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.
Bunnyhop Comes Home
The Bunnyhop Designs experiment has officially come home. We've combined our original cycling apparel, books, posters, and stickers into the new Best Rides DC Shop—and to celebrate, all t-shirts are 15% off with code LAUNCH15.
Westbound: Riding Mount Ashland
A memorable 15-mile descent from Mount Ashland and a first look at one of the Pacific Northwest's premier mountain bike destinations.
Roanoke Weekend
Four days of mountain biking around Roanoke, Virginia, including Carvins Cove, Explore Park, and Blacksburg, while revisiting one of my favorite riding destinations after a year of recovery.
My Journey With Ulcerative Colitis: Getting Back on the Bike
A personal story of ulcerative colitis, surgery, recovery, and returning to the bike. Learn how cycling helped me navigate one of the most challenging chapters of my life.
H(Y)ello Patapsco!
A return to Patapsco Valley State Park to revisit some of Maryland’s most iconic mountain bike trails, including Avalon, Orange Grove, Vineyard, and Buzzard’s Rock.
Laurel Hill — HDR From the Archives
A look back at Laurel Hill Park in Lorton, Virginia shortly after the trails opened in 2008, featuring HDR photos of the historic prison farm buildings that once stood along the trails.
Singletrack Spin
A snowed-in ride turns into a reflection on repetition, rhythm, and why we return to the same singletrack again and again — like a favorite record worth playing twice.
Dalai the Llamanaut
A trail celebration at Locust Shade sparks the creation of Dalai the Llamanaut—a space-inspired character rooted in mountain biking, art, and trail culture.
Frozen Laurel Hill
A short winter photo essay from a frozen ride at Laurel Hill Park in Lorton, Virginia, capped with a post-ride stop at Bunnyman Brewing.
Looking Back on the Year That Wasn’t — and Forward to 2026
A reflective look at returning to the bike after loss and illness, and the intentions guiding my riding and writing as I move into 2026.
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.
5 of the best mountain bike trails in Virginia
A regional perspective on the best mountain bike trails in Virginia, following a featured interview with Singletracks and links to in-depth destination guides.
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
A short trail hiking video captured with a DJI NEO drone at Locust Shade Park, exploring newly built singletrack from a ground-level perspective.
Destination: Davis, WV
A destination guide to mountain biking in Davis, West Virginia, featuring classic Canaan Valley trails like Moon Rocks, Plantation Trail, and Dobbin House.
New Toy - DJI NEO
First impressions of the DJI NEO drone, picked up ahead of upcoming road trips and trail outings as I ease back into riding.
Destination: Roanoke
A destination guide to mountain biking in Roanoke, Virginia, featuring Mill Mountain, Carvins Cove, and classic Blue Ridge trail riding.
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...
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.
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Best Rides DC is an independent project built through thousands of miles of riding, photography, and research.
If these stories have helped you discover new places to ride or inspired you to get out there, consider supporting future ride guides, photography, and cycling stories.