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Need help with Baltimore bike route planning
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 2007-07-25 3:07 PM |
Master  3546     Millersville, MD |  Subject: Need help with Baltimore bike route planningI'm kicking around the idea of a ride from my house just south of Baltimore to my parents house in the suburbs of Philadelphia. My route will eventually take me over the Conowingo Dam and then I know lots of back country roads to get the rest of the way there. I'm also very famiar with routes going up to Baltimore. The prolem is going through or around Baltimore. Around will take forever and isn't exactly a rural ride unless I go way aound, and through will inevitably involve me riding through some parts that aren't exactly ideal. My best route so far is to take 170 into Brooklyn, Cross into the City on Rt 2, and make my way over to Harford Road (147). Before I get to the beltway, I'd hop on Old Harford Road and take that up into Harford Couty... then I'm golden on the rest of the route. Any thoughts on this route? Or anyone have any better suggestions getting through the city? I intend to drive it soon to check it out, but the Baltimore portion is based solely on staring at a map (no city driving experience). For what it's worth I am fairly comfortable cycling in urban areas (taking the lane, etc) if that effects your advise... but would much prefer to avoid high traffic areas and "bad" parts of the city if I can. |
| 2007-07-25 6:02 PM in reply to: #901257 |
Extreme Veteran 536 Millersville, MD | Subject: RE: Need help with Baltimore bike route planning "My best route so far is to take 170 into Brooklyn, Cross into the City on Rt 2, and make my way over to Harford Road (147). Before I get to the beltway, I'd hop on Old Harford Road and take that up into Harford Couty... then I'm golden on the rest of the route." Riding through any part of the City is dicy. Brooklyn, no thanks. Not great areas, and I would imagine not very friendly to bikes, both the roads and the drivers. Not exactly familiar with those roads, but I am familiar with Rt 2 through the AA / City line. Not great riding, in my opinion. Maybe pick up the route north of the city and be a bit more round-about, which sure won't be hard through the Conowingo Dam area. Be careful, the roads are pretty fast in some of those areas. |
| 2007-07-25 10:39 PM in reply to: #901257 |
Master 3546 Millersville, MD | Subject: RE: Need help with Baltimore bike route planning I won't be on Rt. 2 until the last second... but I need to cross the patapsco at some point. In harford county and points north, I will not be on Rt. 1 until the last moment to get across the dam. I feel very good about the route I have planned, except for the Baltimore part. Once I iron out a few kinks, I plan to trace it in route tracker to find out how far it actually is, and so people can give better feedback. |
| 2007-07-26 2:46 PM in reply to: #901257 |
Expert 1743 Glen Burnie, Maryland | Subject: RE: Need help with Baltimore bike route planning Check out this site. There is a route already mapped that would take you from N. AA County to Philly. Check out the maps on Google Earth feature. That don't have that feature for Delware but it's easy to figure out. http://www.greenway.org/ |
| 2007-07-30 12:15 PM in reply to: #901257 |
Veteran 186 Pasadena, Maryland | Subject: RE: Need help with Baltimore bike route planning I looking into riding to visit some freinds in Cape May. I decided I would opt to head up the Eastern Shore and avoid the CITY. I called last year and the Bay Bridge people said they would take me across for nothing. BTW Last year I commuted through much of the Gwynns Fall ride and felt almost safe. Only once did I have any issues with someone asking me for my bike, at which I kept riding only faster. But using GF would take you way out of the way in my opinion. |
| 2007-07-30 1:43 PM in reply to: #901257 |
Expert 808 Columbia, MD | Subject: RE: Need help with Baltimore bike route planning Josh, this is my old neck of the woods, and I have to echo fgray's apprehension about your eastern route through Baltimore City. I would recommend a slightly more western route. I'm thinking of the neighborhoods you'll be going through, rather than road conditions. I think the road conditions will stink no matter where you ride in the city. I can't speak for the Brooklyn part of the route since I don't know that area, but once you're past the Inner Harbor, I'd strongly advise against heading northeast to Harford Road. There are some areas there I wouldn't want to be out of my car in. Consider going up Charles Street or Calvert Street and cutting east not until you get to 33rd Street, then take that east over to Lake Montebello. Loop around the lake to Harford Road and then continue your route. All streets look the same on a map, but believe me, they are NOT created equal.  |
| 2007-07-31 1:06 PM in reply to: #901257 |
Master 3546 Millersville, MD | Subject: RE: Need help with Baltimore bike route planning Thanks for the [formerly] local intel. That's exactly the kind of info I was seeking! |
| 2007-07-31 7:46 PM in reply to: #901257 |
Veteran 186 Pasadena, Maryland | Subject: RE: Need help with Baltimore bike route planning Checked out crossing the Bay Bridge furter. Seems you would need to make an appointment with a local towing company. They charge $35 for the trip across. |
| 2007-08-01 8:33 PM in reply to: #901257 |
Master 3546 Millersville, MD | Subject: RE: Need help with Baltimore bike route planning What a ripoff. I bet you a thumb out would land you a ride in a pickup truck really quickly... |
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