Monday morning was another opportunity to ride in. I thought I would use the next few entries to describe in detail my route. My 25 mile ride is easily broken up into 5 20-30 minute segmants. Each section has a different feel, and completing each gives me a sense of accomplishment and a better idea of how far I still have left to go.
I first segment "Mason/Fairfax" starts at my front door and rolls 4.8 miles through George Mason University, past Old Town Fairfax City, and then down to the Fairfax Circle. As I leave my development I turn left onto Braddock Road toward the main entrance of GMU. I cross the street with the light and head down into campus then I start up one of the six major hills of the entire ride. VADot has changed the traffic patterns on University just north of campus so what used to be a busy bus route now is a quiet disconnected street. At the bottom of the hill I jump back onto University Ave and into Fairfax City. As I pass the fire house I see that the fire fighters are up and washing their rigs. I check the time and temperature at the Sun Trust Bank, then with traffic I wait for the lights at Main Street and North Ave. I continue down University Ave past the Fairfax Library Garage, then Turn right into the Courthouse Plaza Safeway parking lot. I pass behind the shopping center, onto Democracy Road and follow through the office park to get down to Old Lee Highway. At Mile 2.7 I jump on to the side path and continue past Van Dyke Park. Keow and I like to take the kids here and I often meet them for a picnic here on my afternoon return trips. Near the Civil War era historic Blenhenm house I cross over onto the traffic lane in time to pass the Fairfax High School and then down the 4% grade hill. Early in the morning traffic is not bad here and I usually can get up to about 30 mph. I then turn right onto Old Picket and then left onto the Picket Road side path. Up ahead is the intersection of Route 50 and Picket, a block east of the Farifax Circle. I will have to wait a few minutes here to cross both lights so I take a nice rest and get a drink of water. This is the end of the first segment.
I am now at the point of no return. If I were to get a flat, or have to go back it is closer to continue ahead to the Vienna Metro just 1.7 miles ahead. The next segment is "Vienna Metro" because I pass up through a few wooded paths past the Vienna Station of the Metro, and then cross the city of Vienna, VA to the Washington and Old Dominion Trail. It looks like Friday will be the next day to ride in so I will describe segment 2 in more detail then.
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