Those of you who ride through the reconstruction of the Humpback Bridge on the Mt. Vernon Trail know that a lot of snow fence and barriers have gone up, but some of it is being used to prevent trail-users from a taking short cut between the Virginia end of the 395 bridge and the Mt. Vernon trail. This “cow path” is a deeply worn and very steep rut that is not only a dangerous exit/entrance onto the bike path, but also seriously eroded and the source for mud on the trail when it rains. Kudos to the traffic folk trying to get my fellow cyclists to pedal the extra 100 yards to stay on the path.
But to my near miss. I was riding home to VA on Monday and had just gotten off the I-395 bridge when I noticed a guy pushing his bike up this self same rut/path. “That’s funny,” I thought. “He’s not saving himself any time and hasn’t he noticed that there’s a snow fence blocking his way to the trail?” He had, but he hadn’t noticed me and abruptly slung his bike over the fence just in front of me. If I’d been distracted, I would have been wearing his bike like a hat.
I didn’t have the presence of mind to yell at the guy, but the rider behind me did. Keep your heads up people; you just never know where the next road hazard is lurking!
Jen
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