Trail Conditions — January 2014

[eminva]

This evening, 1/2/14, between 5 and 7 p.m.:

The overpass on the Custis over the Glebe Road exit from I-66 was already getting glassy. Proceed with caution.

The wooden bridges on the W&OD (by the fire stations and Citizens Bridge): snow covered, slick. Proceed with caution.

The bridges over I-66 and I-395 near Dunn Loring were okay. The Idylwood Park hill was slick but passable.

Beyond Gallows, the snow is getting quite deep. The rim brakes got totally caked with snow.

Liz

Topic

[cyclingfool]

@Mikey 75321 wrote:

1-2 feet high snow drifts on MVT near Humpback bridge. 14th street bridge is passable, but there is a 6-12 inch high drift covering much of the center of the pathway. The path down from the 14th to the Jefferson is not good, fun coming down hill with some momentum but not rideable going back up. Had to bail out of the sidewalk around East Basin Drive[…]All-in-all not a bad ride

That was my experience as well around the same time. Worst part of the commute route for sure was coming off the bridge and around the Tidal Basin, where I had to dismount a few times and walk.

It’s on days like this that I wish I had a good route to work that was all on streets. My average speed on this morning’s commute was about half my normal average, but it felt like it took twice the effort to maintain that pace (between the headwind, the snow and ice on the trail, and studded tires). I don’t mind a good workout, but things were a lot easier before I hit the trail.

[ShawnoftheDread]

When I couldn’t see a path from the parking lot by the dog park at Sycamore to get onto the WOD, I opted to take the streets all the way in. Took the lane on Key Bridge, too. I’m not sure which way I’m going home.

[dbb]

I am thinking to do the Crystal City to DC commute in tomorrow via Crystal Drive to Long Bridge Drive to Boundary Channel through the marina to the MVT to 14th St Bridge to minimize my time on the trails. Thoughts?

[DismalScientist]

I think you want something like this instead: https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Crystal+City,+Arlington,+VA&daddr=38.8531287,-77.072782+to:38.8466201,-77.0773887+to:38.8483837,-77.0940699+to:38.870385,-77.0883147+to:38.9032169,-77.0693528+to:38.9050931,-77.0670549+to:38.9051927,-77.0613924+to:38.9051927,-77.0613136+to:38.9052161,-77.0591529+to:38.9029994,-77.0513922+to:38.8962818,-77.0486341+to:Ohio+Dr+SW&hl=en&ll=38.874129,-77.055144&spn=0.058636,0.035148&sll=38.893104,-77.049007&sspn=0.05862,0.035148&geocode=FUvTUAIdv0xo-ymLElI6Kbe3iTH0LdFJJoIKAw%3BFQjaUAIdcvZn-ylzwJwXzLa3iTHPQ2VLUmSzSA%3BFZzAUAIddORn-ym9nkAINbG3iTEb_rmzL9jVRQ%3BFX_HUAIdS6Nn-ymPSwCwU7G3iTGBqLwEcBhfkg%3BFXEdUQIdxrln-ymbkv50vba3iTFhSVP0NcwjwA%3BFbCdUQId2ANo-ylxNLqgRba3iTFQwlFheScGFA%3BFQWlUQId0gxo-ykZ7vSuSLa3iTG7s8b1K-oJrQ%3BFWilUQId8CJo-ynzYNvnS7a3iTGhj7hZXJFoRA%3BFWilUQIdPyNo-ynhT8bpS7a3iTHJP5ytgHWnAQ%3BFYClUQIdsCto-ynHUYahS7a3iTHPZwsLV0aJtw%3BFdecUQIdAEpo-ynXJ1ALtLe3iTHFyYnsZQMZOg%3BFZmCUQIdxlRo-ymJzuY9rre3iTEM9DkpFfHitQ%3BFURDUQIdSXZo-w&oq=Jefferson+mem&dirflg=b&mra=dpe&mrsp=10&sz=15&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11&t=m&z=15&lci=bike

[Subby]

Dirt is right about the bridges. They were particularly ridiculous (I have 700×32 with studs),

The powder is insanely good, but you have to go off MUP to get it. A few times I had a hiccup hitting the lip of the MUP coming out of the powder back on to the trail. The ruts are going to flat out suck tomorrow morning.

[dbb]

@DismalScientist 75371 wrote:

I think you want something like this instead:

That is certainly the long way around the barn

[Mikey]

@dbb 75369 wrote:

I am thinking to do the Crystal City to DC commute in tomorrow via Crystal Drive to Long Bridge Drive to Boundary Channel through the marina to the MVT to 14th St Bridge to minimize my time on the trails. Thoughts?

You are going to run into some fun
n the wooden bridge to LBJ grove, about 6-8 inches of powder, but no ice underneath. Both sides of the humpback and the ramp up to the 14th flat out suck. The 14th street bridge is untreated and has a surprising amount of drifted snow. The sidewalks down from the bridge are not rideable, but some of the paths around the basin were treated today.

[dbb]

I figured the wooden bridge over Boundary Channel might suck, but the suckage would be less than 2.5 miles of uncleared MVT. Will advise tomorrow when I get to work. If no posting by noon, please send dogsled guy with some brandy.

[vilago]

So general consensus on the MVT is that it’s probably a 2/10 on ridability? I usually commute on it, and didn’t the last 2 days for obvious reasons, but trying to restart tomorrow.

[dkel]

@dbb 75381 wrote:

I figured the wooden bridge over Boundary Channel might suck, but the suckage would be less than 2.5 miles of uncleared MVT.

You don’t have to worry until it sucks…and blows. #mindblown

[dasgeh]

@DismalScientist 75371 wrote:

I think you want something like this instead: https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Crystal+City,+Arlington,+VA&daddr=38.8531287,-77.072782+to:38.8466201,-77.0773887+to:38.8483837,-77.0940699+to:38.870385,-77.0883147+to:38.9032169,-77.0693528+to:38.9050931,-77.0670549+to:38.9051927,-77.0613924+to:38.9051927,-77.0613136+to:38.9052161,-77.0591529+to:38.9029994,-77.0513922+to:38.8962818,-77.0486341+to:Ohio+Dr+SW&hl=en&ll=38.874129,-77.055144&spn=0.058636,0.035148&sll=38.893104,-77.049007&sspn=0.05862,0.035148&geocode=FUvTUAIdv0xo-ymLElI6Kbe3iTH0LdFJJoIKAw%3BFQjaUAIdcvZn-ylzwJwXzLa3iTHPQ2VLUmSzSA%3BFZzAUAIddORn-ym9nkAINbG3iTEb_rmzL9jVRQ%3BFX_HUAIdS6Nn-ymPSwCwU7G3iTGBqLwEcBhfkg%3BFXEdUQIdxrln-ymbkv50vba3iTFhSVP0NcwjwA%3BFbCdUQId2ANo-ylxNLqgRba3iTFQwlFheScGFA%3BFQWlUQId0gxo-ykZ7vSuSLa3iTG7s8b1K-oJrQ%3BFWilUQId8CJo-ynzYNvnS7a3iTGhj7hZXJFoRA%3BFWilUQIdPyNo-ynhT8bpS7a3iTHJP5ytgHWnAQ%3BFYClUQIdsCto-ynHUYahS7a3iTHPZwsLV0aJtw%3BFdecUQIdAEpo-ynXJ1ALtLe3iTHFyYnsZQMZOg%3BFZmCUQIdxlRo-ymJzuY9rre3iTEM9DkpFfHitQ%3BFURDUQIdSXZo-w&oq=Jefferson+mem&dirflg=b&mra=dpe&mrsp=10&sz=15&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11&t=m&z=15&lci=bike

You don’t have to go _that_ far out of your way. If you want to get from CC to DC solely on roads, take Southgate onto the base, then go through the Cemetery and on to the Memorial Bridge.

If you prefer Key, take Southgate on to the base, then take McNair Road down to the Wright Gate, which puts you on the south end of Rosslyn.

Bike through the base, people. It’s what it’s there for.

[dbb]

@dbb 75369 wrote:

I am thinking to do the Crystal City to DC commute in tomorrow via Crystal Drive to Long Bridge Drive to Boundary Channel through the marina to the MVT to 14th St Bridge to minimize my time on the trails. Thoughts?

Did it this morning on studded 35s.

Crystal City to the wooden bridge over Boundary Channel was clear and often dry.

Bridge had a center drift 6-8 inches deep and no clear line. I walked. (Camera was having a hard time staying focused however)

Sidewalk on LBJ memorial area was packed and easy riding and marina parking lot was clear.

Ramp up to the Humpback on upstream side was pretty good

I was beginning to think Mikey was wrong until I got to the downstream side.

Path across 14th Street Bridge was pretty good with a clear line. DC roads and sidewalks in good shape except for the curb cuts that were clogged with the plow moguls.

Winds were calm and it was about 14F.

All in all, a fine day for riding.

[Mikey]

[ATTACH=CONFIG]4534[/ATTACH]
Ghost Track Stand

[consularrider]

After riding the MVT yesterday morning, I decided to just take the short commute yesteday evening and this morning. I rode a combination of streets and the Custis Trail both times. Last night I got on the Custis at N Vernon St just west of Washington-Lee HS. The trail has not been plowed or treated, but a motor vehicle had driven on it all the way to the I-66 underpass. At first this gave a nice packed line to follow, but that very quickly became a line of ice. In between the two tire tracks the surface is rough frozen footprints. Not much fun after dark. I decided to skip that this morning and rode a combination of 16th/15th/13th/Key Blvd to Veitch. I did take the Custis downhill from Scott to Oak. At Scott it looked clear, but around the bend it was all ice and there was a berm blocking the Quinn St cut. From Quinn to Oak it was all ice and I took it very slow.

The streets I took ranged from dry and clear to slush to packed snow/ice covered. It looked like there was an effort to clear the bike lane on Patrick Henry over I-66 and on Veitch from Key Blvd to Lee Highway.

[TwoWheelsDC]

This morning was half rage, half laughter for me. I took Fairfax/Clarendon to Veitch and then cut down to the Custis…I knew it would be bad, but I thought I would investigate so I could report back. Oh man…from Scott all the way across TR bridge was an absolute s$#tshow…basically unrideable in any meaningful way. On knobby 700x34s, I was basically riding at walking speed. But of course, all the roads were clear and dry!

@consularrider 75400 wrote:

I did take the Custis downhill from Scott to Oak. At Scott it looked clear, but around the bend it was all ice and there was a berm blocking the Quinn St cut. From Quinn to Oak it was all ice and I took it very slow.

Here are some photos of the areas in question:

And TR bridge:

[Author]

Replies