Chantilly to DC route

[cephas]

8 miles in 15 minutes, you're a real speed demon! The only time I hit more than the low-20s mph is going downhill. Or did you mean Metro riding?

He's saying it saves you "about 15 minutes of riding", which means the differential between riding metro and riding bike is about 15 minutes, the way I read it.

[ssatvat]

I presume you mean Rugby Rd & Lee JACKSON Hwy? Lee Hwy is a different hwy...

Yes, I'd say very unrealistic to try the whole thing at once. There's a bus - Fairfax County Connector 650 series that runs down LJH to the Vienna Metro, and back. http://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/connector/routes/650.htm From there, there are quiet Vienna Streets to the W&OD trail. and you're probably at least 11 or 12 miles from the office still. I usually like the Key Bridge coming off the Custis Trail as the most accesible, but the Roosevelt is also a good option. and that would be something that you could probably work up to 5 days a week within a month or two.

Realistically? I'd guess 45-60 minutes on the bike after the bus. or about 3-3.4 hours to bike the whole way.

Correct: I meant to say Lee Jackson Hwy.

[ssatvat]

Thanks to all of you for good suggestions and bringing me to realty:---

I'm planning to drive-park-ride option with following route:

https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=c...&z=12&lci=bike

1. Drive to Gallows Road - Park by Idylwood near to OD trail - about 30 min

2. Follow the above google path by riding on OD and Custis trail - hour and 20 min based on google

3. Ride back - an hour and 20 min

4. Drive back - 30 min

Total - about 4 hours in one day. I plan to ride once a week since I can't efford to have 4 hours for two days for now.

I thank you for all your suggestions - I'm looking forward to be healthy as well as save on gas. Let me know if there are better routes than what google is showing me.

Regards,
SS

[americancyclo]

That's a pretty good route, but I have a few comments:
1. There's a tiny parking lot at the intersection of the W&OD Trail and Sandburg that you may be able to park at.
2. Right before East Falls Church Metro, most folks I know take Van Buren down to Banneker park instead of following the 'official' trail down Tuckahoe.
3. Be careful crossing the Circle O'Death at Lynn St. in Rosslyn.
4. The Roosevelt Bridge is under construction at the eastern side, so you'll have to take a small detour down a steep hill, off a curb and in to a parking lot.
5. Budget a little more time heading back west. It's uphill and takes me an extra 5-10 minutes depending on my energy level and the amount of headwind.
6. Enjoy! It's a nice ride!

[vvill]

^ All good points.

Looks pretty good (I don't know about the parking location, but I assume you do). After you get used to riding (particularly on the Custis) you can probably cut that Google Maps biking time down to an hour or even less. Google Maps is pretty generous with it's biking times.

[jabberwocky]

After you get used to riding (particularly on the Custis) you can probably cut that Google Maps biking time down to an hour or even less. Google Maps is pretty generous with it's biking times.

Yeah, my old commute was 11.2 mile of mostly W&OD, and it normally took 40-45 minutes. Even when I first started on my converted MTB I don't remember it taking much over 50 minutes. I think you'll be under an hour pretty easily for 12.9.

[mstone]

If you use your bike+ car option this is irrelevant, but starting from fair oaks I'd rather work my way over to monument drive, government center parkway, jermantown road, chain bridge, courthouse, plum, elm, cherry, w&od. The other way I prefer tapawingo through the park to oleander, brightlea, edgelea, to blake/jermantown. (because the courthouse/chain bridge intersection is a death trap west bound.) That's a lot more turns, but less out of the way than lawyer's, flatter, and more quiet street on-road possibilities. (The streets being much faster than the side paths.) I agree that you probably want to start with less than 30 miles one-way. The first day with a heavy afternoon headwind would suck.

[mstone]

Oh, and if you don't want to cross 50 and would rather take the northern route, just do rugby to west ox rather than ffx county parkway. Google maps hates rugby and avoids routing on it. I don't know why, because it's fairly bikeable by the standards of the area.

[Veik]

Another option, and this involved driving...is to drop your car off in Reston (free park and ride lot with paid lockers) and take WOD trail all the way into DC...

[Terpfan]

I would suggest testing your options on a weekend if you have a chance. It will give you a good opportunity to see it in a more relaxed environment. Give yourself a little time downtown though as the ride back is about climbing for that route. I don't go that way except every once in a while in the summer where I tagged 12 miles onto my ride and do the loop. I would also suggest testing so you can see the energy exerted. My fiancee runs 6 miles every other morning, but she finds biking more difficult and I think it's just because of different muscles used. Good luck and enjoy!