What we’re about
The purpose of this group is to give our fellow Maryland bike riders opportunities to:
- explore familiar and new bike trails mostly in MD, and occasionally in DC, VA, DE, PA, NJ and NY.
- socialize and make new friends.
- have fun while exercising.
- travel with a familiar group to participate in day trips and weekend getaways for bikers
- travel with a familiar group to participate in larger bike events such as "Bike Philly"
- volunteer for bike events
- support bike advocate groups such as Bike Maryland and WABA.
Although most participants have been in the over 40+ age range, we welcome bikers of all ages, as well as all skill levels, gender identifications, ethnicities, races, etc.
Most of the events are for casual bicycle riding on scenic trails. We target rail and greenway trails, which are bicycle-friendly trails that tend to parallel old train tracks, canals, and rivers. Since trains did not do well on anything over a 3% grade, these trails are amazingly flat. They go through some beautiful areas and quaint towns, often where food and drink are plentiful.
We avoid streets as much as possible, although some of the trails may include a bike lane or shoulder for a small portion of the ride. Only a small number of routes use roads more than 25% of the time. Any route that is mostly on roads will be titled with "ROAD RIDE " so they can be easily identified.
Although we are mainly interested in "day trips," We also like to schedule at least one overnight each year.
Most rides will have distance options such as 10, 15, 20, etc., that you can choose from. And we'll range between 8 - 15 mph (some of us are slower, some are faster). This will make for a pretty laid-back ride and riders of just about any skill level should be fine. This is not about performance!
Group Fees
At this time there is no event fee or annual group fee. But please consider making a small donation to offset the $300 annual Meetup fee, the $80 annual Ride with GPS fee, and the huge number of hours the organizer's use to research destinations, check for trail construction, parking, writing, answering member questions, etc. in lieu of doing their personal errands.
Volunteer organizers are needed
If you’re in the mood to ride a particular trail and would like to let others join you, let me know and I’ll gladly add your event and put you as the organizer - even if there’s already a bike trip listed the same day. The more the merrier!
What do I need to bring?
Bike details: A proper-fitting bike that has had a maintenance check. Hybrids, mountain bikes, and road bikes (as long as they don't have the ultra-thin tires); the trails tend to be a mixture of asphalt, crushed limestone, and gravel.
Helmet: Required to be worn when seated/riding a bike.
Some other gear that is almost mandatory:
- Water (water bottles or a backpack style hydration system)
- Spare tube: Even if you don't know how to change a flat, someone in the group will be able to do it for you and it's MUCH easier to change a tube than to patch one
- Bike tools (a tire repair and patch kit and spare tube is always a good idea)
- Bike lock (we do stop for food and drink and the bike is not always in view)
- A payment method
- Good attitude (we're fun people!)
Other things to consider:
- Bug spray
- Sunscreen
- Sunglasses
- Small first aid kit
- Bike bag to hold everything
- Biking shorts (padded shorts may look strange to the uninitiated, but they sure do the trick)
- In cooler seasons, wear an upper layer that can be removed when you get warmed up.
- Please read our group rules
Please Note
We place limits on the number of riders that can join any single ride. Be aware of this when you join a ride. If you find you won't be able to make the ride, please move yourself from ‘Going’ to ‘Not Going’ ASAP and no later than 24 hours before the event start time to give others the chance to join. If you wait till the day of the event then you’re not giving others the time to take your place. Please don’t RSVP to an event just to add it to your calendar; only RSVP if you truly feel you will make it.
Make sure you get to the Meetup location before start time. Give yourself enough time to get your bike off/out of the car and ready by the start time (at least 15 minutes). Especially in summer, it’s too hot to stand around waiting for late arrivals to get ready. If you’re running late, please message the group on Meetup so we know whether to leave or wait a bit.
Upcoming events (4+)
See all- Metropolitan Branch Trail from Fort Totten to Union StationFort Totten Metro Station, Washington, DC
**Check back to see if the date or start time has changed. This ride will be postponed (possibly replaced with another ride) if the chance of rain is above 29%, or wind speed or wind gusts are above 14 mph (per Accuweather) **
TRAIN OR BUS STOPS
Fort Totten StationPARKING AND MEETUP SPOT
Park at Fort Totten Station.Meet us in the parking lot by the fence facing the road. After check-in, we’ll do an icebreaker question.
BIKE ROUTE SUMMARY
This is a very different type of bike route for us compared to the usual rail trail for several reasons: 1) There is still a train line in use running along the trail!, 2) This trail takes us into DC where we can easily connect to bike friendly paths and lanes for sightseeing, 3) This trail has a lot of fantastic mural art, and 4) This trail is more urban than the other trails in Maryland that we ride. It connects several neighborhoods. Riders will see a large variety of colorful and mentionable graffiti wall art, urban art, a dog park, outdoor movie area, garden areas, and restaurants along both sides of the path. See attached images for an idea of what it's like.We’ll start from the Fort Totten Metro Station and bike straight down along the Metrorail to Union Station - about 4.6 miles. We’ll stop to regroup at least once along the way. We will stop at Union Station for water/bathroom/ a visit inside. Participants can return from there or continue biking with us.
Next, we'll bike over to the Capitol, National Mall, and some surrounding points of interest. We'll take a break and then return the same way. We expect to do about eight miles each way.
If you’re interested in stopping for lunch somewhere, let us know in advance. One nearby option is Bryant Market and the very cool Metrobar (right off the trail). It's the 2024 winner of Best Bar in DC. You can opt to eat/drink in the refurbished metro car or outside in cozy seating areas. They sometimes have food trucks parked there as well.
TYPE OF BIKE: Any kind of bike frame and tires. Ensure it is the correct frame size for your height so you can get maximum output.
SKILL LEVEL: All levels can enjoy this trail. It is well marked and mostly flat.
PACE: It’s up to you. Most of us are casual riders. Some of us like to do a cardio workout at some point. Since paved trails can sometimes be crowded, we don’t have expectations of being able to go very fast. If you prefer a faster or slower pace, feel free to let the group know before we start. We often regroup at certain points so everyone can ride at their own comfort level.
DISTANCE OPTIONS
Participants can choose to return whenever they feel like it. These are just suggestions.
OPTION A: Bike 3 miles out and back.
OPTION B: Bike 4.6 miles to Union Station and back.
OPTION C: Option B plus continue on with the organizers to ride around the monument areas for a couple more miles before returning.
OPTION D: You can add on miles by connecting to additional bike trails.
TRAIL HISTORY
When completed, the Metropolitan Branch Trail will start further north, from the Silver Spring Metro station down to Union Station, for eight miles. It is very flat, maybe 40 feet of elevation change. To learn about the history of how this trail was conceived, see Metropolitan Branch Trail - Wikipedia
BATHROOMS
Union Station
Retail establishments that can be accessed from the trail.RECOMMENDATIONS
Bring: Water bottles, snacks, biking gloves, bike bell, bike lock, helmet visor, sunglasses, bike tube, pump, patch, first aid kit, mobile phone with nav app installed (e.g. Google maps, we use RidewithGPS). If you get leg cramps during or after a ride, take electrolytes before and during your ride (or add salt and magnesium to your water). A change of clothes for your ride home or a car seat cover to absorb sweat.
Clothing: Wear biking gloves and durable clothing so that if you do fall, your skin is protected. Avoid wearing all black, all grey, all dark brown, or all dark blue, which blends in with pavement, especially while riding through a shady segment. Consider wearing something lighter to help others notice you.
Be proactive to avoid a fall/crash and minimize injury:
· Keep a distance between yourself and other bikers. If the biker ahead of you suddenly stops, you should be able to avoid hitting them.
· Don’t make stops on the trail. Pull over to the side and use hand gestures to let people know you’re slowing down to make a stop.
· Yelling out “Passing on your left” and/or ringing a bike bell as you approach people ahead of you, so they don’t inadvertently move in your line of travel.
· Slowing down to wait, rather than speeding up when trying to pass people at the same time walkers/bikers are approaching you from the opposite direction.
· Avoid potholes and debris and slow down when approaching bumps
· When approaching road crossings and iffy situations, triple-check before crossing and don’t let yourself be distracted by talking, etc.
· Ensure your helmet is tightly secured so that it won’t move if you hit the ground.
MEETUP POLICIES
· Participants should understand that biking is an inherently dangerous activity, and an accident could happen at any time. Participation is at your own risk.
· An RSVP of “Yes” to an event is your digital signature acknowledging that you have read, understood, and agree with Meetup’s and MD Rail Trail Biking’s policies, esp. section 6 “Release” and section 8.2 ” Limitation of Liability,” found at https://www.meetup.com/terms/
