January 2015 Trail Conditions

[Phatboing]

@dkel 103737 wrote:

I mean the slums of the W&OD, you know, outside Arlington. :rolleyes:

I think you’ll be ok with running your tubby tires at reduced pressures and not making sudden moves.

[dkel]

Screw it. I’m mounting my studs this morning. This is what I got them for!

[dlaxman31]

Roads around Old Town Alexandria where snow covered this morning. Very little treatment, but was easy to ride through.

Riding on CX tires right now.

Might check out the trails when I head home.

[Harry Meatmotor]

4MR from S. Glebe to the MVT was plowed at 0630 – snow was still falling at a good clip, so it’ll likely be covered back up by 10am if they don’t plow again. MVT from 4MR to 14th St. bridge was perfectly fine – no ice, no ruts, just fluffy powder. easily kept a 16-17mph pace through it. Had a companion following me on the MVT from 4MR to the 14th St. Br. – not sure if it was a forum member, but he was riding a red and black specialized tricross with what looked like some 35mm studded tires. give a shout out if that was you! you kept heading northbound on the MVT when I took off towards DC.

[Steve O]

Arlington is plowing the Custis. EFC to Ballston Connector was plowed. I passed the little plow-y thingy there at 8:30 and continued on in.
Another truck was plowing the Rosslyn hill!

Regardless, if you are on your road bike like some idiots, go real slow and steady. MTBs and studs should do fine (bikes with studs, that is…well, FS studs, too!)

[Phatboing]

Is it even news to note that Gallows Rd is a spectacular fustercluck?

Also, I don’t think Idylwood road even got treated – the snow there was proper packed snow, not salty slush. My “not bike trail” route gets treated usually, but apparently Fairfax county thinks it’s cool to not do this any more. I’ll be taking the bus home, because this is going to be such an icy deathscape in the afternoon…

[Powerful Pete]

@Steve O 103789 wrote:

Regardless, if you are on your road bike like some idiots, go real slow and steady. MTBs and studs should do fine (bikes with studs, that is…well, FS studs, too!)

Proud to be a fellow idiot this AM!

[Tim Kelley]

Out clearing trails!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]7345[/ATTACH]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]7346[/ATTACH]

[Powerful Pete]

BTW, can anyone report on road conditions at Hains Point today? Wondering whether it might make sense to get a lap or two in this evening on the way home…

Does it usually get cleaned by the Park folks?

[Tim Kelley]

Protected Bike Lanes in Arlington are being plowed but are still slick. Please use caution in them around Pentagon City.

[Greenbelt]

Prince George’s trails were awesome this morning — about 2″ of fresh unpacked powder!

Met Branch trail hadn’t been plowed when I went through about 9am, but it was great riding with light fluffy snow and not packed by footprints. Likewise, the 1st street cycletrack and the PA ave center cycle track were great, just 2″ or so of nice grippy snow.

On the other hand, the streets in NE DC are horrendous. Packed snow/ice combo from the salt treatments. Very treacherous, especially with lots of freaked out drivers. Hopefully we’ll get some sun this afternoon and those roads will melt, but I was just creeping through some of the neighborhood streets because they were so slippery and cars nearby.

[Greenbelt]

At about 9:30 or so there was a plow parked in the 15th street cycletrack by the WH, not plowing, no driver evident. I think it was put “out of the way” in the bike track. Pretty much a dismount or salmon in the traffic lane to get around northbound.

[dkel]

W&OD westbound from Falls Church was pretty bad: untreated, unplowed, and bumpy from the foot traffic. It was very unpredictable and difficult to stay upright, even on knobby, studded tires. I rode the trail along Shreve Rd and bailed out onto the streets, which were also bad. Saw lots of cars in ditches, some stacked two or three deep. The good news is that I only fell over once, and that was in my driveway. :p

[ArlParksRec]

Trails:
All trails were brined yesterday in preparation for the snow.
Crews have made one pass on all the trails that were identified for plowing this year. With this type of snow, we have been able to use our broom attachments to clear the existing snow. Based on the last forecast (4″-6″), we may be changing the attachments to either a plow or the snow blower. Crews will continue to clear the trails throughout the storm and after until clear.

Arlington County Parks & Recreation[ATTACH=CONFIG]7353[/ATTACH]

[dlaxman31]

@dkel 103828 wrote:

W&OD westbound from Falls Church was pretty bad: untreated, unplowed, and bumpy from the foot traffic. It was very unpredictable and difficult to stay upright, even on knobby, studded tires. I rode the trail along Shreve Rd and bailed out onto the streets, which were also bad. Saw lots of cars in ditches, some stacked two or three deep. The good news is that I only fell over once, and that was in my driveway. :p

Man what the heck happened this morning. I was in the office by 8am before the crazy snow. Didn’t have any issues.

[Author]

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