I feel like I see a lot of DC area posts, so I figured I'd ask: has anyone tried the various DC area MUPs (in particular Mt Vernon trail from 4 Mile Run to the 14th St Bridge, and the Wilson Bridge and Oxon Hill paths) since the snow?

I'm getting desperate to bike to work again, but it'd be a particular bad day to crash tomorrow, and I don't bike quite often enough in the winter to bother with studded tires. Besides, in a normal winter, it'd have been back to 45 degrees and melted already.

thanks,
NB

Still looks like it's got some pretty icy patches out there.

Sorry, can't help. I'm in Florida right now. 75F and sunny.

Looked left and right on the W&OD trail while crossing on Gallows Rd. last night. Still too much snow and ice in both directions.

I

The Four Mile Run Trail has been a piece of cake during and after the snow. This week, even people without studded tires could have easily ridden it from Monday on. Amazingly, I see very few other cyclists on it.

Paul

I think a good bit of the ice melted yesterday so it should be pretty good for today. Of course, the forecast calls for more snow Sunday.

The Mount Vernon Trail is very rideable right now, almost entirely hazard free. I'm on it daily from the Airport to the 14th St. bridge, the only hazards are the ever-diminishing re-freeze on the bridges, in fact, you can ride in snow free tracks for most of it. I alternate between the clear stuff and the grippier snow that remains. I'm currently riding on CX tires but have seen a few guys out there on road tires. I also passed someone with studs yesterday on the way home, must be reassuring but, a little overkill in my opinion. Also, it looks like the snow they predicted earlier in the week will miss us. Now, if we could just hurry up and get Spring started...

Thanks for the feedback everyone. I opted against, at least partly because I didn't see the more reassuring replies until too late. My loss. With any luck the week between xmas and new years will be a bit meltier.

+1. I ride the MVT from 4MR to the 14th St Bridge as well. Even Monday was doable on my 32mm Vittoria Randonneurs. Took the GRE yesterday, so I didn't go to work. Today conditions were very very rideable. Still lots of ice on the overpasses by the airport, but there is a cleared foot wide path over each bridge where the concrete is exposed. It's pretty warm today so hopefully we'll get a little more melt before the evening commute.

The weekend snow prediction is worrisome to me since I'll be coming home on Sunday from a weekend with family, but even moreso b/c a serious snowfall can really hamper commuting efforts for days or weeks. I hope it ends up being just a dusting at most. I used to love snow and snowstorms, but since the MVT doesn't get plowed, I now officially loathe snow and ice. Now if it happened often enough to justify a set of studded tires, then it might be a different story. Since it doesn't it's just a PITA!

Subscribed for updates.

There was a thread last winter that was active, maybe in the Northeast subforum. Somebody started a Twitter feed, too.

Not much action on this feed unfortunately. Maybe it could use a boost:

https://twitter.com/#!/DCTrails

Heading from Capitol Hill to Pentagon City in a bit; I'll post if there's anything notable on the route.

Meh.. forgot the gift card that I was going to use, so I stayed home and baked cookies for my wife and her coworkers instead.