November 2015 Road and Trail Conditons

[gibby]

@creadinger 127195 wrote:

Yay! There’s no way that section was going to survive the winter as a paved road. It was a little freeze-thaw + some snow plow trips away from reverting to pot-holed gravel suitable for only 4WDs.

Hopefully the paving lasts longer than last year’s ‘repairs’ that were torn to gravel within a couple months.
I’ve pretty much given up heading north on Commonwealth between 730-8a due to the frantic parents winging open car doors near the school, joggers, SUV strollers, dog walkers, U-turners…and other assorted threats to civilization.

[vern]

@KLizotte 127360 wrote:

OK, this is one of those accidents where you realize how foolish you were AFTER it happened.

Anyway….today I was enjoying the nice weather along the C&O between Pennyfield Lock and White’s Ferry and going about 10-12 mph. There are now sections of the trail with heavy leaf cover. I was conscious that leaves = slippery. It did not occur to me that there might be *obstacles* under the leaves even when on the trail.

Imagine my surprise when I hit what felt like a curb and went flying over the handlebars. Yup, a giant tree root (about 4.5 inches high) forms a U-shape into the trail and was completely hidden by the leaves. It’s twin, just a couple of feet away, also extends into the trail and was painted a nice shade of fluorescent pink to warn trail users. Between the shock of hitting the root, landing on slippery leaves, and probably hitting the next root I did quite an inelegant splat.

These root monsters are located about 3-4 miles west of Pennyfield lock on the south side of the trail.

The moral of the story: be very careful riding through leaves! You don’t know what is under there!!!!

I know your injuries hurt, but it also looks badass.

[KLizotte]

@vern 127395 wrote:

I know your injuries hurt, but it also looks badass.

I don’t think it is badass to go splat on a towpath. I wasn’t even wearing a helmet because I figured, heck, it’s flat and straight and you can’t go fast. Hangs head in shame.

[KLizotte]

@Tania 127371 wrote:

Owwie KLizotte! That’s pretty much my worst fear. Ugh.

Climb On (a beeswax based salve) works GREAT on road rash once it scabs over and starts to get tight and pull. You can find it in the climbing section at REI, it’s in a little tin. (Smells nice too)

Thanks for the tip but I’m using hydrocolloid bandages on this boo-boo. They are awesome! They soak up the fluid and create a second skin so a scab never forms while everything heals. Greatly speeds up the healing process cause the wound stays moist. I believe these bandages were first developed for burn patients. Wish they weren’t so darn expensive but it beats the alternatives.

This is what I’m using: http://www.amazon.com/Johnson-Tough-Pads-4-Count-Pack/dp/B001E96M26

[Crickey7]

@KLizotte 127415 wrote:

Thanks for the tip but I’m using hydrocolloid bandages on this boo-boo. . . Wish they weren’t so darn expensive but it beats the alternatives.

CVS has their own brand on sale, buy one box of 6, get second 1/2 off. Still not cheap, but.

[bentbike33]

The very high humidity today means water is condensing on surfaces that are below the dew point (i.e., did not get any sun today). Handling on the Trollheim seemed especially squirrelly even though it appeared to be mostly dry.

Be careful on the way home.

[secstate]

@bentbike33 127432 wrote:

The very high humidity today means water is condensing on surfaces that are below the dew point (i.e., did not get any sun today). Handling on the Trollheim seemed especially squirrelly even though it appeared to be mostly dry.

Be careful on the way home.

No joke — especially when slurried w/ wet leaves, like on the CCT exit to Mass Ave… Ouch!!

[Terpfan]

@bentbike33 127432 wrote:

The very high humidity today means water is condensing on surfaces that are below the dew point (i.e., did not get any sun today). Handling on the Trollheim seemed especially squirrelly even though it appeared to be mostly dry.

Be careful on the way home.

Damnit, this was advice I needed 3 hours ago, haha. I fell on the bridge on MVT just north of OT. Sadly, this is my third fall on it in four years (in fairness, one was because of ice). I slowed to what’s usually a safe speed with no one coming and it didn’t look damp. But suddenly I was down on my side with a nice laceration on face. So now I get to sit in the ER waiting for the doc to fix me up (urgent care said it was too much for them to handle) with fun copay, bike that now needs some repairs, and busted prescription glasses. So for anyone else, hope you don’t share the fate. Also, i keep thinking I may go buy that grippy material and put it down on that bridge myself aa a public service since I know that NPS won’t.

[KLizotte]

@Terpfan 127473 wrote:

Damnit, this was advice I needed 3 hours ago, haha. I fell on the bridge on MVT just north of OT. Sadly, this is my third fall on it in four years (in fairness, one was because of ice). I slowed to what’s usually a safe speed with no one coming and it didn’t look damp. But suddenly I was down on my side with a nice laceration on face. So now I get to sit in the ER waiting for the doc to fix me up (urgent care said it was too much for them to handle) with fun copay, bike that now needs some repairs, and busted prescription glasses. So for anyone else, hope you don’t share the fate. Also, i keep thinking I may go buy that grippy material and put it down on that bridge myself aa a public service since I know that NPS won’t.

Ouch Terpfan! I feel your pain. I broke a bone in my hand a few years ago on one of the MVT boardwalks. I’ve googled solutions to slippery boardwalks before but it appears no one has come up with a proven and inexpensive fix. Would be a great project for the whiz kids at MIT me thinks.

Hope you heal up fast.

[Steve O]

@secstate 127449 wrote:

No joke — especially when slurried w/ wet leaves, like on the CCT exit to Mass Ave… Ouch!!

That one is steep, too. Can slide a ways down. Hope you’re okay.

[wheelswings]

I don’t much like “disliking” posts, as somehow they don’t feel warm-hearted. But what a rotten morning for you. Get-well wishes to you and your bicycle! And yes, those $100 ER co-pays kinda suck… as if you didn’t feel bad enough already.
Head injuries bleed a lot, so I expect you are quite the sight. One of my girls lacerated her scalp a couple weeks ago and came home a red-head. She was too early for Halloween, and you are too late.

Feel better! w&w

[bentbike33]

@Terpfan 127473 wrote:

Damnit, this was advice I needed 3 hours ago, haha. I fell on the bridge on MVT just north of OT.

Posted as soon as I got home. Sorry it wasn’t soon enough to warn you. Heal quickly!

[GovernorSilver]

@Terpfan 127473 wrote:

Damnit, this was advice I needed 3 hours ago, haha. I fell on the bridge on MVT just north of OT. Sadly, this is my third fall on it in four years (in fairness, one was because of ice). I slowed to what’s usually a safe speed with no one coming and it didn’t look damp. But suddenly I was down on my side with a nice laceration on face. So now I get to sit in the ER waiting for the doc to fix me up (urgent care said it was too much for them to handle) with fun copay, bike that now needs some repairs, and busted prescription glasses. So for anyone else, hope you don’t share the fate. Also, i keep thinking I may go buy that grippy material and put it down on that bridge myself aa a public service since I know that NPS won’t.

Damn, sorry to hear that!

Since I normally don’t ride on the Trollheim – I only ride the MVT up to 14th St. bridge – I figured maybe I’m safe, but I guess I better watch out on that one bridge that I do ride on regularly – probably the same one you fell one (between the MVT-MVT Alternate crossing and Indigo Landing).

[Terpfan]

@GovernorSilver 127487 wrote:

Damn, sorry to hear that!

Since I normally don’t ride on the Trollheim – I only ride the MVT up to 14th St. bridge – I figured maybe I’m safe, but I guess I better watch out on that one bridge that I do ride on regularly – probably the same one you fell one (between the MVT-MVT Alternate crossing and Indigo Landing).

Oh yah that bridge scares me more than trollheim because of curves. I went down on it the first year I started riding to work and then last winter because of ice. But I can usually judge wet/dryness and today I just totally blew the call.

I should add a thanks to the many folks who stopped by asking if I was alright and offering to help. Even two motorists up by Salvation Army offered assistance. Nice to know at least everyont out there looking out for each other.

[Starduster]

Trollheim… OK, does anyone make a tire with a compound that will offer some grip on slimy boardwalk?

[Author]

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