Tour de W&OD Trail - Shirlington to Falls Church
Details
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Jeff has a great idea! He suggested we ride the entire 45-mile W&OD bike trail by taking it one part at a time, just like the Tour de France does by scheduling its long ride in separate stages. That way we regular folks can have a goal to finish the trail and say WE RODE THE WHOLE THING. So let's go for it!
This is stage one of the Tour de W&OD from Shirlington to Falls Church and back. It's a fairly short, flat, and scenic ride that works well to get our bike legs in shape after winter. The total distance will be about 16 miles, so it's not too far or too strenuous. The ride is suitable for riders who are in decent shape and all types of bikes.
This ride is also organized as a destination ride like folks do in Europe, where it's common to ride somewhere special for a refreshment stop, and then ride back for a real meal. Those Europeans know how to do it right! http://photos4.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/1/3/3/a/event_85084922.jpeg
Thus, we'll ride about 8 miles from our start at the Samuel Beckett Pub to Falls Church on the W&OD trail and then stop at the Mad Fox Brewpub on Broad Street to take a rest and have some refreshment. The Mad Fox has good food and beer and a nice atmosphere. So we'll have something good to look forward to as we ride...
After our ride back to Shirlington, we can socialize and eat at the Samuel Beckett Pub, which has a real Irish look and feel. I can testify that the fish & chips are excellent, and my Irish ex-wife says the food is authentic and tasty too (unlike some Irish food). It's a great way to end our day of riding. Check it out:
http://www.samuelbecketts.com/
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This is an outdoor event that depends upon good weather to be successful. I will post a notice here by 9 am on Saturday morning if we need to change plans or cancel. Please call Jake at 703-798-8435 with any questions.
HELMETS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL RIDERS!