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.
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...
Destination: Richmond
A destination guide to mountain biking and gravel riding in Richmond, Virginia, featuring the James River Park System and Pocahontas State Park.
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
An overview of the Where to Ride section on Best Rides DC, featuring curated cycling destinations and route guides across the Mid-Atlantic.
Destination: Frederick
A destination guide to riding in Frederick, Maryland, featuring Gambrill State Park, the Frederick Watershed, Greenbrier State Park, and classic road routes.
Destination: Harrisonburg
A destination guide to mountain biking in Harrisonburg, Virginia, featuring Stokesville, the George Washington National Forest, and classic Shenandoah Valley trails.
Where I Ride
An introduction to the “Where I Ride” poster series, turning favorite cycling destinations and routes into place-based prints inspired by real rides.
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.
Out of This World Locust Shade Rides and Jump Fest
A small gallery of images from the Out of This World Locust Shade Rides and Jump Fest on September 15, 2024
The Trail Builder
Meet Brock Lowery of Ironwood Outdoors, the trail builder behind some of the Mid-Atlantic’s best mountain bike trails, including Locust Shade, Meadowood, Laurel Hill, and Fountainhead.
Casual Magic
Cycling has always been an activity that I simply do to workout or have fun. My dad would always take me out to go mountain biking, and then eventually we started road cycling together; something I absolutely fell in love with.
All are welcome. Minority focused
Minority Mountain Bikers (MMB) is building a more inclusive mountain biking community through rides, events, mentorship, and representation across the DMV and beyond.
Why I Build and Maintain trails
Discover why Mid-Atlantic mountain bikers volunteer thousands of hours building and maintaining sustainable trails across Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, DC.
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.
Like what you see?
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.