June 2014 Trail Conditions

[cyclingfool]

@americancyclo 88266 wrote:

There were two broken bottles of Corona on the W&OD between gallows and Cedar Lane this morning at about 6:10 a.m.. I cleaned it up as best I could maybe somebody was celebrating a World Cup victory?

Damn football, er, soccer hooligans!

[dasgeh]

I spoke with an NPS maintenance guy in the TR parking lot this morning about the overhang on the TR bridge. He seemed to get it and be receptive. We’ll see.

[KLizotte]

Anybody know the status of the C&O above Great Falls? I’m thinking it may still be soft and muddy after the rain and I only have slicks. Am thinking about riding there tomorrow. Also, anybody know if the Mosquitos are bad along there too?

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[Boo Boo]

The mosquitos are always thick up there at this time of year. Make sure to spray your helmet as well as your skin.

Can’t help you on trail conditions.

[KLizotte]

Good idea on spraying helmet.

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[drevil]

@KLizotte 88388 wrote:

Good idea on spraying helmet.

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If your bug spray has DEET, I’d recommend against it. It might weaken or melt the foam/plastic in your helmet.

Anecdote: I tried using Jungle Juice (98% DEET!!) a dozen years ago. I spritzed some in my hands, and spread it on my arms. Then I put my hand against my lycra shorts, and at the spot I touched, the shorts started to melt away immediately! I never used that bug repellent again. 😡

[Phatboing]

Just reported the stupid Gallows light to VDOT, because it’s stupid. I timed my wait last week, and I was waiting for that stupid light to stupidly turn red for 7 stupid minutes!

I’ve also witnessed a steady uptick in people who cross Gallows without waiting, and saw at least one dude just get on the crosswalk without even looking; luckily the cars stopped for him, but jebus crikey good sir, you’re going to need all those bones inevitably.

[Boo Boo]

Paving on Courthouse Road from Nutley to 123 complete in both directions. Made for a smooth, fast ride last night and this morning.

[Toonces]

@Phatboing 88441 wrote:

Just reported the stupid Gallows light to VDOT, because it’s stupid. I timed my wait last week, and I was waiting for that stupid light to stupidly turn red for 7 stupid minutes!

I’ve also witnessed a steady uptick in people who cross Gallows without waiting, and saw at least one dude just get on the crosswalk without even looking; luckily the cars stopped for him, but jebus crikey good sir, you’re going to need all those bones inevitably.

I’ve reported it to VDOT too. Hopefully it will get some attention. And yes, seeing more people crossing without looking and just riding into traffic – good luck with that!

[Rockford10]

I missed getting a picture, but there were about 12 people lined up at Gallows this morning waiting for the light (counting both sides). I think that shows the light is really long AND it was a lovely morning.

Also, I rode up Gallows for the first time in a couple of weeks today. No dead animals (that I noticed) were on the road, and the debris seemed very light. Perhaps in removing the dead raccoon the road was swept as well?

[mstone]

@Boo Boo 88631 wrote:

Paving on Courthouse Road from Nutley to 123 complete in both directions. Made for a smooth, fast ride last night and this morning.

Yeah, it was nice. Then I got to the W&OD and there was a lump of pavement patch that was so soft that there were bike tire tracks through it.

[mstone]

@Rockford10 88636 wrote:

I missed getting a picture, but there were about 12 people lined up at Gallows this morning waiting for the light (counting both sides). I think that shows the light is really long AND it was a lovely morning.

I was the only one of three cyclists who waited at that stupid light this morning. I think I’m about done being a PAL at that location. Or, what happens when P conflicts with L?

Edit to add: what made me feel like a real sucker is when the lady with the jogging stroller ran through the light.

[Phatboing]

@mstone 88638 wrote:

I was the only one of three cyclists who waited at that stupid light this morning. I think I’m about done being a PAL at that location. Or, what happens when P conflicts with L?

Edit to add: what made me feel like a real sucker is when the lady with the jogging stroller ran through the light.

I de-PAL-ed yesterday, finally. I’m an air-cooled engine, and the wait is doubleplusungood.

Well, technically I de-P&L-ed. The A is now in font size bajillion.

[cyclingfool]

This Yehuda Moon strip, from exactly five years ago today, seems a propos to this situation.

[ATTACH=CONFIG]6007[/ATTACH]

[bobco85]

I went on a evening ride yesterday and was happily surprised by some of the conditions.

The Holmes Run trail (the area around Columbia Pike is still closed) in general has been paved (bumpy section just north of Beauregard/Morgan), repaved, smoothed out (tree roots), and cleared of encroaching flora. This is especially noticable between Beauregard and I-395 as the lines-of-sight are much improved. The unnecessarily large gap in the concrete path just south of the Van Dorn Street underpass is still there.

The sidewalks at Long Bridge Park could use a ramp to access Long Bridge Drive from the north end of the park. Right now there is a set of stairs and a sidewalk that abruptly ends, but no easy way to transition to the road with its nice bike lanes without hopping the curb. The area I’m referring to is here: http://goo.gl/maps/l4hLa. Since the aquatic center looks to be further delayed, it’d be nice if they made a temporary ramp to the street for accessing Boundary Channel Dr (Is this a matter of ADA-compliance? There is parking right there, but wheelchair users have no way to access the sidewalk unless they go to the parking lot on the other side of that athletic field.).

The 15th Street NW cycletrack (few streets north of the White House) now has cute little solar powered lights in the middle of the dashed line. At first, I thought they were just reflectors until I took a closer look and noticed that they are lights with individual solar panels.

The M Street NW cycletrack is much more complete than the last time I rode on it for my video, having painted bike symbols and now being almost entirely continuous. At the fire station the EMS manager’s SUV was parked in the cycletrack, but other than that it was clear of cars/pedestrians. There’s still some resurfacing needed in parts, though. Also, I noticed that the green paint used for the cycletrack is somewhat reflective.

[Author]

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