normally do.

Yeah - definitely the simplest way to get to Quincy from my direction. And I've even ridden that way some times. Now if I can only figure out why I didn't *think* about that before posting above...


Just for kicks, I did try the W&OD -> Park -> Henderson -> Quincy route today, and it was a fun diversion. Thanks, everyone, for the recommendations.