MLK Day Snow Clearing Ride on the ARTS

[Greenbelt]

Hi, Jeff here. I'm going to do a ride from about 11am-2pm on Monday MLK day to scout, and, if needed, clear snow and ice from some of the trouble spots on the Anacostia River Trail System in Prince George's County. I'm assuming we will get 2-4 inches of new snow and slop on top of the existing snow- and ice-covered bridges that will need to be cleared, and I want to clear that before the next deep freeze turns it into glacier. My main objectives are the known trouble spots: wood bridges, the sidewalk by Charles Armentrout Road, boardwalks, etc. Not trying to plow the entire trail system -- the sun and the still-high trail surface temps will take care of the main sections of trail, and the cities do plow many parts of the trolley trail.

MEETUP: 11am, Proteus Bicycles parking lot (the bike shop is closed on Mondays). Probably rolling around 11:15 to 11:30 depending on coffee (see below under RSVP)
ROUTE: South on the College Park/Hyattsville trolley trail to the NW Branch trail, then south on the ART to the boardwalk past the Bladenburg Marina, then turnaround north on ART and NE Branch trails back to College Park.
DISTANCE: Total of about 20 miles RT, with frequent (I'm assuming) stops to clear snow on bridges and other trouble spots.
BRING?: A shovel! Not necessary if you just want to ride, and I will try to bring two. But there will lots of shovel stops if it snows several inches. If it turns out that we don't get additional snow, we can just stop at the few remaining trouble spots that currently exist, particularly the boardwalk at Bladensburg, the wood bridges on the NE Branch, and (possibly) the new boardwalk section on the Indian Creek trail in Greenbelt. If it turns out that the snow changes to all rain and washes away even the existing trouble spots, then we can leave the shovels at Proteus and just have a nice ride!
RIDE: If it's snowy on the trails, a mountain bike or street bike with wider tires and some tread will be better than a road bike with slicks.
RSVP: Not necessary, but if you can let me know you're coming here on this thread or at Strava (jeff lemieux) so I can alert my daughter the barista. If enough people come out, she has promised to open the Proteus coffee shop for us at 11 for pre-ride hot beverages.
WEATHER: I'm hoping it will be above freezing by 11am on Monday, but it will be pretty cold and could get breezy later in the day. Bring an extra layer just in case!
TEAMS: All teams welcome!
NOTE: If you've never taken a shovel on a bike, it's fun and exciting! Some can fit scoop side first in a large pannier, or can be strapped to a backpack. I don't recommend the one-handed carry while riding, particularly if the trails are snowy or slushy. A good idea to test your system in a safe place beforehand.

More info and updates to follow on this thread. -Jeff

PS. Not sure why the forum software turned that cyclist picture upside down. We don't recommend riding that way.

[Mtansill]

I'm interested as long as it's no longer precipitating. Rode the TT and the ART today - both still need some help!

[Greenbelt]

Happy MLK Day! Looks like the weather has lifted out, so this ride is ON. Meetup at 11am -- slow-ish recon ride around the local trails, some shovel work on the wood bridges and a few shady spots, and back. 20 miles, looks like about 1" or less of soft but slippery snow has stuck overnight on the trails. Expect temp between 30 and 35 (not bad), but a chilly breezy building this afternoon. Bring water -- hydration is easily forgotten when it's cold.

[Judd]

And don’t forget to snap a picture or two to earn some Freezing Saddles Gives Back points. Thanks to everyone participating and thanks to Jeff for organizing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Greenbelt]

Pics! Thanks Millie and Cate for a fun and tiring day!! Photos credit M Tansill