C&O Canal Ride

The Gazette published a story in it's open forum section by a woman who rode the C&O after taking the red line to Shady Grove.

My bicycle and I took Metro’s Red Line to Shady Grove, a mysterious place I’d heard of many times (as in ‘‘This train’s final destination is Shady Grove”) but never seen. Turns out, it’s not that exciting, unless strip malls are your thing. But I left the Metro station and headed west on roads that my map indicated were bike-friendly, and gradually commercial areas gave way to farms and small hamlets.

I've been thinking of doing something similar myself, riding out to the end of each Metro line and then biking back. Just to do something different.

Comments

[Bonzai Buckaroo]

This is something I hadn't thought of. I am motivated to investigate potential routes. I may even try to document route(s) and/or develop cue sheets.

[PdE]

There are lots of Metro/trail connections. In Prince George's the Northeast Branch trail goes right under the train tracks at West Hyattsville, College Park, Greenbelt, and New Carrollton all are close to some very nice riding. Several VA stations are close to either the Mt. Vernon trail or WO&D just to mention a few. If Metro management were truely forward looking they would publish maps but I suspect that publicizing bike access points to Metro will continue to happen on an informal basis.

[Purple Eagle]

I've taken Metro to Falls Church to access the W&OD a couple of times. I've also gotten off at Shady Grove, then rode to Lake Needwood and followed the Rock Creek Trail all the way back to Bethesda (and then used a somewhat-convoluted route to get to Greenbelt from there).

[Charmaine]

Since I went car-free last Nov., I've been taking my bike on Metro a number of times and finding out how helpful it is. It's a neat way to learn new ways to get around the city. Sometimes, though, it's hard to find the elevators that correspond with the Metro stations - they are often a block or two from the escalators. I bring a book along with me to enjoy during the Metro ride. I used to never have time to read and now I've finished a few books. :) I head up the DC Bike Friday Club (folding bike club) and use the Metro stations for meeting points to go on rides.

[Stephen Nightingale]

Well, VeloDCity, the DC Bicycle Meetup has been in touch with this idea of riding from Metro endpoints for a couple of years now. You should check out their Metros'n'Ferries ride, going from Shady Grove Metro, up to White's Ferry, then back down the W&OD to Dunn Loring Metro. Or vice versa.