March 2015 Trail Condition Reports

[jrenaut]

@dkel 110210 wrote:

I’d love for you to show me one of those ELITE track stands…

I didn’t say I could do one, just that it’s key.

[dkel]

@jrenaut 110212 wrote:

I didn’t say I could do one, just that it’s key.

Bluff…called!

[Steve O]

@dkel 110210 wrote:

I’d love for you to show me one of those ELITE track stands…

They are well known among the ladies in DC
https://app.strava.com/activities/241350289

[Boomer Cycles]

I rode the WOD this morning from Virginia Lane, eastward to the Custis Trail Junction, and back (with a detour to the Bike Club). It was very rideable on my hybrid with 26 x 1.5 treaded tires (but not knobbies), but the rear wheel spun out on the mile 6 ice field. Saw many runners but only one other cyclist, headed East, between Brandymore Castle and the WOD/Custis junction. Hurry, go out and get your Sleaze ride in!
https://instagram.com/p/z2dV9eDw-M/
https://instagram.com/p/z2ctMmjw9T/
https://instagram.com/p/z2e9rZjwxe/

[sjclaeys]

The W&OD from the Custis Junction to Columbia Pike is already getting bumpy from foot traffic and the snow hides the icy ruts from the last snow. Also, some deep slush from water that accumulated from the rain. It looks like there was recent plowing on the W&OD from EFC to the Custis Junction and then on the Custis to east of St. Ann to 10th St. The recent plowing stops there but it is not too bad after that. No sign of pretreatment doing anything. Either it was not put down or it was washed away in the rain. Ridden on 38 mm studded Marathons.

[mikoglaces]

Any word on whether Custis is clear from Rosslyn to W&OD? Also, W&OD from there to E. Falls Ch? Commuting home soon (on studded tires).

[consularrider]

Looking out my window (near the Ohio St overpass), the W&OD has not been cleared since the initial pass a little before 10 am. As Steve mentioned earlier, that pass cleared the W&OD/Custis from Van Buren to just before the Washington Blvd underpass. There’s three to four inches of snow in my neighborhood right now.

[mikoglaces]

@consularrider 110263 wrote:

Looking out my window (near the Ohio St overpass), the W&OD has not been cleared since the initial pass a little before 10 am. As Steve mentioned earlier, that pass cleared the W&OD/Custis from Van Buren to just before the Washington Blvd underpass. There’s three to four inches of snow in my neighborhood right now.

Thanks. looks like I’ll ride through Clarendon on roads

[TwoWheelsDC]

I tried to ride the W&OD at Bon Air and it was practically impassable…not because of the amount of snow, but because the footprints from all the people out walking turned it into a cratered mess and it was extremely difficult to ride in a straight line.

Custis was covered in snow, even after getting plowed, but it was rideable even on normal tires.

Custis/W&OD intersection:

Underpass of Eternal Darkness:

Trying to get up the hills on Longfellow (don’t worry Dismal, it hasn’t been plowed):

[KWL]

This is the Custis sidewalk next to the Marriott about 2:00pm today. Arlco was trying, but I don’t think they are going to be able to keep up.

[fredmeews]

Commute from G-town to East Falls Church. Was lucky enough to follow this guy home. Appeared to be their 2nd or 3rd pass of the day. No icy spots encountered. Disclaimer that I am using studded tires on my Surly LHT. In fact, the only time I almost lost control was on the street near my house.

So thankful to Arlington County & BikeArlington for this service!
[ATTACH=CONFIG]8025[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]8026[/ATTACH]

[Phatboing]

WOD westbound from EFC: Some kind soul with a contraption has packed down the snow from Little Falls to just beyond Citizens bridge. With chubbly knobblies, it’s a whole lotta fun.

Of course, the untouched-by-contraption stretch from the rest stop thingy past Citizens Bridge until Shreve is torture – the snow’s not fluffy enough to just plow through, and it’s not packed down enough to float over. Took surface streets after that.

Idylwood Rd isn’t plowed, just packed. Oak St from Providence to Gallows is a slushy muckfest. Gallows Rd (including the bike shoulder) is packed down, and actually rather nice, were it not for the fact that people are in idiot mode on Gallows Rd.

[sam_aye_am]

Westmorland (south bound from McLean)>WO&D>Custis>MVT>Memorial Bridge>Ohio Drive>Maine Avenue was my route this morning.

Westmorland was packed snow. Perfectly fine on 35C studs. Except for trying to cross Lincoln/Fairfax drive…I tried to punch through a snow berm and lost 6″ off my front fender. Brief stretch of WO&D between Little Falls and Lee Hwy was challenging, but ride-able for the most part. Lost of crunchy foot prints. Jumped on Lee to rejoin Westmorland and pick up WO&D in Falls Church Park off of Van Buren…and the trail was Plowed! Still probably had 1/4″ of packed snow in most spots, but again perfectly fine on skinny studs.

Conditions were fine until TR Island and the wooden bridges. Pedaled most of it, but probably would have been just as quick to walk with less effort. When I got to the west side of memorial bridge, I bush(snow)whacked it up and across GW parkway to take Memorial Bridge sidewalk on the side leaving DC vice plunging though for another hundred yards or so to take the crosswalk across GW parkway. Traffic was light enough that this was low risk. Any further progress east/south on MVT for me would have meant walking the bike.

Memorial Bridge sidewalks were similar to custis trail. Plowed, but with packed snow remaining and still ride-able for what I had. A little detour through the mall to join Ohio Drive where is was mostly wet with bits of slush. I could actually pedal at 14 mph (safely) for the first time today.

NPS/National Mall sidewalks around Jefferson weren’t plowed yet, and that was a real challenge. Though John Deer tractor was just getting to work on it when I rolled through at probably 9am.

[Harry Meatmotor]

4MR from S. Glebe to S. Eads = ICY but no snow.

S. Eads to Long Branch to Boundary Channel = ICY but no snow.

LBJ park = SNOW.

LBJ park parking lot = DOOM (really, it’s pretty bad – it looks like some hoonigans decided to have some fun in the parking lot last night and a lot of the tire ruts are pretty well frozen)

MVT from the marina to 14th St. Br. = SNOW.

14th St. Br. = horrific – enough plow spray refroze to make it a looooong slog.

Paths around the tidal basin are a mix between refrozen plow spray, hardpack from footfalls, and icy-rutty.

all in all, a great day to ride a bike. didn’t make any snow angels, so at least I got that going for me.

NB – 42mm Conti Top Contact Winter II’s @ ~30psi.

[bobco85]

Good news for the weather: it’s supposed to be in the 40’s this weekend, and next week it will be in the 50’s. Should help with melting some of that ice.

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