Spring...who's riding this weekend?

So, the weather forecast looks great this weekend. I'm trying to decide where to ride on Sunday afternoon. This will be my first ride of the year and only my second time on the bike since last fall (I did a spinning tape on Wednesday) so I'm looking for something easy and fun.

I hear the WOD is clear of snow but I figure it will be too crowded here in Arlington. I'm thinking maybe I'll head out to Reston and either head west on the trail or do a 20-ish mile road ride south of the town center. Decisions, decisions...

NY --- I've heard mixed things about trail conditions in Vienna, I think the area west of 123 (as of yesterday). Hopefully, things are clear now.

I, too, am contemplating a ride. If the temps are well above freezing, perhaps early Sunday morning (don't want to risk a black ice wipeout). Going to have to navigate the new potholes/rough road in the neighborhood to get to the Custis, too.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ny biker

So, the weather forecast looks great this weekend. I'm trying to decide where to ride on Sunday afternoon. This will be my first ride of the year and only my second time on the bike since last fall (I did a spinning tape on Wednesday) so I'm looking for something easy and fun.

I hear the WOD is clear of snow but I figure it will be too crowded here in Arlington. I'm thinking maybe I'll head out to Reston and either head west on the trail or do a 20-ish mile road ride south of the town center. Decisions, decisions...

---

NY Biker, I plan on riding from Reston to Leesburg today on the W&OD (maybe further), in any case, I'll let you know how the trail is in that direction.

I've been trying to piece together trail conditions from different sources over the past couple of days, and it sounds like the problem areas have been plowed. I'm hearing that the trail is now clear in Vienna. I know someone who reported dry trail all the way from Church Rd to Virginia Lane yesterday.

I think the section on the hill on Virginia Lane (just inside the Beltway) is still blocked because they plowed snow onto it, but you can ride on the road for that section.

I was at The Bike Lane in Reston on Thursday and they said they had heard the trail was clear all the way from there to Purcellville.

I don't even want to think about the Custis Trail right now. I know a guy who lives right next to it, and he takes his son for rides there in a trailer. It must be so bumpy for that little boy.

i heard the Custis has been clear for awhile (plows and shovel brigades). It's my way down to the W&OD--I get on it by W&L High School. In the fall, the pavement was pretty good the entire way west to the W&OD---I hope the snow/ice hasn't done on a number on the surface.

I went for a ride today with some people from my tri club. I fell behind before we had even gone a mile. There was no way I could hang with them and they left me in the dust. I did only 20 of the planned 32 miles. It wasn't any fun at all.

My legs have felt terrible for several months now, always tight, no spring.

I find it's best for me to crosstrain in the winter -- stepmill at the gym, treadmill, hilly walks outside when the weather isn't too cold. So my first bike rides of the year are always tough. I'll be happy if I do 25 miles tomorrow.

Meanwhile it's time for me to get dressed and go for a walk right now...

Just finished my ride from Reston to Leesburg. The W&OD is clear. There are a few areas where brush along the sides makes the path a bit more narrow, but you can certainly get by. I was talking with a guy who told me that there's even more brush on the path from Leesburg to Purcellville, I wouldn't doubt it.

NY Biker, if you plan on riding this route tomorrow, let me know. If you'd like company, I could join you.

I have to shoot tomorrow but Brian at Bike Doctor just now told me go ride.
Get on the bike, even if it's only for a mile.
He's so right.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by MDHillSlug

I went for a ride today with some people from my tri club. I fell behind before we had even gone a mile. There was no way I could hang with them and they left me in the dust. I did only 20 of the planned 32 miles. It wasn't any fun at all.

My legs have felt terrible for several months now, always tight, no spring.

---

Welcome to my world.
I hope it gets better for the both of us with the return of warmer weather. May the spring return to our legs with the arrival of Spring!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by kmehrzad

Just finished my ride from Reston to Leesburg. The W&OD is clear. There are a few areas where brush along the sides makes the path a bit more narrow, but you can certainly get by. I was talking with a guy who told me that there's even more brush on the path from Leesburg to Purcellville, I wouldn't doubt it.

NY Biker, if you plan on riding this route tomorrow, let me know. If you'd like company, I could join you.

---

Kmehrzad, can I take a raincheck? I'm having a very disorganized day and I'm running pretty late. (It's almost 12:30 and I'm still in my pjs!) But I plan to to plenty of riding out by Reston way in the next couple of months...

Per the great advice, I just received on the general forum I thought I'd say hello over here. I'm a dork though -- I didn't realize Beach Drive would be open!

NYBiker, Let's ride together sometime in the future. Depending on how far you'd like to go, we can start out in Reston and ride to Leesburg or beyond, your choice. I went out today for a ride but not as far as I had hoped. Wound up doing some bicycle maintenance, such as changing tires, tubes, rim tape, etc. It was work that needed to be done but I didn't realize it would eat such a hole into my day.

I ended up wimping out on outdoor riding this weekend. Saturday morning, I swam 4,000 yards, which tired out me, and I didn't want to deal with the "first warmish weekend" crazies crowding the trails....

I've been riding --- on the trainer --- since abandoning outdoor rides in late November. Ironically, all that time with Coach Troy has definitely made me stronger. Can't wait to get outside and take a "rest." LOL

Just a ride report from ROVA (Rest of Virginia): 25 miles around Ashland on Saturday. Cold but glorious. 42 miles yesterday along the James downstream from Richmond and through the Civil War battlefields. Both days were great!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by mickchick

I ended up wimping out on outdoor riding this weekend. Saturday morning, I swam 4,000 yards, which tired out me, and I didn't want to deal with the "first warmish weekend" crazies crowding the trails....

---

That's why I decided to go with an on-road route yesterday instead of a trail. It was quite peaceful. The only problem was the short stretch of Fairfax County Pkwy trail in Reston, which had a couple of snow piles and very cold mud puddles that I had to get through/around.

I did encounter crowds before and after the ride, though. The whole world decided to go ice skating at Reston Town Center yesterday. The guys at Yogen Fruz said they had a very busy day.