Do you ride the trails at night – 7:00 pm or later?

[KLizotte]

I went out for a fitness ride tonight (7:45 – 9:00 pm) along the Pentagon City – Four Mile Run – WO&D – Custis – MVT route (a.k.a. Arlington route). My observations are as follows:

Four Mile Run – quite dark and creepy in a couple of places. A few peds.

WO&D south of Columbia Pike: a few peds, 1 cyclist. Not scary due to lights, traffic, people around.

WO&D north of Columbia Pike – a fair number of walkers (all without lights/reflective gear) close to the Pike then nobody at all to Bluemont Trail. I found the WO&D to be rather creepy/scary (this was not helped by the fog) and bailed out when I reached Bluemont Trail (seemed safer since it cuts through a residential neighborhood).

Custis – always an adventure at night given the sorry state of the trail in some parts. More peds and cyclists (largely commuter) but definitely more peds than cyclists which surprised me. Still, the trail was pretty quiet.

MVT – three peds and three cyclists seen from Rosslyn to Crystal City. I know the MVT like the back of my hand so am not too bothered by it late at night but perhaps I should reconsider after the rush hour crowd has finished?

So my question is this: for all of you cyclists training for centurys, charity rides, etc this fall, where and when do you train at this time of the year when it is getting dark so early? Do you rely solely on your long commutes and the gym or do you still head out like usual to the streets/trails (with a full supply of lights of course)?

I like to bike home from work, eat dinner, then head out again but don’t want to put myself in danger either (from either cars or crazy people along the trails). I have Exposure lights so can see the road well enough.

Given the relatively nice weather at night in the fall, I expected to see more cyclists out at night.

Any suggestions for night time fitness rides in the Pentagon City area?

Kathy

Topic

[KLizotte]

I ditto what Dirt said about lights. For nighttime riding you need something that really lights the way (not just a blinkie that allows others to see you). It makes a huge difference in safety and confidence. Expect to spend at least $200 for decent headlight. Exposure and Dinotte (spelling?) gets high marks. I’m now looking into buying a really good tail light.

[Tim Kelley]

@KLizotte 8360 wrote:

Good to know. Wasn’t sure if the recreational users would still be out there after dark or if the park is taken over by folks engaged in more illicit activities.

You can definitely see some steamed up windows and smell some other illicit activities, but it just stays in the cars. The number of recreational riders does taper off at night, but with the temps still being warmish you should still see plenty of riders out until it start getting colder.

[KLizotte]

@PotomacCyclist 8330 wrote:

Since you’re in the Pentagon City area, you have some other options. You can do loops along the bike lanes from Pentagon City to Crystal Drive. Then head down to Potomac Ave, which rarely has much traffic. Keep going past Potomac Yards to the section that is officially closed to traffic. Can’t get much safer than a road where no cars are allowed.

Potomac Avenue is now fully operational from end to end. All the street lights are in place and the pavement is now smooth. You can ride all the way from Crystal City down to Main Line Blvd. and the Monroe Ave. bridge. Once you cross the bridge, you can make your way over to Slaters Lane. Then turn right onto Abingdon Drive and left on Bashford Lane. Turn right onto Royal St. From there you can make your way through Old Town and head onto the on-road part of the Mt. Vernon Trail on Union St. if you like. You’ll have to make a few turns to get over to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. You can ride over to MD if you want.

***
You could also extend the ride in the other direction, by heading north. Instead of taking the MVT, go over to the Pentagon parking lots and take the Washington Blvd. trail adjacent to the Pentagon 9/11 Memorial. (The Memorial is a very somber and inspiring sight at night, with all of the benches lit up from below.) You’ll have to deal with some sub-standard sidewalk sections along Washington Blvd. You will also have to take the infamous grade crossings south of Memorial Bridge. But at night, there’s very little car traffic. It’s much safer than during the day.

Head over to Memorial Bridge and ride into DC. Some of the trails on the western part of the Mall are closed for renovations, and Constitution and Independence Avenues are not for the faint of heart. You could turn south onto Ohio Drive and take that toward West Potomac Park. But I don’t know if I’d recommend riding in the park at night. There are way too many people running and walking around the island loop wearing completely dark clothing. I really don’t get it. It’s unsafe for them, and for you. If you’re going fast and run into one of these people, you’ll probably be hurt more than they will. You’ll go flying off your bike. So unless you have a very high-powered light or you slow down a lot, Hains Point is not the best place to ride after dark.

The 15th St. cycle track is one option. Most of it is safe. You’ll probably hear different opinions about the safety of the areas along the northern part of the cycle track. They’re generally much safer than they were 15 years ago, but you should still exercise caution. Downtown DC is much easier to navigate at night because there are far fewer cars than during the day. The major thoroughfares will still have a few aggressive drivers. But many of the secondary roads are relatively calm.

You can ride for quite a while in either direction, heading south and east to National Harbor, or heading north to Memorial Bridge and DC.

Thank you very much for the ideas. I’d forgotten about the Potomac Ave stretch – it’s a lot of fun to pedal as hard as you can to see how fast you can go since it’s set up like a runway at the moment. One does have to watch for random patches of gravel though (I suspect the stuff falls off the construction trucks).

I recently discovered Buzz Bakery/Rustico on Slater’s Lane; have never been on Abingdon, etc that you suggested so will have to check them out.

I only use the 15th St Cycletrack to get from A to B (usually Busboys & Poets). I find that there are too many stops/lights to make it good for gaining fitness and the lane closest to the curb is filled with minature potholes for long stretches (the city really needs to fill those in). That said, I still highly recommend the cycletrack to anyone looking for an interesting (and relatively safe) ride through DC’s neighborhoods.

Since I pass Hain’s Pt on my way home I’m sure I’ll be adding some loops on after work as I have done this summer. I have a good set of lights so seeing ninjas isn’t much of an issue. I’m far more concerned about criminal activity.

When I visited Copenhagen I was really surprised by how many people were out riding their bikes at midnight (swarms of people) without any helmets, lights, special clothing, etc. Course they were only going about 7-10 mph but still it was very cool to see.

[rcannon100]

And remember, the super-geniuses in the ACPD every now and again will show up on the W&OD and ticket bikers for being in the park after hours – even tho ArlCo is “bike friendly”

I’m just a commuter – but I alter my route in the winter to avoid going into dark underpasses.

[pfunkallstar]

I’ve never really had any issues riding at night, 20+ miles a day between Falls Church and Downtown, with the exception of panicked joggers and the occasional group of stoned kids wandering along the Custis trail (this has happened at least three times, go smoke in a park like normal people?). Anyways I would recommend the Magicshine 800 as a good-quality and cheap alternative that provides PLENTY of lumens (650 actual). Also I would echo the fact that come mid November rider numbers drop significantly. There were a couple of times where I got off of work late last winter (7ish) and saw maybe one or two people during my commute.

[KLizotte]

@BoomBoxing 8353 wrote:

That’s crazy. I also headed out for my first true night ride in the area last night since moving to Pentagon City in June. I figure it will be necessary considering when I get home from work and darkness creeping in earlier and earlier. I also followed the same basic route as you but I was a tad bit little earlier.

I currently use a cheapie “be seen” type of headlight but it’s clear I will need something brighter if I am going to be doing any night riding on trails. Any recommendations, preferably around $100?

Also besides the ninja joggers, the scariest part was on the MVT several types going south I was blinded by oncoming traffic on the GW.

Check out Exposure or Dinotte lights; both brands are very, very good. Unfortunately I don’t think you’ll find a good light for less than $200 but the investment is very much worth it (and necessary if you plan out being in the dark). Fortunately lights can be moved from bike to bike so they are a long-term investment and can be easily re-sold if you find that night time riding isn’t for you. ExposureUSA is currently clearing out their 2011 models and have them on sale.

Yes, the oncoming headlights of cars from the GW parkway heading south are a major annoyance. For fitness rides I’ve decided it is best to only go north on the MVT then cross over the Potomac at Memorial Bridge or Key Bridge and head south on the other side of the Potomac so you are always heading in the direction of traffic.

[Justin Antos]

I second the recommendation to avoid going southbound on the MVT after nightfall. You’re frequently blinded by oncoming car headlights – exquisitely calibrated to be just at eye level for an extra special dose of blinding-ness. I’ve yet to figure out any kind of light setup or visor that’s very effective against it. At times I’ve had trouble even seeing the trail, let alone ninjas on it.

[theakston]

@Justin Antos 8372 wrote:

I second the recommendation to avoid going southbound on the MVT after nightfall. You’re frequently blinded by oncoming headlights – exquisitely calibrated to be just at eye level for an extra special dose of blinding-ness. I’ve yet to figure out any kind of light setup or visor that’s very effective against it. At times I’ve had trouble even seeing the trail, let alone ninjas on it.

Just imagine how those “ninjas” must feel when you blast them with your 5000 lumen lights! Seriously this is a bit off topic but I hope fols are aware that these bike lights can seriously blind runners – even the ones using reflective clothing. I run on the trail before hopping on my bike to go to work in the morning and only one of the bikes I see frequently has the courtesy to cover his light when he gets within blinding range. It is much appreciated! (I run with a feeble LED headlight enough to see and be seen – that is until I get blinded)

[americancyclo]

@BoomBoxing 8353 wrote:

Any recommendations, preferably around $100?

I haven’t saved up the coin for an Exposure light yet, but after a year of use, I’m still really happy with my NiteRider MiNewt 250 Cordless LED Headlight. It lights up the trail, usb chargable, and detaches easily. It also fits in to your budget on sale at performance for $99. It’s being retired for newer brighter models, so you might be able to get a similar deal at your LBS if they are getting rid of old stock.

http://www.performancebike.com/bikes/Product_10052_10551_1096659_-1_20000__400158

here’s a link (a few years old) to some light comparisons so you can judge for yourself
http://eddys.com/articles/how-bright-is-that-light-ig493/

[Justin Antos]

True, some bike lights can be pretty bright. In my post, I meant getting blinded headlights from the cars going northbound on the GW Parkway!

[jabberwocky]

@theakston 8380 wrote:

Just imagine how those “ninjas” must feel when you blast them with your 5000 lumen lights! Seriously this is a bit off topic but I hope fols are aware that these bike lights can seriously blind runners – even the ones using reflective clothing. I run on the trail before hopping on my bike to go to work in the morning and only one of the bikes I see frequently has the courtesy to cover his light when he gets within blinding range. It is much appreciated! (I run with a feeble LED headlight enough to see and be seen – that is until I get blinded)

I run a super bright light (dinotte 800L). Runners with lights or good reflective gear, I always swivel off to the right when I approach so as not to blind them. Runners with none of the above? They get the full 800 lumens, and I don’t feel the least bit remorseful about it.

I’ve seriously almost hit hundreds of runners in the years I spent commuting on the W&OD in the winter. Its astounding to me the number of runners out there with dark clothing and zero lights/reflective gear. What do they expect?

[mstone]

I suspect they really don’t understand how ones’ eyes can adjust while wandering in the dark, and how differently things can be seen while dark-adjusted vs light-adjusted. (I almost ran over someone in the car the other day because she was literally walking in a travel lane in the dark in the rain carrying a pizza. Speed limit 35 on that road, and she was behind a curve and a sound wall. I was driving slow because of the low visibility, and I really hope someone else going faster didn’t flatten her. I’m sure she was very visible to herself. Crossing the street to use the sidewalk was apparently too much work, and walking in the grass might have gotten her shoes dirty.)

[PrintError]

I’m on the trail every workday, year round, including the frozen wet stuff. Everytime I dare say “I’ve seen it all”, I see something new. The ninjas at night in the winter are the WORST. In the summer, the in-the-dark runners all wear bright colors, in the winter when it’s EVEN DARKER, they wear ALL BLACK! Really!? WHY?!

One guy even cussed at me for telling him every day for about two months that I couldn’t see him. He wore all black, jogging in the Reston area, in the dark. No lights. I knew he was there only because I expected him to be there. Miracle he never got clobbered.

[KLizotte]

@PrintError 8430 wrote:

I’m on the trail every workday, year round, including the frozen wet stuff. Everytime I dare say “I’ve seen it all”, I see something new. The ninjas at night in the winter are the WORST. In the summer, the in-the-dark runners all wear bright colors, in the winter when it’s EVEN DARKER, they wear ALL BLACK! Really!? WHY?!
QUOTE]

So I guess the most I have to fear on the WO&D late at night are ninja joggers/walkers and the occasional kamikazee animal.

Any more news on how your case is progressing against the laptop thief? Just curious (nosy is more like it).

[KLizotte]

Came across this company on Kickstarter.com that has come up with an innovative way to light your tires.

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/revolights/revolights-join-the-revolution?ref=live

[Author]

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