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Places I bicycled in 2009 - William World News
Wednesday, January 06, 2010
Places I bicycled in 2009
Ah bicycling, I miss you so. Hopefully, next year I can get a few more places on this list. Alexandria, Va. Arlington, Va. Falls Church, Va. Mount Vernon, Va. Reston, Va. Vienna, Va. Washington, D.C. National Harbor, Md. Oxon Hill, Md. Avalon, N.J. North Wildwood, N.J. Sea Isle City, N.J. Stone Harbor, N.J. Labels: Bicycling
posted by WFY @ 2:00 PM |
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No toll for cyclists on Ocean Drive bridges - William World News
Thursday, August 20, 2009
No toll for cyclists on Ocean Drive bridges
 AVALON, N.J. -- In Cape May County, a series of roads connecting the barrier islands all the way to Atlantic City are known as Ocean Drive (Wikipedia). The " Follow the Gull" signs direct motorists to a thru route that avoids the mainland. The route has a number of drawbridges over inlets connecting the islands. There are tolls between the islands though, likely so that Ocean Drive won't be used as an free alternative to the Garden State Parkway, not too mention bridge upkeep. When I started going to Seven Mile Island for extended stays again, I started making sure I had my bicycle with me. The first year, I decided to cross off the island, I asked the toll taker if I had to pay a toll. I was pleased to learn that I did not. It is a good thing too -- tolls are now $1.50 which is more expensive than the Parkway I believe. This year I wound up biking across the bridges between Stone Harbor and North Wildwood as well as the bridge between Avalon and Sea Isle City. I also drove across those bridges in addition to the one between Sea Isle City and Ocean City when I went for a drive with my son to get us out of the house on cleaning day.  [ flickr : Photos tagged with oceandrive/ slideshow]  Avalon, Stone Harbor, NJ, Jersey Shore, Seven Mile Island, Ocean Drive, bicycling Cape May CountyLabels: Bicycling, New Jersey, Transportation, Travel
posted by WFY @ 11:45 AM |
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New Shirlington Connector signage - William World News
Monday, July 06, 2009
New Shirlington Connector signage
 ARLINGTON, Va. -- Signs were recently added to the new Shrlington Connector portion of the Four Mile Run Trail, but they could be better. For one thing nothing is signed as the Four Mile Run Trail which is silly because the Shirlington Connector makes the trail continuous. Eastbound cyclists leaving Shirlington for Glebe Road get pretty good signing, but those headed westbound still have some guess work. One highlight is the map at the end of the W&OD Trail, located about half a block across Shirlington Road from the Connector.  A similar map should be installed on the opposite side. PREVIOUSLY: New bicycle connections: Four Mile Run & Wilson Bridge - 06.08.2009Four Mile Run Trail extension update - 08.15.2008Four Mile Run Trail groundbreaking - 10.22.2007 Four Mile Run Trail, bicyling, Arlington, VirginiaLabels: Arlington, BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Datelines, Transportation, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:17 PM |
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Wilson Bridge Trail: State/city borders are 75% great - William World News
Monday, June 15, 2009
Wilson Bridge Trail: State/city borders are 75% great
 OVER THE POTOMAC RIVER -- On my initial ride along the Woodrow Wilson Bridge Trail, I did not see anything marking the borders between Virginia, the District of Columbia and Maryland. On my second ride, I was pleased to see that some were there. The line seperating Maryland and D.C. is shown above. However, there is a problem with D.C. and Virginia:  Virginia is covered up by warning stripes! Oops. Obviously, this is not a high priority, but I would like to see it corrected. Virginia residents paid for it too, so we should get our state clearly represented. I would also like to see the border painted on the walls too. PREVIOUSLY: The Wilson Bridge trail is wonderful - 06.09.2009[ flickr : Photos tagged with wilsonbridgetrail/ slideshow] Wilson Bridge, Capital Beltway, bicyling, Alexadria, Virginia, Maryland, Prince George's CountyLabels: BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Datelines, Maryland, The District, Transportation, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:26 PM |
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The Wilson Bridge trail is wonderful - William World News
Tuesday, June 09, 2009
The Wilson Bridge trail is wonderful
 LOOKING WEST -- Foreground: Pedestrian signal for the drawspan. Background: Overlook and Wilson Bridge TrailOVER THE POTOMAC RIVER -- Last Saturday, the new Woodrow Wilson Bridge trail opened and on Monday, I bicycled on it for the first time. I thoroughly enjoyed my it, the trail is a triumph for several reasons. [ flickr : Photos tagged with wilsonbridgetrail/ slideshow] The trail, located on the northern bridge span (which actually carries I-95/495 SOUTH/WEST also known as the Capital Beltway's Outer Loop), is a comfortable 12 feet wide and enclosed by attractive fences on either side. The height of the fence on the river side is such that I can still see out, but not feel like it is too low. On the highway side, the fence is slightly lower, but reasonable. The grade of the trail, while steeper than the highway portion of the bridge on the Virginia approach, is barely noticeable. The pavement, concrete, is perfect, but that is too be expected. By itself, the trail is great, but the inclusion of information signs about local history and ecology and landscaping on each shore make it more than a non-motorized transportation corridor -- it is a linear park. There are also three overlooks on the span that provide more information signs, some mounted binoculars/telescopes and benches and northern views of Alexandria and Washington D.C. The magnification on some of the telescopes are stunning, so much so that I if I lived along the Alexandria waterfront, I might keep the blinds closed. On the Virginia side, the trail begins at the Washington Street deck which essentially a large overpass, that the Beltway travels under, with park like features. Additional trails to US 1 and the Mount Vernon Trail are adjacent connect here. Embedded compass-like wayfinders provide riders/walkers with guidance to these points.  On the Maryland side, the trail corkscrews on either side of the overpass spanning Capital Beltway (I-95/495). It looks steeper than it feels and is aesthetically pleasing. The overpass also includes a great deal of information about Prince George's County's early history as well as some ecological information. The trail diverts from the Beltway in direction of a trail to Oxon Hill Road and National Harbor. Upon entering the National Harbor property the pavement ends, something that will hopefully be rectified soon. There are unpaved trails all the way down to the completed National Harbor area that are annoying but were not a deal-breaker for me.  Even though it was a Monday, there were a fair amount of cyclists and pedestrians on the bridge. I chatted with a few, including a Park Police officer, about the project and the consensus was that this was an extremely well done project. There were lots of smiling cyclists on it. The only drawback seemed to be the lack of connections to other trails on the Maryland side, something that will have to be addressed by National Harbor and PG County. However, the biggest and hardest piece of the project is now complete and hopefully the connections will arrive soon. The stakeholders of the project, the Federal Highway Administration, the Commonwealth of Virginia, the State of Maryland, the city of Alexandria and Prince George's County deserve a lot of praise for this latest and perhaps greatest addition to the area's trail network. Wilson Bridge, Capital Beltway, bicyling, Alexadria, Virginia, Maryland, Prince George's CountyLabels: BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Datelines, I-95, Maryland, Photography, The District, Transportation, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:45 PM |
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New bicycle connections: Four Mile Run & Wilson Bridge - William World News
Monday, June 08, 2009
New bicycle connections: Four Mile Run & Wilson Bridge
This spring has been a good one for area cyclists. Shirlington Underpass Ribbon Cutting Ceremony - TheWashCycleThe Four Mile Run Trail is now extended from Shirlington to Glebe Road underneath I-395 (Shirley Highway). The concrete viaduct is quite impressive, maybe even overdesigned. I rode on it before the actual dedication and enjoyed it. Now, getting past I-395 is much easier than before when cyclists had to ride over the Shirlington Circle pedestrian overpass, with its hairpin turn, and along Alexandria streets to connect between the two Four Mile Run Trail segments. According the link above, this connection has been in the works since 1985! There is room for some improvement with signage at Shirlington Road though -- it is not obvious how to get there from the existing Four Mile Run Trail or the W&OD Trail's the eastern terminus a few hundred feet away. PREVIOUSLY: Four Mile Run Trail extension update - 08.15.2008Four Mile Run Trail groundbreaking - 10.22.2007Wilson Bridge Bike Path Gets Rolling - The PostIt is now possible to bike across every Potomac River crossing in Washington D.C. Remember, the Woodrow Wilson Bridge actually enters the District at its southernmost point for a few hundred feet. The trail opened on Saturday. I am going to go for a ride on it later this morning, I will report back on it sometime soon. Four Mile Run Trail, bicyling, Arlington, Virginia Wilson Bridge, Capital BeltwayLabels: BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Maryland, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 10:00 AM |
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Four Mile Run Trail extension update - William World News
Friday, August 15, 2008
Four Mile Run Trail extension update
 ARLINGTON, Va. -- The other day I snapped a few shots of the new bikeway that will eliminate the gap in the Four Mile Run Trail. Most of the new trail will be on a viaduct that is built into the existing wall. There is not yet any indication on how it will be connected to the existing Four Mile Run Trail or W&OD Trail, but I'm sure they will work something out, even if it is just signs directing cyclists from the two trails. This will sure beat going over I-395 on the existing pedestrian bridge and having to ride along several Alexandria streets to get to the eastern section of the trail. It looks to be in pretty good shape now with a completion expected in March 2009. [ flickr set: Four Mile Run Trail extension progress] PREVIOUSLY: Four Mile Run Trail groundbreaking Four Mile Run Trail, bicyling, Arlington, VirginiaLabels: Arlington, BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Photography, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:14 PM |
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Former W&OD manager profiled - William World News
Friday, June 20, 2008
Former W&OD manager profiled
A Long Journey on the Trail - The PostPaul McCray, who spent two decades as trail manager of the Washington & Old Dominion Regional Park, is profiled. The W&OD is one of the best things about Northern Virginia. I spent many days of my Vienna childhood on and around it.
PREVIOUSLY: W&OD TRAIL -- CLINCHED!H/T: Mom W&OD Trail, Paul McCray, bicycling, VirginiaLabels: BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Video, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 6:22 AM |
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Biking to Nationals Park - William World News
Thursday, April 24, 2008
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, dcLabels: Bicycling, Nats/MLB 2008
posted by WFY @ 12:44 PM |
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How would you bike to Nationals Park? - William World News
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
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, dcLabels: Bicycling, Nats/MLB 2008, The District
posted by WFY @ 5:00 PM |
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2008 bicycling has begun - William World News
Monday, January 07, 2008
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
posted by WFY @ 7:05 PM |
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2007 bicyling in review - William World News
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
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: 650.2I'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
posted by WFY @ 6:03 AM |
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Four Mile Run Trail groundbreaking - William World News
Monday, October 22, 2007
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 WashCycleLabels: Arlington, BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Photography, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:53 AM |
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Bicylcing update - William World News
Monday, April 23, 2007
Bicylcing update
When I last posted about my cycling total, I had recorded 26½ 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 milesLabels: Bicycling
posted by WFY @ 12:33 PM |
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Get on your bikes and ride! Vol. 2 - I-66 Custis Trail - William World News
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
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, VirginiaLabels: Arlington, BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:41 PM |
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Adjustment to Saturday's bike ride distance - William World News
Monday, March 12, 2007
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
posted by WFY @ 6:01 PM |
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Get on your bikes and ride! Vol. 1 - W&OD Trail - William World News
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, VirginiaLabels: Arlington, BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 12:33 PM |
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Another <strike>10</strike> 11½ miles biked - William World News
Saturday, March 10, 2007
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
posted by WFY @ 3:33 PM |
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15 down, 285 to go - William World News
Sunday, January 07, 2007
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
posted by WFY @ 11:10 AM |
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# posted by :
Monday, January 08, 2007 3:13:00 PM
72° today - William World News
Saturday, January 06, 2007
72° today
That means hitting the bike trails and libtations on the roof. If it is going to be warm, let it be warm enough for those things. Cheers! Labels: Bicycling, Weather
posted by WFY @ 9:28 AM |
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One resolution - William World News
Thursday, January 04, 2007
One resolution
I am not big on New Year's Resolutions, but there is one that I plan on taking pretty seriously: bike 300 miles in 2007. This could be a low estimate of what I can handle. It could also be quite high if I move away from Pentagon City. Labels: Bicycling
posted by WFY @ 12:36 PM |
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Second best day after Thanksgiving Friday outside - William World News
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Second best day after Thanksgiving Friday outside
Yesterday, the unseasonable temperatures allowed me to take a bike ride up to Rock Creek Park. This was the second best activity I have ever done on the day after Thanksgiving. The first was going in the Atlantic Ocean with my brother Christopher and cousin Frank somewhere in Palm Beach County, Fla. in 1994 (I think). Of course, we had to drive 2,000 miles roundtrip for that privilege, so there was a downside too. Another great outdoor activity on post-Thanksgiving: playing football in the snow with my cousins Tom and Jeff in Little Silver, N.J. It was the only white Thanksgiving I can remember, though I do not recall the year. Labels: Bicycling, Family and Friends, Weather
posted by WFY @ 1:08 PM |
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Nats 2006 season is in the books - William World News
Monday, October 02, 2006
Nats 2006 season is in the books
Nats' Robinson Bids a Fond Farewell - The PostYesterday, the Nats ended their season much as they began it -- losing to the Mets. They also lost the home opener to the Mets, with Ramon Oritz on the hill that time too. This time, he gave up six runs in 1 1/3 innings before giving way to the bullpen. The final was 6-2, Mets. The game of course was secondary to the Frank Robinson sendoff. Charlie Slowes led a ceremony before the game honoring Robinson. A video montage showed some of his great moments as a player and as a manager. My favorite was the shot of him arguing with Mike Scoisa from last season. The p.a. also blasted "Simply the Best" which struck me as an odd choice because if he was the best, why wasn't he retained? Robinson then spoke for about 10 minutes before everybody began hugging each other. Following a Chad Cordero (second at-bat of the season, I think) strikeout to end the game, "Sweet Caroline" was blasted over the p.a. which struck me as odd. That song HAS to go next year. Also:Nats finished with a 71-91 record, one game better than Bawlmer.
Teddy was robbed!
During the post-game, Robinson and Mayor Anthony Williams in a show of lame duck solidarity.
I rode my bike to and from the game, something that I will do more regularly next season.
More from The Wash. Times: Respect comes full circle as Robinson says goodbye
Boxscore - ESPN
Fans Applaud Soriano, Who Then Thanks His Manager - The Post
I would be shocked if Alfonso Soriano comes back next year. My read of Stan Kasten is that he has no interest in spending $10+ million on someone how did not elevate the team above last place.
More from The Wash. Times: Soriano's future still murkyLabels: Bicycling, I Was There, Nats/MLB 2006
posted by WFY @ 5:37 AM |
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<h1>W&OD TRAIL -- CLINCHED!</h1> - William World News
Friday, September 30, 2005
W&OD TRAIL -- CLINCHED!
On Sunday, my brother Christopher and I rode the length of the W&OD Bicycle Trail from west to east. It took us about 5 1/2 hours with stops. Needless to say, we are hurting after cycling 44.5 miles in one day. I had wanted to ride the whole thing at once for quite some time, so I was really happy to have pulled this off. Thanks go out to Mom for driving us out to Purcellville and picking us up in Shirlington. Some observations about the trip: If you have ever been at the Shrlington end of the trail, you know that it ends with little fanfare adjacent to the industrial Four Mile Run Drive corridor. A small sign indicates that the trail ends.
At the Purcellville end, there is not even a sign, which is pretty anticlimactic. There is a nice set up though with a park and the Trail's End bicycle shop.
Photo by Barbara Yurasko
Purcellville seems to be a nice town that is balancing history with suburbanization fairly well.
The western part of the trail is very narrow at times, making it a little too close for comfort if you are passing someone.
There was an enormous fire just west of the big rock quarry between Leesburg and Ashburn. It had to have started mere minutes after we passed.
Joe's Dog House in Herndon (just past the halfway mark on the trail) makes a decent chili dog, which as we all know is an essential foodstuff for this kind of exercise.
The town itself is quite nice too, having built a town square around the railroad, and kept it up.
Seen on and around the trail: 2 snakes, 5 deer (near Vienna), 3 dead voles, one rabbit.
The amount of bridges and underpasses built for the trail in the last 15 years is staggering. Reston is now much easier and safer to get through. An underpass is being built for the trail at Church Road in Sterling as well.
In the Vienna area, between Hunter Mill Road and Cedar Lane, we had to ride through a swarm of gnats.
We crossed VA 7 four times.
We crossed two interstate highways (I-495 and I-66) and two other superhighways (VA 7 and VA 267).
The steepest hills are at Buckhorn Drive between Reston and Vienna. The worst are the approaches to the Virginia Lane overpass at I-66.
There are three cabooses on the trail; Herndon, Vienna, Arlington (Bluemont Jct.)
Three old train stations (Purcellville, Herndon, and Vienna) are in good condition and still active. Another one (near Leesburg; I cannot remember which one) is still standing, but could use some restoration.
The last eight miles are the easiest.
All told, we rode through 3 counties (Loudon, Fairfax, Arlington) 1 city (Falls Church) and 4 towns (Purcellville, Leesburg, Herndon, and Vienna).
Photo by Erica Yurasko
Labels: Arlington, BeltwayLand, Best of WWN, Bicycling, Family and Friends, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 6:58 AM |
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- William World News
Tuesday, July 12, 2005
PRAISE FOR MY HOMETOWNVienna Is Rated a Great Place to Stop -- Permanently - The PostVienna, Va., my hometown for 22 of my 28 years was ranked #4 in Money magazine's annual best places to live. Theoretically, this is great news for my parents as it should help raise the value of their home. I find it hard to believe that Vienna could be the fourth best town in the U.S., but then again, I don't read Money so I am not viewing it through the same lens. It is a pretty good place to raise a family though and compared with the rest of Fairfax County it is incredibly quaint. My last semester at Penn State, I did a term paper on the local weekly, The Vienna Times (which seems to be the only Times Community Newspaper without a Web presence) and interviewed the editor. She believed that it was "the best located smalltown in the country." There is something to that statement. How many other small towns are located next to a high concentration of jobs as Tysons Corner? One friend of mine, now currently in law school out in Frisco, is baffled by the results. I am not perplexed, but I have to think if it were a suburb of Chicago or New York, it would not place this high on the list. Vienna is exceptional because it does not have the soulless "just built" (as Money put it) aesthetic that most of Fairfax County has. I have to wonder why Falls Church did not make the list though. It has great schools, more charm, is closer to D.C. and has a downtown that is almost walkable. While I feel spending 22 years in Vienna was long enough for me, there are certainly some excellent reasons for families to live in Vienna. Great youth sports - I played football and basketball through Vienna Youth Inc., which was always well run. I also played two years of Vienna Little League.
W&OD Bike Trail - While not unique to Vienna, it runs right through the center of town and adds tremendously to the quality of life. My brother and I spent countless hours with our friends along this path. Despite all the hills, we biked all over town in fact.
The Vienna Inn - Sure, it is not what it once was, but it is still a "real" local restuarant.
Central location - When my folks moved there in '79, people gasped when they heard how far out they moved. Now, Vienna is just about centrally located in Nortern Virginia. Also, it is right next to Tysons Corner and the tens (hundreds?) of thousands of jobs in Tysons Corner. To put it in perspective, there are more jobs in Tysons than Denver, Colo. It is also only 15 miles from D.C. and on the Orange Line of I-66. Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts has a Vienna mailing address too.
All in all, a pretty good place, but you'll forgive me if I put down roots somewhere else when it comes time to buy a home -- I have done the Vienna thing. Hopefully, I can avoid living west of the Fairfax County Parkway...
Town of Vienna Web site
Vienna Inn
Labels: Arts and Culture, BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Tysons Corner, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 5:00 PM |
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- William World News
Friday, May 06, 2005
PENNSYLVANIA TURN-BIKEBike on the old turnpike - Public Opinion, Chambersburg, Penna. A convergence of interests -- bicycling, highways, and history (and bad puns -- again) have been brought to my attention by one of the entertainment sites that I helped develop for a newspaper. Near Breezewood, Penna. there is an original section of Pennsylvania Turnpike that was closed after it was bypassed in the 1960s. A few years ago the Turnpike Commission sold it to Southern Alleghenies Conservancy, which turned it into a bike path. It is over eight miles long and includes two tunnels (built originally for the South Penn Railroad, which was never completed) that total over two miles. The tunnels are unlit and apparently home to bats. I have a hunch getting lighting in there will be tough, on account of thoaw bats, especially if they are of the endangered Indiana variety. Nevertheless, this sounds like something that I want to do and can think of a few people who may be up for it too. Jeff Kitsko, webmaster of pahighways.com advises me that you better have a mountain bike for this ride, at least for now. It looks like SAC wants to improve the replace some of the original roadway to make it more friendly for cyclists, etc. To learn more about the Superhighway Trail, visit Kitsko's Pennsylvania Turnpike's Abandoned Sections - pahighways.comThere are links to the other pages on the subject, there are a lot of them in fact. Also, you may want to read the books, Vanderbilt's Folly, which you can buy at Kitsko's Book Store (Amazon). Labels: Bicycling, Transportation
posted by WFY @ 5:23 PM |
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- William World News
Sunday, April 18, 2004
Well, it was a beautiful morning for a bike ride, I went from Pentagon City all the way to the Wilson Bridge along the Mt. Vernon Trail. It works out to about 10 miles. I'm getting back into peak form...
With NFL draft approaching, linebacker Toles says he's healthy - CDT
It seems that Penn State and Deryck Toles had differing opinions on his enzyme disorder. From what Toles is saying though, he appreciated being able to play at all and their concern for his health, but thought they were overly cautious and made out the disorder to more than it was. Penn State sticks by the decisions they made. Between what both sides say is probably "the truth."
Receivers show improvement at scrimmage - CDT
Well, they would almost have to show improvement wouldn't they? I mean, really I think the only way it could get worse was if they tripped on the hashmarks on every down. Hopefully, they will continue to improve.
Brungo, Mazzante go early in second round of WNBA Draft - CDT
Wow, Kelly Mazzante really slipped; but Brungo did pretty well for herself. Either way, this is great for the program.
Centre Life | Ice rink's 'Zam man' cometh - CDT
The Zamboni driver is one of the great folk heroes of Penn State. This fellow is a different one than the guy I remember, but it is good to see the legend lives on.
Russell Frank - Journalism instructor attempts to explain newsroom politics - CDT
My former prof, Dr. Frank sticks to sticking up for journalism in his latest installment of Frankly Speaking. I enjoyed what reading what he had to say, but I wonder if the subscribers to the CDT are wondering, "when is he going to write about his goldfish again?"
George Solomon - Wizards Still Searching for Rerun of That '70s Show - The Post
I skipped the first part of the column because I could care less about Les Boulez. The second part concerns baseball in D.C., which I think is much more important than basketball. Labels: BeltwayLand, Bicycling, Virginia
posted by WFY @ 10:12 AM |
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William F. & William R. Yurasko
December 20, 2009
Alexandria, Va.
Photo by Erica Yurasko
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