June 2018 Road & Trail Conditions

[dkel]

@Henry 178741 wrote:

More rain in the forecast. Keep an eye out for mud and debris. And as always, take your turns slow on the Trollheim.

I’ve discovered—quite suddenly, and fortunately without dire consequences—that these heavy rains can leave thin patches of mud that are quite slippery: I almost lost my front wheel on one in a turn, but it was small, and I was through it in time to recover. A sheer coating of the stuff can look like nothing, and yet be extremely treacherous, so keep an eye out after even brief downpours; anywhere that excessive runoff can carry silt across pavement is a possible trap.

[Greenbelt]

Anacostia Tributary cyclocross trail system
[IMG]https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/34524859_1731340450265998_478932271328395264_o.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=ae5d9f7e44f016e7728f1c7527184887&oe=5BB3CD29[/IMG]
[IMG]https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/34348110_1731340460265997_6764622230488875008_o.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=940fae510bd8658fdcdf4773c21a7774&oe=5B790EE8[/IMG]

[bentbike33]

@Greenbelt 178790 wrote:

Anacostia Tributary cyclocross trail system

The sand deposit can’t be helped, and just needs to be cleaned up, but WTF is the enormous pipe about?

[Greenbelt]

@bentbike33 178792 wrote:

The sand deposit can’t be helped, and just needs to be cleaned up, but WTF is the enormous pipe about?

I think it was intended as a barrier to keep people out when the pond level rose. But in the meantime it makes for a very challenging hop over with loaded panniers.

[Brett L.]

@Greenbelt 178794 wrote:

I think it was intended as a barrier to keep people out when the pond level rose. But in the meantime it makes for a very challenging hop over with loaded panniers.

You’re just not trying hard enough – bunny hop that b*st*rd!

[n18]

@dkel 178745 wrote:

I’ve discovered—quite suddenly, and fortunately without dire consequences—that these heavy rains can leave thin patches of mud that are quite slippery: I almost lost my front wheel on one in a turn, but it was small, and I was through it in time to recover. A sheer coating of the stuff can look like nothing, and yet be extremely treacherous, so keep an eye out after even brief downpours; anywhere that excessive runoff can carry silt across pavement is a possible trap.

I have learned to think about the following word for every situation when I am about to fall: faster, and steady hands.

[smb9600]

@Henry 178741 wrote:

More rain in the forecast. Keep an eye out for mud and debris. And as always, take your turns slow on the Trollheim.

Flooding along MVT/FMR this am. Just a little opp for some off-roading!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[infinitebuffalo]

@smb9600 178807 wrote:

Flooding along MVT/FMR this am. Just a little opp for some off-roading!

Still having trouble keeping MVT and MBT straight. Thought for a moment “I rode the Met Branch last night and it didn’t look anything like that….ooooh.” #NewAroundHere

(in other news, MBT was clean and clear between Rhode Island and M as of last night….)

[Greenbelt]

ART below the Benning Road bridge at noon today, with bonus unfortunate dockless bikeshare parking placement
[IMG]https://scontent-iad3-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/34441728_1732385523494824_7875658544010231808_o.jpg?_nc_cat=0&oh=e8282e22ee07218a7da12a17ac432ca5&oe=5BB148FD[/IMG]

[ursus]

No wonder Hains Point was closed on Tuesday.

https://twitter.com/JacobFenston/status/1004081822546919426

[jepstein]

All clear this morning on MVT from 4MR to 14th, including the part of 4MR that us underwater yesterday.
Hains Point, too.

[Slosurf]

For those venturing up the C&O Canal towpath, I wanted to share that the trail between around milepost 16 and 20 is pretty badly damaged from the river spilling up and over the towpath from the rains earlier this week. I commute down this trail into DC and, unfortunately, it appears to me the trail will need big repairs to restore to pre-storm condition. I do not know the condition beyond mp 20. This is a bummer because my other option is busy River Road.

[KWL]

@jepstein 178845 wrote:

All clear this morning on MVT from 4MR to 14th, including the part of 4MR that us underwater yesterday.
Hains Point, too.

And the MVT just upriver from Memorial Bridge that was under water has a nice path worn through the mud making it possible to make it through without mucking up the bike… until the next rain.

[Crickey7]

@Slosurf 178880 wrote:

For those venturing up the C&O Canal towpath, I wanted to share that the trail between around milepost 16 and 20 is pretty badly damaged from the river spilling up and over the towpath from the rains earlier this week. I commute down this trail into DC and, unfortunately, it appears to me the trail will need big repairs to restore to pre-storm condition. I do not know the condition beyond mp 20. This is a bummer because my other option is busy River Road.

I know this doesn’t solve all of the River Road problem (and I feel your pain), but how about peeling off at Persimmon Tree and heading down to Macarthur, then hopping on the CCT at Sangamore?

[ursus]

@Slosurf 178880 wrote:

For those venturing up the C&O Canal towpath, I wanted to share that the trail between around milepost 16 and 20 is pretty badly damaged from the river spilling up and over the towpath from the rains earlier this week. I commute down this trail into DC and, unfortunately, it appears to me the trail will need big repairs to restore to pre-storm condition. I do not know the condition beyond mp 20. This is a bummer because my other option is busy River Road.

Now you tell me. :p There is also a tree on the path further in, but that will be easy to remove.

I rode today out as far as Seneca when I used roads intending to cross at WF which was closed. So I turned around and went through that mess again. Actually the section which is really a mess is shorter than 4 miles.

On the good and unexpected side, at least to me, there is now a bike lane under the Freeway on Water Street (K Street). They did put both directions on the same side which I don’t really like.

Edit: see https://twitter.com/Bilsko/status/1004845996180897794

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