February 2015 Trail Conditions

[brendan]

Ride back from Herndon tonight was > 3 hours (partly due to darkness).

A few too many “oh crap” moments, but never outright fell…entirely due to luck. Which I won’t press. I’m going to telecommute tomorrow and cross my fingers for clearer trails next week.

Same spots were dodgy on the way home as on the way in this morning.

Good fun, though and SUPER GLAD I did the ride today. Thanks y’all.

Brendan

PS – off to watch the Gold Sprints at Right Proper!

[Starduster]

Who has jurisdiction over the Route 50 trial as it winds around the north side of Joint Base Myer? Today it looked *no better* than the MVT (meaning ridable only with dedicated snow tires or a fat tire bike).

[DismalScientist]

That would be Arlington County. My impression is that the trail was deemed “too new” and unused to warrant clearing.

Check out posts 2 and 3: http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?7796-Arlington-Snow-Clearing

[chris_s]

@DismalScientist 109485 wrote:

That would be Arlington County. My impression is that the trail was deemed “too new” and unused to warrant clearing.

Arlington only clears a set of “priority trails” and that one ain’t on the list. If I had to pick a trail to add next year (that Arlington wouldn’t need permission for) that’d be it, though.

That said it’s located in VDOT right-of-way, that really makes it VDOT’s responsibility to clear it of snow…but I think we all know that ain’t happening.

[Dirt]

@Starduster 109484 wrote:

Who has jurisdiction over the Route 50 trial as it winds around the north side of Joint Base Myer? Today it looked *no better* than the MVT (meaning ridable only with dedicated snow tires or a fat tire bike).

I reported it to the Arlington County Snow Issue link that Tim posted the other day. We’ll see if that process works.

South Side

North Side

They’re not in very good shape.

[Dirt]

@DismalScientist 109485 wrote:

That would be Arlington County. My impression is that the trail was deemed “too new” and unused to warrant clearing.

If you don’t plow it, they won’t come?

[DismalScientist]

@Tom H 109478 wrote:

Poof

Too many dislikes will zap a post.

So, if you state that you are going to quit cycling or start another crosswalk debate, be sure to append a picture of a cute puppy.

[brendan]

@Tom H 109478 wrote:

Poof

Dislike doesn’t necessarily mean we dislike that you posted it, it might mean we disliked the situation you went through or found yourself in.

Just FYI.

B

[Mikey]

@brendan 109502 wrote:

Dislike doesn’t necessarily mean we dislike that you posted it, it might mean we disliked the situation you went through or found yourself in.

Just FYI.

B

Yes, we are generally a sympathetic bunch. Unless you are SteveO, we just dislike his posts.

[dbb]

Just rode in Crystal City – Long Bridge Drive – Boundary Channel – Washington Blvd – Memorial Bridge

No wind, comfortably cool (not bracing like last Friday). 0.5-1 inch of snow on roads and trails. Generally good traction although the light snow cover obscures the line. I completely lost the trail between Washington Blvd and Memorial Bridge (not that portion was all that ridable). Roads in the District are in good shape (Mem Bridge to 7th and D, SW)

[consularrider]

The Arlington County trail cleaners were out along I-66 W&OD/Custis corridor this morning at 7:15, both the rotary brush setup and the plow-blade set up. I’m about to go and check the current status on my way to Clarendon from EFC.

[scoot]

@chris_s 109487 wrote:

Arlington only clears a set of “priority trails” and that one ain’t on the list. If I had to pick a trail to add next year (that Arlington wouldn’t need permission for) that’d be it, though.

That said it’s located in VDOT right-of-way, that really makes it VDOT’s responsibility to clear it of snow…but I think we all know that ain’t happening.

I’ve actually never ridden that Route 50 trail, but I agree with its prioritization, especially given the ongoing uncertainty with accessibility through Fort Myer. But even more important: we need to find some way to get a reasonable ice-free route around the south side of post (I’m looking at you, NPS :mad:).

Currently, the only reasonably well-maintained routes between Arlington and DC require going through Rosslyn. That is ridiculously inconvenient for commuters from south Arlington.

[Harry Meatmotor]

Trail reportage for 2/26/15:

4MR from S. Glebe to S. Eads free and clear – @ 6:30 it looked like the ArlCo sweeper had just passed through. S. Eads bike lanes are mostly OK – I’d recommend taking the vehicle travel lane in a few spots. 18th to Crystal Drive to 12th to Long Bridge to Boundary Channel was barely coated with slushy snow – no ice. Ped bridge to LBJ park was surprisingly rideable. LBJ park is a bit dodgey, but the connector/cloverleaf up to the MVT was rideable with about an inch of snow actually aiding traction. 14th St. Bridge was uneventful. Surface streets in DC are passable with no problems. 1st St. cycle track is a bit messy/hard to discern what’s slush versus hard freeze/ice with the new snow. I’d recommend taking the lane until things clear up a little.

[dasgeh]

@scoot 109510 wrote:

I’ve actually never ridden that Route 50 trail, but I agree with its prioritization, especially given the ongoing uncertainty with accessibility through Fort Myer. But even more important: we need to find some way to get a reasonable ice-free route around the south side of post (I’m looking at you, NPS :mad:).

Currently, the only reasonably well-maintained routes between Arlington and DC require going through Rosslyn. That is ridiculously inconvenient for commuters from south Arlington.

File under: Things we will discuss at Monday nights BAC meeting. It may sound boring to discuss the budget, but things like snow clearing and trail building have to be in the budget to get done.

[Dickie]

West bound from Roslyn to Fairfax, 7:00 am, on studs:
– Wilson Blvd – Fairfax Blvd – Custis Connector: All good, slush, 1/2″ – 1″ accumulation, Bike lane missing in parts, had to take a lane.
– Custis – WOD connector: A few slick spots where the snow is covering ice patches, take your time and you’ll be fine
– WOD to Van Buren: Cleared, dusting of snow, very ridable, dry pavement in a few places… pretty sure they brined Brandymore
– Van Buren – Columbia – Maple – Park – West – Leesburg Pike – Gordon – Shreve – WOD: Slush, 1/2″, tire ruts, powdered snow, easy to ride
– WOD – Virginia Lane: Some buried ice ruts, more powdered snow accumulation 1.5″
– Virginia Lane – WOD – Gallows: Ice ruts hidden by 2″ snow, stick to the center of the trail and you should be fine
– Gallows – Mosaic District: heaver snow totals 2″-3″, roads slick but not too bad.

[Author]

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