Overwhelmed by Snow

[Cosmoline]

Anchorage has beaten me. Starting last week I gave up the bike. The record amounts of snow had led to a backlog on plowing and the muni stopped removing any snow or clearing the sidewalks. The result was three to five feet of greasy snow piled up on all sidewalks and no shoulders at all on any roads. The side roads are OK, but at key pinch points it's impossible to get across down without converging with a major road. Without a shoulder and with 45 MPH traffic on black ice, that's suicide not to mention illegal. I slogged through for awhile but the effort was so immense I ultimately gave it up. Thankfully the weather has now warmed and if it stays above freezing for awhile that will turn some of this into ice. I never thought I'd be hoping for ice!

[CrosseyedCrickt]

pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics pics

did I mention pics??

[cerewa]

I used to ride on Northern Lights Blvd in Anchorage when the snow-plowing was backlogged. In good winter weather, traffic goes 50mph there. When it's really snowing, traffic usually can't get above 30mph to begin with. When it stopped and the roads turned to ice but there was snow on the shoulder, I'd ride in the right tire track of the right lane. It was obvious that I couldn't be passed without a lane change, so people just changed lanes. Your mileage may vary-- every road is different.

As best I know it, Anchorage law doesn't require cyclists to stay off major non-freeway roads unless there is a usable multi use path as an alternative.

[remsav]

Yeah you need to take the lane, most drivers will give you plenty of room with few exceptions. Although those few exceptions could turn deadly with the road conditions. I get buzzed by about 1 in 200 drivers walking on a residential road when the sidewalk is inundated with snow. I still see plenty of bikers on the MUP, although it's like riding on sand after a good snowfall till it gets groomed by muni and then stomped by ski/foot/wheels.

[Eatadonut]

Yeah you need to take the lane, most drivers will give you plenty of room with few exceptions. Although those few exceptions could turn deadly with the road conditions. I get buzzed by about 1 in 200 drivers walking on a residential road when the sidewalk is inundated with snow. I still see plenty of bikers on the MUP, although it's like riding on sand after a good snowfall till it gets groomed by muni and then stomped by ski/foot/wheels.

You have an awful lot of faith in drivers. They will certainly give me more room when it's icy, but it only took one guy sliding through a stop sign because he hit an ice patch and almost hitting me for me to give up riding until the roads cleared.

[Cosmoline]

The problem is getting from midtown to downtown. There are only a few roads that go through the park strip, and most of them either ban bikes (Like Minnesota Blvd) or have sidewalks that get choked with snow. You'd have to be insane to take the lane on Minn. or C. Artic is my main optional route when the LBT gets completely bogged down, but it's out of my way.

Anyway, the ice gods answered my prayers and it's been smooth sailing all week.

Here's an example of the kind of thing that I've found blocking my path, and this was back in December when things were still pretty good:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b52/Gussick/trip5.jpg