December 2013 Trail Conditions

[dkel]

@hozn 71665 wrote:

W&OD west of EFC metro still had quite a bit of frozen slush — maybe 50% of the surface? Further west, out past Vienna was probably more like 2/3 ice cover still. Much faster ride than this AM on the whole, but still not something I would ride without studs.

Thanks for this info: it’s exactly what I needed (it’s my route, after all). I’m just disappointed it wasn’t better news. Till I get those Schwalbe Marathon Winter tires that are now at the top of my wish list, I’m not riding.

Speaking of which, my wife and my mother are both terrified I’ll actually get those tires and ride in extreme conditions like this week (being a performing musician, I probably shouldn’t break a wrist, for example); so, how much better is it with studs? Night and day different? Or should I listen to my wife and my mother? (I know, I should always listen to my wife! It’s too late for me to listen to my mother, though…)

[KLizotte]

Would it be worth collecting these photos and sending them to the various county authorities to show that people really do use the trails when it snows? I see a lot of footprints and cycle tracks as proof.

[Dirt]

Intersection of W&OD and Custis has frozen back to be glare ice. It is extremely slick. The hill just east of EFC Metro is still icy on both sides.

[Sodonnell44]

I rode the WOD/FMT to/from MVT this morning and this afternoon. I don’t have pics but the asphalt is good but wood bridges and concrete are fairly sketchy without the right tires. I took a spill this morning at the underpass by 395 and glebe which was straight ice (still there on the east side lane this afternoon). Over the bridges this afternoon, I just unclipped and pushed over the bridges and it worked out. I probably wouldn’t go on road bike but with a more durable bike/tires and just being careful, I think it would be fine. Over by the water treatment plant on the border of alexandia & arlington, it’s clearly salted, but anything west of that, it’s clearly not. Along FM road, it’s fine. For anyone going south on MTV towards Old Town, the only problem is the swampish wooden bridge – especially if there are people on it. Would love if there was a salt sprinkler for wooded bridges the county would implement. Any ways, hope this helps.

[hozn]

@KLizotte 71693 wrote:

Would it be worth collecting these photos and sending them to the various county authorities to show that people really do use the trails when it snows? I see a lot of footprints and cycle tracks as proof.

Interestingly I also saw car tire tracks out west of Gallows, so park department is driving down the trails … if only they had fitted a snow plow … Also, in Reston it is kinda humorous how Reston trails that meet up to the W&OD (and even short connecting sections of W&OD) are all nicely plowed. I know we have discussed this before, but the contrast is striking with conditions like this on the W&OD.

I did not see any ski tracks.

[hozn]

@dkel 71691 wrote:

Speaking of which, my wife and my mother are both terrified I’ll actually get those tires and ride in extreme conditions like this week (being a performing musician, I probably shouldn’t break a wrist, for example); so, how much better is it with studs? Night and day different? Or should I listen to my wife and my mother? (I know, I should always listen to my wife! It’s too late for me to listen to my mother, though…)

Yes, I would say it is night and day different. Especially when dealing with black ice or frozen ruts like we have now (as opposed to snow where MTB tires work pretty well). I have the minimalistic 32mm Nokian A10 tires, which have relatively few studs and not down the center track. Even on those tires, though, I had no falls yesterday (and never had to get off to walk) — or any other time I have used them. On my tires (maybe others too?) sometimes the bike will start to slide a little laterally but then the side studs catch and it stops slipping. On large sheets of ice i have a bit of an issue with forward propulsion (no center track studs) but do not slide out sideways. In general, I have mostly learned too just let the bike have a little “autonomy” on the rutty frozen stuff and that even though it feels scary to be slipping around, I almost certainly will not fall (which isn’t what happens with my regular commuter tires). Of course there are limits too, and getting tires stuck in a frozen rut could definitely cause a crash that wouldn’t be strictly due to it being slippery.

[Jason B]

@mikoglaces 71659 wrote:

Did you (or anyone) ride the WOD from Custis to Columbia Pike and how is it?

Yea, only the wood bridges had ice. I’m riding my cross with 25’s, so it is easily done.
Thought they were 32’s but checked again and only skinny 25’s, so just walk the little bridge or do the one foot slide like I did.

[Fast Friendly Guy]

@ebubar 71671 wrote:

Thats what would stop me from taking Lee. I don’t like cars that aim for me, and cars in northern VA seem to be drawn to me, especially Prius’. Has anyone taken Wilson instead? I’m considering that as an alternative. I don’t mind a few extra miles for peace of mind. In fact, I might prefer it

Wednesday morning from Courthouse to Ballston, Wilson and Fairfax were ice/snow free in the bike lanes

[hoffsquared]

Thank you all for the updates. very helpful.

[PotomacCyclist]

@dkel 71691 wrote:

Thanks for this info: it’s exactly what I needed (it’s my route, after all). I’m just disappointed it wasn’t better news. Till I get those Schwalbe Marathon Winter tires that are now at the top of my wish list, I’m not riding.

Speaking of which, my wife and my mother are both terrified I’ll actually get those tires and ride in extreme conditions like this week (being a performing musician, I probably shouldn’t break a wrist, for example); so, how much better is it with studs? Night and day different? Or should I listen to my wife and my mother? (I know, I should always listen to my wife! It’s too late for me to listen to my mother, though…)

If you do tip over, it might be worthwhile to train yourself to land on your hip or rear, instead of reaching out with a hand, which puts your wrist at risk. I haven’t tipped over in quite a while. The last time I did (during warm weather maybe a few years ago, when my pedals locked up because the chain got stuck and I was still not 100% comfortable with clipless pedals), I consciously made the decision not to reach out with my hand as I tipped over. I landed on the side of my hip/rear. While it wasn’t pleasant, I didn’t get injured. If I had reached out with my hand, I might have injured a wrist or finger.

I used to play piano/guitar a lot, many years ago, but not so much these days. In the back of my mind, I still have the old instincts about protecting my hands, even though I don’t really play much now. (However, during a marathon last year, I tripped over someone’s foot and landed hard on my pinkie. I didn’t dislocate it, but I did knock it slightly sideways. I can ride, type and do strength exercises with the hand, but it still isn’t quite normal. Finger injuries are slow to heal, and often, they don’t heal 100% because there aren’t large muscles there and it’s difficult to build up strength around the joints, the way you can with other joints of the body.)

You may want to look into some of the protective gear that mountain bikers and downhill racers wear, such as shorts with padding on the hips, shoulder protection, forearm pads/guards and maybe wrist protectors (if those products exist). This might be overkill for most, but in your case, it might be a wise investment.

Ride cautiously and more slowly in icy and snowy conditions as well. Or take Metro or drive if it seems like the roads and trails are just too dangerous to risk it.

[Dickie]

So, I ended up riding home last night at 6:00 (no studs), here’s my observations which should be relevant this morning:

1) Mosaic – Gallows/WOD: Surface streets the whole way, no ice or issues except the bridge over 66 was slick
2) Gallows/WOD – Virginia Lane: Pretty brutal, lots of hard frozen ruts, spent most of my time on the snow covered shoulder. The hill up to Virginia lane however was mostly clear
3) WOD/Shreve – WOD/Broad street: Ruts, black ice, pretty hazardous, again spent most of my time on the grass/shoulder
4) I then took side streets near Bikentic (Park Lane), crossed Lee on Columbia and headed to the WOD at Van Buren: Clear conditions
5) WOD/Van Buren – Castle: Clear, salted, some black ice
6) Brandymore Castle: Ice and slick spots, some ruts, a little dicey
7) WOD – Custis: Salted, dry, clear, piece of cake
WOD/Custis – Custis/Patrick Henry: Mostly clear, a few patchy areas, some black ice
9) Custis/Patrick Henry – Custis/George Mason: Conditions worsened, some ruts and ice under bridges, decided to take George Mason over 66 to Fairfax Drive
10) Fairfax/Bluemont connector – Holiday Inn – Clear, salted, dry
11) Fairfax Blvd – Clarendon – Rosslyn: Clear, dry.

This morning in reverse at 5:30 I wussed out and got on the metro at East Falls Church to avoid the worst part of the trails… it was either that or take Shreve Road.

Hope that helps.

[Dirt]

I’m just gonna take the road this morning.

[dkel]

Thanks, everyone, for so many great reports, and for such good advice. This is the kind of community spirit that will keep everyone riding safer and longer. (Thanks also for not making jokes about me having to listen to my mother!)

[consularrider]

I had a relatively “easy” ride in on 26 x 1.75 Schwalbe Marathon Winter studded tires. The W&OD at the Custis intersection has a nasty patch of refrozen run off – be especially careful if you are turning right off the Custis to head west. All of the bridges over 4 Mile Run were rutted ice. However, there are somewhat smoother lines across where you would expect a motor vehicle would track. The W&OD through Glencarlyn has some black ice where the asphalt was damp and refroze. From Columbia Pike to Shirlington Rd is clear sailing. The 4MRT from Shirlington Rd to under W Glebe is passable, just stay to the side away from the creek. From the junction after W Glebe to the MVT is clear (watch out for Gary under the GW Parkway bridge). The MVT from the 4MRT to Rosslyn is clear except for a few refrozen run offs, the two main overpasses at the airport, and the TR Trollheim. The one just south of the Crystal City connector still does not have a clear line through it, but wasn’t too bad along the riverside railing. On the northern most you have to switch sides about in the middle of the span to avoid the ice. At Roosevelt Island, the wooden walkway still has lots of ice, but there is a clear line through a lot of it. Towards the junction to head over the TR Bridge, the ice is smooter. The GW Parkway overpass from the TR parking lot heading up to Lynn St is half clear, so stay to one side and you are ok.

[mikoglaces]

@Jason B 71709 wrote:

Yea, only the wood bridges had ice. I’m riding my cross with 25’s, so it is easily done.
Thought they were 32’s but checked again and only skinny 25’s, so just walk the little bridge or do the one foot slide like I did.

Yup, I did this just this morning. Rode the entire way with 35 C studded tires no problem. Actually rode the WOD from West St. But west of that the WOD is bad.

[Author]

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