For an outing that combines camaraderie, pretty scenery, the chance to burn a few calories and perhaps the promise of a beer or apple cider doughnut at the finish line, it’s hard to beat a bike ride. As fall temps hit the DMV, there are numerous ways to get your miles in, no matter your age or experience level. Here is a list of must-try bike trails, upcoming group rides and cycling classes.
W&OD Trail: 50th Anniversary Event
Riding the Washington & Old Dominion trail (W&OD) is almost a rite of passage for Northern Virginia cyclists. The 45-mile paved trail stretching from Arlington to Purcellville turns 50 this summer, and NOVA Parks is celebrating the anniversary on Sept. 7 by unveiling a new permanent sign about its history. The sign will be installed in Falls Church at the site of the trail’s first documented ride on September 7, 1974. Just follow the balloons to take part. Officials will be handing out commemorative 50th anniversary giveaways including sunglasses, T-shirts, stickers and more. Check out the photo display showing the transformation of the W&OD Trail from a railroad in the 1900s to today. It was one of the first rail-to-trail projects in the country. Now there are more than 2,400. // Saturday, Sept. 7, 10-11 a.m. N. West St. and Steeples Court, Falls Church.
Bike Arlington Learn to Ride Classes
Does the thought of careening down a hill at any speed over 5 mph fill you with terror? Are you ashamed to admit you’ve never learned to ride a two-wheeler? Try a learn-to-ride class for adults. And once you’re ready to take the next step up, try the Trail Riding Basics course or City Cycling class to master the fundamentals. Certified cycling instructors will help you learn to deal with traffic, communicate effectively and work on bike handling maneuvers as you ride along local bike trails and lanes in a group. Click here for class details.
Conte’s Bike Shop hosted rides
Nervous to go it alone? No problem. Sign up for a group ride at any of Conte’s three area shops and enjoy some socializing on the side. The Tuesday Night Intro Ride out of Clarendon rolls at a party pace of 12-14 mph. Post-ride food and drink are provided. On Mondays, try the Quintessential Loop ride, a 16-mile circuit heading south out of National Landing, up Four Mile Run Drive to the W&OD trail and back along the Custis Memorial Parkway and down the Potomac. Need more of a challenge? Try the Sunday Hill Ride: 24 miles with more than 2,000 feet in elevation gain. The Falls Church Tuesday Night Taco ride involves—you guessed it—tacos, provided and cooked by store manager Chef Jeff. Check the website for dates and times of rides near you. // 3449 Wilson Blvd. (Clarendon), 1350 S. Eads St. (National Landing), 1118 W. Broad St., Falls Church
Dandies and Quaintrelles
If you’ve been wondering what to do with all that tweed and Seersucker in your closet, this is the ride for you! Dress to the nines and roll with what is certainly the sharpest looking cycling group around. These bespoke bikers parade through the capital twice a year, donning Seersucker and breezy linens in spring, and tweed, tilted caps and plaid skirts come fall. The rides are short, with a strong social element. One recent group ride rolled 4 miles down the Potomac, stopped for about 2 hours for food, drinks and a DJ set, and included a night ride back at 8:45 p.m. Keep an eye on their website for the next meet-up.
The Gap Trail (Great Allegheny Passage)
Picturesque small towns, soaring viaducts, old railroad tunnels and Pennsylvania’s deepest gorge all await on the GAP Trail. Pick your starting point on the website’s interactive map and retrace America’s westward expansion on this family-friendly corridor. The trail boasts 150 miles of pathways through Maryland’s mountains and Pennsylvania’s Laurel Highlands, a popular area for camping, hiking and whitewater fun.
Kidical Mass Family-Friendly Rides
Kids, families and the young at heart are welcome to join these very gentle, safe and easy rides around Arlington. The rides go at the pace of the slowest rider (around 6 mph), are short (3-4 miles) and easy (no hills above 5% grade if at all possible). Past rides have included stop offs at spray parks and restaurants for lunch. Kids can participate on their own bikes, in a seat on an adult bike, in trailers or trail-a-bikes. Check Facebook for upcoming rides.
Tracks and Yaks Rail Bike Tours
Pick your own adventure combo and chat it up as you pedal down the railways on a tandem or quad rail bike. Follow an old scenic railway, then hop on a kayak, river tube or historic train ride. Or choose a two or a three-hour pedal through the most scenic part of the railway, with a shuttle bus return. Yet another option combines rail biking with a return trip on the Western Maryland Scenic Railroad’s Frostburg Flyer. The guided rides are leisurely paced and accessible for people of all ages. // 19 Depot St., Frostburg, Maryland and 115 Broad St., Berlin, Maryland
Virginia Capital Trail
Roll from the present to the past—and back again—on this 51-mile, fully-paved trail with dozens of attractions along the way. Bring your own bikes or rent them at one of the many conveniently located rental shops. The trail connects the Commonwealth’s past and present capitals of Jamestown and Richmond, and more than 400 years of history. Stop-offs of interest include the Science Museum of Virginia, the Virginia State Capitol, Jamestown Settlement and Powhatan Village and the Belle Isle Bike Skills Course, which includes a pump track and beginner course to practice mountain biking. Find more than 50 places to dine along the trail and check out a list of planned itineraries, from 2-mile jaunts to longer rides of 31 miles or more.