Health & Fitness
A Fall day bicycling around our community
A Fall day biking trails from Burke to West Springfield, to the Metro
Saturday was a day of chores and catching up, but I could not resist the beautiful weather. I threw an energy bar and water bottle on the bike and off I went.
On a day like this, the wonderful trails around Lake Accotink beckoned.
I stopped by the West Springfield Police Station and watched them expertly run a bike rodeo. I learned that their twice yearly event attracts approximately 300 youth! Well done Fairfax County Police! I just heard that Safe Routes to School have signed up 32 County schools! Our kids need good bicycle handling skills!
Find out what's happening in Burkewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
I rode into Lake Accotink Park on the Cross County Trail, I turned south after the dam and traveled on a wonderful part of the CCT that is a perfect ride on a Fall day! I saw families with young children on bikes, people walking dogs, many people enjoying the Fairfax County Parks maintained paved wide trail with great bridges over Accotink Creek. What a great way to go under Old Keene Mill Road!
I traveled on the trail through Hunter Village and at the County Parkway decided to see what the route to the Franconia Springfield Metro station was like. The County has just announced it will be installing a major interior storage bike facility there. Our Fairfax Bike Summit work with GMU has made me aware that bikes are so much cheaper than additional parking spots (it costs $40,000 per parking spot)!
Find out what's happening in Burkewith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Along the way paralleling the County Parkway Rt 289 (formerly 7100), I actually came across wayfinding signs, long a Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FABB) pet peeve, showing me the way to the Metro. I was astonished at how close the station was! As I rode back, I reflected on how much I could enjoy daily riding to the Metro, especially the CCT section along Accotink Stream, what a great way decompress each day!
In this fall season, get out and check the trails. They are a little know gem in our community! If you want to know how to help create more trails and bicyling opportunities, come to the Fairfax Bike Summit at GMU, Oct 27. If you have any questions about trails or wanting to ride to the Franconia - Springfield Metro, ask!
