seanile

Hey there, i'll be movin down to Arlington, VA on 1/4 and will live right off the 4-mile run trail. I'd like to be able to bike commute more than drive and I'll be working in Tysons Corner, as well as playing rugby in northern DC.
So i'm curious about the conditions of the trails?

I'm from Boston so I'm not unfamiliar with ridin around in the snowy/slushy/semi-plowed streets, but being that it doesnt snow as often in NOVA i'd imagine there's more ice than i'm used to.

Can anyone weigh in with some wisdom?


(i'll be cross-posting this in the winter and commuting threads)

JCFlack

These trails are asphalt - just as rideable in winter as summer - though the wind off the Potomac on the MV can be brutal. Up until now, neither trail has been plowed when it snows, but we don't get a lot of snow, and when we do, it usually melts after a few days. Ice can be a problem, especially on the bridges. Some of the wood plank bridges can be slippery when wet too, - my one wipe-out on the MV was because of a wet bridge in mid-summer. I just read a story that the Northern Virginia Regional Park authority, which owns and operates the W&OD, has purchased a plow for the trail, and plans to use it.

mantadiver

It really depends. Our winter weather can really vary. A couple of winters ago we were socked by many large snowstorms and the paths were not cleared at all, or they were only cleared in some sections. I have seen some winters were I was able to commute most days and some where I put the bike away for most of the winter. Ice can be a real problem also. Sometimes it will warm up during the day and refreeze again at night. So if you commute early in the AM, you have to be real careful. I just read a post on a local board that said a snow plow was purchased to clear the trails, but we will see. Here is the post and it may be a good board for you to read to familiarize yourself with biking in the area:
https://bikearlingtonforum.com/showth...OD-gets-plowed!!

seanile

thanks guys, the ice is honestly what's worrying me the most. snow, not a problem, but the ice can sneak up on ya out of nowhere. im considering studs, just gotta figure out which bike they'd fit on haha.
thanks for the link mantadiver, someone on the thread posted a response from the organization saying it wouldnt be a widespread effort, more of a general, localized effort only when the snow exceeds 6".

skadoosh

Mt vernon trail is not bad. But be careful of the bridges. I have seen some crazy wrecks on them.

cc_rider

Yep. Around here ice is the problem. For much of the winter we hover around 32 degrees. Snow and ice thaws during the day and re-freezes at night. And I've never seen the W&OD cleared except by melting.
Be careful out there.