January 2015 Trail Conditions

[Phatboing]

Do not ride Oak St in Vienna without studded tires. It’s an icy trap! That entire route from Gallows to Idylwood I’m sure went untreated, because there were some really scary patches, but thankfully the few cars that passed me gave me wide berth (and one dude gave me a thumbs up, even).

My commute today would’ve been a lot less terrifying in general had I not been lazy and mounted the damn studly tires already.

[americancyclo]

Independence sidewalk along the mall is clear til the Lincoln parking lot.
Memorial Bridge was mostly clear.
110 connector and road around iwo jima are great. iwo jima sidewalks still icy.
ABT from N. Meade to 10th st still needs some work. Fairfax Dr along rte 50 is clear though and works as an alternate.
icy patch at the ballston connector
almost ate it at the western foot of the citizens’ bridge.

[mikoglaces]

@Phatboing 104299 wrote:

Do not ride Oak St in Vienna without studded tires. It’s an icy trap! That entire route from Gallows to Idylwood I’m sure went untreated, because there were some really scary patches, but thankfully the few cars that passed me gave me wide berth (and one dude gave me a thumbs up, even).

My commute today would’ve been a lot less terrifying in general had I not been lazy and mounted the damn studly tires already.

Yeah, I live on Oak St. and even with the studs it’s scary.

[Greenbelt]

Has anyone been out on the Anacostia Tributary trails today? I’m guessing it’s icy footprints and no fun, but hoping the sun helps a bit today. Need to ride downtown tomorrow with a heavy load…

[slowtriguy]

I walked the W&OD from Spring to the EFC metro about 0745-0810 today. The roads through Falls Church seem largely fine, but the trail is a mix of partially clear, icy, and snowy. I saw lots of knobby tracks but most of the trail ride would have been beyond my comfort zone, personally. The trail just east of the Washington Blvd crossing is an ice rink, and the connector from the W&OD out to 19th just above Van Buren was similarly sporty.

I took a few pictures; these two seem representative on average for the W&OD segments I walked.

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Looking west just west of Great Falls

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Looking east just east of Great Falls

[PotomacCyclist]

I wouldn’t expect too much ice melting today, at 21 degrees.

[dplasters]

@mikoglaces 104318 wrote:

Yeah, I live on Oak St. and even with the studs it’s scary.

I normally cut through the roads east of Marshall Elem School to get from Nutley to Cottage to Cedar. Any advice on best route given that the smaller ones are likely super icy still?

Odds of me being able to turn left on Nutley from Kingsley and then turning right on VCB? Cause then I can just do Kingsley to Cottage.

Hoping Hilltop and Vaden are looking better than when I drove them on Tuesday evening.

[SoylentGreene]

@dplasters 104346 wrote:

I normally cut through the roads east of Marshall Elem School to get from Nutley to Cottage to Cedar. Any advice on best route given that the smaller ones are likely super icy still?

Odds of me being able to turn left on Nutley from Kingsley and then turning right on VCB? Cause then I can just do Kingsley to Cottage.

Hoping Hilltop and Vaden are looking better than when I drove them on Tuesday evening.

Drove by Marshall to Hillcrest to Yeonas to Cottage last night and they looked ridable. A couple of patches of snow, but nothing that couldn’t be ridden around or that would take more than a minute or two to walk your bike over.

[Subby]

Assuming not much has changed from last evening, 14th street bridge is a nightmare still. Yeah, there is one lane mostly cleared, but the winds and icy surface conditions were a mess.

MVT is the suck. I road on the side in the snow through Gravelly Point, and then tried to stay in the snow as much as possible to the Crystal City Connector. Snow and ice there until the tunnel. Smooth sailing up the hill to Eads and from Eads to 4MR.

4MR is clear to the end. WOD is a weird mix of plowed and unplowed until you get past Columbia Pike. At that point the WOD is unplowed, but there are two sets of tracks that you can ride in. Then at some point it is just packed snow and ice until you hit the bridge right before the Custis Trail head. Then the way is clear all the way to the underpass before Van Buren (which is slush). Lee Hwy crossing is ice at the curb cut, then smooth sailing until Great Falls.

[Tom H]

@mikoglaces 104291 wrote:

Anyone ride the TR bridge today? Or the MVT from the bridge to Rosslyn?

TR Br is horrid. Walked most of it!
MVT mediocre until the spiral up to Rosslyn

[dasgeh]

@Tom H 104368 wrote:

TR Br is horrid. Walked most of it!

I submitted a 311 request via the online system. Unacceptable.

[Greenbelt]

Great report subby. Lots of people riding over to the BAFS happy hour tomorrow from DC I think are going to be unpleasantly surprised by how bad the trails get when unplowed. Hoping for more details or safe-ish alternate route suggestions on Friday if you can!

[dplasters]

@SoylentGreene 104354 wrote:

Drove by Marshall to Hillcrest to Yeonas to Cottage last night and they looked ridable. A couple of patches of snow, but nothing that couldn’t be ridden around or that would take more than a minute or two to walk your bike over.

Yep my assessment too.

I can stay 100% clear of ice by going Marshall to Ware to Kingsley to Cottage so I think that is going to be my route… I have a few miles I need to make up anyway.

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[Arlingtonrider]

@Greenbelt 104371 wrote:

Great report subby. Lots of people riding over to the BAFS happy hour tomorrow from DC I think are going to be unpleasantly surprised by how bad the trails get when unplowed. Hoping for more details or safe-ish alternate route suggestions on Friday if you can!

The first post in the Jan 9 happy hour thread (the one that starts with “Alert”) has been updated to include information on buses from the Pentagon metro. There are several that go directly to Shirlington non-stop, and the Shirlington bus station is practically across the street from Capitol City Brewing Co. With the bridges still icy and the MVT unrideable, at least without studs and maybe even with studs, I hope more people will consider using public transportation. I love ya’ll.

[DismalScientist]

@Greenbelt 104371 wrote:

. Hoping for more details or safe-ish alternate route suggestions on Friday if you can!

Cross on the southern sidewalk on Memorial Bridge. Go straight through 2 parkway crossings onto Washington Blvd/Route 27 bike path. This icy the 2 block stretch of icy crap. Walk if necessary. Turn left into the Pentagon north parking lot. Take Boundary Channel Drive 1/2 mile through the 395 interchange. Go straight on Clark/Long Bridge Park Drive. Turn right on 12th and left on Eads. Go through Crystal City and past Glebe Road. Turn right on 4 Mile Run trail to Shirlington. This way is suitable for slicks if you walk the Wash Blvd trail.

[Author]

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