[DrP]

As of Sunday morning, there were multiple trees down on the Custis between Quincy (just east of W-L High School) and the top of the Rosslyn Hill (about 21st and where MOM’s is). No idea of the state today. If anyone has updates, that would be great.

There was also a tree down at the other end of the Custis, between I-66 and where the trail runs into the W&OD. That has been cleared enough to be passable as of this morning.

[DrP]

Goslings!
Be aware that the cute little ones are out and about and protective parents may hiss and run at you.

[DrP]

@arlcxrider 225634 wrote:

Extremely short-lived, apparently. Back to normal operations (clockwise) last evening.

I did not go down there to experience the insanity over the weekend. NPS seems to making it up as they go along this year.

I hope there is some after-action reckoning, in light of Sunday’s debacle. The environs need to be completely closed to motorized traffic, with perhaps an exemption for disability placards. There needs to be no expectation that one can drive and find parking. Free shuttle buses should be provided to multiple Metro stations–Smithsonian was completely overwhelmed.

I hope there is an after-action/lessons learned or the like. It was a COMPLETE mess Sunday morning – I was not expecting it at all. I biked down early Sunday morning to see the trees like I do every year and expected to do a couple of laps. It took an hour to get through one and out of there. People were trying to enter by car the way they normally would (wharf side) and were turned around and there was no planning, it seems, by park police. They could have closed off a lane for bikes and peds, but instead all had to weave through traffic, which was not always possible or safe.

[DrP]

DrP has also reported this item.

Reason:

Quote:

This appears to be someone pushing the sale of a leather jacket. Note another post from the same person asking if a leather jacket is appropriate to wear for biking.

[DrP]

@Starduster 223640 wrote:

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Horrible “ramp” cannot remain like this. Especially since this temporary detour will exist until 2015. Here is the latest info on this project from Arlington County: https://www.arlingtonva.us/Government/Projects/Project-Types/Transportation-Projects/Columbia-Pike-Segment-A

And from FHWA: https://highways.dot.gov/federal-lands/projects/va/st-anc-1

It has gotten worse. They now have barrels and tape to make you use the ramp, then go up to the other sidewalk, use an even worse transfer to blacktop to get back over to the closed area and end up back on the road just before the entrance to Henderson Hall (yes, one could go around them, but I have been trying out what they have put in place. And the “around” isn’t much better). There is little signage about this heading up from Joyce and NONE coming from Orme.

The detour on Joyce is pretty reasonable – the sidewalk from Army Navy is wide, the new paved area is wide and smooth, then when it get to the pike, it craps out (narrow sidewalk, curbcut is crap, crossing is crap, getting to the Southgate “trail” is crap, all the wall up to Orme). This will not be good for a year. I do fear for flats – I have had four in a two month period travelling on Arlington roads and trails, mostly due to construction areas (although broken glass, especially near the ABC store on Quincy might have contributed to one case).

[DrP]

@arlrider 220843 wrote:

But to expound on the point the OP mentioned in passing…why should one be opposed to this if they are in favor of “e bikes” (aka quiet motorcycles)? The argument is really a noise and smell-based one, not a safety one? This bike and the “e bikes” both get up to speeds unattainable by most human riders on trails, all while carrying so much mass as to be extremely dangerous in a collision. The only difference is that these 2-stroke motorcycles that people are clutching their pearls about burn fossils on-site, whereas the “e-bikes” that all of our “advocates” love sooooo much have the burning done by Dominion. Can’t help but feel the hypocrisy here – I wish we could have just kept the rule of NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES on trails and been done with it. Humbug!!!!

I am not in favor of e-bikes on trails or bike lanes. Whenever they pass me, I say “cheater!” I can kind of handle it for the cargo bikes (they get a less emphatic “cheater.”). I am very NOT in favor of anything that does not require any pedaling (or gravity on a down hill) to accelerate or even keep speed. The 2-stroke engine is exactly that as are several other “e-bikes” that do not require pedaling (easy to spot as they do not pedal going up steep hills). I dislike the motorized scooters, skateboards, and “unicycles” (there are no pedals on those at all) too – because they generally go quite fast, often do not look out for others on the trail (there are exceptions, but most I have seen just plow through without warning anyone). I admit that the noise and exhaust make the 2-stroke bike really heinous (I am trying to enjoy a bit of nature too, but this does not allow that) (do not get me started on gas leaf blowers, gas mowers, and other such equipment) and obviously does not belong, but I am not a fan of any of them. If these can all go at 25-30mph or faster, then they should be on roads in lanes. So, no hypocrisy from the OP. Lots of Humbug and fist shaking and “get off my lawn,” however.

[DrP]

S Joyce street between Army-Navy Drive and Columbia Pike has been re-routed (temporarily, I presume) as part of the Columbia Pike construction. For cars there is one lane in each direction in what were the two northbound lanes (i.e., from Army-Navy Dr to Columbia Pike) plus a new area where it crosses where the sidewalk was. There is a wide, paved trail to the side for pedestrians and cyclists where they moved the road over what was the sidewalk.
There is an issue at the Columbia Pike end in that the curb cut is far over onto Columbia Pike, the Joyce drivers cannot see you and trying to get a walk signal takes forever (I always took the sidewalk on the other side of Joyce to avoid this corner – it is horrible).

Is there a way to, at least, get the walk signal to automatically turn (i.e., without pushing the button) so there is some hope of crossing and not being killed?

[DrP]

I rode through Rock Creek Park from the MD line to Memorial Bridge yesterday. For the first time in years there were no detours or the like along any of that route! By the mil the trail is complete and pleasant too (no need to go through the tiny parking lot at the north end). The new zoo trail is very nice with no feelings of potentially falling into the creek, and the bridge is wonderful. The tunnel through the Roosevelt bridge was nice too.

[DrP]

@DrP 220159 wrote:

It was still there Tuesday morning.

As of Thursday morning commute (10/6) it is sort of clear. Southbound lane is clear aside from minor leaf litter – tree is gone. Northbound lane is full of vines and not clear that there isn’t part of a tree under there. Those heading north need to go in the other lane to get by.

[DrP]

@Henry 220158 wrote:

Anyone know if this branch was cleared from the MVT from last week?

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It was still there Tuesday morning.

[DrP]

@consularrider 219749 wrote:

Wasn’t there at 4:30 Friday. Not much going on at the Kensington crossing. The west-side caution tapes at all three barriers between Kensington and Jefferson had been broken.

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So the tool to tell the county about trees works. (or someone called it in)

[DrP]

@Henry 219745 wrote:

Any flooding, trail or bridge wash outs after last night’s storms?

Henry

Yes! A large tree fell across the Bluemont trail between the entrance from 5th St N (i.e., where you now have to enter/exit due to the construction) and W&OD. It is a “double” tree and definitely too high for me to go over. One can crouch to go under. I had to turn my bike flat and carefully slide it under (luckily it was a bike trunk rather than paniers morning – the paniers probably would have had to come off).

If limbo isn’t your thing, and you are going from Wilson to W&OD on Bluemont, I recommend turning down Kensington (workmen appear to be allowing cars through one at a time) and entering from Carlyn Springs Rd.

[DrP]

@consularrider 219704 wrote:

Local trying to be helpful??

Those were the signs that were being installed Monday morning by whomever was doing the installation of the signs. Ball point pen and all.

[DrP]

@arlcxrider 219052 wrote:

In front of the Econolodge, where the trail used to cross the former Lee Hwy. at grade. Google street view from 2009.

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Well done! I knew it had to be something that changed and along a long trail (the number was too high on the marker for most trails).

[DrP]

@Henry 219044 wrote:

We have a shot from our photo archives that we can’t ID the exact location. Lot’s of clues (the hedge, the guardrail, the centerline, the marker, the blue house, the shelter).

Anyone know?

Another clue might be when since you claim it is from the archives and house colors change as do shrubbery, tree cover, etc. So, when was the photo?

[Author]

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