With the short day, I took the opportunity to check the map for a route into Washington other than highway 1. I found the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. From Google maps, it looked like it had a shoulder, but it is a limited access highway, so I wasn’t sure bicycles were allowed. I also checked the Strava heatmap, which shows what routes local cyclists take. None of the popular routes on Strava would take me into Washington and it didn’t look like locals ride on the Parkway. I watched for signs very carefully as I entered the Parkway. I saw a couple signs prohibiting trucks, but nothing about bicycles. It turned out to be a great option with a wide shoulder, no big trucks and no stoplights. Some of the off and on ramps were tricky to navigate, but other than that it was just about perfect. I ended up getting into DC in about an hour and a half. I wonder what the drivers must have thought of seeing someone on a loaded down bicycle riding the Parkway, bopping my shoulders to the music on the radio (dance, dance, dance, yeah). I must have been quite a sight.

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