March 2015 Trail Condition Reports

[vern]

Those have been there for a while now.

[Greenbelt]

NE/NW Branch trail commuter route was essentially clear (for the first time since January) from Lake Artemesia to 38th street this morning. Short but nasty icy spots under the bridge at East West and again at Paint Branch pkwy.

Nice that they essentially closed the trails for two months for lack of a shovel eh?

[Greenbelt]

But remember, the reason @PGParks can’t clear the trails is because their shovels are too big…
[IMG]https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/11043003_804532682946784_7001306899392000217_n.jpg?oh=ff5ba72d7ef8dad91520693054ab7842&oe=5575D702&__gda__=1434299827_548850e36ac0f142a6781f89630ee940[/IMG]

[wheelswings]

The Wilson underpass on the WOD is flooded with several inches of stream-water from the rain, as of 7:30 p.m. (Tuesday)… so far it’s still easy to ride through, but I’m thinking that by morning we might opt to cross the road instead, unless anyone’s in the mood for a dip.

[ramblingrider]

@Greenbelt 110800 wrote:

But remember, the reason @PGParks can’t clear the trails is because their shovels are too big…
[IMG]https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xaf1/v/t1.0-9/11043003_804532682946784_7001306899392000217_n.jpg?oh=ff5ba72d7ef8dad91520693054ab7842&oe=5575D702&__gda__=1434299827_548850e36ac0f142a6781f89630ee940[/IMG]

That’s what they said!
(Sorry, couldn’t resist)

[brendan]

Starting 8:45pm-> (eastward bound):

W&OD from Herndon to Custis to DC is free from snow/slush except for about perhaps 100 feet or so total a few places out west. I put my feet down a few times but uncertain if it was really due to the slush or to the combination of slush, rain and FOG.

That fog was something else. It was an odd combination of ground fog and vapor coming off areas that had nearby snow.

Combined with the light rain, that led me to ride without my night-time cycling glasses for the entire ride, because the fog was just sticking to them! I ended up keeping my head turned a bit left or right to get side-light from my helmet mounted bike light. If it pointed directly ahead, it made it impossible to see the trail, because it was illuminating the fog too much.

B

[PotomacCyclist]

Next winter, someone should hire a walker to head along some local trails wearing these:

[ATTACH=CONFIG]8081[/ATTACH]

Or use platform pedals and regular boots and attach the shoe shovels to those: http://www.inewidea.com/2013/04/05/54084.html

If I had a mini snow shovel that I could carry on a bike, I might be tempted to clear some small patches next winter. Like the area next to the 14th St. Bridge. The icy/snowy patch wasn’t that long, but it was long enough to be a minor problem last week.

[Dickie]

Sooo, do I dust off the Bianchi with 23’s for the ride home, or is that like wearing linen before Spring? Gotta admit, this weather is making me giddy. Just taking the studs off Ollie for the first time in 2015 was a “Sweet Jesus” moment!

[dkel]

@Dickie 110949 wrote:

Sooo, do I dust off the Bianchi with 23’s for the ride home, or is that like wearing linen before Spring? Gotta admit, this weather is making me giddy. Just taking the studs off Ollie for the first time in 2015 was a “Sweet Jesus” moment!

I rode from Falls Church out to Herndon today, and the worst parts of the trail were completely rideable (at least a narrow line of clear pavement at all times). Given that your ride is the opposite direction, towards clearer trails, I say ride the 23s. The worst part will be the gritty spray going everywhere. I almost regret having ridden my fixie the other day, as it is now repulsively filthy.

[PotomacCyclist]

You could go by the meteorological calendar instead. Meteorological spring began on March 1.

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/news/meteorological-versus-astronomical-summer%E2%80%94what%E2%80%99s-difference

[dbb]

@Dickie 110949 wrote:

Gotta admit, this weather is making me giddy.

Sort of like a summer day in England!

[TwoWheelsDC]

@dkel 110951 wrote:

I rode from Falls Church out to Herndon today, and the worst parts of the trail were completely rideable (at least a narrow line of clear pavement at all times). Given that your ride is the opposite direction, towards clearer trails, I say ride the 23s. The worst part will be the gritty spray going everywhere. I almost regret having ridden my fixie the other day, as it is now repulsively filthy.

Sounds like you need a fixed gear rain bike.

[dkel]

@TwoWheelsDC 110965 wrote:

Sounds like you need a fixed gear rain bike.

YES, I DO! Please tell Rockford! (Thinking of building up a Soma Wolverine as a bombproof, all-weather, heavy duty fixie…)

[worktheweb]

Pleased to report that the MVT is ice free from Tulane Drive to the 14th Street Bridge. The only parts that were holdouts were in the shade by Jones Point and on the North side of the power plant bridge/tunnel. Both are now totally clear.

[dkel]

I flew by NVRPA today out on the W&OD pulling a gas-powered blower behind their truck. The result: no more winter grit and debris out at least to Hunter Mill, which is as far as I went. I was surprised to see it, and I’m grateful for their effort!

[Author]

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