February 2016 Road and Trail Conditions – Is there still snow/ice out there?

[Tania]

I’m told the new switchback is much easier (according to my friend who hated the old one which is still there). It had been years since I’d ridden through there and I don’t remember the old switchback at all. The new one is pretty unremarkable (in a good way) except for me wanting to cut it short and roll straight down the hill before they get any vegetation/barriers in place…not that, uh, I’ve done that or anything. It’s the Warbird. It makes me want to try stupid things.

I don’t recall any rough patches that consularrider mentioned but then I’m usually on 35-40mm tires.

[TwoWheelsDC]

I don’t know about the trails, but the roads were fine. I suppose they would’ve been icy, but VDOT put down more salt than there was snow.

[americancyclo]

W&OD and Custis had a nice light dusting of snow. Enough to make things extra quiet, but not enough to cause traction issues. Around the hill down in to Rosslyn it all disappears!

[mstone]

@TwoWheelsDC 134679 wrote:

I don’t know about the trails, but the roads were fine. I suppose they would’ve been icy, but VDOT put down more salt than there was snow.

I drove this morning. There was a literal salt blizzard on 495, which was mildly terrifying. (Near-zero visibility.) I guess they figure we’re done with snow for the season and they have to bill when they can.

[Melinda]

@americancyclo 134680 wrote:

W&OD and Custis had a nice light dusting of snow. Enough to make things extra quiet, but not enough to cause traction issues. Around the hill down in to Rosslyn it all disappears!

What tires were you using this morning? I want to ride the trail from Reston this morning but I only have slicks.

[vern]

@americancyclo 134680 wrote:

W&OD and Custis had a nice light dusting of snow. Enough to make things extra quiet, but not enough to cause traction issues. Around the hill down in to Rosslyn it all disappears!

I rode slicks without incident, although I did take an easy pace until I got to Arlington.

[vern]

@Melinda 134684 wrote:

What tires were you using this morning? I want to ride the trail from Reston this morning but I only have slicks.

I rode slicks from Reston to Arlington and didn’t slip once. Go for it!

[Melinda]

@vern 134686 wrote:

I rode slicks from Reston to Arlington and didn’t slip once. Go for it!

Awesome! Thanks!

[americancyclo]

@Melinda 134684 wrote:

What tires were you using this morning? I want to ride the trail from Reston this morning but I only have slicks.

Clement MSO 40c tires. more of a gravel tire, but you’ll be fine on slicks!

[Vicegrip]

@americancyclo 134680 wrote:

W&OD and Custis had a nice light dusting of snow. Enough to make things extra quiet, but not enough to cause traction issues. Around the hill down in to Rosslyn it all disappears!

I agree the light snow was quite nice. I was enjoying the ride in right up to the point I got an emergency call and had to take the shortcut up Gallows.

Route 7 in Tysons is white with salt.

[bentbike33]

@americancyclo 134680 wrote:

W&OD and Custis had a nice light dusting of snow. Enough to make things extra quiet, but not enough to cause traction issues.

I did not ride fast enough in the snow to test this hypothesis, but others did and rejected it. Pretty sure I heard someone go down behind me at the W&OD/Custis junction (too busy worrying about staying upright myself to check), and I passed a guy who was righting himself after having swept a part of the Trollhiem with his body (he told me he was OK when I asked).

[Tania]

Anyone been on the Cross County Trail down by Wakefield? I need to get from Dunn Loring to near the Safeway at Braddock and 495 (Port Royal Road).

Normally I’d take the CCT (because it’s more interesting) but I can meander down to Wakefield Chapel road but that puts me on Braddock longer than I’d like (there may be a acceptable shoulder though, I’ve never ridden on Braddock…)

[hozn]

@Tania 134722 wrote:

Anyone been on the Cross County Trail down by Wakefield? I need to get from Dunn Loring to near the Safeway at Braddock and 495 (Port Royal Road).

Normally I’d take the CCT (because it’s more interesting) but I can meander down to Wakefield Chapel road but that puts me on Braddock longer than I’d like (there may be a acceptable shoulder though, I’ve never ridden on Braddock…)

I’m guessing that it’ll be ok if (when) things are frozen hard next couple mornings (?) — I was thinking of doing some CCT + Lake Fairfax riding Friday morning.

Hopefully someone can provide a better answer. Though I’m also kinda hopeful that no one has been riding the dirt trails in our recent warm & soggy weather. (To be fair, I don’t know the classification of the CCT down there.)

[Tania]

@hozn 134723 wrote:

I’m guessing that it’ll be ok if (when) things are frozen hard next couple mornings (?) — I was thinking of doing some CCT + Lake Fairfax riding Friday morning.

Hopefully someone can provide a better answer. Though I’m also kinda hopeful that no one has been riding the dirt trails in our recent warm & soggy weather. (To be fair, I don’t know the classification of the CCT down there.)

Most of the CCT down by Wakefield is actually paved! There are few gravel sections but the only dirt you’d hit is the odd short bit in Wakefield itself (which I believe is all avoidable).

[Rootchopper]

I managed to make it across Trollheim this morning despite the boards being very icy. Someone heading south bound wasn’t so lucky. There was a smush mark in the snow where someone apparently went down. Be careful out there.

[Author]

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