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@culimerc 85421 wrote:

Anybody know if Amtrak has made any progress since last Oct. on getting Roll On/Roll Off service up and running between here and Richmond and or here and Pittsburgh?

I received this email from Amtrak a couple of days ago.

Take your bike on board the Capitol Limited for $20
Whether you’re a weekend biker, a commuter or a professional cyclist, you can take your bike on board the Capitol LimitedSM for only $20 on top of your fare. With our Walk-On Bike Service it’s simple: just carry your bike to the baggage car and secure it yourself before sitting back in one of our comfortable seats.

But remember, while we love bikes, space is limited and subject to availability. Reserve a space for your bike when you book your ticket on Amtrak.com, with an agent, or by calling 1-800-USA-RAIL.

A link was enclosed to http://www.amtrak.com/bring-your-bicycle-onboard?WT.mc_t=AmtrakBikeServiceSept2015CL_AGR&WT.mc_n=AmtrakBikeService&WT.mc_r=365.

Edit: Same link as the earlier post.

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On Sunday, I was headed eastward on the W&OD approaching the switchbacks at Clarks Gap where the path is narrow and on the left side of Dry Mill Road. I was slowing down as I always do because ahead is an approximately 180-degree turn before the downhill switchbacks, and I can’t negotiate the turn, even though it is the outside lane, at speed. Heading up the switchbacks this is less of a problem for me, even though the turn is sharper, because I go so slowly uphill. Anyway, I see two cyclists ahead heading uphill at that turn relatively fast. The first takes the turn wide and the second somehow stays in lane. They were far enough away from me that they caused no trouble. Suddenly a third rider appears going even faster and with his head down. He makes the turn very wide and almost hits me, but I was going so slowly in preparation for the turn that we missed as he swerved to avoid me. He said “sorry” and said something else which I thankfully couldn’t make out completely. As I went down the switchbacks I passed at least three more riders heading up hill. They probably were all riding together

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@bobco85 123581 wrote:

I must admit, if I am one of the trailing cyclists, I do not always signal my pass depending on 2 circumstances:

• If I am immediately behind the cyclist(s) who called their pass (2+ cyclists in a row), I think like part of a bike train and do not signal my pass, assuming the person is already aware that they are being passed (of course, I know what happens when “you assume”).
• If there is a bit of a gap between me and the cyclist in front of me (2+ cyclists near each other), I will signal my pass. The person will end up hearing 2 “passing”/”on your left”/(DING!)/etc., but they will at least know there are multiple passers.

Hopefully my explanation is clear enough. My decision depends on if I think the person is aware that they are being passed.

As I wrote, I have no problem with a trailing rider not signaling if the lead rider warns that there are multiple riders coming. Indeed that is probably the better solution since it can be hard to discriminate between two people saying that they are passing you and one person repeating a passing announcement. The problem is at least partially mine since after one rider passes me and I am feeling that I am too close to the right shoulder, I immediately start drifting left toward the center of the lane.

Edit: A “passing announcement” does not mean an obituary.

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I have read much of this thread with great interest because it bothers me greatly how some people on the W&OD seem to think that the trail is theirs and theirs alone, and everyone else should get out of their way. This is the case whether of not they give any indication that they are passing, and if they give an indication it is usually so soon before the pass that the person being passed has no time to decipher the passer’s statement and do something. It is amazing the near carnage that is often left in the wake of such incidents.

I add that when the passer is part of a group almost never do the trailing rider(s) say anything. Alternatively, the lead rider could say something like “three bikes on your left” although I have decided that most can’t count that high.

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@mstone 122736 wrote:

I’m gonna miss the hill. Won’t miss the really lousing crossing at street level.

You can ride up the Dry Mill Road hill instead.

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Saturday was an off day from riding. I am retired and had ridden on Friday. On Sunday, I rode the Custis to the W&OD as far as Clarke’s Gap where I took roads to Waterford. On the return trip I boarded the Metro in East Falls Church. I also noticed some people doing the Reston Century but not many.

BTW, progress is being made daily on the construction at Clarke’s Gap (a.k.a. Le Col de Clarke). I am looking forward to the less steep climb and less sharp curves which will replace the current switchbacks. It looks like all they have to do is start paving.

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Do violatOrs also get tickets?

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@lordofthemark 122158 wrote:

7. I could have made it all the way up Buckthorn had I been paying complete attention to what gear I was in. As it was my mind drifted, I was in the wrong gear, and ended up walking the bike the last five feet or so. Still felt like a victory.

I have always felt that the Buckthorn hill heading east was difficult mainly because it curved which causes additional effort to be expended to stay in lane while climbing.

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I want to thank everyone who has posted on this thread with info. It was the first thing that I read when I found this forum several months ago.

I am a SW resident and used Water Street to go almost anywhere by bike since I retired from work at the start of 2011. Before that I also often rode to work at NRL via the South Capital Street bridge and Bolling AFB. I used Water Street to cross the 14th Street Bridge or to go via West Potomac park to the CCT or anywhere in MD. Now I have to use Maine Avenue, either the road if early or the sidewalk if there is traffic.

I suspect that even when the redevelopment is completed it will be a much more difficult situation for bicyclists — of course I may be too old by then anyway.

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@lordofthemark 122158 wrote:

3. So one of the W&OD guides mentioned a “general store” on the trail – I had made it my goal to reach there as a turn around (which would have been just far enough to make a full 100 km round trip, I think) and then stop by Old Ox for beverage, before heading home. Alas no such place exists (is it the building that is now Carolina BBQ?) BBQ did not fit my plans for the day, so I continued on, but alas, there is not much retail close to the trail in that stretch until you get to Leesburg. I met some folks who suggested heading on to Leesburg (including one fellow who is in the market for a MTB, who is thinking about a Kona, and to whom I recommended Bikenetics of course) I finally decided to head the final few miles into Leesburg and risk a dreadful last few miles on the ride home.

I knew that there would eventually be a post which would get me out of lurking mode.

You are correct. Partlow’s General Store used to be where the BBQ is now.

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