January ’16 – Trail Condition: That time they predicted mind-boggling amounts of snow

[PotomacCyclist]

This is how one local DC resident is coping with the snow storm:

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[ginacico]

@consularrider 132789 wrote:

I’ll bet you wish I left the Pugsley in Arlington after all. Montana will be a pain for you, and be careful on the driveway.

Vaya has been a trooper even w/o studded tires, but tomorrow may be a very different story. 16-30″ means I switch to cross-country skis 😎 Saw several cyclists go by with a couple inches on the ground, including at least one fat bike. I should hang up a sign and serve espresso drinks / cocoa / tea / hot toddies — people can stop by before conquering Brandymore Castle hill.

Montana IS the most popular sledding hill in town! Dozens of kids (of all sizes) all afternoon.

[mstone]

@PotomacCyclist 133015 wrote:

This is how one local DC resident is coping with the snow storm:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]10568[/ATTACH]

What is that, the drunk tank?

[cvcalhoun]

I left Columbia Heights a little after 3:00 this afternoon, intending to bike to Van Ness. I got about 3 feet before slipping sideways and ending up on the ground. (I didn’t have studs, but I was on a hybrid with wide tires, good tread, and a heavy load on the back.) At that point, I decided it was the better part of valor to take the Metro directly from Columbia Heights.

[Vicegrip]

@mstone 133018 wrote:

What is that, the drunk tank?

Panda wagon. Not patty wagon.

[vern]

I just did a sleaze ride. Though the road had been plowed within the past two hours, it was still tough to stay upright, between the poor visibility and the couple inches of snow that remained on the road. But it was fun!

[consularrider]

@ginacico 133016 wrote:

…Montana IS the most popular sledding hill in town! Dozens of kids (of all sizes) all afternoon.

Just wait until they try to plow it. Last year the plow truck (with chains) couldn’t get up the hill after it got so packed down from the sledders. We learned to park a car down on Four Mile Run. Guess I should have mentioned that yesterday.

[kwarkentien]

@PotomacCyclist 133015 wrote:

This is how one local DC resident is coping with the snow storm:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]10568[/ATTACH]

I wonder where he hides his MREs.

[KWL]

Mtn bike tires and/or studs can handle the plowed Mt Vernon Ave in Del Ray. Come on over for your Sleaze rides.

[kcb203]

I think the Bluemont trail may have been plowed. I say this only because a friend who lives near it complained on Facebook that the nearby trail was plowed before her street.

[PotomacCyclist]

Another DC resident’s reaction to the snow

[video]https://www.facebook.com/nationalzoo/videos/10153837445042902/[/video]

[AFHokie]

Somewhere on the GAP:

https://www.facebook.com/GAPTrail/photos/a.10150145859465676.338112.67835515675/10154000401085676/?type=3&theater

[jrenaut]

Many roads in my neighborhood (Columbia Heights DC) are passable on the knobby 32s that came with my Bianchi. I had to Flinstone a few intersections and got off to walk once, but that was tons of fun. Tiring, but fun.

[Steve O]

I took a detour on my way home from Safeway to see how the WOD/Custis trail looked. Along the section east of Brandymore castle it had clearly been plowed much earlier, but about 3-4 inches of new snow had accumulated, and the snow underneath was still a bit soft. It was perfect for the cross-country skiers I encountered. I was unable to ride on my 3-speed, because my gearing is not low enough to spin at a steady 3 mph. A fat bike or mountain bike could probably do it, but you would work up a mean sweat.

I ended up having to portage all the way to Sycamore.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]10574[/ATTACH](portaging section)

Riding on the plowed streets is quite doable, particularly since there are no cars. According to my Strava I even got up to 16mph going down McKinley. (how about a pointless prize for fastest speed on 1/23/16?)

[PotomacCyclist]

More snow on the way this afternoon, along with strong winds. Maybe another 3 to 6 inches of snow this afternoon. Don’t get caught out in the next wave of the storm.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/01/23/blizzard-warning-updates-heavy-snow-and-wind-for-storms-closing-phase/

Possibly another 11 inches out in Loudoun County.

[Author]

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