Courthouse Station Up and Running!

I’m looking forward to all of the new stations in Clarendon coming soon.

There are a couple other threads with the Arlington to DC route suggestions. The first question is where you are heading in DC since there are multiple Potomac crossing options. With that info I think you get lots of useful advice.

Right now the stretch down Clarendon/Wilson Blvd has been a mess due to multiple construction projects along the route. Still saw a number of cyclists heading downhill as I was walking from Rosslyn to Courthouse at lunch.

Personally, I’d take 15th St N downhill, which turns into 14th St and then Fairfax Dr (along Rte 50). Turn R on Meade, L on Marshall (or go through the Iwa Jima), then take the path beside the cemetary/Rte 110. Turn L on Memorial Dr, which will take you across the Memorial Bridge (I’d recommend the South side of the Bridge), then past the Lincoln, along Constitution, turn L onto 18th and you’re there. Should be a beautiful ride. The reverse is crazy uphill at the end.

@Cabi newbie 17515 wrote:

Thanks!
I just checked that route on a map and it looks great.
I’ll give it a go this Thurs, if the weather is nice. I plan on being a very fair-weather biker and the CaBi seems a great way to do this (including one way all downhill rides!) I’ll report back later…

Just be aware that the path on the south side of the reflecting pool between the lincoln memorial and WW2 memorial is (was?) under serious construction and closed. Aside from crowding during certain times, when you have to slow for safe pedestrian avoidance, I found that path a much more direct way than taking any of the paths on the north side of the pool (or taking constitution). Esp. as you can avoid more lights on the south side and also end up positioned well to bike either the pebble paths on the mall or the lower speed museum-lined street east of the washington monument. Hopefully the south side of the pool won’t be closed for long.

Brendan

@brendan 17520 wrote:

Just be aware that the path on the south side of the reflecting pool between the lincoln memorial and WW2 memorial is (was?) under serious construction and closed. Aside from crowding during certain times, when you have to slow for safe pedestrian avoidance, I found that path a much more direct way than taking any of the paths on the north side of the pool (or taking constitution). Esp. as you can avoid more lights on the south side and also end up positioned well to bike either the pebble paths on the mall or the lower speed museum-lined street east of the washington monument. Hopefully the south side of the pool won’t be closed for long.

Brendan

In the morning I ride in to Arlington on the path on the south side of the reflecting pool. As long as you hit it before the tourists start arriving it’s fine. In the afternoons I ride home to DC on the MVT down to 14th St bridge. The Lincoln area is just too insane in the afternoons.

Based on recent rides along the Southern path, I wouldn’t be surprised to see them refill the Pool sometime in the next few weeks, although I’d be surprised if the new sidewalks/surfacing are in before, say Memorial Day. Altogether, it seems like they’re making good progress lately, and I wouldn’t be surprised if they’re aiming for an (unofficial) target of everything wrapped up before July 4th.

YAY! So happy to hear you liked it!

@Cabi newbie 17694 wrote:

A few observations about the CaBi bikes: The brakes were not very good, which made the big downhill hairy ( I don’t know if all CaBI brakes are not good, or if that particular bike was especially bad). Also they are not fast (which may be a massive understatement but there ya go.) I’ll definitely do this again on nice mornings, I will just need to budget more time to making it to work. All in all a nice change up to my morning commute.

re: brakes, it was probably just that bike.
re: speed, yeah, they’re slow, especially up hill. Once you’re in the city, you’re still faster than cars, which feels good, but going uphill on trails, I’ve felt like I was going slower than walking (though I wasn’t). It gets better. And once you get hooked, you may get your own bike, which will be faster. You can take bikes on buses all day, which makes one-way commuting easier (or at least no-uphill-commuting — you can ride to Rosslyn and have lots of bus choices that will take you + bike up hill).