CCT Conditions

[Astorian]

Is the CCT still snow covered? Ski-able? Commutable?

[Baird Webel]

As far as I know, Montgomery County never plows the CCT. With this much snow and the temps that are forecast, I'd expect it to be weeks until the trail is actually clear. I doubt it will be even passable by bike for quite a while. I'm out of town shortly until Jan 9 and hope it will be rideable then, but it won't surprise me if it isn't. It will depend a lot on the weather.

If the park service plows the trail as they have in the past, then the DC side should be in good shape whenever this happens. Given the quantity of snow, I'd expect it to be a few days before they get around to it.

If any Mont Co residents want to contact their council members about the lack of plowing, I'd encourage it.

The Coalition for CCT obviously won't do anything about it because it is bicyclists who would care. I kind of got a chuckle out of their year end plea for money this year given the attitude of their leadership.

Baird
__________________________
Baird Webel
Washington DC

On Dec 20, 2009, at 7:47 PM, Astorian wrote:

> Is the CCT still snow covered? Ski-able? Commutable?
>

> --
> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MABRA-USCF" group.
> To post to this group, send email to mabra...@googlegroups.com
> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to mabra-uscf-...@googlegroups.com
> For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/mabra-uscf?hl=en
> For general MABRA information, go to http://www.mabra.org

[Garner Woodall]

It seems like this is something that comes up every winter, but unless I've missed it, I've never heard WABA touch this issue. Is everything having to do with the CCT left to the Coalition for Couldn't Care a Tat, despite the obvious cycling equities involved? Is there a reason WABA seems so hands-off here? http://www.cctrail.org/CCCTsurvey.htm G. --- On Sun, 12/20/09, Baird Webel <bjw...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Christine Wehlburg]

Wow! Lots of bah-humbug here. Looks like WABA did provide volunteers for the survey. Not being able to use these trails for bike commuting must be very frustrating but hating on organizations like WABA and CCT coalition isn't really effective.

I know! Let's make all our kids do the shoveling! Mine haven't stopped rubbing it in about their newly expanded holiday vacation. Little maggots. :-) 

~christine

[Garner Woodall]

Actually, if you read the survey, you'll see that "The Washington Area Bicyclists Association, the Potomac Pedalers Touring Club, and several neighborhood groups joined in spreading the call for volunteers." CCT Coalition organized that survey. WABA's roll doesn't seem to go beyond spreading the call, which is not the same as providing volunteers. I was one of those volunteers for the survey, which for my part I did by sitting for a few shifts on the CCT near Grubb road and counting users. Having since tried to dialogue with the CCT Coalition - you know, the ones that brought us unilateral 15MPH signs on the CCT without any input from cyclists (another issue which seemed to catch WABA by surprise) - I found, like many others, that it is an organization dominated by walkers. They are not really concerned with the needs of cyclists. Having accepted that the Coalition is unlikely to change in the near future, it seems WABA's roll is more crucial. My original point was that the premiere bicycling association in DC should be more involved in activities surrounding what is probably the most highly used bicycling route in DC besides "spreading the call" But thank you for helping me emphasis the point. G. --- On Mon, 12/21/09, Christine Wehlburg <velo...@gmail.com> wrote:

[Christine Wehlburg]

No. Thank you for letting me help you get back on point rather than toss stink bombs. However, some of your points still don't make sense to me yet.

Why is shoveling the trail more important to cyclists than walkers?

If CCT coalition membership is primarily walkers, hence the emphasis on the interests of their constituents, why is that wrong?

If you think WABA doesn't serve the cyclists and CCT coalition can actually do something about the trail being plowed, why aren't you calling on cyclists to join the CCT coalition? 

~christine

[Baird Webel]

Christine,

it isn't like the CCT doesn't have cyclist members, I have been one in the past.  But I've seen little evidence that the leadership of the CCT listens to cyclist members.  Joining the CCT involves giving them money.  Do you really want to give money to an organization that has shown it disregards your opinion in the hope that it will change?  I'd rather give to WABA personally.

It is a lot easier to walk on a snow covered trail than to ride on one.

I think cyclists contacting the county directly would probably be more effective.  

http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/mcgtmpl.asp?url=/content/mcginfo/siteFiles/contact.asp

As one who has worked in government, actual paper letters are generally more effective than email, but email is better than nothing.

Baird

__________________________

Baird Webel

Washington DC

[Baird Webel]

I walked the section from River Rd to Bethesda today. This would be the most used section in general. Pretty much what you would expect from 18 inches of snow with people walking over it. It did have a path worn down where most people walked, looked fairly regular in width, so it wouldn't surprise me if somebody pulled a kid in a flat bottomed sled down it at some point. You probably could ride this path with the right equipment, I'm thinking a studded tire like the Nokians and something with a decent suspension, because the packed snow/ice is very uneven and would be bumpy at speed.

I don't know how a really wide MTB tire would ride on the relatively non-packed areas as I've always ridden a cross bike through snow. A cross bike might have been fine early on when the snow was still dry since the relatively narrow tire would cut through the snow. I've gone through snow about up to the bottom bracket like this. By now with a couple of day/night cycles, it would probably be like riding in sand with a narrow tire. Something really wide might be ok floating on top of the unpacked sections of snow, but it wouldn't be easy.

Given how wet the roads are with salt spray, you'd want fenders on whatever you're riding as well.

Still would be good skiing, I expect.

Baird
__________________________
Baird Webel
Washington DC

On Dec 20, 2009, at 7:47 PM, Astorian wrote:

> Is the CCT still snow covered? Ski-able? Commutable?
>