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The MVT from Tulane to WWB was dusted with snow, but no traction issues or ice.

Jones Point Park Trails clear until North of the bridge then dusting with no traction issues. There is a patch of ice in the spot where water accumulates on the North end of the trail, but you can get around it easily on pavement to the left.

MVT from Pendleton to 14th Street Bridge, dusted with snow, no traction issues or ice. Just after the 14th Street bridge there was a big lump of ice in the middle of the trail that can be gotten around, but it is worth paying attention at this point.

The 14th Street bridge had a dusting, but no traction issues or ice.

The path by Jefferson Memorial is clear.

I am curious if the light dusting will sublimate by tonight, or if the brief flirtation with the freezing point will cause it to melt and re-freeze.

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It was great meeting Wheels&Wings, Ian74, and Vern at the happy hour — here is the group photo we took:
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Looking forward to meeting everyone else and having fun together this Winter. Unfortunately, I homebrew outside, so getting the wort for the beer up to temperature might be a bit of a challenge. I will definitely be happy to drink any beer we may find at watering holes along any group rides, however

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The MVT South of Alexandria to Tulane was pretty much clear with a few spots of that were largely avoidable. The Dyke Marsh bridge is still snow covered, but not slick like many others. I took the alternate route again today through Alexandria, Crystal City, the Pentagon, the 27 Trail, and Memorial Bridge and with the exception of the brief icy section on the 27 Trail, it was wonderful. Got to the Coffee Club a little late, but still had a few minutes to drink hot coffee and say hello. Looking forward to seeing a bunch of you at the Happy Hour tonight.

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Tried the route described here as an alternate to taking the 14th Street Bridge and MVT North of Alexandria and everything went pretty well. The Washington Boulevard path was icy as expected, but not as bad as the MVT by the airport had been and manageable with my studs. The only thing that got me a little concerned was the low bridge railings … don’t want to slip and fall there or it could be a long way down. Motorists were pretty courteous at the crossings, stopping to let me pass. From the Pentagon it was smooth sailing on Boundary Channel, Long Bridge, 12th, Crystal Drive, and Potomac Avenue. The Monroe Avenue Bridge was reasonably clear with some ice, but nothing bad. Alexandria streets were similarly fine, and the MVT South of Alexandria was icy but manageable.

Thanks DismalScientist, your route was much more pleasant last night than dealing with the 14th Street Bridge and MVT in the wind.

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I had a similar problem with my front derailleur on Tuesday, what happened was the cables froze into place where they route under the bottom bracket. Even with fenders, I still get some spray from the front wheel down there. When I got home I brought the bike in to let the ice melt and then gave that area a healthy hit of WD-40 to displace the water and make it less likely to return. Worked for yesterday’s ride.

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@DismalScientist 104112 wrote:

Memorial bridge sidewalks are clear. See this post:
http://bikearlingtonforum.com/showthread.php?7987-January-2015-Trail-Conditions/page10 post #92.

That sounds fantastic, thank you so much.

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The commute started out nicely. I didn’t see anyone else on two wheels until I go to the Airport and only saw a handful of joggers and dog walkers. The solitude was nice. The MVT is still crunchy, but this morning it seems as though it is more rutted than last night. South of Alexandria is alright (and the sections in Alexandria South of the power plant seeem to be plowed), but the section by the airport gave me some slippery moments. The worst parts are the bridges where there is no ice (so my studs do nothing to help) and fish-tailing and a wandering front wheel gave several close calls. The worst by far was the 14th Street Bridge ATL which nearly had me on the ground a few times. I’m still amazed I stayed upright. I envy you Arlington folks with your plowed pathways.

Any thoughts on an alternate? Has anyone gone across the Memorial Bridge today? If so, are the walkways plowed? If not, is it legal to bike on the plowed lanes? Also, is there a good way to get to the Pentagon so I can ride through Crystal City and Alexandria on plowed streets?

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I think I read somewhere that driving in the Bike/Bus lanes can merit a $100 fine. It would be nice if DCPD were to actually enforce that, both for the intended users of that lane and the coffers of the District. I think I’d be more likely to see the 14th Street Bridge Active Transportation Lane plowed first …

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@jrenaut 103857 wrote:

Great, thanks for the update. I’m sure drivers will be respecting the bike/bus only lane this afternoon, right?

I almost spat out my hot chocolate from laughing there. Most people have been quasi-considerate due to the conditions, but I did have an angry motorist in a German luxury vehicle honking his horn and driving aggressively around me (I was in the Bike/Bus lane). Never ceases to amaze me the calculus (or lack thereof) that must go on in the motorist’s head … “to save 30 seconds on my commute, it is acceptable to kill or injure a cyclist” … of course, if he actually did that, the time in court would greatly outweigh 30 seconds, but since he overpaid for a mode of transportation, other road users rights are nullified … :rolleyes:

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7th isn’t bad at all. Took it from the Mall to Mt. Vernon Square this morning and it was mostly clear with some slush here and there.

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@KelOnWheels 103835 wrote:

Then I could get these

I have the 302s (the previous version) and they’re great. In the 20s and below toe warmers are a nice addition for 30+ minute rides, but they do well at keeping you dry and warm. They are also very walkable off the bike, handling muck nicely.

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I had a lot of fun this morning. I put on the studded tires last night and they gave an admirable amount of traction. I slowed everything down and ended up taking almost twice as long as usual, but enjoyed the trip. I have a picture of the beard icicles that formed along the way over on the ride pictures thread. I only lost control once, while making the hairpin turn North of the 14th Street Bridge up the hill and somehow managed to land on my feet.

The only two equipment issues: Speedplay frogs don’t clear ice and snow well, so that was a challenge, and next time I’ll wear my wind pants — snow melted on my quads and then refroze, which got a bit cold. Thankfully the rest of me was warm, so it all worked out. Saw 5 cyclists on the VA side and another one in DC who rode along with me for a while and seemed to have a lot of the same gear that I did. Was nice to have a chat. Saw even more tracks – about 4 South of 4MR, 5-6 South of Crystal City, and many more north of Crystal City. I remember riding in the 00’s and not seeing anyone, nice to see how things have changed.

I am definitely worried about the ice situation tonight, some of the tracks were already getting rutted. Hopefully things don’t get too nasty.

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Took this one underneath the 14th Street Bridge this morning. The icicles held on until I hit the showers at work this morning!

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Tomorrow morning likely won’t be too bad. Snow itself isn’t too tough to deal with, just go slow on turns and wooden trail bridges and give yourself plenty of room to stop. Where it gets bad is if it doesn’t clear. On the trails the snow will compact and form ice where tires and feet have gone. On the bridges, that ice can form ruts that can catch your wheel and make it hard to maintain balance. In past years the 14th Street Bridge has gotten very dicey. I’m probably going to slap on my studs tonight, since I have them, but before I did make that investment I had ridden in bad conditions on multiple occasions. Whether it is foolhardy to do so … that’s your call.

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Great morning with only a few other riders on the MVT. Quiet and pleasant with the coffee club at the end of the ride. A great start to the new year.

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