How are the trails?

The CCT was definitely buzzing in it’s usual sections north of Mass Ave. You know what else there was a lot of besides people? BUGS!

I’ve been taking the W&OD/Custis in in the morning and coming back on the super-secret side street route of doom. So far so good. I noticed a few more people in the morning but I think the majority of the crowds are coming out after work. Also, tourist season seems to be kicking into gear again. I got swarmed by the Lincoln Memorial by a group from Mississippi yesterday, someone shouted “gay pants” at me. I wear black MTB shorts, so now I’m just kind of confused.

I was listening to NPR at work, and a “sponsorship” message came on: “This hour sponsored by the city of Houston, Texas, where the average temperature in March is 73 degrees Fahrenheit”. I laughed.

I managed to get out of work at 5:00 last night (yippee!) and took my usual long way home via Rock Creek – Key Bridge – MVT. Wow, were the trails swarmed with peds; who would have guessed that jogging was so popular. The itty-bitty corner where you turn on to MVT in Rosslyn was jam packed; I can’t wait till the county fixes that spot. Fortunately I didn’t encounter any bugs (though they say the warm winter means we’re in for a bumper crop this summer).

The trails were so crowded last night I think I may have to try to come up with a new long route; unfortunately I have to cross one of the bridges to get home so that limits my choices. Alternatively, I may have to get up extra early (ekkkkkk!) and get my exercise in then. Unfortunately I am not a morning person.

Perhaps it is time NPS instituted tolls on the MVT? We could use the EZPass on our bikes and fly right thru the toll booths. The money collected could be put towards trail improvements. Best of all, it would cull the crowds!

Tons of people out last night. I’m sure it will be worse today. The only problem I encountered was a fellow cyclist deciding to try to pass a jogger and a cyclist on his side while i was on my side of the trail. It was one of those obnoxious I’m too good to wait 10 seconds and so I’m going to risk everyone colliding situations, and without any call out of the pass that I noticed. C’est le vie.

Avoid the trail between the Jefferson Memorial and the 14th St. Bridge around dusk during the warm months. Millions of bugs there at that time of day. Also huge swarms on the MVT south of Memorial Bridge. Unless you’re looking to add a little more protein to your diet…

Monday 3/12 was nice on my route (W&OD/Custis/MVT/14th St and reverse in the evening). It was a bit colder in the morning whick kept some bikers awy although truth be told, I never have problems in the morning. The afternoon commute saw a big increase in peds and tourists, first weekday of daylight savings always results in that in my experience. I noticed quite a bit more tourists riding the CaBi bikes in DC and on the MVT between 14th St and Memorial Bridges.

Wednesday 3/14 I came in early and needed my lights at 6:30am, trails were pretty quiet. I’m expecting this afternoon to be bad but since I am leaving around 4:30 hoping I may beat the rush. Most afternoons (except Mondays), it will be time to break out the Custis Trail alternatives.

I can deal with some obnoxious road bikers on time trials what I relly can’t stand is having to frequently slow to a walking pace so some people can walk side by side while both on headphones (happens a lot, are they really carrying on a conversation?). More than twice on my commute and I start to get frustrated. It’s especially dangerous around blind curves.

The one obnoxious thing about newbie road bikers is how they can be oblivious to timing a passing of peds. I’m always scouting people ahead of me and coasting or accelerating trying to time my pass so I don’t have to slow down to a walking pace to pass. Sometimes I’ll be coasting and a roadie will fly past me (no audible signal of course) only to come to a walking pace crawl a few yards later because he did not time his pass. If he just would have coasted for a few seconds, he could have passed the ped and then me without coming to the near dead stop.

Did anybody get caught up in the bomb scare on the 14th St bridge last week in the afternoon? The walkway was cordoned off while police investigated a suspicious duffle bag, had to turn around back to DC and bike over to the Memorial Bridge to avoid it.