Alternatives to the Capital Crescent Trail closest to Georgetown?

[Bilsko]

I highly recommend this route. Since the speed limit on MacArthur is rigorously enforced, traffic isn't bad and it's nice and flat (except for that short stretch coming from M St. on Canal to MacArthur on the trip out to Bethesda).

I'm not so sure about the speed limit being rigorously enforced on MacArthur. At least in the 6 years that I've looked down on it from my kitchen window...I see way too many cars ignoring the 25mph limit. That said, it is a road that has a relatively high volume of cyclists - especially on the weekends - so, at least for motorists who are familiar with it, there is some expectation of encountering them on the road.

Canal Road from the Foxhall/Macarthur interstection into M St. is one I'd recommend against, even for experienced riders. The speed limit is 35, but without anything on either side of the roadway, motorists often treat it as a mini highway and drive at 45/50mph. That's when its not bumper-to-bumper all the way from the Key Bridge to Foxhall...

[ebubar]

Hmm. I don't know the strava terms, but if PR had anything to do with speed, I hope it was a weekday (or other low-usage time) or farther out west...

The towpath inside the beltway (and/or near great falls) and mt. vernon trail are two areas where I don't think it's worth challenging my past speed records.

hopefully not too much of a buzzkill,
B

(

PR was indeed a personal record for speed. Was a weekday around 11 AM. Of course, I've been riding a hybrid and just upped to a road bike a few weeks ago, so my PR's are nothing special. Not a buzzkill at all since fast for me is probably crawling pace for most on here!


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[DCAKen]

Great!

Where exactly is the entrance on Wisconsin Avenue to the towpath?

Many thanks.

Wisconsin Avenue crosses the towpath, but there's not a connection to it. Instead, you should take 33rd Street (Potomac Street is another alternative) up from Water Street as shown here. It is a short, steep climb.

[GTownBiker]

Wisconsin Avenue crosses the towpath, but there's not a connection to it. Instead, you should take 33rd Street (Potomac Street is another alternative) up from Water Street as shown here. It is a short, steep climb.

Worked!

Thanks.