DCSportbikes.COM

Hi!
I am once again trying to get out and venture into the unknown world! Carving up the Potomac River. I want to cross the Potomac at 3 points -

Points of Rocks:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Point_of_Rocks_Bridge

Whites Ferry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White%27s_Ferry


And 495's American Legion Memorial Bridge (Aka Cabin John Bridge):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Legion_Memorial_Bridge_%28Potomac_River%29.

The idea came from OpenroadJourney:
http://www.openroadjourney.com/loadroute.asp?rid=820

As this is a preperation note I am not calling for riders yet. I need some help figuring out my route. There are still a lot of open roads to, from, and around the Potomac so I was hoping someone might be able to help me out with long stretches of boring roads. Also I may have selected a road or two that are not suitable.. My GPS map program says they are 'rivers'...  I like freeways only when trying to get back quickly...

Mapsource won't let me save the GPX file as a format that Google Maps will recognize and I don't want to post an untested ride to Openroads... So if you can help me out please send me an email and I can send you the file. (Feel free to use it in the future too!) I tried to attach it here too but it is not an identified file format and for some reason WinZip is refusing to install...

I found a website.. I don't like it to much but it was supposed to convert my gpx file to a Kwhatsit that google needs but it didn't... But you can get the gist of the ride here:

http://gpxchange.com/gpxmap/mappage.asp?x_ID=105178&labels=1&background=T&return=geofinder&from=fileinfo 

Thanks!

Have you tried using http://maps.google.com ?

You can map out routes... start point A, then make a B way point then C way point. Very easy to use.

It will list all the turns and mileage as yuo build the route.

That's an interesting concept for a ride. Might I suggest the Memorial Bridge and Chain Bridge as better crossings than the American Legion. Both have a good bit of character. The Memorial Bridge has Arlington National Cemetary on one side and Lincoln Memorial on the other and is a beautiful bridge from back when they built bridges as works of art not just transportation. Chain Bridge is in a really nice, wooded area of DC/VA and would be perfect access to the GW Parkway to continue north. The American Legion Bridge is, well, a modern day, rough, plain, etc. interstate bridge. START EARLY to miss DC traffic/tourists - like 7-730am.

White's Ferry is cool. Check schedules though. I know from experience they don't run if the ferry is frozen into the river (misguided mid-winter m/c excursion )

Point of Rocks is nice and a popular m/c route. May also want to consider the crossing at Brunswick and also where US340 crosses at Harper's Ferry.

I'm sure there's plenty of folks on here with tons of experince on the roads. I don't know the policy on sharing routes . My experience is you won't get really good roads with the good possibility of little traffic until you're at least north of Point of Rocks.

Send me a PM with your email address and I'll send you a google map of a route I rode recently with some nice roads.

And hey, you may as well take the ride all the way to the source!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fairfax_Stone

minor thread-jacking here...does any gps unit on the market allow downloading of google produced maps? To clarify, can I go onto my computer, make a custom google route map and then send that route to a gps unit? Because that's the gps I want...

I am aware of google maps and I have an account with google tooo but I have a Garmin Zumo 550 and it does not like google files. You have to get a converter to convert the Kwhatsits to the GPX file. I thought of that too. Really though Mapsource (Garmin Map program) isn't to bad just picky in what it wants you to do and the bad thing about creating a route is that you don't know the roads and the like.

So while I can create a route from say point a to b there may be some sweet roads I miss because Garmin/Google say to go this particular way.

Mapsource also says the milage. This ride, excluding getting to and from the start and end points is 118 miles.

I was going for a compact way of it, I will look into the other bridges though! I also want to do a ride of the locks because i think those are nifty and often overlooked. But that is another ride.

I am not really afraid of the Ferry being closed as this will be, if I work out the kinks, a ride taken within the next few weeks.

Not to my knowledge but there are converter programs out there that convert the Kwhatsits to the GPX format... Google: GPX converter and it should bring up a selection to choose from. There are also neat websites like openroadjourney.com that if you upload a GPX/KML file and post the route on their site you can then turn around and download it in either format... Might be a way to get it to convert.

I'll possibly switch the 495 bridge with the Chain bridge as that does seem more interesting. The Arlington Memorial Bridge will have to wait. I want to spend some time in that area :) I haven't been in DC yet

it bugs me like crazy that there are only 3 major ways to cross the potomac (which i have renamed as that d*mn potomac!) and you want to make a ride of those spots?  sigh.

definitely the bridge at 495 has no glamour at all.  route 7 is very populated and has plenty of stop lights.  if there is a choice to pick 2 of the 3, i'd choose a loop to whites ferry and then hit some back roads up to point of rocks and work your way back around.  you really cant go wrong with the backroads getting to whites ferry nor back roads on the east side of point of rocks.

i'm back from vacation, if you want to get together to put a route together i'd be happy to help. :)

Thanks Jenn!

 I think I have it figured out actually... Though I am still hitting 495 bridge though it is just as a means to another bridge. I added Chain Bridge as suggested. so I am going to start with hitting Point's of rock, work my way down the Virginia side, hit Whites Ferry, back roads the MD side, hit 495 to cross, then do a ltitle back roads and then hit Chain Bridge to check that one out. Then I can back road it back up... so it weaves instead of making a figure 8.

I haven't figured out the full details yet and they may change but there is proabably going to be a stop in Glen Burnie first... Instead of hitting the freeway all the way there & back he provided a route of mostly back roads to get to the main meet spot...

What day of the week and what time frame are you considering for the trip??

Most people would advise not to post your routes.

 Just a thought, not a sermon...

 I would be interested in partaking in this ride if it works out schedule wise. Please keep me posted.

me too.  i'd be interested if you end up doing it.  if you cross down in dc like stated earlier in the thread you can go through rock creek which is decent.

incorporate going up the GW parkway...it's a nice ride along the river and then you can still cross it again to go towards Greatfalls or something..and then to point of rocks...

Thanks everyone for your suggestions!

I still haven't set a date for this one yet. I may not get to it this year... I have a lot of other things on my plate. Feel free to use what you see though. Don't wait on my account. Though if you do... Leme know how it goes!