Corkscrew of Death in Washingtonian

[americancyclo]

Great, so we’re all asleep at the wheel, so to speak?

The title of this article does a grave disservice to Ms. Kondo.

[jrenaut]

The picture looks like the CCT during an extinction-level earthquake.

Also, I like how he’s riding fixie-style front brake only.

[huskerdont]

Dude needs to watch out for that floating noodle that is there inexplicably.

[GovernorSilver]

I still haven’t ridden on the Custis and thus haven’t seen the Corkscrew of Death. Maybe in a couple of weeks – definitely before tourist season goes into full swing.

[rcannon100]

@huskerdont 139208 wrote:

Dude needs to watch out for that floating noodle that is there inexplicably.

It’s a safety feature that ACPD installed.

[Henry]

Bike-o-meter counted ~376K last year. No where near a million. Maybe it will hit that in his dreams (and mine).

[bentbike33]

@GovernorSilver 139209 wrote:

I still haven’t ridden on the Custis and thus haven’t seen the Corkscrew of Death. Maybe in a couple of weeks – definitely before tourist season goes into full swing.

I ride the Custis “Corkscrew of Death” (or “Switchback of Grave Peril”) twice a day. Tourists are never a problem there despite the obvious allure of the intriguing moniker(s). The times when the peril is most grave are approximately now, when the trees are raining blossom-related debris that is subsequently soaked by actual rain, and in the fall when the leaves come down.

[consularrider]

Also known as the “‘S’ Curve of Death.”

[huskerdont]

@bentbike33 139212 wrote:

I ride the Custis “Corkscrew of Death” (or “Switchback of Grave Peril”) twice a day. Tourists are never a problem there despite the obvious allure of the intriguing moniker(s). The times when the peril is most grave are approximately now, when the trees are raining blossom-related debris that is subsequently soaked by actual rain, and in the fall when the leaves come down.

All true. Its best safety feature regarding slips is the helpful creosote-soaked logs right along the edges for comfortable landings. Not that I’ve ever had a problem, but I know many who have, and at around 450 trips a year, the odds are there.

[bobco85]

@huskerdont 139214 wrote:

All true. Its best safety feature regarding slips is the helpful creosote-soaked logs right along the edges for comfortable landings. Not that I’ve ever had a problem, but I know many who have, and at around 450 trips a year, the odds are there.

Someone should paint those logs with candy cane stripes (much better than the barbershop ones as I know what the origin of that comes from) to match the image!

On another note, this reminded me to add the term to the forum wiki: http://bikedc.wikia.com/wiki/Corkscrew_of_Death

[creadinger]

@bobco85 139216 wrote:

Someone should paint those logs with candy cane stripes (much better than the barbershop ones as I know what the origin of that comes from) to match the image!

On another note, this reminded me to add the term to the forum wiki: http://bikedc.wikia.com/wiki/Corkscrew_of_Death

I thought the Corkscrew of Death was the pedestrian bridge over the Clara Barton Pkwy connecting the C&O to MacArthur Blvd? That’s never easy or fun. It’s especially safe with the giant I-beam sticking about 4 inches out of the ground right at the base of the concrete spiral of doom. I think there’s a piece of re-bar sticking out of the ground somewhere nearby too.
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9399907,-77.1206307,18.25z

As far as I know it’s the safest way to get to Chain Bridge Rd to ride up 41st St.

[Steve O]

I also like how the artist accurately captured the what’s happening to the Memorial Bridge

[runbike]

@Steve O 139219 wrote:

I also like how the artist accurately captured the what’s happening to the Memorial Bridge

Not that I would normally quibble with a surrealist image like this, but I’m pretty sure that’s supposed to be the Key Bridge. But I have no doubt we’ll find out in a few months that Key is also in dire need of repairs, so you’re comment is still good!

[GovernorSilver]

@bentbike33 139212 wrote:

I ride the Custis “Corkscrew of Death” (or “Switchback of Grave Peril”) twice a day. Tourists are never a problem there despite the obvious allure of the intriguing moniker(s). The times when the peril is most grave are approximately now, when the trees are raining blossom-related debris that is subsequently soaked by actual rain, and in the fall when the leaves come down.

To get to Custis, I may be coming up the MVT – and that includes the Gravelly Point section – so this is where the extra traffic brought by tourism comes in.

[bobco85]

@creadinger 139217 wrote:

I thought the Corkscrew of Death was the pedestrian bridge over the Clara Barton Pkwy connecting the C&O to MacArthur Blvd? That’s never easy or fun. It’s especially safe with the giant I-beam sticking about 4 inches out of the ground right at the base of the concrete spiral of doom. I think there’s a piece of re-bar sticking out of the ground somewhere nearby too.
https://www.google.com/maps/@38.9399907,-77.1206307,18.25z

As far as I know it’s the safest way to get to Chain Bridge Rd to ride up 41st St.

Bleh, I have never actually tried that route, and it seems like it’d be more fun hiking than biking. In regards to the dictionary entry, I went with the common usage on the forum. I haven’t heard that used to describe the C&O to MacArthur Blvd path.

@Steve O 139219 wrote:

I also like how the artist accurately captured the what’s happening to the Memorial Bridge

I think it’s actually Key Bridge because of the shapes of the arches and spandrels (I had to look up what they were https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spandrel ) with the Whitehurst Freeway extending off into the distance on the DC side of the Potomac River (the Custis Trail would eventually make it to the right side of the image which would be the Virginia side)…

…I think I’m overanalyzing this which is fun yet kinda makes me feel like I just took whatever drug would make me experience the cyclist’s dream :confused:

At another glance, I find it somewhat amusing that the cyclist is literally (in a figurative dreamscape, of course) melting away the fat on his, erm, backside. Either that, or he has a tail

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