Route from NJ to DC

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
I've done the DnR to the Greenway thru Trenton. If before 12pm not terrible, just lots of stares. But the sections behind people's yards and adjacent to the sewage canal is a bit freaky. Was prior to COVID so expect more craziness now

To be fair, it is getting better. There were only 3 murders on the Towpath and I was only stopped once in Trenton while divers fished a body out of the Canal.
 

qclabrat

Well-Known Member
To be fair, it is getting better. There were only 3 murders on the Towpath and I was only stopped once in Trenton while divers fished a body out of the Canal.
So this is a better route with ferry to DE?
Screenshot_20230123-220904.png
 

tonyride

Don't piss off the red guy
She hands over Arendelle to Anna at the end of #2 so she can protect the forest because she's the 5th Spirit. C'mon, don't tell me you weren't paying attention?
Oh snap, there was a sequel? So she did Let It Go. I guess I dodged, I mean missed that one. One Frozen was enough for my son apparently. I think I have a picture of him making out with the then future Queen at Disney.
 
Last edited:

Steve Vai

Endurance Guy: Tolerates most of us.
Oh snap, there was a sequel? So she did Let It Go. I guess I dodged, I mean missed that one. One Frozen was enough for my son apparently. I think I have a picture of him making out with the future Queen at Disney.

The 2nd one was a little too advanced for most people to follow, but it is by far the better movie.
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
I have done Trenton to philly and it kinda sucks, however some of the stuff people are saying about going through Trenton is not accurate considering you are dumping off to cross to PA at the Trenton makes. The worst part of the canal through Trenton is from RT 1 to the leg that goes Towards Ewing and you avoid that by heading towards the river.

The canal from Morrisville to points south isnt bad, but it isnt great either. You are kinda of secluded, literally surrounding by trash dumps. Eventually you get dumped onto 13 and you can take that all the way through Northeast but that is also the start of 1 million stop signs and going through Kensington. I did it early on a Sunday (had to be at the tour de shore at 7am) so no one was around and I just blew every stop sign and I averaged like 19 MPH there, mainly riding for my life. It is kinda one of those things that you do but will likely never do again.

You can come in from the North but it takes you pretty far west to be able to do so.
 

Ian F

Well-Known Member
Looking at the map on the website, Trenton seems like just one of many questionable route decisions. Ride through Chester, PA? Good grief... I don't even like driving through Chester on I-95. I can't imagine Wilmington is fun either... Then it seems like they went out of their way to route you through Baltimore for some god forsaken reason. Just so you can go way out of your way through Annapolis? :dead:

What sometimes gets forgotten when thinking about these routes is how far west DC is from NJ. With that in mind, I'd figure out a route that crosses into PA somewhere in northern Bucks Co, then meanders down through upper Montgomery Co, making your way south, but mostly westward toward York, before heading due south towards DC. Once in the general vicinity of central MD and NoVa, there are numerous route options heading into DC.
 

stb222

Love Drunk
Jerk Squad
Looking at the map on the website, Trenton seems like just one of many questionable route decisions. Ride through Chester, PA? Good grief... I don't even like driving through Chester on I-95. I can't imagine Wilmington is fun either... Then it seems like they went out of their way to route you through Baltimore for some god forsaken reason. Just so you can go way out of your way through Annapolis? :dead:

What sometimes gets forgotten when thinking about these routes is how far west DC is from NJ. With that in mind, I'd figure out a route that crosses into PA somewhere in northern Bucks Co, then meanders down through upper Montgomery Co, making your way south, but mostly westward toward York, before heading due south towards DC. Once in the general vicinity of central MD and NoVa, there are numerous route options heading into DC.
That northern route is an option, I did King of Prussia to Trenton, Philly to Lancaster and Lancaster to Gettysburg/Emiitsburg, MD (on 3 different rides).

All great options, however those hills on the western side of Philly, then Valley Forge and the ridge all the way out to Lancaster (just north of the PA turnpike) is taxing. By no means is it an easy ride. I am sure there is some less hilly way, maybe following RT 30, however then you are then subject to the Lancaster tailwind (i.e. headwind both directions). You can largely stay in the valley from Lancaster allllllll way to Hanover and go south from there. You are in God's country at that point and can likely find quiet routes, however fair warning, it is going to be hill after hill as you are in the piedmont of the Appalachian range
 
Top Bottom