[consularrider]

There were still barriers up this morning near Memorial Bridge at 8 am Wednesday. Most of the water is gone, but there was still a 50 +/- stretch of slimy mud that many riders were going through. Others still riding in the grass along side the Parkway.

[consularrider]

The 4 Mile Run Trail under the bridges was dry this morning (Tuesday) with some debris left behind. A county worker arrived as I was going through about 7:40 with a blower, hope he’s clearing the trail.

[consularrider]

The section between Memorial Bridge and the 17 Milepost was still closed this morning (Tuesday at 8 am). The flood waters had mostly receded leaving a thin layer of slimy mud behind, some standing water, and a couple of logs. Some cyclists were riding around the barriers and through the mess while others stayed on the upper route along the Parkway.

[consularrider]

There was lots of debris Sunday afternoon at the far eastern end under the GW Parkway bridge. With this morning’s flooding I didn’t want to take a chance on running into something large that was submerged, and also took the route through Crystal City. As the water receeds, there will be even more junk left behind. I hope it gets cleared away quickly.

The 50 yards or so north of Memorial Bridge on the Mt Vernon Trail was also flooded on Sunday and this morning. From last springs experience, I expect that there will be a ton of mud deposited there. Again, I hope the NPS will clear that quickly for a change.

I was told there was flooding on the MVT yesterday morning at Dangerfield Island, so expect the same today?

Finally, does anyone know the status of Hains Point? It was closed yesterday from flooding and the water was higher this morning.

[consularrider]

I don’t know about this year, but there were police auxiliary bike officers in 2008 and 2009, not in 2010.

[consularrider]

The VeloDCity Meetup group does a Metros and Ferries ride every so often that starts at the Shady Grove Metro and goes to the Dunn Loring Metro. The one time I did the ride it was in the opposite direction on July 13, 2008 and went straight to Georgetown instead of going north to Shady Grove (seehttp://www.meetup.com/bike-133/events/8063699/) . I don’t have the milage for the turning points going all the way to Georgetown or a clean cue sheet. Their June 13, 2010 ride took a slightly different route from Edwards Ferry (http://www.meetup.com/bike-133/events/13389453/). Both of these routes are rolling hills with some good climbs. I believe that both of these are fairly popular cycling routes, but River Rd can have traffic issues.

From Georgetown, either ride out Canal Rd, turn right on Foxhall Rd (uphill), and turn left on MacArthur Blvd;
or ride the Capital Crescent Trail to Fletcher’s Cove, cross the canal, go around the lockhouse and cross Canal Rd going uphill on Reservoir Rd, and turn left on MacArthur Blvd.
Follow MacArthur all the way out to Falls Rd and bear right. Then turn left on River Rd (MD 190) in Potomac. Follow River Rd until it forms a T junction with Seneca Rd (MD 122) and turn left (you’re still on River Rd). Continue until you reach Mt Nebo Rd and turn right. Contine on Mt Nebo, bearing left where it turns into W Offutt Rd. Continue until T junction with Edwards Ferry Rd, turn right. Continue, bearing left on Edwards Ferry at the intersection with Westerly Rd. Continue until the T junction with Whites Ferry Road where you take a left to Whites Ferry.

From Google Maps, it looks like you can turn left at Edwards Ferry and get back to River Rd which has a flater route to Whites Ferry. However, I don’t know what that road surface is like.

[consularrider]

You’re looking at what, about a 45 mile round trip depending on where you start in Ashburn? Which bike are you more comfortable on for that kind of distance? The only real “rough” part of the route is dealing with the bumps along the Custis. I normally use a hybrid bike with a rack trunk for my 25 – 30 mile roundtrip daily commute which takes some of the trails you would use, but this week I’ve been on an old road bike with a seatpost rack. I find I average about one to two mph faster over the distance with my road bike. I would expect you will deal with more “sudden/enexpected stops” issues on your homeward commute in the evenings when the Custis and W&OD gets very busy on nice days. The past two Mondays they were real zoos. Even with that, I think you would rarely need to suddenly unclip as long as you were riding defensively. I have dual sided (platform/spd) pedals on the hybrid and use the platform side more in the winter.

[consularrider]

I’ve done it the past three years, but will miss this year because it conflicts with another ride. I highly recommend it as a good tour of Arlington. It’s a combination of trails and street riding and does have a couple of hills.

[consularrider]

On Four Mile Run or W&OD? There is a large orange tabby that hangs out alongside the trail in the western part of Glencarlyn Park. He’s been there on and off for about a year now and lately it seems lots of the trail users are stopping to socialize.

[consularrider]

I don’t see much point in running that light because you just end up stopping at Courthouse with the light timing. I don’t care where I make my standing start.

There must have been some kind of enhanced enforcement or incident going on in the area. There was a patrol car stopped on the GW Parkway verge between the Aviation Circle overpass and the on ramp/MVT crossing. As I was at that crossing three DC Metro cars (2 K9) passed, did any of them yield to the two of us stopped there, no. Then there was the police boat out on the Potomac and helicopter overhead. It did look like all the GW traffic along that stretch was actually obeying the posted speed limit. Also a Park Police partol pulling up to two cars stopped off the side of the roadway by the crossing just south of Memorial Bridge. Hmmmm.

[consularrider]

From http://www.vdot.virginia.gov/programs/bk-laws.asp

“Passing

Bicyclists may overtake and pass another vehicle only when safe to do so. Bicyclists may pass another vehicle on the right or left, and they may stay in the same lane, change lanes, or ride off the road if necessary for safe passing. Please note that passing motor vehicles on the right side may be extremely dangerous if the motorist does not see the bicyclist and attempts a right turn.

A person riding a bicycle, electric personal assistive mobility device, electric power-assisted bicycle, motorized skateboard or scooter, or moped shall not travel between two lanes of traffic moving in the same direction, except where one lane is a separate turn lane or a mandatory turn lane.

Motorists must approach and pass a bicyclist at a reasonable speed at least two feet to the left of the bicyclist. [bold and underlining added]

Reference: §§46.2-839,46.2-907 ^TOPICS”

[consularrider]

WABA (http://www.waba.org/resources/co-ops.php) lists four bike co-ops in the area that may be an alternative to a bike shop. I’m not real sure how any of these operate.

[consularrider]

There are multiple area cycling groups on Meetup.com.

[consularrider]

Do the brass ones work well in the rain, or do they give the same dul “clunk”?

[consularrider]

I just clicked on the link in the first post and can get to the registration page. Unfortunately, the online registration is not yet active, but you can download a mail-in form. Price is up this year and the route has changed.

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