Are the roads/trails you use clear of snow?

[Tim Kelley]

Regarding the post above with the picture of the Custis Trail, word on the street is that it was VDOT that cleared the Lee Highway section of road and made those large piles, NOT Arlington County.

The good news is that over this weekend the County will be working with a contractor with dump trucks and a loader to get ride of these large piles. They won’t be able able to go up the path with the heavy equipment alongside the sound barrier wall because it is too narrow, but the large piles at the intersections should be taken care of!

[Unregistered]

@Tim Kelley 150 wrote:

Here’s a picture of Hains Point taken today: http://tweetphoto.com/11693890

(Taken here)

Any update on Hains? Thanks.

[Tim Kelley]

Word is that one lane was plowed all around and it is melting well.

Here’s a tweet on it: “HainsPoint is open! Dry pavement narrows to one lane in places. Full speed skating, biking is back! #dctrails”

[YBB]

@Unregistered 171 wrote:

Any update on Hains? Thanks.

Rode it Sunday, some piles of snow off to the sides, but mostly two clear lanes the whole way round

[Scott T]

Custis trail is going to require some serious work. In several places the county (or someone) plowed the snow down the side streets right onto the trail at the end (e.g., Wakefield and Vernon just past Glebe road). There are trees down across the trail (at least one at Vernon). The Italian Store shopping center plowed all of its snow onto the trail right behind the CVS so even though the trail is melting fast, there is a 15 foot high mound there that will take forever to melt by itself.

today I rode neighborhood roads through Arlington to Veitch St, no problem. Then the trail is cleared from Veitch down to Key Bridge Marriott. But once you cross Lynn St, the path down to Roosevelt Island is very bad. Almost the entire way covered with deep (4-6 inches) rutted, choppy slush/snow. I tried to ride on my cyclocross bike with studded tires but was too quickly bounced off line into a deep rut or something. I could see where at least one mountain bike had tried and slid around quite a bit. My suspension MTB may have been ok because it’s the choppiness that throws the cross bike off the firm path and into the deep slush.

The overpass over GW parkway is the same. The Roosevelt Island parking lot is clean but the Mt Vernon trail on the other side is more of the deep, rutted, bumpy slush/snow. I tried to ride it on the narrow area that look walked on, but again didn’t make it far before having to step off. I took a look down the board walk and just kept walking up the ramp to the bridge. More of the same as far as I could see. Once up on the bridge, it’s clear all the way across except for 1 or 2 small piles of snow that you can easily go around.

[Dirt]

@Unregistered 147 wrote:

I was horrified to see that all the snow from the road had been dumped onto the trail and it is now under a giant, dirty 6 foot snow bank! Can’t a cyclist get any respect around here? I fear it will be June before that huge pile melts!

This has been the norm around here for years. I normally install the studded tires and ride through it all…. hiking when I need to. The most recent storm was big enough that I’m really not that upset that all the snow got dumped onto the trails. Hopefully someone will come along and clear off some access for us.

I did notice that in the last storm (end of January) that Falls Church shoveled the entry and exit of the W&OD at each street crossing. They got flack for piling up the snow in front of the trail during previous storms. It was cool to see improvement there.

Image from Feb 2, 2010 commute on the W&OD in Falls Church.

I fear that conditions will be what I call “Pedestrian Ice” for a few more weeks as this stuff melts. That is particularly not good for me since I’m going to be riding a trike while my recently dislocated shoulder rehabs. GRRRrrrr.

Enjoy.

Pete

[jabberwocky]

I’m planning on spot checking the W&OD in a few spots in Reston tonite. I’d like to resume commuting. I’ve heard they are going to do some plowing on the W&OD, but dunno if its been done or even if its accurate.

The 7100 trail (which I use to get to the W&OD) is a disaster. Most of the snow from 7100 was pushed right up onto it where I’d be riding. I have a road route I can use instead though, assuming the W&OD is ridable.

@Dirt 182 wrote:

I fear that conditions will be what I call “Pedestrian Ice” for a few more weeks as this stuff melts. That is particularly not good for me since I’m going to be riding a trike while my recently dislocated shoulder rehabs. GRRRrrrr.

One thing the GF found with her trike is that you at least don’t have to worry about going down (you just slide if you hit ice). The downside is that its bumpy as hell and the wide track makes dodging ice hard to do.

[Dirt]

@jabberwocky 189 wrote:

One thing the GF found with her trike is that you at least don’t have to worry about going down (you just slide if you hit ice). The downside is that its bumpy as hell and the wide track makes dodging ice hard to do.

With my luck over the last year I’ll find a way to fall off the damn thing.

One reason that I picked the trike that I did was that I can build a second set of wheels with slightly smaller diameter wheels and fatter tires to get almost identical outside wheel diameter. Schwalbe makes studded winter tires in the 16 and 20″ sizes that I’d be building. If I build this thing, it will likely be the only SRAM Red equipped tricycle with studded snow tires in existence. Yes. I’m a moron.

Love,

Pete

[Tim Kelley]

@Dirt 190 wrote:

If I build this thing, it will likely be the only SRAM Red equipped tricycle with studded snow tires in existence. Yes. I’m a moron.

PICS or it didn’t happen!! Can’t wait to see how it turns out…

[Dirt]

@Tim Kelley 191 wrote:

PICS or it didn’t happen!! Can’t wait to see how it turns out…

It isn’t built yet. The trike hasn’t arrived yet either. Unfortunately it is likely 3 weeks out. I have a pile of parts awaiting installation. I went with SRAM Red stuff for the most part. I thought DI2 would be overkill. LOL

[Unregistered]

I’ve been checking my W&OD entry point just about every day and it barely seems to change. Some trail is visible where it crosses Great Falls, but near the Van Buren entrance to East Falls Church park you can barely see where the path should be. Don’t get me started on the Tuckahoe entrance and its 10 ft snow pile blocking the way! I’m seriously considering getting out my shovel on Saturday and just clearing the path off myself!

[consularrider]

From my rides yesterday and today, it does not appear that any of the access trails to the W&OD or Custis Trails have been cleared. Since I live near one, I will undertake to clear it tonight. Any more volunteers?

[Nadine]

@consularrider 213 wrote:

From my rides yesterday and today, it does not appear that any of the access trails to the W&OD or Custis Trails have been cleared. Since I live near one, I will undertake to clear it tonight. Any more volunteers?

I’m interested in shoveling the trouble spots on the Custis. I rode it today & it’s a lot more passable than I’d expected. I think it was plowed after that 2-3 foot snowfall we got around 2/6, but before the 6-10″ we got on the 11th-12th (I think I have the dates right.) There’s a good bit of snow between COurthouse and Spout Run — probably not higher than a couple of inches in any one place, and not more than 3-6 hours’ shoveling. Other than that area, there are maybe an hour’s worth of snowy/icy spots that could use a bit of cleanup, but they can be gotten around. I might work on it some tomorrow — but expect to spend more time on it on SUnday.

So — unfortunately it’s a completely different area from where you’re looking for volunteers…… but at least you know there are other people shoveling other bits of bikepath……

OH and the downed trees are a problem too. 5 trouble spots on the Custis. Two were obstructing the path almost completely — but I was able to get my bike under them. HOpe Arlington COunty can take care of them sometime — they’re usually great about that. Must be the same people who’ve been getting the snow……

[consularrider]

Actually, when I got home last night the acess path to the W&OD from 4 Mile Run by Ohio St had been cleared a show shovel’s width. I still went back and chopped out two yard long ice patches on it. While many of the patches seem relatively easy to clear, the melting has created ice streams that need a harder/sharper edged implement than your standard snow shovel.

[Unregistered]

I just put in about 3 hours worth of shoveling and ice chopping to clear out some trouble spots on the W&OD near the entrance to East Falls Church/Banneker Park. There was a 4-5 foot snow bank blocking the entrance from Tuckahoe street which I cut through. I also cleared a path through the snow from the wooden bridge (which by the way has been redone!) up to where the soccer field begins (from there it is dry pavement as far as I could see). I know the Van Buren entrance is highly preferred, but the Tuckahoe entrance was a much more realistic job to tackle.

I haven’t been able to check out the trail further east, but some bikers who passed through as I was working told me that the W&OD from East Falls Church to Custis is pretty good except that the hill at Brandymore Castle is a mess. I also heard the Custis is pretty clear.

The parts of the W&OD between Great Falls Road and Little Falls look spotty. I think between Little Falls and East Falls Church is clear (and I see that wooden bridge is also being replaced – hopefully no more bumpy ride over that section!)

Thanks to Jim, Soot, the Aggie and the guy with the awesome metal shovel for stopping to help – I couldn’t have finished without you!

[Author]

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