Quote Originally Posted by mickchick
Girls - Count me in. If we meet super early or later in the day, the trails shouldn't be TOO crowded.
Tulip, the Mt. Vernon Trail connects with the Custis up by Chain Bridge (Key Bridge Marriot). There's a stretch between Old Town that goes past Nat'l Airport---not sure if that's the Mt. Vernon Trail or something else. Anyway, it hooks up with the Custis, which will lead to the W&OD and we could head west. There are some dicey road crossings, but if we ride in a group, we should be OK.
I live about 1/2 mile from the Custis (my house is a mile north of Ballston Metro Station).
I wonder if we could ride at the Arboretum in DC? I'm not sure how busy the roads get there (I've been there only in the winter), but it's nice, quiet, and there's at least one good hill.
We can take it at a leisurely pace. Maybe stop somewhere for some eats?
I'll check w/the fellas at work to see if there are any less-busy places we can ride.
I take the Mount Vernon Trail on my commute once I get to the Virginia side of the 14th Street Bridge. I work in Old Town Alexandria, so I go south. I have not been north of the Key Bridge on the MVT. I think that early would be okay, but it gets horribly crowded in nice weather, like you have to stop and wait crowded. I think the Arboretum would be a fabulous place to ride. I have seen people on bikes there, and the azaleas must be amazing right about now. I don't know about the traffic during azalea season, though. Lots of peole drive around there, although slowly. I'll do some investigating to make sure that bikes are allowed.

There's also a PPTC ride that I was thinking about this weekend. Here's a description (the last sentence is comforting):

C * 36 * VA * 9:30 AM * Nokesville Community Park (NCP) * 50%
South of Nokesville. Join us for this popular Virginia ride. We are able to stay relatively close to the Metro area, while still enjoying a rural setting. The ride is mostly flat to rolling with no serious hills to contend with. There are two rest stops to allow for regrouping and refreshment. I will lead at a true C pace and promise to leave no one behind.
C (9:30 AM) * Ed Kerr * ekerr56@comcast.net * 703/791-6113