Report your MVT wooden-bridge accident here. Date, location, circumstances.

[awalis]

@bentbike33 146870 wrote:

I thought maybe this was the same guy I saw, but wrong location. So tally another Trollheim victim on Monday. This one was on the big curve under the first (as you go south) TR bridge overpass about 7:00 am. I did not see or hear him fall. He was on his feet inspecting his bike as I very slowly passed. His chartreuse shirt, across his right shoulder and right side of his chest, had picked up a lot of black slime (I assume) from the surface of the Trollheim. I asked if he was OK, and he said yes.

I was one of the two who fell that day. Riding up towards the TR bridge when a jogger (after being alerted I was passing) turned out in front of me. Brakes and down I went on the slippery boardwalk. Bike was fine, me not so much, broken clavicle. As I was waiting for a pickup to the hospital, another rider went down in the same location and went to the same hospital. Don’t know extent of his injuries but shoulder too.

[bentbike33]

@awalis 150361 wrote:

I was one of the two who fell that day. Riding up towards the TR bridge when a jogger (after being alerted I was passing) turned out in front of me. Brakes and down I went on the slippery boardwalk. Bike was fine, me not so much, broken clavicle. As I was waiting for a pickup to the hospital, another rider went down in the same location and went to the same hospital. Don’t know extent of his injuries but shoulder too.

Sorry to hear of your misfortune. Hope you have healed and recovered fully. Trollheim is the worst. I basically crawl along if it is wet at all.

[KLizotte]

@awalis 150361 wrote:

I was one of the two who fell that day. Riding up towards the TR bridge when a jogger (after being alerted I was passing) turned out in front of me. Brakes and down I went on the slippery boardwalk. Bike was fine, me not so much, broken clavicle. As I was waiting for a pickup to the hospital, another rider went down in the same location and went to the same hospital. Don’t know extent of his injuries but shoulder too.

Maybe *every* time someone splats on the Trollheim (or any of the boardwalks on the MVT) he or she should send an email to NPS along with the details, esp if he or she went to the hospital. If they see reports every freakin’ week, maybe it will get someone’s attention and be given priority. Two people going to the hospital for the same injury on the same day is alarming!

I know when I told the Navy Yard of my splat on their property along the Anacostia Trail the Commander was notified along with a bunch of their lawyers (even though the base is indemnified). They followed up a few times to record all of the details and an announcement was made at the base’s all hand’s meeting that this had occurred, to be careful, and that the base was looking into ways to improve their section of the trail.

If their inbox fills up with splat reports….

[Rootchopper]

I think this is a great idea. I also like the idea of having a competition among schools (high schools and college) to some up with some sort of solution to this problem. Seems like somebody could make a decent $$$ if they can solve this problem.

[Steve O]

@KLizotte 150373 wrote:

Maybe *every* time someone splats on the Trollheim (or any of the boardwalks on the MVT) he or she should send an email to NPS along with the details, esp if he or she went to the hospital. If they see reports every freakin’ week, maybe it will get someone’s attention and be given priority. Two people going to the hospital for the same injury on the same day is alarming!

If their inbox fills up with splat reports….

What is needed then is a sign or two that says something like, “If you or someone you know has crashed on this boardwalk, please send the particulars to ______”

I wouldn’t be surprised if NPS determined that the best solution to the problem would be to remove the signs. Vigilante sign maker anyone?

[huskerdont]

@Rootchopper 150375 wrote:

I think this is a great idea. I also like the idea of having a competition among schools (high schools and college) to some up with some sort of solution to this problem. Seems like somebody could make a decent $$$ if they can solve this problem.

You’d have to tell them up front that the solution to the problem can’t be *don’t make MUP bridges out of wooden planks.* Otherwise it’s just too easy.

[kcb203]

@Steve O 150376 wrote:

What is needed then is a sign or two that says something like, “If you or someone you know has crashed on this boardwalk, please send the particulars to ______”

I wouldn’t be surprised if NPS determined that the best solution to the problem would be to remove the signs. Vigilante sign maker anyone?

Why don’t we just sneak over in the middle of the night and apply anti-slip paint ourselves?

[TheEnthusiGator]

January 2016. Dry roads/trail, but some permafrost on the MVT as you exit Olde Towne Alexandria heading North. I made the first turn but the second gobbled me up and took me down. Injuries sustained, lots of road rash on the left side and a messed-up left shoulder (since mended with a metal plate and 5 screws due to another incident in December 2016, this one on the WOD along the Blinding Stretch along S. Four Mile Run Road). Bike was fine, so I dusted off the splinters and commuted to work in Arlington. Glad it was cold out or I’d still be picking splinters from my body!!!

[Tania]

Saw a guy wipe out on trollheim this am- he passed me (reasonably) going south towards the TR bridge along the newly paved stretch of trail by the GW parkway; the only reason I remarked him was because of his kit and sneakers. Anyway, he made the left to continue along the MVT and went down at the turn. He seemed ok, more surprised than hurt.

[CaseyKane50]

Documenting my recent crash on bridge #3 on the Mount Vernon Trail

Date: July 23, 2017
Location: Bridge #3 (south of Fort Hunt)
Circumstances: headed northbound on the MVT moved to the left to get around a tree branch covering a portion of the bridge. Saw a southbound cyclist headed towards me, tried to brake and move right. Lost the edge on my tire and went down, fracturing a bone in my hip. The other rider was not hurt. More details here

[Tania]

The SO went down on trollheim today – he’s mostly ok, just a scraped elbow, janky finger and some bruises. Bike is rideable but it’s a steel tank. He said he slide for a loooong time after he went down.

Me: “yeah, that bridge takes everyone down eventually. This is why I always take –” *

Him: “I know, I know. Don’t say it. “

* TR Bridge rather than Memorial. TR bridge is way less dangerous.

[dasgeh]

@Tania 165333 wrote:

* TR Bridge rather than Memorial. TR bridge is way less dangerous.

For folks that find the TR Bridge itself less comfortable (because it does kinda suck), I recommend turning off the Custis at Fort Myer Drive, then taking the tunnel under Wilson, stay straight onto Meade, and either turn to go on the trails around Iwo Jima or just take Meade to Marshall. Then 110 Trail around to the ANC Metro and straight on til morning. Or the Memorial Bridge. Super easy and surprisingly little traffic.

[scoot]

In fact, unlike Memorial, there is no way to get to TR bridge without riding on some boardwalk.

[awalis]

I came upon a cyclist who had just fallen this morning. Trollheim was wet and covered with leaves. Looks like he went down going thru the S turn onto MVT. He said he was ok, he looked ok, but his
handlebars were well bent. He said he lived close and would walk home. He was wearing a helmet.

I related my crash from last October when I broke my collarbone. I definitely suffer from Trollheim-induced PTSD.

[PeteD]

This morning, Trollheim claimed my ultegra shifters. Wet wood + wet leaves + avoiding oncoming oblivious pedestrian = recipe for not-fun. Happened on the little S jog just after the drainage ditch heading southbound.

Landed on my semi-metallic hip, so that question has been answered, though it did leave a nice welt the size of an half an orange.

And I got through it last night in the pouring rain without an issue.

[Author]

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