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C&O Canal towpath was impassable this AM. Can’t recall seeing as many down trees blocking the trail. Started at MP 22 and could not get much past MP 19 before I turned around and bailed out at Pennyfield Lock. One massive tree blocking the trail after another…

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@ursus 178886 wrote:

Now you tell me. :p There is also a tree on the path further in, but that will be easy to remove.

I road today out as far as Seneca when I used roads intending to cross at WF which was closed. So I turned around and went through that mess again. Actually the section which is really a mess is shorter than 4 miles.

On the good and unexpected side, at least to me, there is now a bike lane under the Freeway on Water Street (K Street). They did put both directions on the same side which I don’t really like.

Edit: see https://twitter.com/Bilsko/status/1004845996180897794

Glad to hear that the trail damage is limited. I had to climb over the trees yesterday.

I hope that the new Water Street bike lane makes navigating to the CCT trail head at the end of Water easier. Mornings are fine. Evenings are a free-for-all between pedestrians, cars and bikes.

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@Crickey7 178885 wrote:

I know this doesn’t solve all of the River Road problem (and I feel your pain), but how about peeling off at Persimmon Tree and heading down to Macarthur, then hopping on the CCT at Sangamore?

Thanks for the suggestion. That is actually my route of choice. I get onto River at Esworthy so I have about 5 miles of River before Persimmon. Not as peaceful a ride as the towpath but certainly faster.

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For those venturing up the C&O Canal towpath, I wanted to share that the trail between around milepost 16 and 20 is pretty badly damaged from the river spilling up and over the towpath from the rains earlier this week. I commute down this trail into DC and, unfortunately, it appears to me the trail will need big repairs to restore to pre-storm condition. I do not know the condition beyond mp 20. This is a bummer because my other option is busy River Road.

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I am 50 miles round trip (Darnestown to DC) and I have been doing 2-3 days/week for the past year (much less in winter months when daylight is an issue). Last summer, I was too tired on the weekends for an additional ride. This spring/summer I have been able to add a 40-70 mile ride in on the weekends. I am also averaging 2-3 mph faster average speed a year into bike commuting. It is very rewarding to see the progress in speed and stamina. Even more important, nothing nicer than riding into DC on a cool summer morning just after sunrise….

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@kwarkentien 112081 wrote:

How did you actually put hands on a Diverge? I ordered mine in mid-December and still have yet to receive it. Best estimate for arrival is end of May! I’m pretty frustrated.

I saw one at FreshBikes Arlington last week when I was in there for a bike fit. Very nice bike. I bought a Crux last year, which I love. The Crux and AWOL are my commuter rides. Would have been tempted to go for the Diverge, which has a more Roubaix-ish geometry than the Crux.

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@AFHokie 111306 wrote:

What about a Specialized AWOL, Trek CrossRip or Giant Revolt?

The AWOL starts out at $1350 while both the CrossRip and Revolt starts out right around $1000. While in Papillion Cycles today I believe I saw a 2014 small Revolt 2 for ~$800. The Revolt does not have front braze-on’s so you’d have to get a little creative mounting a front rack, but is set up for fenders.

I picked up a medium (18.5in) Revolt 1 last summer that I’m very happy with. My list was similar to yours, I wanted something more comfortable for longer rides on trails like the C&O or the GAP and I could also easily do light camping with.

I have an AWOL and love it. Highly recommended. The Specialized Diverge looks nice. Not a touring bike but looks like a great bike for riding on C&O towpath.

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@lordofthemark 104778 wrote:

This?

http://www.rei.com/product/838688/gore-bike-wear-phantom-windstopper-soft-shell-convertible-bike-jacket-mens. I should run and get it at $120? I have a light windbreaker – this is for colder conditions – REI says spring and fall. For FS I would layer something else with it?

I have that jacket and it is my favorite cold weather option. I have a Rapha Hard Shell too and think the Gore Phantom is the best for when it gets real cold. True bang for the buck.

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@mstone 103505 wrote:

The time needed is one of the big issues I have with shoe covers. The other problem is that my shoes are sized properly for summer riding, so there just isn’t room for thick socks without cutting off blood flow. If I need bigger shoes for winter anyway, might as well just give in and get the boots.

The other annoyance about the winter is how darn bulky everything is. These days when there’s a good 20 degree delta between morning and evening I end up packing home a wool base layer, in addition to carrying an extra outer layer and heavy gloves just in case of a temperature drop. It’s all literally more than double the volume of the summer bag.

I have several pairs of shoe covers. I break out my GORE Windstopper Soft Shell Thermo Overshoes when it is low 30s and under. I wear them over my regular SIDI road and GIRO Cross/Mtn shoes. They are super easy to put on. I wear them with a pair of RAPHA Deep Winter Socks and I have had not issues with feet getting cold. The socks are not too thick but are nice and warm wool socks. (I am a fan of wool year-round.) Any warmer than low 30s I use a pair of GoreTex Gore shoe covers (the kind with the velcro instead of the zipper like on the Soft Shell covers) and a thinner wool sock. I have a pair of GIRO covers and another (forget brand) but I think the Gore shoe covers are the best I own.

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Another vote for Gore Bike Wear. Heading into my fourth winter of riding after many years off. Buying Windstopper products by Gore was a game changer for me. I threw out all my antiquated cold weather gear and replaced it with Gore Bike Wear cold weather gear.

I have the Gore Phantom Soft-Shell Convertible jacket and use it when it is in the 30s or lower. I noticed they are on sale at REI right now.

I have recently acquired one of their their Windstopper base layer shirts. I have typically used wool as a base layer so it will be interesting to see how they compare.

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I am in my first year commuting by bike. Started in May. The first 5 miles of my 25 mile ride are, with the change of seasons, in the dark and probably the most dangerous segment of the ride (the roads are narrow with no shoulder – Seneca and Estworthy in Darnestown, MD for those who are familiar). I have been using a couple Lezyne Zectos – one on my bike and one on my pack – to be seen. I had not been using a front light while commuting in the early AM until it started getting dark. Do any of you folks who navigate roads as opposed to trails use a front light during the daylight hours for visibility purposes?

I have been experimenting with front lights now that the first 45 minutes or so of my ride is in the dark. I bought a couple lights over the summer on Chainlove that are finally seeing use. I snatched a Lezyne DECA Drive one day last summer off of Chainlove that I am now using to see and be seen during the dark portion of my ride. I have had it set at 400 lumens and it works well. The other light I am using is a Light & Motion TAZ 1200, which I have set at medium (600 lumens) or low (400 lumens). Both do a nice job of helping me see potholes, branches, glass, etc. They also make me feel like oncoming cars will see me. I don’t encounter many riders this time of morning (and when I do they are on the other side of the road as opposed to close to me like they would be on a trail) but am I obnoxiously blinding cars at 400 or 600 lumens? I turn the front lights off when it gets light to save the battery. I also turn off one or both rear lights when I transition from MacArthur Blvd to the CCT, also to save battery life.

As a newbie rider in dark conditions, I hope I am not running afoul of unwritten rules of bike commuting. Let me know if I am.

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My commute is 25 miles each way. Suburban roads, C&O canal towpath and downtown DC. I ride a Specialized CRUX and a Specialized AWOL. I love ’em both. Both great long distance commuters.

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Thanks for all of the replies. Sounds like the benefits of improved control with front panniers may not be enough to offset the hassle factor associated with having to divide the load at the start of the ride and then schlepp two panniers around. I find the easier/simpler it is to get out of the house in the morning the better.

I found riding with a backpack through the summer has not been as uncomfortable as some warned it would be. Perhaps I should stick with that method, though I am eager to play around with racks on one of the bikes in my commuting quiver (Specialized AWOL).

Again, thanks for the feedback. I have found this forum to be a tremendously valuable source of information with a friendly and positive vibe.

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Thanks cvcalhoun. I ended up riding the C&O from Georgetown to Pennyfield Lock home from work Fri evening and it was fine. Just a few puddles here and there.

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I second the recommendation for Giro’s New Road line. I commute 25 miles to work and the shorts and shirts are performance oriented but presentable walking down the hall at the office after the ride in. Excellent quality.

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