Show Posts
1
Connecting ACA Routes / TransAm to Washington DC Connector
« on: May 28, 2007, 06:51:35 pm »
I had ridden from Berea Ky. to Yorktown Va. via the TransAm. and from Yorktown to Washington DC via the TransAm and Atlantic Coast (Rt. 1) Bike Route so, on our 2005 eastbound TransAm trip we did an alternate route from Meadowview, in southwestern Va. to Washington DC. I live two miles north of the Mt. Vernon Estate (15 miles south of Washington). I found this to be a good route.
From Meadowview (Map 135) we headed north on Rt. 11. Rt. 11 is the old main route through the Virginia Shenandoah Valley. For the most part it is four lanes, has nice shoulders and does not have a lot of traffic. It parallels I-81 and the TransAm for sometime. It is missing in several places, and in those places for the most part you are automatically back on the TransAm. At Vesuvius (Map 142) the TransAm heads east connecting to the Blue Ridge Parkway. This route deviates from the TransAm from here out. Continue following Rt. 11 north to Rt. 340 east. Take 340 Business and Rt. 616 into Luray. Take Rt. 211 to Warrington and than Rt. 29 east to a right on Rt. 215 (Vint Hill Rd.), left on Rt. 28 (Nokesville Rd. into Manassas. Go right on Goodwin Hastings Dr. to the Prince William Pkwy (bike path) towards Lake Ridge - Woodbridge. At this point the PW Pkwy also loops back south around Manassas back toward Rt. 28 - not the direction you want to go.
Note: you can continue to follow the PW Pkwy. to Minnieville Rd. and the Atlantic Coast (Rt.1) Route. There are more services this way but also more traffic and my route connects back to the Rt. 1 Bike Route.
From the Prince William Pkwy turn left on Yates Ford Rd, right at the end onto Henderson, right on Hampton, right on Rt. 123 Ox Rd. Turn left onto Furnace Rd. (Rt 611), new construction and this 1/4 mile short cut may be eliminated, if so turn left onto Hooes Rd. than right onto Furnace (Furnace is on the Rt. 1 Bike Route). Follow Furnace across US Rt. 1 onto Hyde St., turn left onto Old Colchester Rd., cross US Rt. 1 onto Telegraph Rd. (Rt 611). Turn right onto the Fairfax County Pkwy. (Rt. 7100), left on John Kingman and onto Ft. Belvoir Army Base (Photo ID required to enter the Army Base). Turn left on Gunston Rd, and right on 21st St., which will turn into Mount Vernon Rd. Exit the Base at the Walker Gate making a right onto Mount Vernon Highway. Note: the restored George Washington grist mill and distillery are a 1/4 mile to the left and Woodlawn Plantation about 1/2 mile past that. Also, it is much shorter to follow US Rt. 1 from Telegraph Rd. to the Mount Vernon Highway but there is heavy traffic an no shoulders - not a good ride especially anytime during rush hours 6-9AM & 3:30-6:30PM. Mt. Vernon Highway ends at the Mount Vernon Mansion and you will find the Mt. Vernon Bike Trail (Atlantic Coast/Rt. 1 Bike Route) at the north end of the north east parking lot. The bike trail, except for a section on the roads straight through Old Town Alexandria will take you to Reagan National Air Port and taking a left on the trail after going under a set of four bridges which will take you across the Potomac River and will drop you off at the Jefferson Memorial. (Note from Yates Ford and Henderson Roads back to Mt. Vernon is about 30 miles and is half of a club ride my group does several times a year).
We rode the 447 miles from Haysi Va. (Map 133) to Mt. Vernon in four and a half days. We wanted to be home for the Labor Day weekend. Pick up a Va. state map and all the roads except those through Ft. Belvoir are on it.
From Meadowview (Map 135) we headed north on Rt. 11. Rt. 11 is the old main route through the Virginia Shenandoah Valley. For the most part it is four lanes, has nice shoulders and does not have a lot of traffic. It parallels I-81 and the TransAm for sometime. It is missing in several places, and in those places for the most part you are automatically back on the TransAm. At Vesuvius (Map 142) the TransAm heads east connecting to the Blue Ridge Parkway. This route deviates from the TransAm from here out. Continue following Rt. 11 north to Rt. 340 east. Take 340 Business and Rt. 616 into Luray. Take Rt. 211 to Warrington and than Rt. 29 east to a right on Rt. 215 (Vint Hill Rd.), left on Rt. 28 (Nokesville Rd. into Manassas. Go right on Goodwin Hastings Dr. to the Prince William Pkwy (bike path) towards Lake Ridge - Woodbridge. At this point the PW Pkwy also loops back south around Manassas back toward Rt. 28 - not the direction you want to go.
Note: you can continue to follow the PW Pkwy. to Minnieville Rd. and the Atlantic Coast (Rt.1) Route. There are more services this way but also more traffic and my route connects back to the Rt. 1 Bike Route.
From the Prince William Pkwy turn left on Yates Ford Rd, right at the end onto Henderson, right on Hampton, right on Rt. 123 Ox Rd. Turn left onto Furnace Rd. (Rt 611), new construction and this 1/4 mile short cut may be eliminated, if so turn left onto Hooes Rd. than right onto Furnace (Furnace is on the Rt. 1 Bike Route). Follow Furnace across US Rt. 1 onto Hyde St., turn left onto Old Colchester Rd., cross US Rt. 1 onto Telegraph Rd. (Rt 611). Turn right onto the Fairfax County Pkwy. (Rt. 7100), left on John Kingman and onto Ft. Belvoir Army Base (Photo ID required to enter the Army Base). Turn left on Gunston Rd, and right on 21st St., which will turn into Mount Vernon Rd. Exit the Base at the Walker Gate making a right onto Mount Vernon Highway. Note: the restored George Washington grist mill and distillery are a 1/4 mile to the left and Woodlawn Plantation about 1/2 mile past that. Also, it is much shorter to follow US Rt. 1 from Telegraph Rd. to the Mount Vernon Highway but there is heavy traffic an no shoulders - not a good ride especially anytime during rush hours 6-9AM & 3:30-6:30PM. Mt. Vernon Highway ends at the Mount Vernon Mansion and you will find the Mt. Vernon Bike Trail (Atlantic Coast/Rt. 1 Bike Route) at the north end of the north east parking lot. The bike trail, except for a section on the roads straight through Old Town Alexandria will take you to Reagan National Air Port and taking a left on the trail after going under a set of four bridges which will take you across the Potomac River and will drop you off at the Jefferson Memorial. (Note from Yates Ford and Henderson Roads back to Mt. Vernon is about 30 miles and is half of a club ride my group does several times a year).
We rode the 447 miles from Haysi Va. (Map 133) to Mt. Vernon in four and a half days. We wanted to be home for the Labor Day weekend. Pick up a Va. state map and all the roads except those through Ft. Belvoir are on it.