December 2013 Trail Conditions

[Terpfan]

@dbb 71570 wrote:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4259[/ATTACH]

MVT in generally good shape

Rode from Crystal City to DC about 0600. Air temp was about 28F

CC connector was clear and dry

MVT to the northernmost DCA bridge was clear and dry

Bridge at north end of DCA was icy and bumpy – I walked my bike

MVT to 14th St Bridge cutoff was almost all clear and dry except for the spots where water runs across the trail. Ice was smooth and visible – I had no problems

14th St Bridge and path around Tidal Basin was clear and dry.

Are you riding it with studded tires or was it alright with normal tires?

I almost rode this morning, but then decided against it since I wasn’t sure on some of the smaller bridges and hadn’t been able to observe the path. I was able to see most of it driving in with my wife, but couldn’t quite tell on parts, particularly the wooden bridges.

I figure tomorrow I can just hop off and walk across the bridges if need be. The only other sketchy spot it appeared was two black ice patches where the water crosses the path like you said. Namely, the one midway through the stretch alongside the airport.

Anyway, I figure I will give it a try tomorrow and hopefully some of this crap melts away.

[dbb]

@Terpfan 71611 wrote:

Are you riding it with studded tires or was it alright with normal tires?

I was on a hybrid with 700 32 Schwalbe Marathon (no studs but a little tread) tires. The spots along the trail where there was frozen runoff were no problem because they were short (never more than one tire on the ice at a time), straight (no maneuvering necessary) and smooth (nothing to disturb forward momentum). Taken at a modest speed (I suppose I was going 8-12 mph), I felt no angst there.

[Mikey]

@dasgeh 71595 wrote:

Next time, let me know and we’ll ride in together

I’m headding back out this afternoon to pick it up if you want a buddy. I plan to leave the pentagon around 4:30 and make it up to the Honda Dealership by 5:15 ish.

I haven’t decided wheather to take MVT to Custis and up Lee or the back way (Eads to 4MR to W&OD to Walter Reed to Quincy, and then through the back roads around Glebe/50 to Clarendon and back to Quincy and Lee. It will depend on when I can get out of here.

[consularrider]

The good news this afternoon is that it has gotten up to over 40° with sun, so we should have some good melting where the sun hits. Keep your fingers crossed for your rides home after sunset and stay alert.

[Dirt]

Arlington Salted the W&OD between the Custis Trail intersection and East Falls Church.

Fairfax did not:

[dbb]

@Dirt 71627 wrote:

Arlington Salted the W&OD between the Custis Trail intersection and East Falls Church.

That is pretty sweet! Those that have ridden it (I will tomorrow) should let the County know how happy you are about their approach. Positive feedback will help with making trail snow removal part of the Arlington culture.

[dasgeh]

@TwoWheelsDC 71601 wrote:

The I-66 overpass was bad, but ultimately didn’t really bother me, since it was crusty and my tires handle that stuff just fine. The real (and unforeseen by me) problem was the GWMP overpass, and avoiding that would’ve required a pretty serious detour into an area (south of Rosslyn) that I’m not really familiar with from a bike perspective.

The detour isn’t that bad. You can see it here (I think).

Just take Fort Myer south, which turns into Meade. Take a left when that ends onto Marshall. Get onto the path that hooks around the cemetery, which will take you to Memorial Drive. Jump on the sidewalk at the Metro — there’s not another curb cut. I prefer the south side of the bridge.

[dasgeh]

@Mikey 71619 wrote:

I’m headding back out this afternoon to pick it up if you want a buddy. I plan to leave the pentagon around 4:30 and make it up to the Honda Dealership by 5:15 ish.

I haven’t decided wheather to take MVT to Custis and up Lee or the back way (Eads to 4MR to W&OD to Walter Reed to Quincy, and then through the back roads around Glebe/50 to Clarendon and back to Quincy and Lee. It will depend on when I can get out of here.

Too early for me, alas. In the spirit of avoiding the trails, you can also take Southgate Rd to Fort Myer, exit onto 2nd St S, then wind your way up to Cherrydale — I prefer Irving to cross 50, Jackson to cross Pershing and Monroe to cross Wilson, Fairfax and Washington. Then you can use either 13th or 14th to get to Quincy.

[consularrider]

Dirt, that section of the W&OD between the Patrick Henry and Ohio overpasses was clear this morning, no much salt needed to keep it from refreezing. However, the photos two miles apart show an interesting differnce in what nature does to clear the trail. :p

[NickBull]

Dirt: Are those 49North Dillinger 26×4 studded tires? They look awesome. Are you on a Surly Pugsly or Moonlander or what? If so, did you have that bike/tires back in 2010 (?) when we had the back-to-back 3 foot deep snowfalls that left the trail axle-deep in snow for a month? Can those tires float on snow like that? That’s the only time in the last nine years that I haven’t ridden to work every day.

My ride in today on 26×2″ Nokian Extreme 294 and WXC300 studded tires had nothing noteworthy. But I’d hate to ride on this stuff with anything much less than that. I have some 700Cx42 Nokian W240’s that I might try tomorrow, hoping for a little less rolling resistance with hopefully not too much compromise in riding the ruts.

Nick

[Dirt]

@consularrider 71632 wrote:

Dirt, that section of the W&OD between the Patrick Henry and Ohio overpasses was clear this morning, no much salt needed to keep it from refreezing. However, the photos two miles apart show an interesting differnce in what nature does to clear the trail. :p

I took the photo at that point because I thought it was more interesting to show the truck, rather than just the salt. There are areas between Custis and EFC Metro that really needed salt. It should be better as a result.

@NickBull 71637 wrote:

Dirt: Are those 49North Dillinger 26×4 studded tires? They look awesome. Are you on a Surly Pugsly or Moonlander or what? If so, did you have that bike/tires back in 2010 (?) when we had the back-to-back 3 foot deep snowfalls that left the trail axle-deep in snow for a month? Can those tires float on snow like that? That’s the only time in the last nine years that I haven’t ridden to work every day.

The bike is a custom frame designed around 26×4″ front and 29×2.5″ rear tires. I’m running a 26×4 45Nrth Dillinger studded tire up front, and the 29×2″ Gazza Extreme in back. For serious offroading, I’d rather have a full fat bike for deep snow. For getting around town in bad weather, this thing is perfect.

[ebubar]

I’ve been locked inside grading this week. I have a final to give tomorrow and will probably bike in.

Questions for those more hearty than myself:
1). How is the Custis from the Key Bridge up to around Glebe road? (My city route)
2). Anyone been on the Georgetown Branch/Capitol Crescent trial/Chain Bridge area? It’s pretty shady so I’m planning on the city route to avoid ice and icky mess.

Thanks for any info!

[Dickie]

Gonna try and keep my steak alive and ride home (220 days in a row now), but I am a little weary as I still do not have studs on my cross bike. I’m getting on the WOD at Gallows and heading east to Rosslyn. Any thoughts or possible detours I should consider? I probably won’t get wheels rolling (sliding) until 6:00ish.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@Dickie 71644 wrote:

Gonna try and keep my steak alive and ride home (220 days in a row now), but I am a little weary as I still do not have studs on my cross bike. I’m getting on the WOD at Gallows and heading east to Rosslyn. Any thoughts or possible detours I should consider? I probably won’t get wheels rolling (sliding) until 6:00ish.

I would say Brandymore was bad this morning, but the salt truck Pete showed might have taken care of that. You might think about getting off at Fairfax, though. This morning the bridge over the Glebe exit from I-66 was rutted and slippery, but the overpasses over Lee and Spout Run, just before and after the s-turn, were much worse.

[DismalScientist]

Yesterday from Bikekentic I took West to Lincoln across Lee onto Washington Blvd to avoid the WOD on 28s. The only problem with the route is between Lee and EFC.

[Author]

Posts