Are the roads/trails you use clear of snow?

[Nadine]

I’m so proud of myself — I shoveled the Custis trail today! I started out with a friend at 1:40 on the snowy part of the path near COurthouse/Claredon, and later made an impromptu shoveling brigade with these other 3 people and shoveled all afternoon. The trail is passable now — though just one lane near Clarendon/COurthouse. There was water running towards us as we made our way back to our cars afterwards so watch out for black ice along the shoveled areas — esp. in the morning when it’s colder. It’s supposed to get into the 40s all week, so midday & afternoons should be fine. If your plowing friend has a chance it would be good to plow the other side of the trail so both lanes are clear and less melt and refreeze and black ice…

Also I have it from several people who were biking & walking on the path that the fallen trees have been cleared!

I hear that the CCT has been plowed in DC — but not in MD – and that the Mount Vernon trail is good. (DOn’t know if it;s been plowed since those earlier requests or the person who told me had only been on a bit of it.) I hear the W&OD is good in Arlington & Falls CHurch and then it stops….. and restarts later — basically Fairfax COunty didn’t plow, but other towns did, like Reston and Ashburn.

Thanks to Brad, NIco and Debbie for shoveling with me today — and Joan. Oh and for anyone else who goes out to shovel trails, I would advise you to bring extra shovels if you can. People were getting off their bikes and offering to help!!!

[consularrider]

Thanks for your efforts. Yes, the trees at N Vernon on the Custis were cleared Friday afternoon. There were still a couple of significatn snow patches on the Mt Vernon Trail between the Humpback and Memorial Bridges (remember, the Humpback sidewalk is now only one lane, about three feet wide!) and there were snow dumps on the wooden walkway under the Roosevelt Bridge. Also a snow dump under I-395 on the new 4 Mile Run underpass at Shirlington, hard to see in the dark under the bridge. Finally, a big snow patch on the W&OD at about the 2.5 milepost.

[Kenny Sirius Biker Dawg]

On Saturday 2/27/10 me and another guy managed to clear a path over the Brandy More Castle hill. You can at least walk your bike on clear pavement or more expierenced riders could easily navigate it. Hopefully after today, Sunday 2/28/10, it will be in even better shape!

[Unregistered]

Someone has also plowed/shoveled a narrow passage over the Brandymore Castle hump, and the VDOT snowpiles can now be ridden around, so now there is clear passage on the W&OD in this area. Coupled with the previous poster’s shoveling, one can now get through without dismounting. The stretch between Lee Hwy and Westmoreland where the bridge deck is being replaced is rideable as well, so you can get over to Lincoln Ave. in Falls Church. This is needed as the trail west of Westmoreland in Falls Church is still completely snow covered and unusable. Don’t know about anything further west as I then head up Great Falls St. towards Tysons. There is still the stretch of downed bamboo on the trail south/east of Rt. 50, but you can get around it. Watch for black ice in the AM. There is also a snowpile under 395 on the new connector that blocks all but about a one foot wide path, but it can be ridden around now.

Al

[Just161]

Some tight spots on the wooden trestle under I-66, but there’s now a clear path of ground all the way from 14th Street bridge to Rosslyn. Hoorah!!!

[jabberwocky]

For our more western commuters: the W&OD was plowed and totally clear between where I get on in Reston (7100) and Sunrise Valley. South of Sunrise Valley, there were still patchy sections of snow, with long sections of snow on the north side of the climb to Buckthorn Ln and the long stretch coming up on Hunters Mill. After crossing Hunters Mill, first 2 or so miles were clear but the last 2 miles coming into Vienna were still totally covered in rutted snow and ice (4-6″ deep). I hopped off there and took back roads to work, but the section after Park street looked equally bad.

They definitely hadn’t plowed between Sunrise Valley and Vienna at all.

[Unregistered]

Nothing to add about trail conditions (apart from really, really watch out for black ice from frozen snow melt in the early mornings because it’s lethal). Just wanted to thank all those people who were out shoveling the trails at the weekend and breaking through snow mountains…great work!!

[Deb]

Does anyone have any updates on the WOD? I’d like to ride this weekend, either Shirlington-Vienna or Reston-Leesburg. I know some other folks who would like to get back to commuting by bike and are wondering about the section west of Vienna.

Thanks!

[jabberwocky]

@Deb 249 wrote:

Does anyone have any updates on the WOD? I’d like to ride this weekend, either Shirlington-Vienna or Reston-Leesburg. I know some other folks who would like to get back to commuting by bike and are wondering about the section west of Vienna.

Deb, I’ve been riding it all week and can confirm that its currently totally clear between mile 18.5 (bridge over 7100 in Reston) and mile 10 (between Park st and Cedar in Vienna). I’ve been told its clear onward to Gallows, as well. They plowed the Reston sections last week at some point, and finished between Reston and Vienna yesterday.

I can’t say whether anything north of Reston is clear.

[Deb]

Thanks!

I was at The Bike Lane in Reston earlier this afternoon (I drove there on my lunch hour) and they said that they’ve heard the trail is clear all the way from Reston to Purcellville. But they hadn’t heard any updates about the problem areas in Vienna.

This is good news!

[Dkeg]

@Deb 249 wrote:

Does anyone have any updates on the WOD? I’d like to ride this weekend, either Shirlington-Vienna or Reston-Leesburg. I know some other folks who would like to get back to commuting by bike and are wondering about the section west of Vienna.

Thanks!

Deb, I was out in Hamilton this pass Sunday. The WOD was clear around Leesburg but not at Hamilton. Hope this helps a little.

[consularrider]

@Dkeg 252 wrote:

Deb, I was out in Hamilton this pass Sunday. The WOD was clear around Leesburg but not at Hamilton. Hope this helps a little.

The trail at the boundry between Arlington and Falls Church also has snow and ice problems. I have seen reports on other fora that while passable, there are still problems west of Arlington. http://wandodtrailreport.blogspot.com/

[consularrider]

I rode the W&OD this evening from Shirlington to Vienna. There are still a couple spots with snow patches, but there is a track through that is at least a couple feet wide the entire way. The problem on Saturday and Sunday mornings will probably be where melt off has refrozen and you get black ice, so be careful until it melts off.

[Author]

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