Pete's Apizza Breakaway

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Washington, DC, US

Route Overview

Rudi Riet

Road Rides, short to long - and some gravel, too!

20 mi.

1,054 ft.

A great quick breakaway from the urban core of DC, well shaded for those steamy summer days and evenings. Features a pizza-and-beer stop in Friendship Heights as well as a return via the highest bike-accessible point in DC.

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Route Details

A great route any time of year (but especially on hot summer evenings), this 20 mile loop starts and ends at Mitchell Park in the Sheridan-Kalorama neighborhood (some street parking but best accessed via bicycle or transit) and features a mix of open and closed paved streets with light-to-moderate traffic.

The route starts and ends at Mitchell Park (water fountain but no restrooms), passing stately mansions that house embassies and diplomats, before traversing the north end of Adams Morgan and dropping into Rock Creek Park via Park Road. This section can have some traffic but mostly it is low-speed and aware of people on bicycles.

Once in Rock Creek Park the route takes full advantage of the closed section of @photo[Beach Drive](14433582). Be careful as you enter the closed section and keep your speed in check while riding the closed section as it is popular with many different abilities of cyclists, runners, and walkers. The pavement here is super smooth thanks to the combination of a recent reconstruction of the road and a dearth of motor vehicle use due to the now-permanent closure of much of Beach Drive. There are water fountains (seasonal) and restrooms (year-round) on Beach Drive, so if you need these resources please take advantage.

As you approach East-West Highway on the Maryland side of the DC border the route peels west off of Beach Drive and tours some lovely "inside the beltway" neighborhoods in Chevy Chase, Maryland, before diving back into Rock Creek Park via the Barnaby Woods neighborhood of DC. The tree canopy is a welcome sight as you descend back to Beach Drive (mind the gap between gates as you make a right onto Beach), then descends to the newly-reopened @photo[Bingham Road](14433581) (again, mind the gates), then climbs up to Oregon and Nebraska Avenues in the Chevy Chase neighborhood of DC. A tour of mostly quiet residential streets takes you across northwest DC to Friendship Heights and the @poi[pizza and beer stop](104721968), @photo[Pete's New Haven Style Apizza](14433580). This is New Haven pizza with actual pedigree and the place has ample outdoor seating so you can stay close to your bicycle while you enjoy your slices (I highly recommend their basic cheese, the Staven, or if you like shellfish, the New Haven).

Now 5 miles from the ride finish, the route crosses to Reno Road via the highest bike-accessible point in DC on Fessenden Street (Fort Reno is the highest point, on your right as you crest the climb, and is noted for its summer concert series, sunset views, and tall radio and TV transmitter towers). After a right turn on Reno Road it is a rolling, mostly descending roll back to Mitchell Park.

Here's a play-by-play of sights along the route:

* [Mitchell Park](http://https://dpr.dc.gov/page/mitchell-park-recreation-center-0)
* [Rock Creek Park](https://www.nps.gov/rocr/index.htm)
* [Pete's New Haven Style Apizza](https://petesapizza.com/)
* [Fort Reno Park](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Reno_Park)
* [Fort Reno Concert Series](https://www.fortreno.com/)

#
# More resources

Be mindful riding on Beach Drive after any heavy rainstorms or wind events as debris can cause road closures or more hazardous passage. The [Rock Creek Park website](https://www.nps.gov/rocr/index.htm) will have any late-breaking information on this.

The nearest bike shops to Mitchell Park are Conte's Bike Shop (14th and Q Streets NW) or Bicycle Pro Shop (35th and M Streets NW).

The nearest Metro stop to Mitchell Park is Dupont Circle Station (use the Q Street exit).

# Important Reminders

Street parking near Mitchell Park is extremely limited and has 2-hour limits for visitors Monday thru Saturday. Parking enforcement is stringent. It is highly advisable to ride your bicycle to the ride starting point, or to use Metro if coming from afar.

Any kind of bicycle can be used on this ride, though a road bike with a reasonable gear range (11-28 cassette) is ideal for this route.

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Pete's Apizza Breakaway

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