[mikoglaces]

@jabberwocky 77538 wrote:

I’d guess that much of the gravel roads out there are on borrowed time, since Loudoun is one of the fastest growing counties in america

Guess we will see.

Fortunately for gravel grinders, the article notes that many people want to keep the roads unpaved.

[mikoglaces]

@Dirt 75748 wrote:

Custis is the same way. Take it slowly and you’ll be fine. There is some glare ice in a bunch of places, but I rode it with slick tires and didn’t have any problems. I just rolled across the glare ice.

Thanks to all the reports. I took a long route in on roads on studded tires (from Dunn Loring to Williamsburg to Glebe to Military Road etc.) and am anxious to get back on the trail (Custis and W&OD) and I’ll try that tonight.

Anyone know about the TR bridge? Maybe I’ll just take Key bridge.

[mikoglaces]

I wore an alpaca sweater between my winter cycling jacket and my cycling layers – a first. So same stuff I wore to work last Friday at 17 degrees F + the sweater. I was a tad warm and so eased back a bit so as not to overheat. I put packing tape over the top holes of my helmet. I added smartwool liners to my gloves, which are old and ripped up, and used chemical hand warmers for first time ever. Used chemical foot warmers for first time ever. Wore my old lake winter boots with toe covers on them. Wore my new Amfib tights. I was warm all the way (12 miles) at 730-830 a.m., including fingers and toes. In fact, my hands and feet were warmer than they are now as i type in my office.

[mikoglaces]

@jabberwocky 72620 wrote:

Yeah, studs are slooooooow. When I commuted on the W&OD, I had this mental calculus I’d do every morning, where I’d try and judge how much ice and snow was left and decide if it made sense to run the studs and be able to ride everything, or run the road tires and walk the sections that still had ice. It was often faster to just walk the ice simply because the studs added several minutes to the commute over road tires. So slow. But awesome on ice. The occasional stealth-drafting roadie following you onto ice he didn’t see was worth the price of admission when it happened.

They are slow, but I ride them even if there’s a little bit of ice on the WOD because it’s just safer. I have had guys on skinny tires ride with me through stuff i wouldn’t dare ride on without studs and have seen some go down.

[mikoglaces]

If you use google, you’ll find lots of advice on doing a century. Here’s one, for example, that is pretty good: http://www.blayleys.com/articles/firstcentury/

There are lots of centuries in the area. Most are in August, September or October. I’d say start riding longer rides on weekends. Gradually work up to 60-70 mile rides, then do an 80 miler or so a week or two ahead of the century. (You can do less but the issue is do you want the century to be incredibly difficult or just let’s say challenging.) Longer rides are more fun if you are with a group, and they are easier too. You could join a local club, like Potomac Pedalers, or find rides through social media.

[mikoglaces]

@PotomacCyclist 72042 wrote:

“One Got Fat” (1963)
Narration: Edward Everett Horton

[video=youtube;VZzQDhYE2c0]
I think BikeArlington has much better videos.

No, this one takes the cake. Very entertaining.

[mikoglaces]

@dkel 71691 wrote:

Speaking of which, my wife and my mother are both terrified I’ll actually get those tires and ride in extreme conditions like this week (being a performing musician, I probably shouldn’t break a wrist, for example); so, how much better is it with studs? Night and day different?

I have been riding studded tires (35 C Nokian Hakkapelittas) for maybe 10 years, and they are great. Today I rode on the WOD from Falls Church to Columbia Pike, no problem. Most of the trail is clear, but there are spots where I definitely couldn’t ride without the studs. I didn’t get the studded tires to ride crazily, but for increased safety on marginal days, and to enable me to be able to ride on days when it wouldn’t be possible without them. I say go for it. But still be careful, and ride within your limits. I have never fallen while riding with them. I did fall in wintery conditions before I got them.

[mikoglaces]

@Jason B 71709 wrote:

Yea, only the wood bridges had ice. I’m riding my cross with 25’s, so it is easily done.
Thought they were 32’s but checked again and only skinny 25’s, so just walk the little bridge or do the one foot slide like I did.

Yup, I did this just this morning. Rode the entire way with 35 C studded tires no problem. Actually rode the WOD from West St. But west of that the WOD is bad.

[mikoglaces]

@ebubar 71662 wrote:

Humbug. Any suggestions for alternate routes from Key Bridge to get over to Marymount University from the assembled riders? My usual route has been to cross Key Bridge and take the Custis to around Lorcom/Old Dominion and then bail to the sidewalk to get to North Glebe. Since I don’t live in the area, I know next to NOTHING about the roads around there. I’ll plan to leave early (7 AM for a noon exam) so i’ll have plenty of time to explore a new/safe route.

It’s a straight shot up Lee Hwy. I hardly ever do it due to traffic, but last night was one of those rare times I have and the traffic was far less bad than I remembered. You could also ride Lee to Spout Run, then left on Lorcom Lane, and take that to Lee Hwy. Right on Lee just a bit and then right on Old Dominion.

[mikoglaces]

@Jason B 71656 wrote:

Just rode it and it was fine. There is ice on the wood bridges on the WOD past Columbia, but not enough to deter you from riding.

Did you (or anyone) ride the WOD from Custis to Columbia Pike and how is it?

[mikoglaces]

@Fast Friendly Guy 71583 wrote:

W&OD from E Falls Ch to Shirlington patches of smooth ice and sections of frozen slush deeply grooved with tire tracks and footprints, mostly on bridges and concrete surfaces. Smooth ice not too much a problem if not at a curve or a turn, but frozen slush was bumpy, made for an unstable ride, and caused me and another rider to lose it once or twice.

Dave

Thanks for this report. I have to meet people for breakfast early tomorrow and will be riding from Dunn Loring to Bob + Edith’s on Columbia Pike. I usually take the WOD but may ride the roads (Wash Blvd to Clarendon and cut over to Filmore). I have 35 C studded tires but while they are great on smooth ice what worries me is the bumpy stuff. Especially in the dark.

[mikoglaces]

@Geoff 71378 wrote:

Call me a wimp but a day like this takes all the joy out of the ride. I took Metro.

Those of you who use studs, what do you do, keep a second set of wheels? Or do you actually change the tires when you need studs?

I usually ride a road bike. I have a cross bike I mount studs on (just mounted them last night) and have that available in the winter. On a day like today, or if the forecast calls for precipitation and below freezing temps, I ride the cross bike. Otherwise I ride the road bike. Seems like a great expense, but the studs give me peace of mind on a day like today when you could ride on roads with regular tires by you might regret it. They also allow me to ride on those days (few last year, but more some years) when you just can’t ride without them.

[mikoglaces]

@Dirt 71269 wrote:

Hi Henry. That’s called Lane Splitting. In DC it is legal. I don’t know about Virginia and Maryland. I generally don’t do it in any of the jurisdictions. That’s me though. I tend to sit in a line of cars unless it is a very wide lane and I can ride to the front of the line with 2 feet to spare.

Edit: From VDOT’s web site: “Bicyclists must not ride between two lanes of traffic moving in the same direction unless one lane is a separate or mandatory turn lane.”

I thought I was the only guy who waited in a line of cars. Going through Georgetown in the morning I pretty much take the middle lane and ride like a car and wait in traffic and watch as cyclists pass me on the right (often only to get held up further on, though not always). I have stopped riding through Georgetown at night, preferring the Teddy Roosevelt Bridge, but when I do ride through Georgetown at night I don’t split lanes, at least not when they are moving. I think it’s very dangerous. I will sometimes split lanes when they aren’t moving but even then they are going to start moving at some point so I am conservative about it but I have to admit that I do it when Georgetown traffic is not moving.

One of my favorite folk songs involves a driver who exercises his second amendment rights when a motorcyclist splits the lane. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCnir5KlXEw Don’t want that to happen to me.

[mikoglaces]

I have to admit that I don’t always stop at a light. But I usually do. Not only is it the law, and not only is it safe, but it’s more relaxing. I have peace of mind.

[mikoglaces]

@jnva 70592 wrote:

I’ve had way more bad interactions with people than dogs on the trail. Most people are nice, though.

Me too. But then again, there are more people than dogs on the trail, and also no person ever bit me. I think the point of the post was not who’s nicer, but that the dogsled guy’s dogs bite, so watch out.

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