W&OD 2-month Closure for Four Mile Run Stream Repair near N. Madison St.

[Tania]

@bentbike33 187887 wrote:

I’ve been taking a detour on the north side of I-66 using the Custis Spurt. Cross the Custis Spurt bike/ped bridge, right on the trail until it ends at McKinley cul-de-sac, right on 14th, right on 11th, right on Kensington, left on Fairfax, scoot over to Custis. Stop sign at the bottom of the hill for Kennebec is the principal annoyance.
Very little traffic during either rush hour. Adds a couple of climbs and about 0.1 miles compared to the un-detoured trails. No CX skilz required.

Rode this last night and really enjoyed it. There’s a nice hill and for me the section of the W&OD between the normal custis entrance and Brandywine Castle is a real slog so I may make this alternate way my normal route.

[Sunyata]

@Tania 187943 wrote:

Rode this last night and really enjoyed it. There’s a nice hill and for me the section of the W&OD between the normal custis entrance and Brandywine Castle is a real slog so I may make this alternate way my normal route.

I hate that section of the W&OD, especially coming westward on the way home. I may try this detour on the way home tonight and see how it compares.

[Brandon]

@Sunyata 187989 wrote:

I hate that section of the W&OD, especially coming westward on the way home. I may try this detour on the way home tonight and see how it compares.

I tried this one on the way home (westward) on Tuesday. I have mixed thoughts on it. I actually got off the Custis by St. Anne’s and went up to 11th there. I was totally unprepared for the number of steep hills going west on 11th and then up the hill from McKinley up to the pedestrian bridge. The actual signed detour doesn’t really add any hills, it’s just annoying. That said, even though bentbike’s detour had more hills, for some reason it seemed to take less energy out of me than the slog of that gradual hill. I actually felt better going into the Brandywine hill than normal. I’ll probably mix it up between these different ways just on a lark.

[bentbike33]

@Brandon 188001 wrote:

… even though bentbike’s detour had more hills, for some reason it seemed to take less energy out of me than the slog of that gradual hill. I actually felt better going into the Brandywine hill than normal. I’ll probably mix it up between these different ways just on a lark.

Westbound, the bike/ped bridge and ramp give you a nice break before the Brandymore climb. Also, once you get to know the route better you’ll find the bit between Patrick Henry and McKinley is a hoot. I recommend exiting the Custis to Fairfax Dr. right after crossing under Harrison St. (the underpass west of St. Ann’s), then taking Jefferson (the first right off Fairfax) up to 11th. I think that climb is a bit gentler, although the elevation gain is no different.

[Brandon]

@bentbike33 188005 wrote:

Westbound, the bike/ped bridge and ramp give you a nice break before the Brandymore climb. Also, once you get to know the route better you’ll find the bit between Patrick Henry and McKinley is a hoot. I recommend exiting the Custis to Fairfax Dr. right after crossing under Harrison St. (the underpass west of St. Ann’s), then taking Jefferson (the first right off Fairfax) up to 11th. I think that climb is a bit gentler, although the elevation gain is no different.

Thanks, I’ll give that a shot this afternoon. I did find the Patrick Henry to McKinley section to be fun, but it being my first time on the route I wasn’t able to take full advantage of it haha

[Sunyata]

I took a modified version of bentbike’s detour on the way home yesterday and LOVED it. Sure, there was a hill or two, but it was so much more interesting than that awful section of the W&OD between the Custis and Brandymore.

I ended up getting off the Custis at Westover Park and took 11th to 14th to McKinley and up the new(ish?) path to the pedestrian bridge. It was quite lovely.

[DismalScientist]

For all you riffraff using the northern detour, it’s faster just taking 14th Street between Ohio and McKinley and taking path from the corner of Ohio and 14th to the pedestrian bridge. No, that trail is not new, but may have been recently repaved.

[Steve O]

@DismalScientist 188091 wrote:

For all you riffraff using the northern detour, it’s faster just taking 14th Street between Ohio and McKinley and taking path from the corner of Ohio and 14th to the pedestrian bridge. No, that trail is not new, but may have been recently repaved.

Meh. One has to at least slow at Ohio and yield to any cross traffic. Or come to a complete stop if assiduously adhering to traffic laws. The trail is grade separated; no slowing required. I doubt there is any time difference, and the trail is more pleasant. It was completely repaved not long ago, so nice and smooth. And on another point, taking 14th puts one closer to Dismal’s house than taking the trail, FWIW.

[consularrider]

@Steve O 188096 wrote:

Meh. One has to at least slow at Ohio and yield to any cross traffic. Or come to a complete stop if assiduously adhering to traffic laws. The trail is grade separated; no slowing required. I doubt there is any time difference, and the trail is more pleasant. It was completely repaved not long ago, so nice and smooth. And on another point, taking 14th puts one closer to Dismal’s house than taking the trail, FWIW.

And it’s fun in the Fall when the walnuts are dropping.

[Steve O]

For those of you taking bentbike’s route, you should note that it takes you within just two blocks or so of Siber Hobbes current location

[pmf]

I was riding home last night (6/13) turning west on the W&OD. I noticed several bike tracks next to the orange barrier wall and some of the plastic material pushed onto the ground. It’s 6:00, so I figure all the construction guys are gone, so I’m going to try skirting the detour and going on the trail. The trail is intact, but there’s two more barriers — so it involves getting on and off the bike a total of four times. I concluded that the detour is still the best bet. They’re making some progress lining the creek with big limestone rocks, but it looks like there’s a way to go. Its been 3 or 4 weeks? Guess there’s no hurry

[accordioneur]

@pmf 188739 wrote:

I was riding home last night (6/13) turning west on the W&OD. I noticed several bike tracks next to the orange barrier wall and some of the plastic material pushed onto the ground. It’s 6:00, so I figure all the construction guys are gone, so I’m going to try skirting the detour and going on the trail. The trail is intact, but there’s two more barriers — so it involves getting on and off the bike a total of four times. I concluded that the detour is still the best bet. They’re making some progress lining the creek with big limestone rocks, but it looks like there’s a way to go. Its been 3 or 4 weeks? Guess there’s no hurry

Last night as I was coming up the W&OD detour a little before 6 PM I saw a cyclist with the cojones to push around the construction barrier and keep riding west on the trail. Might have been you …

[pmf]

@accordioneur 188752 wrote:

Last night as I was coming up the W&OD detour a little before 6 PM I saw a cyclist with the cojones to push around the construction barrier and keep riding west on the trail. Might have been you …

I was riding home from work with my wife. When I got through all but the last barrier, I looked back and saw another guy behind me doing the same thing. Judging from all the tire marks in the mud before the first barrier, its hardly an original or daring idea.

I suppose it could be worse. My all time favorite was the parking lot replacement by Roosevelt Island. The bike path became a dirt path that someone had the bright idea of covering with six inches of shredded mulch. The ramp replacement on the 14-th street bridge is a close second.

[mstone]

@pmf 188780 wrote:

The bike path became a dirt path that someone had the bright idea of covering with six inches of shredded mulch.

The mulch really sucks to ride over, but is intended to minimize damage to the underlying surface.

[Steve O]

@accordioneur 188752 wrote:

Last night as I was coming up the W&OD detour a little before 6 PM I saw a cyclist with the cojones to push around the construction barrier and keep riding west on the trail. Might have been you …

It wasn’t me, because I went through a day earlier.

[Author]

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