Trail Conditions — January 2014

[dasgeh]

@Jason B 73594 wrote:

How about north Arlington streets? Anyone riding a roady around? I was pretty much confined to doing loops on my steel CX. Not fun to say the least.

From riding/driving around Cherrydale, Ballston – Clarendon: it seems like they haven’t plowed streets at all, and are relying on the weight of the vehicles and today’s rain/temps to melt what’s on the roads. Which means roads that see lots of cars are very clear — Quincy, Fairfax, Clarendon/Wilson, Kirkwood, Lee Hwy — but roads that don’t see as many cars — in Cherrydale: 20th, 18th, Nelson, Monroe, 14th — have significant patches of yuck. The yuck is usually fine for wider tires, BUT sometimes it’s slick. I’m worried that it’ll all be sheets of sliding ice once the temps drop. And on the main roads with bike lanes, the bike lanes were NOT clear unless cars normally drive through them (e.g. the bike lanes on Clarendon/Wilson, which cars drive through to park were pretty clear; the bike lanes on Quincy were not). Take the car lane when in doubt — you don’t always get warning that the bike lane is fully of ice/snow.

[Drewdane]

What are the chances tonight’s forecast rain will wash the ice away on the WOD for tomorrow?

[jrenaut]

@Drewdane 73650 wrote:

What are the chances tonight’s forecast rain will wash the ice away on the WOD for tomorrow?

If we’re lucky, the sun they’re calling for tomorrow afternoon after 40 degree temps all day will dry stuff out and the trails will be mostly clear again. Then we just have to deal with bitter cold and wind.

[Jason B]

The loop was ice free, except for the minor plow lines on custis. You could use your road bike today. I would go as far as to say, that was the most pleasant ride in days. Don’t quote me, but I swear I felt a warm breeze while going up custis.

[rcannon100]

Custis Trail from Lee Hwy to Rosslyn: The trail is mostly clear except for the dregs from when the county appears to have plowed the trail. There is also some sand on the trail. The trail is very wet with small pools of water.

MVT: MVT from Roosevelt to 14th St bridge is clear of snow and ice but is wet. The bridge from Rosslyn to MVT at Roosevelt has small patches of hidden ice.

14th Street Bridge Trail: clear of snow and ice but is wet.

Temperatures are expected to dip below freezing at the end of the day today, near 5 pm. Wet trails could quickly become icy and dangerous.

[jrenaut]

Hains Point is totally clear except for one random little pile of slush about the size of a dinner plate. There’s a puddle or two in usual places. Still hoping we get enough sun this afternoon to dry things out before the temperatures drop.

[Phatboing]

Barring a couple of slushy bumps, the W&OD between Falls Church and Gallows is clear. There are mean winds while going up Gallows to Tysons.

If the trail freezes tonight, I might be mad.

[dasgeh]

North Arlington roads are generally clear of slush today, though wet.

[DCAKen]

Rock Creek trail (from P Street north to Broad Branch) was clear this morning. However (at 7 am), the path through the zoo was closed.

[consularrider]

Just to let everyone know, the trails are wet this morning.

[Dirt]

January 16, 2014 Morning
I rode home fairly late Wednesday night from Vienna to Shreve Road. Anywhere the trail is shaded from direct sun the trail was wet. Temps are dropping and snow flurries are starting. There were initial signs of black ice forming between Vienna and Gallows road. Just be careful. Some stuff that looks wet may be icy.

Love,

Dirt

[slowtriguy]

I rode the W&OD and Custis from Falls Church City to Roosevelt Island and back this AM. I left Roosevelt Island about 0940 just as a few snowflakes started to fall; it was snowing more heavily by the time I stopped by the Central Library on Quincy, and then snowed steadily all the way home. The Custis was fine for its whole length – just a few wet spots, nothing icy or slick, though of course that may change. Lincoln, Nelson, Quincy, and Van Buren in Arlington were all fine — freshly treated with sand and salt. The W&OD is fine between Van Buren and the Custis except that snow is starting to stick on the Brandymore Castle hill. The bridge at Little Falls is coated in a thin layer of snow, but easily rideable. Snow was sticking in patches along the W&OD from Little Falls to West as I rode by around 1040 or so. All the roads I took in Falls Church City have been treated with at least salt; indeed, the road crew even was kind enough to fling a bit extra into my driveway!

It’s chilly and windy out there, but all in all, not a bad “beat the storm, ride one for Team 6” kind of morning…

[TwoWheelsDC]

The W&OD will almost certainly be uber sketchy through Arlington due to the high foot traffic it got today from families going sledding and what not. Lots of crusty lumps, and you can’t see the trail at all. The Custis was more easily passable because it was basically undisturbed with no ruts or lumps.

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Anonymous]

huh. when i was a kid with a sled, the custis would have been AWESOME.

[DismalScientist]

The trails were a lot harder to deal with than the streets on my ride home. Who knows what lies beneath the powder, but it sure feels lumpy. Judging from my street just having been plowed, hell must have officially frozen over. I expect similar conditions tomorrow.

[Author]

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