Cycling Stories, Ride Reports & Route Notes
Stories from rides, routes, and places explored by bike.
This blog documents cycling experiences from the road, trail, and everything in between. Posts here include ride reports, route observations, and stories from rides that help shape Best Rides DC guides and recommendations.
While some posts focus on specific routes or conditions, others capture the broader experience of riding — the places, people, and moments that make cycling meaningful beyond the map.
How to Use This Page
Use the filters below to explore posts by ride type, location, or topic. Many posts link directly to routes or places documented elsewhere on the site.
Howison Homestead
Shortly after moving to Prince William County in 2001 I discovered we had a little bit of a gem close to home, the Howison Homestead Soccer Complex.
Out and Back to Lockhouse 49: C&O
A solo outing from Point of Rocks, MD to Lockhouse 49 along the C&O Canal Towpath.
Venezia
Bezos’ wedding in Venice reminded me of a weekend trip I took to the “floating city” back in 2012…
More NEO Fun
More fun with the DJI NEO, finally got to take it out on the trail for a hike…
Destination: Davis, WV
Davis, WV and Canaan Valley have been a regional destination for decades. The challenging trails in this regional destination never fail to disappoint.
Destination: Roanoke
The geographical location of Roanoke makes it one of the most unique cities in the Old Dominion.
C&O Full Pull
Revisiting the C&O Full Pull - I had intended to do another full pull of the C&O Canal towpath last year (2024) and then again this year (2025), but life had other plans for me...
Destination: Richmond
When I started work on the revised edition of Mountain Biking Virginia around 2015/16, there was a lot of work going on in Richmond to revitalize the James River Park Trail System and to improve the trails at Pocahontas State Park just southwest of the city.
iPhone Action Photo Tips
One of my favorite features of the iPhone’s Camera app is the camera’s control slider/button that allows you to capture bursts of photos at 10 frames per second. Learn how to do the same
Where to Ride
Hard to believe that we’re into Spring 2025 and riding season is well under way! I hope that you are having the opportunity to enjoy the great weather we have been having.
Destination: Frederick
In the first installment of regional destinations I wrote about Harrisonburg, VA, this time around, we’ll hop over to Maryland and visit the city of Frederick.
Destination: Harrisonburg
With the riding season starting to really kick into gear I figured I’d share five of my favorite destinations within a 2-3 hour drive of the DC Metro area over the course of the next few weeks. Here’s my first pick, Harrisonburg!
Where I Ride
This weekend I was tooling around in Photoshop with one of the trail images and it occurred to me that it would be cool to make a stylized version of it and make a “Where I Ride” poster that I could offer people as a download.
Revisiting Carvins Cove
It has been a little over seven years since I last visited Carvins Cove. The last time around I was working on Mountain Biking Virginia and my buddy Mark H. and I rode some of the tougher trails along this classic Blue Ridge destination.
How These Stories Connect
Many of the rides and places discussed here are also referenced on the Where to Ride page and inform the route research behind Best Rides DC cycling guides.
Routes Referenced in Recent Ride Stories
The Ride With GPS interactive map below highlights routes that are referenced throughout recent ride reports and cycling stories on this page. Visitors can zoom in, explore different areas, and select individual routes to view additional details directly in Ride With GPS.
Some routes shown here are documented in Best Rides DC cycling guides, while others represent rides that are still being explored or shared informally through ride reports. Together, they provide additional context for the places, conditions, and experiences described in the stories above.
This map is provided as a reference to help connect ride stories to real-world routes, not as a complete or exhaustive catalog.map below highlights routes that are referenced throughout recent ride reports and cycling stories on this page. Visitors can zoom in, explore different areas, and select individual routes to view additional details directly in Ride With GPS.
Some routes shown here are documented in Best Rides DC cycling guides, while others represent rides that are still being explored or shared informally through ride reports. Together, they provide additional context for the places, conditions, and experiences described in the stories above.
This map is provided as a reference to help connect ride stories to real-world routes, not as a complete or exhaustive catalog.