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ThisAmericanSatire t1_iqvizbr wrote

This is great.

I've been struggling to find a safe route from the northern part of the JFT to the rail trail. The biggest problem is that the only way to cross 695 is by riding on a road and the majority of roads that cross 695 are high-speed and/or high traffic roads, and just not really safe to ride a bike on.

Basically, I can get from Canton to Lake Roland with no problems. But getting from Lake Roland to Timonium is dangerous.

The safest route across 695 seems to be Thornton Road, but getting to Thornton still requires you to ride on narrow suburban roads with hills and blind turns - Bellona Ave, Ruxton Rd, etc.

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Otto_Von_Bisquick t1_iqw0ajw wrote

Getting into the valley is wild.

Park Heights feels the safest but you still have to be confident enough to take a lane

Stevenson is very steep and stays wet. The turn coming off of hillside will kill someone eventually.

Greenspring is steep narrow and aggressive.

Falls road is wild. The turn where the JFT entrance has me shaking my head 8/10 times.

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routable t1_ir3uc4y wrote

Agreed. I’d add the option of taking the Red Trail through Lake Roland to avoid the dicey section of Falls. Adds some miles and mud though.

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bOhsohard t1_iqwf0i6 wrote

did a ride to philly last year, and took this route // honestly it was my fav way of going north, out of the city: https://www.strava.com/routes/2891333822416428928

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Joke_Insurance t1_ir3lez9 wrote

How long did that ride take you?

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bOhsohard t1_ir3m4ua wrote

10 hours? I think we averaged like 14mph including a 1.5h lunch break 80mi in

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Joke_Insurance t1_ir62q7v wrote

Awesome!

And jc, did Strava help you map out that route? Asking because I would like to do a long-distance bike ride someday.

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bOhsohard t1_ir6rd6z wrote

Ehh sorta - this was like a combo of a route a friend did, the ride with GPS routes, and my personal knowledge of the routes there.

Also checked the ride history, it took us 9h15 and we did avg 14. Just a group of 4 // I didn’t think it was too bad of a ride, just was super cold for the first few hours since it was in November

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danhalka t1_iqy4krd wrote

I used to bike from Bolton Hill to Timonium. Falls was the popular route but Charles worked well for me. You have more than a lane's worth of shoulder for much of it, but the lighting was spotty and the stretch along the golf course was a dicey straightaway with no shoulder at all. There's a ghost bike there now. All in all, it was a fine way to get to 695 and hop into Lutherville until they changed the traffic circle into a multi-lane light and on/off ramp. Now I think I'd choose falls.

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ThisAmericanSatire t1_iqy5d0o wrote

I've done Charles going north (downhill). There is a 100 yard stretch just north of the Joppa bridge where the shoulder becomes a 3rd car lane and there is no bike lane.

Going north, and downhill, it's not too bad because I'm going fast.

I would not return south (uphill) on Charles because of that section.

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danhalka t1_iqy6npq wrote

Yeah, the traffic there got much heavier a while back around when they changed the way Charles ended at 695. I used to be fine sitting & spinning for that climb headed south, but I wouldn't want to do it now.

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routable t1_ir3tppe wrote

Crazily that section is signed as part of the East Coast Greenway. That uphill section would suck for a through rider unfamiliar with the area.

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