[slowtriguy]

Tree down on the Custis just east of Kensington, blocking the full width of the trail. Folks were carrying their bikes over it.

Already reported to the Arlington County trail folks.

Happy Riding.

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[slowtriguy]

I rode the W&OD between Grove in Falls Church City and Sunrise Valley Drive in Reston between in the early afternoon today, and though it was cold with occasional sleet, I didn’t encounter any ice even on the bridges. Go grab those BAFS17 points!

Happy riding, folks.

[slowtriguy]

Me: riding southbound in the right side of the left-hand lane on West St. in Falls Church, approaching Broad

You: Driver of a dark SUV, pulling out of the left-hand lane and driving SB in the in the right-hand lane

Me: Going straight legally at the green light to cross Broad

You: Going straight ILLEGALLY at the green light to cross Broad, from a lane clearly marked RIGHT TURN ONLY

Please don’t do that. Call me unreasonable, but I generally dislike nearly getting hit from behind by someone too impatient to stay in the proper lane.

[slowtriguy]

@sjclaeys 147840 wrote:

One simple rule: you must pedal a bicycle.

No love for hand-cranked trikes?

[slowtriguy]

@Drewdane 146950 wrote:

This is unfortunately all too common behavior on the W&OD (and I assume on other paths as well). Heck, at least this person used their bell – I sometimes wonder if I missed a memo announcing a prohibition on calling your passes.

Sadly, after a decade of bike commuting along the W&OD, I can absolutely understand why some other trail users would hate cyclists.

Yeah, after five+ years of daily W&OD commuting, inconsiderate behavior by trail users – riders or pedestrians – usually doesn’t get to me too much. The behavior I vented about in this case was quite something…

Of course, that doesn’t mean I don’t see behavior that puzzles me on a regular basis. I’m just grateful to have the forum to vent to when needed. It keeps my family from having to listen to me rant.

Happy riding, all!

[slowtriguy]

Me: riding home along the W&OD through solid trail traffic

You: not even waiting for me to finish my pass before passing up my left by about 2″. And then passing aggressively the next several riders I could see, including up the middle between folks riding and running in opposite directions with very little to spare — one person had to go off trail to avoid a collision you would’ve caused — and then passing someone well over into the oncoming lane up the blind part of the Brandymore Castle, where you were not visible to oncoming traffic. And topping it off with blatantly running the red light at Washington and the W&OD. Oh, but your rang your bell to call your insane passes, so that makes up for it all.

Sir, you need to slow down before you seriously hurt someone or worse. It is NOT OK to pass up the middle between folks going in opposite directions during a busy rush hour on the trail. It is NOT OK to pass someone who is in the process of passing someone else. It is NOT OK to treat pedestrians and your fellow cyclists like inanimate objects. SLOW THE HELL DOWN.

[slowtriguy]

Me: cruising down the W&OD in Falls Church nearing the Oak Street intersection.
Others: a walker and two joggers coming the other direction on the W&OD

You: Fellow rider coming up from behind to attempt a pass. You called your pass, but it really is not OK to try a pass up the middle between a rider in one direction and others in the other direction; hence my request that you wait until we got clear of the other folks. To your credit, you did so – thanks – but please don’t do passes up the middle.

It is amazing how often folks do this. Please do NOT pass up the middle – the trail isn’t a 3-lane road.

[slowtriguy]

I’m very sorry to hear about your crash, and I hope your recovery goes well.

[slowtriguy]

I rode Snickersville Pike from the intersection with Cobb House Road, just NW of Aldie, to its end at Route 7, near Bluemont, in April. I recall it as a pretty nice stretch in a longer ride.

It was a pretty, rural road with rolling hills and decent pavement in most places, and a few rough spots as I recall.

Most drivers were courteous, except for one driver who tried to pass me on the outside of a blind downhill curve – he stopped when I waved him back strenuously (which was good as a car came around the curve the other direction a few seconds later). Most drivers reacted well to “hold on” and “go ahead” hand signals.

There’s not much out there except in Philomont and Bluemont, where there are general stores.

[slowtriguy]

Grove-Lee Highway (W&OD) to Westmoreland to Van Buren to W&OD to Custis to Twin Sisters then 15th-Quincy-Fairfax-Ballston Metro, 0755-0830:

W&OD is rideable the whole way, with only scattered snowy patches through Falls Church. The worst bit is a crunchy snow patch about 5 meters long, near the shelter between Little Falls and Great Falls, but even that was no big deal.

Mounds of snow at the W&OD crossing of Lee Highway — I ended up turning onto Lee Highway. Not the best placement of snow, blocking BOTH entrances to the trail there.

From there on in, easy riding until the Fairfax chaos: blinking yellow light at Stafford + commute cars – bike lane = let’s choose an alternate.

Happy riding everyone!

[slowtriguy]

@rcannon100 133647 wrote:

Windy. No seriously…. howling!!!

Windy but at least it helps dry out the surface.

Fairfax-Custis-W&OD-Van Buren-Columbia-Maple-Great Falls-West was largely fine except for:

– No bike lanes WB on Fairfax after Taylor. OK if you are comfortable taking the lane, not if you aren’t.
– Short bit of snow on the east end of the Fairfax/Custis connector, no biggie
– There will be ice at the Custis/W&OD junction and the Banneker Park basketball court when the melt refreezes

Happy riding everyone!

[slowtriguy]

I rode West-Park-Maple-Columbia-Van Buren-W&OD-Bluemont-Fairfax about 0730-0800 today on stock CX tires.

Main danger bit — Bluemont climb from W&OD is an ice rink – I crashed on the climb (no major damage, thankfully). Past that, it’s better than most of the W&OD.

Summary of the rest:
– Streets: fine but narrow with occasional icy bits. Take the lane.
– W&OD Van Buren-Custis: fine, with refrozen melt in various spots. Worst spots – (1) just west of Sycamore underpass, (2) next to basketball court in Banneker Park, (3) bridge just east of Brandymore Castle hill, (4) Custis interchange.
– W&OD Custis-Bluemont: mostly crunchy ice and snow with some clear spots. Rideable, but be cautious and especially so at the Wilson underpass
– Bluemont: See above.
– Fairfax: Fine if you’re comfortable taking the lane, but otherwise dodgy. No bike lanes at least until Quincy.

Happy riding, hopefully no sliding!

[slowtriguy]

I rode Ballston Metro->Fairfax->Custis->W&OD->Railroad->streets in Falls Church starting around 1600 today.

Fairfax is narrow, but rideable if you are comfortable taking the lane. The connector from Fairfax to the Custis has about 2 meters of unplowed snow at the base of the Beaver Pond Hill, and the overpass was slick. Custis & W&OD are clear until you get to Van Buren, except for wet patches from melt. Looks like the W&OD has been plowed east of the Custis interchange, but I didn’t ride it.

There’s no clear path from 19th to the main W&OD so you’ll have to portage there.

W&OD is plowed down to ~1″ of slushy, icy snow from Washington Blvd to Railroad. Scattered pavement but mostly slushy, icy snow. I was able to ride it on my CX bike but only because I was too stubborn to be smart. Once it gets cold and things refreeze, I wouldn’t ride it except maybe with good studded tires. The streets are probably a better bet until things melt down a bit more.

Some pictures so you can judge for yourselves:

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End of the plowed bit

[slowtriguy]

Sorry for the late post — I rode from Falls Church to Quincy via roads (Spring-Lincoln-Little Falls-Columbia-Van Buren) and W&OD/Custis to Quincy around 0900. The W&OD was plowed to pavement from Van Buren to the Custis, and the Custis from there to Quincy. City streets in Arlington were the trickiest bit — had to take the lane on Quincy and on Fairfax to the Ballston Metro.

There was a snow blower tractor going down the W&OD eastbound between Spring and Oak when I rode by; what I could see looked plowed down to about 1″ of snow. Past the blower to at least Washington was unplowed, but they were headed that way. W&OD was unplowed to the east of the Custis intersection.

All of the route I took was easily rideable on stock CX tires. Might change if it freezes tonight, of course!

[slowtriguy]

@hozn 133290 wrote:

Am curious if anyone has updates on W&OD in Falls Church and westward. I hear that we should expect it to be partly cleared out to Vienna, which would probably make the trip to Reston doable.

I did a scouting run (literally) today that crossed the W&OD in Falls Church 4x – near Shreve and Fowler, at West, at Great Falls, and at Oak. I also ran between Great Falls and Oak. Nowhere that I saw would be rideable except maybe, maybe with a fat bike. There is a path that runners/hikers have created, but it’s very bumpy packed footprints and only about two footprints wide. Deep snow on either side if you drop off, and the pedal strokes would put one’s feet into the snow too. Here are a couple of pictures that capture what I saw reasonably well.

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At Fowler looking east toward Broad & Citizens Bridge

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At Fowler looking west toward Shreve

I’m happy to say that all major roads I saw (West, Shreve/Haycock, Broad, Lincoln, Great Falls, Park, Oak) would be easily rideable provided one pays attention to the narrowed lanes and snow piles causing greatly reduced visibility at intersections. If it doesn’t get too cold tonight, it won’t be too icy tomorrow.

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