Cycling from Washington, DC to Harpers Ferry, West Virgina

It’s been a while hasn’t it?  Sadly, I haven’t been doing any flying around the world, or really flying anywhere.  Though that doesn’t mean I’m sitting still!  A few months ago, I became pretty obsessed with cycling.  I started doing 20 mile rides on the weekends, got really into it, and before long 20 miles became 40 miles and then 40 miles became 60!  Fast forward a couple months and I've purchased far too much cycling gear and tricked out my bike with a rack, GPS and an auxiliary water bottle! 

I could go on and on and (and many of you have heard me go on and on) about all the trails in and around DC and my preferred cycling apps, but for this special return of Enroute with Enzo, I wanted to blog about my longest and most exciting ride to date, a 140 mile round trip from Washington, DC to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia!

The trip to Harpers Ferry from DC can be done a couple ways.  The most popular way is probably via the Chesapeake and Ohio (C and O) Canal Towpath which runs along the Potomac River and gets you all the way there without much need for navigation.  Though, its gravel and can get pretty muddy when it rains, so I plotted my own alternate route mostly via the Washington and Old Dominion (W and OD) trail. 

Here’s a snapshot of the route.

Though, lets start at the beginning, shall we?  Here’s me and my cycling buddy Adam, just starting our journey on the Key Bridge leaving Georgetown.

After crossing the Key Bridge into Virginia, there is this cute little bike counter in Rosslyn.  Almost a quarter million cyclists have passed this point so far this year!

Leaving Rosslyn, we are now well on our way along the Custis trail.  

The Custis trail is just under 5 miles and connects Rosslyn to the start of the W and OD trail.  Its mostly along I-66 and its quite hilly, mostly uphill in this direction!  Here we are after one of our first big climbs!

Here’s a nifty little elevation chart of our route. By the end of the Custis trail, we’re at about mile marker 10 of the trip.

One of the neat things about Custis is that you are riding right above the highway, and you cross it maybe half a dozen times on bridges only used by pedestrians and cyclists.  I always thought this spot was neat where you’re right next to one of the giant interstate signs.

After the Custis trail and starting the W and OD trail, the route breaks away from the highway and becomes more scenic.

Before long, we were in Vienna, Virginia, mile 15 or so, and they have a bright red rail car right along the route.  There are a few rail cars along the trail since the W and OD was a rail line for about 100 years before becoming the bike and hiking trail it is today!  By this point, I needed a break and who doesn't love a bright red train car?

Back on the road, we continue along the W and OD and cross under quite a few bridges and over several highways.  The trail takes us past Reston, Sterling, Ashburn, and Dulles Airport.

Approaching and going through Leesburg, VA from mile 35 to 42 was a little tough as its a consistent climb taking us to our highest elevation of the trip at about 600 feet.

We eventually made it to the end of the W and OD and arrived in Purcellville at about mile 48.

After a break, we pressed on, with the rest of our route being on country roads that we’d never ridden on before.  I didn’t quite know what to expect in terms of traffic and scenery but have to say I was pretty pleased! 

There were a few climbs which at this point of the ride were a bit annoying, but overall, it was a beautiful section of the ride!

At about mile 60 we felt the need for a photo shoot, cause I mean obvi right?

At mile 65 we crossed back over the Potomac leaving Virginia and entering Maryland through a small town called Brunswick.  

The bridge crossing was along Route 287, the Berlin Turnpike.  There was no bike lane or trail along the bridge and there was a fair bit of traffic, so sorry, no photo, didn't want to die!

Leaving Brunswick, we had just over 5 miles to go, along the C and O Towpath that I mentioned earlier.  It's a gravel trail that runs along the Potomac River.

At Mile 70, we were almost there, but had one more obstacle!  To get from the C and O to Harpers Ferry, we had to cross the Potomac one final time, but to do so you have to carry your bike up two flights of stairs!  We knew this, but still, seeing those metal stairs after biking 70 miles is a real stick in the spokes!

After the climb you cross the bridge that is shared only by peds, bikes and trains!  We crossed right as an Amtrak train was coming through.  Super neat!

After hopping off the bridge, we’d made it!  This is a look back at the bridge we’d just crossed.  We were lucky with such great weather all day and were also pretty geeked that we just propelled ourselves into West Virginia.

By now, we were ready for a rest.  Our plan was to stay the night in Harpers Ferry and do the 70 miles all over again the next day back to DC.  Though not before having dinner and ice cream as the sun set on Harpers Ferry.

On the way home, we took pretty much the same route.   Parts of the final 20 miles were bit tough, but luckily the climb up Custis on the way there was now all downhill so that was a fun way to end it.

If you’d have told me back in March that by the end of the summer that I’d be biking 140 miles to West Virginia and back, I’d have told you that you were nuts!  Though I’m so glad I did it.  Probably one of the most satisfying things I’ve done all year and now I can’t wait to plan my next cycling adventure!  Until next time!