December 2013 Trail Conditions

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MVT in generally good shape

Rode from Crystal City to DC about 0600. Air temp was about 28F

CC connector was clear and dry

MVT to the northernmost DCA bridge was clear and dry

Bridge at north end of DCA was icy and bumpy – I walked my bike

MVT to 14th St Bridge cutoff was almost all clear and dry except for the spots where water runs across the trail. Ice was smooth and visible – I had no problems

14th St Bridge and path around Tidal Basin was clear and dry.

[Dirt]

@consularrider 71524 wrote:

I think the only right tires for that mess are your studded fat tires.

Studded mountain bike tires would be good on the bridges. You just need to power through.

Just heading out now. It is going to be icy and crusty. Studded fat tires are going to be pleasant. They’ll howl like crazy on dry pavement.

[consularrider]

The MUPs are mostly clear. There are some exceptions. Shady areas have refrozen slush. Where melt water was running across the trail it has frozen into ice. Most of the bridges are rutted refrozen slush, although a few were mostly clear or had a clear line through them. For me the worst areas were the concrete sections either side of the I-395 and W Glebe underpasses on the 4MRT. That was thick ice.

With highs only in the low 30s for the next couple of days, I expect the stuff on the bridges will be a problems into the weekend.

[dcv]

the WOD at Gallows Road this morning, I saw Hozn at Virginia Lane.

[Mikey]

I dropped my car off for service in Arlington at Quincy and Lee Highway, and then road in to the Pentagon. The custis from the the Spout Run overpass to the light at Scott street was very icy. The bridges, overpasses, and shady spots were cruncy footprint ice and black ice. I decided to take the Key bridge and cross the district to the 14th instead of following the MVT since I didn’t know how it would be. Key, DC, and 14th were fine. Humpback had a few nasty ruts but they were in the sun so they so melt today. There is a big patch of ice at the intersection of the MVT and 14th street bridge access ramp. Marina/LBJ was fine, except the wooden bridge still had about an inch of crusty powdery snow on it. Pentagon parking lots were clear and treated.

[TwoWheelsDC]

OMG the Custis/GWMP overpass is a freaking death trap…it’s a sheet of ice, with very little slush to provide traction, plus it’s downhill with curves. I almost went down hard when my front wheel lost traction and my bike totally slid out from under me, but I was saved due to having unclipped when I saw the ice and getting lucky that my foot landed on a spot where my spikey boots had some grip.

Other than that, the Custis was patchy with solid ice on the overpasses, although I took Washington>George Mason>Fairfax>Veitch to avoid as much of the trail as possible, so I don’t know if it was worse further west.

[Fast Friendly Guy]

W&OD from E Falls Ch to Shirlington patches of smooth ice and sections of frozen slush deeply grooved with tire tracks and footprints, mostly on bridges and concrete surfaces. Smooth ice not too much a problem if not at a curve or a turn, but frozen slush was bumpy, made for an unstable ride, and caused me and another rider to lose it once or twice. FMR trail between Shirlington and GWT was bad in the underpass below 395 and on around concrete part. Both airport overpasses were trecherous!!! I even slipped walking my bike. Airport to Memorial Bridge didn’t seem bad after a patch of smooth ice near 14th St Br cut off.

All things considered, I opted to avoid the TR wood planking, and cut off at Memorial Br past Iwo Jima up to Courthouse, following Wilson and Fairfax to Ballston to rejoin the Custis near the I-66 ramp to Ballston. All those city streets were fine, but Custis Tr had plenty of spots with frozen slush (I hate that stuff)

Dave

[Greenbelt]

The NE branch trail was in good shape this morning — they even salted the dreaded parallel slat wood bridge by Wells Ice Rink. Even the usual glaciated area behind College Park airport was clear, although the humpback bridges near Lake Artemesia were crusty snow/ice covered, but rideable with wide tires.

However, there are some black icy spots where runoff from melting snow crossed the trails and refroze, especially down near the river in the usual low spots by the train bridge, and on the NW branch trail between route 1 and 38th street. Those areas are full on treacherous — need to either walk (carefully), go around in the snow off the trail (what I did), or else be highly skilled and have good busted hip insurance. The new south side levee trail might be a better alternative to the NW branch in that area as long as it stays below freezing. I rode through the ballfield instead of the ice puddles.

[dasgeh]

@Mikey 71579 wrote:

I dropped my car off for service in Arlington at Quincy and Lee Highway,

Next time, let me know and we’ll ride in together

I bailed on paths and took streets to Clarendon, then 15th/14th – Queen – 50 service Rd – Iwo Jima – Memorial Bridge. Roads were fine. Drivers were less so. Only a couple spots of ice on the trails around Iwo Jima and up to Memorial Drive – nothing my commuter bike couldn’t handle. (I think the tires are 35s, but I confess to knowing nothing about tires.

[consularrider]

@TwoWheelsDC 71580 wrote:

… Other than that, the Custis was patchy with solid ice on the overpasses, although I took Washington>George Mason>Fairfax>Veitch to avoid as much of the trail as possible, so I don’t know if it was worse further west.

Maybe you should have stayed on Veitch/N 21st to Scott. That avoids that nasty overpass stretch and gives you the option to get back on the Custis or take Key Blvd into Rosslyn.

[consularrider]

@Fast Friendly Guy 71583 wrote:

… All things considered, I opted to avoid the TR wood planking, and cut off at Memorial Br past Iwo Jima up to Courthouse, following Wilson and Fairfax to Ballston to rejoin the Custis near the I-66 ramp to Ballston. …
Dave

Dave, I should have asked you about this at HDCC. I thought about skipping the TR Trollheim too, but in the end rode it. It was much better than I had expected with a relatively smooth line most of the way. Helped to have studded tires.

[TwoWheelsDC]

@consularrider 71597 wrote:

Maybe you should have stayed on Veitch/N 21st to Scott. That avoids that nasty overpass stretch and gives you the option to get back on the Custis or take Key Blvd into Rosslyn.

The I-66 overpass was bad, but ultimately didn’t really bother me, since it was crusty and my tires handle that stuff just fine. The real (and unforeseen by me) problem was the GWMP overpass, and avoiding that would’ve required a pretty serious detour into an area (south of Rosslyn) that I’m not really familiar with from a bike perspective.

[dkel]

@Fast Friendly Guy 71583 wrote:

W&OD from E Falls Ch to Shirlington patches of smooth ice and sections of frozen slush deeply grooved with tire tracks and footprints, mostly on bridges and concrete surfaces. Smooth ice not too much a problem if not at a curve or a turn, but frozen slush was bumpy, made for an unstable ride, and caused me and another rider to lose it once or twice.

I did not ride on the WOD on this:
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from Falls Church (between Broad St and Shreve) to anywhere today. When I drove ( ) through Vienna, the trail where it crosses Park St didn’t look any better. I really hope it’s warm and sunny enough to melt this off today…

[mikoglaces]

@Fast Friendly Guy 71583 wrote:

W&OD from E Falls Ch to Shirlington patches of smooth ice and sections of frozen slush deeply grooved with tire tracks and footprints, mostly on bridges and concrete surfaces. Smooth ice not too much a problem if not at a curve or a turn, but frozen slush was bumpy, made for an unstable ride, and caused me and another rider to lose it once or twice.

Dave

Thanks for this report. I have to meet people for breakfast early tomorrow and will be riding from Dunn Loring to Bob + Edith’s on Columbia Pike. I usually take the WOD but may ride the roads (Wash Blvd to Clarendon and cut over to Filmore). I have 35 C studded tires but while they are great on smooth ice what worries me is the bumpy stuff. Especially in the dark.

[Terpfan]

@dbb 71570 wrote:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4259[/ATTACH]

MVT in generally good shape

Rode from Crystal City to DC about 0600. Air temp was about 28F

CC connector was clear and dry

MVT to the northernmost DCA bridge was clear and dry

Bridge at north end of DCA was icy and bumpy – I walked my bike

MVT to 14th St Bridge cutoff was almost all clear and dry except for the spots where water runs across the trail. Ice was smooth and visible – I had no problems

14th St Bridge and path around Tidal Basin was clear and dry.

Are you riding it with studded tires or was it alright with normal tires?

I almost rode this morning, but then decided against it since I wasn’t sure on some of the smaller bridges and hadn’t been able to observe the path. I was able to see most of it driving in with my wife, but couldn’t quite tell on parts, particularly the wooden bridges.

I figure tomorrow I can just hop off and walk across the bridges if need be. The only other sketchy spot it appeared was two black ice patches where the water crosses the path like you said. Namely, the one midway through the stretch alongside the airport.

Anyway, I figure I will give it a try tomorrow and hopefully some of this crap melts away.

[Author]

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