July 2015 Road and Trail Conditions

[wheelswings]

I’ve been riding on the C&O most days, just between Rock Creek Pkwy and Key Bridge, but the mud puddles have been pretty deep in recent weeks so at times you have to fight hard to stay upright. Some muddy sections have dry edges, like “run/bike” mentioned, but those can be pretty narrow against the wall so they’re not really bike friendly. After last night’s deluge, I would stick to N or K or other side streets, at least for that particular stretch of the canal.

[rcannon100]

I rode Great Falls to past Seneca Creek. After the big storms, the NPS, who were just doing their job god bless them, drove a heavy truck down the tow path in order (I assume) to clear branches and stuff. One of course needs a heavy truck to clear branches. Unfortunately, after Seneca Creek for five miles, the heavy truck turned small mud puddles into major mud traps that would not drain. Heavy truck tires, you see, sink in mud. Now the C&O tow path makes for excellent CX training.

Thanks NPS. Made for some good fun.

[AFHokie]

@kevinal 119820 wrote:

Has anyone ridden the C&O canal recently, particularly the part from Georgetown to Chain Bridge? Give the amount of rain we’ve had over the past several weeks, I’ve avoided it for the muddy swamp I suspect it to be and have been taking alternate routes to work. However, I’d like to switch back to my C&O route, but don’t want to find that I’m up to my bottom bracket in muck.

I rode from White’s Ferry to DC last Friday & it was drier than I thought I’d find. There were sections more mud bog than trail, but nothing too bad. From Great Falls to Georgetown, I found it mostly dry other than a few patches.

[bobco85]

@AFHokie 119825 wrote:

I rode from White’s Ferry to DC last Friday & it was drier than I thought I’d find. There were sections more mud bog than trail, but nothing too bad. From Great Falls to Georgetown, I found it mostly dry other than a few patches.

Hey, we probably passed by each other! I didn’t have Strava on, though (needed to save my phone’s battery to last 3 days), but I biked on the C&O from Georgetown past White’s Ferry last Friday. I had a red (though probably brown due to all the mud) trailer connected to my bike.

[ShawnoftheDread]

@rcannon100 119823 wrote:

I rode Great Falls to past Seneca Creek. After the big storms, the NPS, who were just doing their job god bless them, drove a heavy truck down the tow path in order (I assume) to clear branches and stuff. One of course needs a heavy truck to clear branches. Unfortunately, after Seneca Creek for five miles, the heavy truck turned small mud puddles into major mud traps that would not drain. Heavy truck tires, you see, sink in mud. Now the C&O tow path makes for excellent CX training.

Thanks NPS. Made for some good fun.

They need to use big trucks because of budget cuts.

[mstone]

@rcannon100 119823 wrote:

I rode Great Falls to past Seneca Creek. After the big storms, the NPS, who were just doing their job god bless them, drove a heavy truck down the tow path in order (I assume) to clear branches and stuff. One of course needs a heavy truck to clear branches. Unfortunately, after Seneca Creek for five miles, the heavy truck turned small mud puddles into major mud traps that would not drain. Heavy truck tires, you see, sink in mud. Now the C&O tow path makes for excellent CX training.

The towpath always ends up like that. If nothing else, the trucks for pumping out the porta-johns tear it up.

[kevinal]

Thanks for the updates. I thought seriously about taking the C&O canal this morning, but bailed and took my alternate route to work, instead; from the info above, I’m glad I did. It’s too bad that something can’t be done about the drainage on the canal; it’s such a beautiful ride, but a heavy rain turns it into a gooey mess.

[kevinal]

@kevinal 119847 wrote:

Thanks for the updates. I thought seriously about taking the C&O canal this morning, but bailed and took my alternate route to work, instead; from the info above, I’m glad I did. It’s too bad that something can’t be done about the drainage on the canal; it’s such a beautiful ride, but a heavy rain turns it into a gooey mess.

On the other hand, I haven’t had to water my tomatoes in almost a month.

[mstone]

@kevinal 119847 wrote:

Thanks for the updates. I thought seriously about taking the C&O canal this morning, but bailed and took my alternate route to work, instead; from the info above, I’m glad I did. It’s too bad that something can’t be done about the drainage on the canal; it’s such a beautiful ride, but a heavy rain turns it into a gooey mess.

It would be a pretty bad canal if it drained!

Seriously, though, NPS is stuck between preservation on the one hand (maintaining a surface which was never intended for wheeled traffic) and funding constraints on the other hand (a dirt/gravel surface wouldn’t be so bad if it could be regraded more often, but they don’t have the money for that).

[rcannon100]

@ShawnoftheDread 119828 wrote:

They need to use big trucks because of budget cuts.

I like big Trucks and I cannot lie…..

[CaseyKane50]

Alexandria will be repaving a portion of the Mount Vernon Trail from First Street to Pendleton Street this week (weather permitting).

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[ian74]

@CaseyKane50 120046 wrote:

Alexandria will be repaving a portion of the Mount Vernon Trail from First Street to Pendleton Street this week (weather permitting).

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It’s sorely needed in that spot. I would love if more of the MVT would be resurfaced, especially southbound as you get towards Mt. Vernon. Those tree roots are tearing up the trail.

[GovernorSilver]

@CaseyKane50 120046 wrote:

Alexandria will be repaving a portion of the Mount Vernon Trail from First Street to Pendleton Street this week (weather permitting).

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Thanks for the heads up. Royal St. it is for me then, on my next commute ride.

I only use Holmes Run Trail for fun rides but it’s nice to see it’s getting work too.

https://alexandriava.gov/localmotion/

[dasgeh]

An enterprising 4 year old may be selling artisanal lemonade along the Custis at Nelson (before the ponds) on your way home tonight. Strawberry, watermelon, blueberry and regular on offer. Made with real fruit.

[Steve O]

@CaseyKane50 120046 wrote:

Alexandria will be repaving a portion of the Mount Vernon Trail from First Street to Pendleton Street this week (weather permitting).

Any chance they could be convinced to remove the bollards?

[Author]

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