2014 February Trail Conditions

I have no idea why you would not return the way you came. Taking the WOD to Custis just adds miles. If you want to do that, you might as well make a side trip to White’s Ferry.:rolleyes: The shortest way involves taking the Washington Blvd bike path/sidewalk and Army Navy Drive between Memorial Bridge and Shirlington via the Pentagon.

Of course, if you really want to have fun, you can take the CCT to the rough hiking trail down to Chain Bridge. Go up 41st Street and south on Military Road and Quincy to the southern Arlington Blvd bike path. Simply turn south on Park Drive to the WOD. Rumor has it that there may be hills this way.:rolleyes:

Sorry, but when I’m doing 35 miles in a day with a 60-year-old body and a 65-pound bike, I’m not looking for hills to increase the challenge!

@DismalScientist 78417 wrote:

I have no idea why you would not return the way you came. Taking the WOD to Custis just adds miles. If you want to do that, you might as well make a side trip to White’s Ferry.:rolleyes: The shortest way involves taking the Washington Blvd bike path/sidewalk and Army Navy Drive between Memorial Bridge and Shirlington via the Pentagon.

Of course, if you really want to have fun, you can take the CCT to the rough hiking trail down to Chain Bridge. Go up 41st Street and south on Military Road and Quincy to the southern Arlington Blvd bike path. Simply turn south on Park Drive to the WOD. Rumor has it that there may be hills this way.:rolleyes:

Probably too early for consideration. If you can, I’d wait for this question to be answered on the forum until at least tomorrow afternoon. I know of only one place that would present problems for sure – it’s called the “icebox” just after you cross Hunter Mill Rd going west to Reston. It’s just named that because it gets zero sun.

@awolkin 78408 wrote:

I’m planning to do a small group ride on the W&OD trail from Reston to Vienna this weekend. How is the trail looking? I heard there was some icy patches. Thanks

Hmm… If I’m coming via CCT and the Key Bridge (in order to avoid Arlington Memorial), would this shortcut still be an option? And how easy is it to follow? I’m a bit nervous about trying to find two different and unfamiliar “unnamed roads.”

@dasgeh 78426 wrote:

Since you’re not on my team, I recommend cutting through the Pentagon — either the West side via the 27 “trail” or the East side via Columbia Island Marina & LBJ grove — then taking Army-Navy. Here’s a version

I was relieved to see that the roads were basically bone dry. Shouldn’t have to worry about icy spots in the morning. There were a few icy spots on the Custis, but they were short and walkable. The high sun angle makes a big difference.

@TwoWheelsDC 78378 wrote:

something must’ve happened between Kirby and Chain Bridge (probably Pimmit Run again) because traffic north of Kirby was also jammed, which l have never seen. I was surprised to find that Kirby was in much better shape than Westmoreland.

Yeah a think a few cars went off the roads somewhere out there, judging from the bus driver’s comments. He said he had to skip a few regular stops even.

I agree that Kirby/Westmoreland intersection can be a mess. That whole section of Westmoreland just south of Kirby overall is tough with all the schools and religious buildings, etc. If I leave late for work and it’s around a major school time I’ll take a climb up Powhatan rather than deal with it.

Lee to Lee on the Custis has stretches of light snow still, and small bits of ice. I was fine on CX tires – I imagine 25mm road tires would be doable too with enough caution.

I rode the W&OD from van Buren to the Custis, then Custis to the western Twin Sister from 0740-0810. I had no major problems on 26×2″ semi slicks, but there are patches of crunchy ice where I slowed down to nearly a crawl: (1) Brandymore Castle hill east side on the W&OD, and along the Custis at the (2) Harrison St. underpass, (3) next to the Catholic school just west of George Mason, (4) George Mason underpass, and (5) the tree roots just past the Beaver Pond. Otherwise, the trails seemed fine.