How are the trails right now, given the snow and cold temps? I’m thinking I may just mount my studded tires for this week’s commutes and not worry about it, but if there’s no ice around, maybe I won’t bother.
Plowing by Arlington was wonderful – Custis was basically clear to Roosevelt Island parking.
MVT: NPS cleared Roosevelt Island parking lot area well, except for one icy spot about where the bridge to the island is.
I was glad to hear that Trollheim was snowy – that was great this morning (tires are 38s) so no slipping, even the bridge across the boundary channel was easy because it was snow covered. However, I worry for tomorrow morning since there will likely be partial melting during the day and re-freezing tonight. There were some snowy/icy bits from there to about the Memorial bridge crossing, but all passable. LBJ grove area to Boundary channel drive was all clear with occasional spots to easily avoid (worst at the wooden bridge, but still avoidable, if not too fast).
It was surprisingly passable this morning, although I went pretty slow per you post and Adam S’ advice on Strava, and I had slightly wider knobbier tires since I rode my flat bar bike. If it doesn’t all melt and dry up today, tonight might be nasty though when things re-freeze.
On a positive note, all of the ice fields on the MVT south of Old Town were on straight segments, so it wasn’t too bad of a ride. I switched to an on-street route once I hit Old Town though so I can’t comment on anything north of Jones Point Park.
I should have clarified that I was unwisely on 25c slick tires (the other bike had a flat early morning yesterday and I was lazy). You are right, on the wider tires, it was not as bad as my recollection. Hopefully, this afternoon it will be all clear with temps over 40.
1/18/18 8AM MBT update – still very icy in a lot of spots and potentially dangerous. It’s slightly better than last night just because of the sunlight/ability to see where the major ruts are and to weave a path through. I was OK going slow on my wider (2 inch) tires, but still slid around a little bit in spots.
1/18 6PM MBT update: most of the ice melted and vanished. There are a few dicey spots (transition onto 8th Street at Franklin and just past the NY ave bridge) but each has a clear path through so hopefully shouldn’t be too treacherous even with a refreeze.
6PM-ish update:
W&OD from Shirlington to Columbia pike clear.
W&OD from Columbia Pike to just before the pond (or, shortly after mile marker 2) clear
W&OD from there to Carlin Springs and less frequently to the I-66 overpass west of Ohio (and connecting to Custis Spurt), mostly clear but some large patches of snow. Oddly. I guess the tall trees a distance from the trail without leaves have a lot of branches and kept things in enough shadow to not melt. At all. Well, maybe a little bit of ice at the edges of pavement but all pretty passable on my 38c tires.
Ped bridge over I-66, basically clear (snow and wet pavement at edges).
Custis Spurt: snow patches next to overpass, then eastbound large dry areas and large snowy areas.
I do not expect these areas to be icy in the morning. More crunchy snow, perhaps, but not icy.
Well, this has me more hopeful that Trollheim won’t be an icy mess in the morning. Just crunchy snow.
So was my bikeshare saddle…thank you one of my students who arrived by bikeshare just after I took the last dock outside work – you were gracious enough to accept directions to the next station.
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