February 2015 Trail Conditions

[PotomacCyclist]

The weather isn’t that bad today. A slight chance of ice pellets, but nothing right now.

Rain all day on Monday. 40s most of the day. However, temperatures will drop off in the evening, below freezing. The rain is supposed to end by then, but the earlier rainfall could freeze over on Mon. night and Tue. morning.

The rest of the week looks clear with a high in the mid to upper 40s on Wed. and minimal chance of additional precipitation.

Topic

[Phatboing]

The Gallows Rd shoulder with the bike markings on it, going southbound, has several sections of snow piles that force you into traffic. It was a poor choice I made to ride that damn thing again.

Northbound is no more or less horrifying than usual.

[consularrider]

Heading home from FCCII I rode Wilson to Fairfax. Their bike lanes were mostly clear. Unfortunately the connector trail to the Custis has deteriorated where the sidewalk turns into the trail. There’s about a 15 foot stretch of packed snow and ice that wasn’t there two days ago.

[Greenbelt]

Better conditions here than in New England, at least.
[IMG]https://scontent.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-xpf1/v/t1.0-9/11009121_10152832054675326_4348052065160380150_n.jpg?oh=03a60c214e08b762c0c41279c9d6cd45&oe=55928185[/IMG]

[Tania]

I desperately want to bike in on Monday but my level of chicken-ness on snow/ice isn’t even on rcannon’s scale that he posted a few weeks ago.

Hoping this weekend’s rain makes for Tania-clear conditions Monday (Gallows Rd from ~Dunn Loring metro to W&OD/Custis and on into DC via Roosevelt Bridge).

[ShawnoftheDread]

I wouldn’t bet on the Roosevelt bridge even after the weekend thaw. The ice is piled high and very solid across much of it. Use Key instead. M street isn’t bad in the morning.

[dasgeh]

@ShawnoftheDread 109019 wrote:

I wouldn’t bet on the Roosevelt bridge even after the weekend thaw. The ice is piled high and very solid across much of it. Use Key instead. M street isn’t bad in the morning.

I’m somewhat hopefully that if it’s really warm and rainy for long enough, the water will clear the TR Bridge. But if it doesn’t, you have two options: Key or Memorial Bridge. M really isn’t that bad, but if you’re headed to south/east DC, it makes more sense to take Memorial. From the Custis, take a right on Fort Myer Drive, go under Wilson Blvd (also not difficult – just take the right lane), then stay straight until the stop sign. Turn left and about half way down the second downhill, you can get onto the “110 Trail”, which bends around the cemetery and heads up to the ANC Metro and on to the Memorial Bridge. The downstream side of the bridge is better.

[Tania]

I’d be going to metro center, just a few blocks from ME Swings. I’d love (and very much appreciate) to hear alternate routes! Looks like M to Pennsylvania is the easiest?

I just ordered Lake boots. This means warmer weather is imminent.

[sethpo]

CCT was fun this morning. The lower section was covered in a thin layer of something white that I wouldn’t really call ice. I guess it was the remnants of that mini squall from yesterday. It wasn’t slick at all but made for quite a visually stunning ride when combined with the clear blue skies and frozen river and canal.

Based on the tracks, there probably weren’t more than 10 people that rode today and I didn’t see any of them. The only other times I’ve seen the trail this deserted were very late at night.

Hit a low of 3 degrees on the Garmin but that was with the wind behind me for the most part.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SRHmXiLDoio&feature=youtu.be

[ATTACH=CONFIG]7907[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]7908[/ATTACH]

[Crickey7]

@sethpo 109026 wrote:

CCT was fun this morning. The lower section was covered in a thin layer of something white that I wouldn’t really call ice. I guess it was the remnants of that mini squall from yesterday.

Yeah, I got caught in that last night. The wind was whipping that stuff right into my face. I’d say it one of my tougher rides, but I suspect that’s just selective memory. The history of cold weather gear acquisition is nearly always a story of a very uncomfortable ride, followed by a perusal the next day of what new purchase might take care of that problem. Last night, it was hands that barely stayed warm despite liner gloves, lobster gloves, a pair of chemical hand warmers and then another pair halfway home.

[Boomer Cycles]

@Tania 109015 wrote:

I desperately want to bike in on Monday but my level of chicken-ness on snow/ice isn’t even on rcannon’s scale that he posted a few weeks ago.

Hoping this weekend’s rain makes for Tania-clear conditions Monday (Gallows Rd from ~Dunn Loring metro to W&OD/Custis and on into DC via Roosevelt Bridge).

Tania,
I rode in today from Mile 8.0 on the WOD at Virginia Lane through the streets of Falls Church until the Custis trail near the East Falls Church Metro and then into DC via the Key Bridge. I would be happy to ride with you so that you can learn the safest route through Falls Church. Just let me know.

[Tania]

@Boomer2U 109036 wrote:

Tania,
I rode in today from Mile 8.0 on the WOD at Virginia Lane through the streets of Falls Church until the Custis trail near the East Falls Church Metro and then into DC via the Key Bridge. I would be happy to ride with you so that you can learn the safest route through Falls Church. Just let me know.

I’d love that as I tend to only step out of my biking route comfort zone if I have company. I can bike in any day next week so long as it’s not raining/snowing – I have great cold weather gear (thanks to KayakCyndi and being part polar bear), but nothing that I’d test in the wet for the length of my commute.

Huge thanks!

[PotomacCyclist]

Anyone want to guess at what trail conditions will be like on Monday morning? The winner gets… a free ELITE vote. Very valuable.

More snow tomorrow, maybe a couple inches, maybe less in DC. Slush, then rain on Sunday morning with highs in the mid 40s. Then temperatures back into the 20s by Mon. morning. I think someone broke the outdoor thermostat.

[Steve O]

@ShawnoftheDread 109019 wrote:

M street isn’t bad in the morning.

@dasgeh 109020 wrote:

Key or Memorial Bridge. M really isn’t that bad,

Or the Whitehurst

[consularrider]

@Tania 109037 wrote:

I’d love that as I tend to only step out of my biking route comfort zone if I have company. I can bike in any day next week so long as it’s not raining/snowing – I have great cold weather gear (thanks to KayakCyndi and being part polar bear), but nothing that I’d test in the wet for the length of my commute.

Huge thanks!

Ok, so are we going to have a Monday Tania Commuter Caravan from Dunn Loring to Metro Center?

[Tania]

@consularrider 109044 wrote:

Ok, so are we going to have a Monday Tania Commuter Caravan from Dunn Loring to Metro Center?

If we decide to throw in a coffee stop, coffee for caravan is on me. Happy to bribe.

[Author]

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