December 2013 Trail Conditions

[Jason B]

@Tim Kelley 71817 wrote:

Just a heads up on riding technique on ice or slick surfaces:

-Slow way down.

-Maintain a smooth pedal stroke. Don’t mash the pedals up and down, but rather try to pedal in a smooth circle.

-Ride in a straight line. Turning the handlebars can make you take a spill. If you need to change course slightly, try “steering from your hips” by shifting your balance slightly.

-Get off and walk if you need to!

Also, I found unclipping helps a ton.

[jopamora]

@johnnyhowell 71818 wrote:

Any reports as to how the conditions CAP CRESCENT / Georgetown Branch end to end? Have to go to Silver Spring tonight and ride home to Ballston. Thanks in advance! JOHN

CCT Conditions

[Dirt]

I took the road today. I knew I had a lot of miles to do and left the studded tires at home. I rode in DC and out past Vienna. It was a nice change of pace after a few days of ice.

[PotomacCyclist]

I rode on the MVT on a CaBi bike on Wednesday. As noted above, most of the trail is clear except for the overpasses and some minor patches at Gravelly Point (which aren’t much of a problem). On the overpass near the airport, the tracks from cyclists and pedestrians had hardened in the ice. Since CaBi bikes are pretty stable, with a low center of mass, I decided to ride instead of walk.

Interesting experience. I knew I could step out to the side at any time if the bike tipped over. The tires don’t have much of a tread, so I was slipping almost constantly on the overpass. But I wasn’t falling over. I was sliding a bit to the left, a bit to the right, a little ahead. I was also riding very slowly. I made it through without any accidents, although I could have been lucky. (I have good balance, from the strength and agility training that I do.)

I probably would walk a road bike over the overpass, and any other iced-over trail sections.

NOTE: I rode on that cold morning even though I’m not much of a winter rider and I am not participating in the Freezing Saddles Competition. So why ride? Well, I am participating in a triathlon-based winter contest, which covers more types of activity, even beyond swim, bike and run. (We’re allowed to post spin bike and stationary bike workouts, cross-country skiing, elliptical sessions and treadmill runs.)

[Steve O]

Ranting here.

What’s the deal with 11 pages of comments re: ice and snow trail conditions after a relatively small storm? Does AAA have a forum where drivers are still posting problems with snow and ice on highways days after the storm is gone? Do they have to get out of their cars and walk them across dangerous sections? No, of course not. Yet, here we are, treating this like it’s BAU.

Somehow we have got to change this. Normal should be trails get cleared just like streets. We shouldn’t be seeing Facebook posts from BikeArlington cheering about 1/2 mile of salt on one tiny section of trail as though Arlington County should win a Nobel Prize or something. Why do we accept this unacceptable state of affairs?

It’s frustrating. It’s been a topic of discussion at BAC meetings since as long as I can remember, yet this year Arlington has essentially thumbed its nose at cyclists and peds who want to actually go somewhere–like work or a metro station or to run errands. WTF?

[mstone]

you’re right, we shouldn’t accept this! let’s…hold our breath until we turn blue?

[TwoWheelsDC]

If the county can find and purchase something like this that can be adapted to be pulled behind a bike, I will volunteer to take the first de-icing shift.

[IMG]http://i.ebayimg.com/t/WALK-BEHIND-SAND-SALT-SPREADER-BUYERS-SALT-DOGG-WB100B-/00/s/MTU1MVgxNjAw/z/ZE0AAOxyx-BSboGN/$(KGrHqZ,!oIFJtU4ndUpBSboGM57K!~~60_57.JPG[/IMG]

[chris_s]

@Steve O 71923 wrote:

Somehow we have got to change this. Normal should be trails get cleared just like streets. We shouldn’t be seeing Facebook posts from BikeArlington cheering about 1/2 mile of salt on one tiny section of trail as though Arlington County should win a Nobel Prize or something. Why do we accept this unacceptable state of affairs?

countyboard@arlingtonva.us
countymanager@arlingtonva.us

Squeaky wheel.

[NickBull]

@chris_s 71939 wrote:

countyboard@arlingtonva.us
countymanager@arlingtonva.us

Squeaky wheel.

Wheel’s been squeaking since I moved here in 1991. Single-party governance means elected officials don’t have to listen to the electorate because the same party will stay in power no matter what they do. Bottom line: If the government of Arlington knows that the people of Arlington will vote Democrat no matter what the Democrats do, then the Democrats can do whatever they want. I’m sure that there are places where the Republicans always get re-elected and you end up with the same problem. This has nothing to do with which party always gets re-elected, just that anywhere that has the same party re-elected for half a century builds up the expectation that they can do whatever they want.

Based on reports I’ve been reading about this county board, only Libby Garvey has any backbone.

Nick

[dasgeh]

@chris_s 71939 wrote:

countyboard@arlingtonva.us
countymanager@arlingtonva.us

Squeaky wheel.

If anyone wants to copy-and-paste squeak, here you go (though the “Arlington mother” part may not apply to you).

To whom it may concern:

Four days after the snow and ice have stopped, the state of certain sidewalks, sidepaths and multiuse trails maintained by Arlington County is still atrocious. This situation should be unacceptable in bike- and walk-friendly Arlington. To the extent uncleared sidewalks are adjacent to private property, those property owners are violating Arlington’s Snow Removal Ordinance (§ 27-24)and should be fined. The majority of the areas that are the most problematic, however, are County-owned, and the County should be ashamed that these heavily traveled areas have not been treated, at least enough to allow safe passage for strollers and those in wheel chairs.

Of particular concern is the Custis trail. For example, along the bridge over I66 between N Scott St and N Veitch St, the Custis trail has been impassable since Tuesday.

As an Arlington mother, I appreciate the County’s efforts to make the streets safe after snow storms. As a bike commuter, I would appreciate if the County showed the same respect to those who, by choice or out of necessity, use other forms of transportation. With the County’s inaction in clearing the Custis, I have been forced to bike on the street.

Please, send crews out immediately to clear and treat the sections of the Custis that remain impassable. In the near future, please develop a plan to do so in the immediate aftermath of storms, especially if hazard conditions persist.

Thank you for your time and your service to our community.

Sincerely,

[ShawnoftheDread]

@dasgeh 71963 wrote:

…(though the “Arlington mother” part may not apply to you).

Don’t try to place your boundaries around us.

[NickBull]

@dasgeh 71963 wrote:

If anyone wants to copy-and-paste squeak, here you go (though the “Arlington mother” part may not apply to you).

Done. Though with appropriate variation and increased emphasis on the fact that they’re violating their own snow ordinance.

Nick

[TwoWheelsDC]

Should’ve brought skates!

[lordofthemark]

I rode on the Cross County Trail today – from King Arthur to south side of LRT (thanks to shawn for suggesting the Holly Rd route) and it appeared all snow clearance was courtesy of the sun. Lots of semi-frozen slush left on the bridges. And of course the side path on the west side of Gallows going over the beltway was a mess of slush – the side path on the southside of LRT over the beltway was somewhat better, but that may have been because there were a few more hours of melting by the time I got to it.

AFAIK its not Fairfax Cty policy to clear snow on the CCT, which is seen as a recreational path mostly – but the snow on the side paths over the beltway is more of a problem, IMO. So I’m not sure this problem is really one of a particular political balance, so much as general views of prioritizing cycling.

[Jason B]

Anyone do custis today? I want to go back to my skinny road bad.
Btw, did WOD from Reston to weenie beenie, all good for road. Just a couple spots here and there, not enough to deter.

[Author]

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