Biking to Nationals Park

Back when the Nationals played at RFK Stadium, I used to occasionally ride my bike to day games. A few weeks ago, I went my first bicycle ride to Nationals Park one Thursday afternoon after work to buy some tickets for an upcoming game. I don't like paying "conveinence" charges and did not want to deal with driving into the District or parking and getting on Metro, so this seemed like a good way to get two things done at once.

I parked over at Gravelley Point, near National Airport and off of the George Washington Memorial Parkway, and rode up the Mount Vernon Trail to the 14th Street Bridge pedestrian/bicyle crossing. After getting off the bridge, I followed the trail past the Jefferson Memorial up to Maine Ave. This route isn't marked and has lots of tourists, so keep your wits about you and the speed low.

At Maine Ave. I turned right and followed Maine Ave. SW under I-395 (Southwest Freeway) and past the waterfront. There were several signs indicating the bicycle route to Nationals Park which was a welcome sight, even though I had the general idea of where I wanted to go. The signs continued around the curve the turns Maine Ave. into M Street SW. Prior to South Capital Street, signs directed me to turn right onto 1st Street SW (I think). Due to one-way streets, I was directed to turn left on P Street SW instead of O or N Streets. The advanced sales ticket office is in the team store near N and Half Streets SE. I locked my bike up on one of the bike racks, of which there were many, and went into the team store to buy my tickets. I went to gmaps pedometer and made a map of my route.

I asked dl004d about biking to the park from his part of the city, Brookland in NE, and he was kind enough to share his experience with the bike valet parking:

If there's a nice bike route from upper Northeast D.C. to the ballpark, I haven't learned it yet… so I just weaved around city blocks until I arrived. I looked around for the valet parking but couldn't find it. There are bike racks on the sidewalk along the stadium, which would have been just fine with me — but since I knew there was valet bike parking, I wanted to find it.

I talked to stadium employees at all ends of the stadium and no one knew the valet bike parking existed.

But although no one at the stadium seemed to know it exists, it does. Finally, I found it — it is located in Red Garage C, located on N St. SE.

I pulled up and they took my bike away and left me with a ticket (just like a car valet would do). After the game, I turned in my ticket and my bike appeared. It rained during the game, so it was nice to have my bike in a covered place (they store them in a fenced-in area of the parking garage).

This begs the question, what is the proper tipping etiquette for the bike valet?

Overall, I was happy with biking over to Nationals Park as it was easy, quick and I enjoyed riding past the waterfront. I look forward to continuing the practice. I may even use the bike valet.

bicycling, Nationals Park, Washington Nationals, dc

Labels: Bicycling, Nats/MLB 2008

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posted by WFY @ 12:44 PM | |

How would you bike to Nationals Park?

With the warm weather returning it is finally time to get back on my bicycle again. I plan to go for a bike ride tomorrow after work. Since I also want to get some tickets to Saturday's Nationals vs. Braves game without paying $20 in surcharges and "convienence fees" and I have decided to combine both activities.

I've poked around jdland.com and WashCycle looking for ideas on how to get ride there from Virginia, but could not find anything conclusive. A commenter on the Grounds Crew blog suggests going over the 14th Street Bridge and down Maine Ave. to M Street. It makes sense on a map, but the last time I was there in daylight, Marion Barry might have been mayor. Any idea on how that route is for cyclists? Is there a better route for me to take?

Washington Nationals, Nats, bicycling, Nationals Park, dc

Labels: Bicycling, Nats/MLB 2008, The District

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posted by WFY @ 5:00 PM | |

2008 bicycling has begun

When I found out it was going to be in the 60s today, I rejoiced because I knew it would give me an opportunity to get on my bicycle for the first time since November.

My first ride of 2008 was on the W&OD Trail in Falls Church and Arlington. I went for a total of 10.21 miles. With tomorrow's forecast even more promising as well, I should get another ride in before the weather slowly starts getting more suitable for skiing.

Labels: Bicycling, Weather

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posted by WFY @ 7:05 PM | |

2007 bicyling in review

Early in 2007, I resolved to bicycle at least 300 miles. I choose that number because I believed I could get at least 30 rides of at least 10 miles in over the year, even if I moved out of Pentagon City. Sure enough, I did move out of the very bike friendly Pentagon City to an Alexandria neighborhood that was considerably less appealing for bicycling. However, that did not deter me, thanks in large part to my brother's bicycle rack. I'm quite pleased to not that I met my goal (on a June ride with Erica through Holmes Run Park), but exceeded it considerably. My 2007 miles biked total was:

650.2

I'm quite pleased that I was able to get so many in, it was a lot of fun.

Here are the places I picked up these miles:

Alexandria, Va.
Arlington, Va.
Falls Church, Va.
Mount Vernon, Va.
Vienna, Va.
Reston, Va.
Herndon, Va.
Annandale, Va.
Washington, D.C.
Bethesda, Md.
Avalon, N.J.
Stone Habor, N.J.
Wildwood Crest, N.J.
Wildwood, N.J.
State College, Penna.

I don't know that I will get many more miles or locations in 2008 than 2007, but I'll see what I can do.

Labels: Bicycling

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posted by WFY @ 6:03 AM | |

Four Mile Run Trail groundbreaking

ARLINGTON, Va. -- On Saturday morning, I rode my bicycle over to the Four Mile Run Trail groundbreaking ceremony for the missing link in the trail. Some details from the Arlington County press release:

The planned route will eliminate nearly a mile of on-street riding and difficult road crossings, offering a safer, more direct path along Four Mile Run for walkers, runners and cyclists.

"The new Four Mile Run trail connection will offer bike commuters a quicker, safer route. It provides those riding for recreation with more trail options. Bicycle commuting takes cars off the road, which reduces harmful greenhouse gas emissions," said Arlington County Board Chairman Paul Ferguson. "It is also a great way to get exercise."

Several public officials spoke, including Alexandria mayor William D. Euille and Jim Moran, U.S. Representative for the eighth district. BikeArlington, Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority and the League of American Bicyclists also had representatives in attendance. The League of American Bicyclists presented Arlington County with a Silver Level Bicycle Friendly Community award. Handouts with press releases, maps as well as Hershey kisses and bike bells were provided.

I am really looking forward to Four Mile Run Trail being made contiguous (Moran's second favorite word; he said earmark more, though this was funded by the county, not the feds) to the Washington & Old Dominion Trail. Unfortunately, the trail isn't scheduled to open until 2009. [flickr set: Four Mile Run Trail extension groundbreaking]



I learned about this event from WashCycle

Labels: BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Photography, Virginia

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posted by WFY @ 5:53 AM | |

Bicylcing update

When I last posted about my cycling total, I had recorded 26˝ miles for the season. I added another 23 before getting my cycling computer installed. Since then I have added 108.8 miles, giving me a total of 153.8 for the year. I'm more than half way to my goal of bicylcing 300 miles this year!

This past weekend (my last as a Pentagon City resident) I took advantage of the excellent weather and went for three rides, adding about 60 miles to my tally.

Recent rides include:

Pentagon City-Rosslyn-Ballston-Bluemont Jct.-Crystal City via Washington Blvd., Mount Vernon, Custis, BlueMont Jct., W&OD, Four Mile Run, Eads Street

Another ride like the one above, only all the way to Fairfax County line and back

Pentagon City to Maryland state line via the Mount Vernon, Rock Creek and Capital Crescent Trails

I-395 (Wash. Blvd interchange) to I-495 (Wilson Bridge)

Pentagon City-Rosslyn-banneker Park-Crystal City via Washington Blvd., Mount Vernon, Custis, W&OD, Four Mile Run, Eads Street

2007 goal: 300 miles
Year-to-date: 153.8 miles

Labels: Bicycling

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posted by WFY @ 12:33 PM | |

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Get on your bikes and ride! Vol. 2 - I-66 Custis Trail

Following Interstate 66 in Arlington, the I-66 Custis Trail is a challenging course between East Falls Church and Rosslyn. Since I-66 is mostly built below street level, the trail has varying gradients to accommodate the bridges over the highway, with the trail tending to rise into the overpass. This easily creates the best short workout available along area trails, which can be good or bad, depending on why you ride. The westbound approach to Glebe Road is a nasty climb.

While the trail is well landscaped, you may not care for the scenery if you not fond of highways (and for that matter commuter rail) and the noise that they bring. Still, it serves many Arlington neighborhoods and contributes to the mutlimodal nature of the corridor. Since trucks are prohibited on I-66, the aural sensation is mostly white noise (granted, loud white noise), unless a Metro train is passing through. Near the eastern terminus in Rosslyn, it connects to the Mount Vernon trail via the Rosslyn connector, while the western terminus is on the Washington & Old Dominion Trail, linking it to the rest of the Northern Virginia trail network.


bicycling, interstate66, Custis Trail, Virginia

Labels: BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Virginia

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posted by WFY @ 12:41 PM | |

I was hoping to ride it yesterday, but 21 mph winds from the west convinced me otherwise.

# posted by  WFY : Thursday, March 15, 2007 6:16:00 AM  

Adjustment to Saturday's bike ride distance

Using a cool site called Gmaps Pedometer I was able to determine that Saturday's ride was about 1½ miles longer than I estimated.

Of course, since I was given a cycling computer I can get an even more accurate total from now on. :)

Hap tip to WashCycle for the link.

Labels: Bicycling

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posted by WFY @ 6:01 PM | |

Get on your bikes and ride! Vol. 1 - W&OD Trail

As we enter our first spring like week of the year I am starting a series of profiles of area bike trails. I begin with my personal favorite, the Washington & Old Dominion Regional Park trail. In 2005, Christopher and I rode the length of the trail from west to east in one afternoon.

An early example of the "rail-to-trail" phenomenon, W&OD was simply known as the "bike trail" to me and my friends when I was growing up. Now forty-five miles long, the flat, straight trail starts in Arlington, near Shirlington, and extends all the way past Leesburg to Purcellville. In actuality, the trail is part of W&OD Regional Park, which is the old railroad and current Virginia Power right-of-way (hence the high tension power lines), giving it dimensions of about 45 miles by 100 feet. Those 100 feet provide a buffer of nature through the most populated region of the commonwealth. Much of the Arlington portion traverses Four Mile Run Park while it parallels the windier Four Mile Run trail. Think of W&OD as I-95 to Four Mile's US 1 and you get the idea of how the two trails exist together.

As it approaches Falls Church, W&OD joins the Custis Trail as part of the I-66 multimodal corridor (I-66, Metro Orange line, bike path) for a few miles before breaking off onto side streets briefly. A beautiful bridge spanning Broad Street (VA 7) keeps the trail moving. At the foot of the bridge there are displays chronicling railroad and Falls Church history. Some of these displays are repeated along the trail, providing an interesting historical context.

After Falls Church, the trail parallels local streets and climbs up to the Virginia Lane overpass of I-66, before paralleling I-66 up to the Capital Beltway (I-495) interchange and into Dunn Loring. Once past the Beltway, the trail returns to separate right of way into Vienna where users are greeted by a small Civil War marker near the community center as well as the last opportunities for food and refreshments until Reston. Highlighting the Vienna portion is Vienna Centennial Park, home of a vintage red caboose, as well as an old train station, home to a large model railroad that is open to the public on some Saturday mornings. A local business park has also painted a large railroad mural facing the trail, giving the town a nice ambiance.

Beyond Vienna, the next four to five miles feature a few ridges as well as soccer fields and wetlands. One of the most substantial hills along the trail is just beyond Hunter Mill Road as you near Reston. Once down the hill, a more business oriented suburbia emerges with more boulevards to cross (mostly on recently built overpasses) as you pass through one of the "edge cities" of D.C. Fast food and convenience stores are also available, allowing you to fill up. One interesting note is the trail passes Michael Faraday Square, which includes the "monkey house" from the book, The Hot Zone, though it is not distinguishable from any of the other business park buildings.

Past Reston and closer to Herndon, W&OD once again takes on a character that is more residential than commercial. Downtown Herndon reveals itself to be quaint as you pass through with more refreshment options and another caboose. It the last concentrated downtown that you pass through along the trail, since west of Herndon was until recently fairly rural.

The end of Herndon means the beginning of Loudon County, starting with Sterling. Again, the trail travels through residential and light industrial (or at least the Northern Virginia equivalent) areas. As Sterling comes to an end, the W&OD crosses Sully Road (VA 28 and now Darrell Green Highway) on an overpass and enters a rapidly growing residential area. A decade ago, the housing boom reached these parts (especially north of the trail) and the once rural landscape was transformed into new subdivisions. All has not changed though, with the Ashburn General Store providing a tangible link to days long since past as well as plenty of snacks. This portion of the trail itself can be deceptively steep at times though.

Through Leesburg, the trail bypasses the historic downtown, but not by much. Having not traveled this portion in many years, I cannot recall the specific amenities available, but there are some.

Past Leesburg the W&OD takes on a rural flavor for the rest of the duration; A few trips across VA 7 on overpasses notwithstanding. The highest point of the trail is at Clarks Gap, where VA 9 splits from VA 7. The trail only has a few more miles before it terminates in Purcellville, a pleasant town that seems to be blending its history and emergence as a far suburb well.

bicycling, W&OD Trail, Virginia

Labels: BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Virginia

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posted by WFY @ 12:33 PM | |

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Another 10 11½ miles biked

Ever since I saw that that today's high was going to be 60° I planned on going on my second bike ride of 2007. I was quite pleased to see that my Weather Channel widget indicated that temperature had already been exceeded by 1 p.m.

Since there were SSW winds, I choose to head south down the Mount Vernon Trail (bikewashington.org) so the wind would be at my back for the return. I made a quick stop at the Exxon at US 1 and 23rd Street to fill up my tires. The folks there are always good about turning the air machine on for me and saving me 75¢^*. I try to buy gas there to reward their thoughtfulness.

With my tires properly inflated, I headed down Eads Street to the Four Mile Run Trail for the brief journey under US 1, the Yellow Line, Conrail/Amtrak, the G.W. Parkway and some other unused bridge (possibly the never built I-595). Once on the Mount Vernon Trail, I was riding into a strong headwind which I expected. There were a lot of hikers wearing orange ribbons heading the opposite direction, but thankfully that didn't really hold me up. Overall, southbound traffic was not heavy, so I was able to keep going at as good a clip as the wind would let me. The ride through the streets of Old Town Alexandria was uneventful, despite a fair amount of people spending their afternoon there. At the end of the street portion of the trail I discovered (or was reminded of) that the trail is detoured in the Wilson Bridge. Rather than go along the detour, I decided to turn around. As I did, I saw another cyclist, clad in hundreds of dollars of apparel and riding a bicycle that cost at least five times mine fall right on his hind quarters as he tried to mount it. It was pretty funny.

On the ride back the inland path that begins just after the railroad crossing near Canal Place. I like doing this because the portion that parallels Washington Street has a decline that I pick a lot of speed on. The only problem it leads to a merge with the river route and a viaduct through a marsh that has a few curves in it. I attacked it anyway and continued at a fast pace all the way to Dangerfield Island. The orange streamed hikers that I saw on the way down were mostly gone by the time I headed north, so I didn't have to dodge many of them.

I rode up to the airport, took the connector to Crystal City and followed 15th Street home. I am estimating it was about a 10 mile ride, though I reserve the right to remeasure it once I get an odometer (possibly as early as tomorrow).

NOTE BENE: Using a more precise measuring tool, I determined I actually biked about 11½ miles.

2007 goal: 300 miles
Year-to-date: 26½ miles

Labels: Bicycling

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posted by WFY @ 3:33 PM | |

15 down, 285 to go

Taking advantage of the unseasonable weather yesterday, I made my first trek onto the Arlington bike trails for 2007. I have a goal of cycling 300 miles this year, so I was quite happy to get started on reaching the goal.

For the most part, I cycled along a route that BikeWashington.org calls the Arlington Triangle. The difference in my ride from the Arlington Triangle was that I went from Pentagon City to the Mount Vernon Trail via Washington Blvd. Since I don't have an odometer yet, I estimate that it was about a 15 mile ride.

It was early afternoon when I went for my ride, so the Mount Vernon Trail was quite crowded, keeping me from ever getting a decent pace going. During the warm months I rarely go out after 10am for this reason, but since it is January, I made the exception. The wind was also quite strong; I was not sad to leave the shore of the Potomac for this reason.

The first ride of the season up to and out of Rosslyn on the Custis Trail is always a challenge and yesterday was no different. Heading west on the Custis Trail through this stretch is probably the most challenging ride on all the major Arlington paths. The first ½ mile of the trail is an incline with at grade crossings. After there are several steep hills including two nasty ones on the approach to N. Glebe Road. It always gives me an intense cardio workout. Once past Glebe, the ride gets really easy on account of the increased bloodflow and the more inviting grade of the trails.

Near Falls Church I picked up the W&OD Trail for a quick four mile ride to Shirlington. Aside for the occasional traffic light, this is easy to blast through. I was quite happy to see that the eastern terminus of the W&OD now has a big sign and a nice landscaped area. I was always disappointed that there was nothing signifying the begining/end of such an important trail, so this is an improvement.

The least fun part of the trip is always at Shirlington where the W&OD ends and there is a gap in the Four Mile Run Trail that requires riding along Alexandria streets. Also, the overpass across I-395 has a u-turn on the east side that is tricky on a bicycle. Navigating the streets is also kind of tough because the intersections along W. Glebe Road. Thankfully, once past W. Glebe, the Four Mile Run Trail resumes and it is a smooth, grade separated ride to the Mount Vernon Trail. I rode along the MVT, dodging joggers, other cyclists and parents pulling their kids to make it back to Crystal City and down 15th St. to Riverhouse.

It was about a 100-minute ride, not a great pace, but I can be excused since I am not yet up to late-spring form. The heavy MVT traffic did not help much either.

I may continue doing write-ups of my favorite rides. We'll see.

Labels: Bicycling

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posted by WFY @ 11:10 AM | |

Please put the commercial on you blog as soon as possible.

I can't find it anywhere on the web

# posted by  Anonymous : Monday, January 08, 2007 10:48:00 AM