New parking at Belmont Ridge Road

The parking area where the Trail crosses Belmont Ridge Road (mile marker 29.5) has been moved further north. The picture below looks northwesterly across Belmont Ridge Road showing both the old area -- now fenced off -- and the new area a few yards away.

Trail Mix--Saturday October 20

Looking for a fun, non-competitive and untimed running and biking event? The Great Skedaddle is a 3.1 mile distance run for runners, joggers, and walkers and a 5 mile and 10 mile route for bikers on the historic W&OD trail. The Great Skedaddle will start at 10:30 a.m. at Farmwell Middle School in Ashburn, VA on Saturday, October 20th. Train for an upcoming race or just enjoy a day on the trail with your family and friends. Like our page for a chance to win 3 1-Month Fitness Memberships at Equinox Fitness Club in Tyson's Corner and 3 FREE Trail Mix T-Shirts! Volunteers Needed: We would like to get a team of 10 together as course marshals, but we can also use extra hands at a water stop or with the start/finish line. More information about getting involved can be found here: http://www.dominiontrailmix.com/volunteer.htm Amy Gardner Director of Volunteers for Dominion Trail Mix Greater Washington Sports Alliance T: 917-623-2828 (Direct) E: agardner@gwsportsalliance.com

Reston station at the Duck Pond

It has been reported that the Park Authority will be awarding a contract in the next few days to jack up the Reston station, install a foundation and new floor, and repair the deteriorated lower walls and door. The contractor will need to obtain a building permit, so it may take a little while before you see activity on the site.

W&OD Closure in Leesburg

The W&OD Trail will be closed from Catoctin Circle to Wage Drive beginning at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday for President Barak Obama’s campaign rally at the Loudoun County High School. The trail normally closes at dusk. See http://www.leesburgtoday.com/news/article_7362630c-db56-11e1-975b-0019bb2963f4.html for further details.

Vienna Safety Campaign- Channel 7 Report

http://www.wjla.com/articles/2012/06/washington-and-old-dominion-trail-to-become-subject-of-new-campaign-77378.html

FOW&OD 10K

Date: Saturday July 28, 2012 Time: 6:30 pm - 7:30 pm Location: Vienna Notes: Friends of the W&OD 10K (6.2 miles) Saturday, July 28, 2012 " 6:30 pm On the W&OD Trail from Old Vienna Train Station to Hunter Mill Road & back The Washington area's only green race -- on a unique flat shady course

Sharing the Trails- things to consider.

A few things to consider about trail use:

http://fabb-bikes.blogspot.com/2012/07/sharing-our-trails-and-avoiding.html

Dirck

June 23 trail event

There is a race staging from the Reston Y that is adjacent to the trail on June 23rd. It's the Reston Runners annual Women's Distance Festival. As is tradition, this is a ladies-only race and you will probably see lots of male volunteers/cheerleaders/course marshals, some of whom will be in Hawaiin shirts and hula skirts. It is a 5K and, if it is the same course they've been using for years now, it uses a combination of the W&OD and other side/neighborhood trails. I believe it is an 8:30 a.m. start. It does not start on the trail; in effort to thin out traffic, the race typically starts in a parking lot and the runners are sent around a couple buildings first. Expect more pedestrian traffic in the vicinity of the Y from about 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.

Wiehle Avenue Serious Accident

http://fabb-bikes.blogspot.com/2012/05/crash-on-w-trail-at-wiehle-ave.html

Trail Erosion Control Work End Date?

Talked to the folks working along the trail between Vienna and Hunter Mill Road today. They expect to be finished with the bank restoration work at the end of June.

Bike to Work Day - Detour delayed

NVRPA has agreed to delay the closing of the trail between Hunter Mill Rd and Clarks Crossing Rd on Bike to Work  Day so that cyclists passing through the area before 9am will not have to detour along the unpaved sidepath. Normally the trail is closed much earlier. Thanks to NVRPA for helping Bike to Work Day cyclists. As Jeff mentioned in the previous post, there should be an increase in the number of bike commuters on that day (and hopefully in days following BTWD).

Bike to Work Day--Friday, May 18

Expect heavier than normal bike commuter travel on Friday because of the Bike To Work event. The Trail is a main commuter route and the number of cyclist will significantly increase during the hours of 6 a.m to 9 a.m. and again from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

VDOT Public Hearing and Comment on Project Affecting W&OD Trail

The proposed project is called “Route 7 Truck-Climbing Lane and Operational Improvements” and it includes two roundabouts at the Rt.7 and Rt. 9 intersection near Clarks Gap west of Leesburg. The W&OD Trail crosses Rt. 9 at this location and Trail users would have to cross multiple lanes of the proposed roundabouts. Instead, VDOT is proposing a realignment of the Trail including underpasses to minimize trail user/automobile conflicts. Go to this link to get details and a map. The W&OD realignment is shown on the left side of the map. http://www.virginiadot.org/projects/northernvirginia/route_7_truck-climbing_lane.asp Stop by the public hearing for this project between 6 and 8 p.m. on May 9, 2012 at Loudoun County High School, 415 Dry Mill Road, SW in Leesburg, or comments may be emailed or sent to James C. Zeller, P.E. at 4975 Alliance Drive, Fairfax, 22030 by May 19, 2012.

There's construction on the trail to the west of Leesburg; it's being widened between the Rt 7/15 overpass and where the underground power line begins.

New Member Orientation

The next new member orientation for the Trail Patrol will be held next to the W&OD trail at the intersection of the trail and Old Reston Avenue in Reston, at 9:00 on Saturday, May 19th. Bring a folding chair or something to sit on in case the benches are occupied. The session should last about an hour. New members who have already attended an orientation session do not need to attend.

If you haven't already, you can apply to the Trail Patrol here:

http://www.wodfriends.org/trail_patrol.html

Dirck Harris
Training Coordinator
Dirck_H55@verizon.net
(703) 698-88081

Bike Fest

Reston Bike Fest will be held Saturday, April 28, 2012 from 10 am to 3 pm at the Reston Town Center. Contact the Bike Lane for more information.

Paving Complete east of Vienna but construction continues along Difficult Run

Paving between 495 and Vienna appears to be completed. However, between Vienna and Hunter Mill Road bank stabilization work continues. Trail users are being diverted to the bridle trail. Use caution, the bridle trail is gravel and some sections are soft.

Trail Resurfacing

The trail is being resurfaced between Vienna and Route 495. Some sections of the trail are marked closed but it is unclear whether you can use the adjoining gravel path or need to use the streets to get around the construction. All the workers seem to be at one end so if you approach from the opposite end there will be no one to ask for clarification. Caution is mandatory!

Construction has begun along Difficult Run

Between Vienna and Hunter Mill Road, bank stabilization work has begun just east of Difficult Run where the trail was almost washed out last year. Trail users are being diverted to the bridle trail. Use caution, the bridle trail is gravel and some sections are soft.

Trail Patrol New Member Orientation

The next new member orientation for the Trail Patrol will be held next to the W&OD at the intersection of the trail and Old Reston Avenue in Reston, at 9:30 on Saturday, April 14th. Bring a folding chair or something to sit on in case the benches are occupied. The session should last about an hour.

If you haven't already, you can apply to the Trail Patrol here:

http://www.wodfriends.org/trail_patrol.html

Dirck Harris
Training Coordinator
Dirck_H55@verizon.net
(703) 698-88081

Doggone It

From the Vienna Patch:

A bicyclist reported he struck an unleashed dog around 2 p.m. March 16 while riding along the W & OD Trail at Maple Ave. The rider fell off his bicycle and sustained minor injuries. The dog’s owner collected the animal and ran away from the crash.

http://vienna.patch.com/articles/police-log-4e79414e

March 25th 5K run

Walter Mess Plaza Dedication and 5k Run

On Sunday March 25th at 3 PM there will be a dedication to Walter Mess, Chairman Emeritus of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA). The dedication will occur at American Legion Post 130 building located at 400 North Oak Street, Falls Church, Virginia. The program features Congressman James Moran, City of Falls Church Mayou Nader Baroukh, and NVRPA Chairman Brian Knapp, among other speakers. At 4 PM the "Walter Mess 5k" will begin. For more information please check out the link below:

http://www.safetyandhealthfoundation.org/wod/

Construction Starting

Sometime in the next few months a contractor will be doing bank stabilization work just east of Difficult Run where the trail was almost washed out last year. Trail users will be diverted to the bridle trail. Also, Dominion Power will be doing some major regrading of a small hill next to the trail close to Northside Park.

FOWOD Walk/Run 5K

Date: Sunday March 25, 2012
Time: 12:00 pm - 3:00 pm

The Friends of the W&OD are involved in a 5K foot race and a ceremony in honor of Walter Mess, chairman emeritus of NVPA on Sunday, March 25, 2012. Info is here: http://www.safetyandhealthfoundation.org/wod/

Northern Virginia Model Railroaders

The Northern Virginia Model Railroaders will be holding their next open house on March 17th from 1 to 5 pm at the train depot at Mile Marker 11.8 in Vienna (Ayr Hill crossing). See http://www.nvmr.org for further information and details.

Pauls Ride For Life

Pauls Ride For Life is advertising its fourth occurrence on the trail for this April 28th. See http://www.PaulsRideForLife.org for further details.

W&OD Trail from Reston to Vienna

The trail was mostly clear of snow and ice this morning between Reston at Sunrise Valley Dr and Vienna. I didn't see any other cyclists but there was only one stretch just east of Sunrise Valley where there was snow and some ice. However, there may not be some patches of ice where there's been melting and re-freezing.

Trail Patrol New Member Orientation

An orientation session for new members will be held Saturday, March 17, 2012 at 10:00am at the Reston Regional Library, 11925 Bowman Towne Drive, Reston, VA 20190-3311

New members should attend to learn about what the Trail patrol does, requirements for becoming a member, and other information.

Contact:

Dirck Harris
Trail Patrol Training Coordinator
Dirck_H55@verizon.net
(703) 698-8808

Trail Patrol seeks new members

Responsible adult of any physical ability who walks, runs, skates, skis, cycles, rides a wheelchair, sits astride a horse, pushes a carriage, or just strolls on the trail is welcome to become a trail patrol member. The Patrol operates under the sponsorship of the Friends of the W&OD, whose purpose is to support and enhance the Trail. The basic responsibilities of a patrol member are to:

 Promote the safe use of the Trail
 Provide information about the Trail to the public
 Assist Trail users when help is needed

Volunteers should be willing to commit a few hours each month to the Patrol's on-going effort to keep the W&OD Trail safe, to maintain and, hopefully augment the luster of this bright jewel of the region.

Volunteers may choose to serve on the trail or behind the scenes in support of the patrol -- or both. Even a small contribution of your flexibly arranged time will be helpful, and the experience should be both rewarding and fun. If you wish to help in these capacities there is a role you can perform.

For further information please contact the W&OD Trail Office at (703) 729-0596 or WOD@nvrpa.org. To apply on line go to www.wodfriends.org and go to the trail patrol tab.

Giving Thanks 5k--Thursday November 24, 2011

Time: 8:00 am - 10:00 am
Location: Vienna
Notes: "Giving Thanks 5k" event from 8 AM - 10 AM. The 5k runs from approximately the Vienna Train Station out to Clarks Crossing Park then returning to the station. About 400 people expected for this event.

Information on accident needed

I am looking for anybody who may have information on an accident
occurred on October 8th 2011 around 1pm on the WOD trail . Behind Firestation number 6 on Falls church. Just past lee hwy (around mile 6 on the trail)

I spent several days in the hospital as a result of the accident. I do not remember the accident at all and I am hoping to find a witness that can help me piece together what happened then.
thanks,
Santiago Davila
email_adr = santiagodc@live.com

Town of Vienna, Virginia Police Department

Media Information Release
Request for Witnesses to Bicycle vs. Car
Hit and Run Crash
On September 29, 2011 at approximately 3:45 p.m. a white colored Honda
Civic bearing Maryland license plates struck a juvenile bicyclist at the
intersection of Maple Avenue, SE and the Washington and Old Dominion
Trail.
The bicyclist sustained minor injuries but the striking motorist fled from the
scene. The driver of the vehicle that fled is described only as a Hispanic
female.
Anyone with any information regarding this crash is asked to contact MPO
Sheeran at jsheeran@viennava.gov or 703-255-7826.
For further information please contact:
MPO Bill Murray- Town of Vienna Police Department
Public Information Officer at wmurray@viennava.gov or 703-255-6396
See Something? Say Something! Help Police Fight Crime.
Call 9-1-1.

Trail Events--September 24

Pet Carnival

Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Location: Loudon HS
Notes: Paws 4 People Puppy Prance & Canine Carnival sponsored by Paws 4 People Foundation. Section of trail to be used is from Loudoun County High School (mile marker 35.5 near bridge) to Foxridge Park. At most a one mile dog walk event. Approx 150 people for this event.

Charity Walk
Time: 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
Location: Vienna-Clark's Xing
Notes: Walk for Growing Hope" sponsored by the Optimist Club of Greater Vienna. It is a walk from the Vienna Town Green out to Clark's Crossing and returning to the Town Green. Approx 250 participants for this event.

Trail Damage

This weeks deluge did a bit of damage to the trail next to Piney Branch, west of Vienna.

Alzheimer's Tour De Canal, Sept 11, 7:30a to 5:00p

The Alzheimer's Association, National Capitol Area, Tour de Canal, has
been moved from the C & O Canal as a two day, 184 mile ride to
a one day ride on the W & OD Trail.

Starting times will be staggered from 7:30 to 2:00, and leave from the Herndon Station parking lot.

Riders will be doing 20, 50, and 90 mile rides.

Rest/water stops will be in Bon Air, Herndon, Leesburg, and Purcillville.

iPod Oblivion

Any of this sound familiar?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10463227

Trees down between Vienna and Reston

There's one large tree down just east of Difficult Run. It's possible to get around it on the shoulder. Another tree is partially blocking the trail just west of Hunter Mill Rd.

Trail Event- August 27

Civil War Hike

Date: Saturday August 27, 2011
Time: 9:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location: Wiehle-Hunter Mill
Notes: Civil War Hike. Monthly hike of Civil War reenactors from Wiehle Avenue to Hunter Mill Road. Time of event is from 9 AM to 5 PM. Approx one dozen hikers for this event.

Trail Event--September 3

Hail the Trail', Saturday, September 3
Hail the Trail, part of Dominion Power's Trail Mix, will be held on Saturday, September 3 from 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. at 10 different locations along the W&OD trail. Volunteers are needed to support the 'Park Station' Hail the Trail site in Vienna. Volunteers will meet at the Vienna Community Center and help remove trash and invasive species. Each volunteer will receive a free t-shirt! The first 100 volunteers on site will receive a free pastry courtesy of Vienna Fresh Market. Visit Dominion Trail Mix ( http://bit.ly/rafX9Z )for more information. To register as a Hail the Trail participant, visit: http://bit.ly/qnj6dk.

ROAMing?

There were some unusual visitors in Vienna late yesterday afternoon- 30 velomobiles. They started their trip July 28th in Portland, Oregon and ended their journey in Georgetown last night. FABB arranged a stop in Vienna at the caboose and everybody present got a good look at these exotic machines. To give you an idea of how fast they move, the first sighting was in Leesburg on the east side of town; one hour later they were in Vienna- that's from the 32 mile marker to just east of the 12 mile marker. At one point out west going downhill one of the riders recorded a speed of 70mph. A more detailed look at their journey can be found here: http://www.rolloveramerica.eu/

Trail Event--August 21

Reston Bike Club Century
Time: 6:30 am - 5:30 pm
Location: W&OD Leesburg-Reston
Notes: Approximately 1200 riders start at Reston Town Center. The portion of the W&OD used for this event is from Grace Street in Herndon to Ashburn Road (westbound leg) and returning from Leesburg to Reston Town Center via trail in its entirety (eastbound leg).

Construction at Maple Avenue

This picture, looking westward, shows the new intersection with Maple Avenue in Purcellville. The gravel bed coursing leftwards will be the new trail. On the other side, an identical alteration is in process with result that the trail will cross Maple Avenue at a right angle.

Training for New Patrollers

Orientation for new Trail Patrol members will be held at 8:30 AM on Saturday, September 17th, at the intersection of the W&OD and Sandburg St. in Dunn Loring. Bring a chair or something to sit on. The session should last about an hour. No need to bring anything except pen and paper if you want to take a note or two.

If you are interested in becoming a member you should attend. This session gives a basic overview of what the Trail Patrol is and what it does. Please let the training coordinator know if you are going to attend. Contact: Dirck Harris, Patrol Training Coordinator, Dirck_H55@verizon.net

Trail Event- August 14

Leesburg 10/20K Run

Date: Sunday August 14, 2011
Time: 7:00 am - 10:00 am
Location: Dry Mill Road near 4H Fairground to Leesburg
Notes: Leesburg 10k/20k sponsored by Potomac River Running Events Inc.
Approx 1200 people for this event.

Patroller Orientation

Date: Saturday August 13, 2011
Time: 8:30 am - 10:00 am
Location: intersection of W&OD & Sandburg St - Vienna
Notes: All new patroller trainees are encouraged to attend.
If you have questions or want to sign up contact Dirck Harris, Patrol Training Coordinator Dirck_H55@verizon.net

Flooding at Wilson Blvd. underpass

Certainly it will not last very long, but people should be careful at the underpasses.

Arlington, VA at Wilson Blvd.

If that does not look scary look at the video ...

Way Up There

Larry Hodgin caught this the other day. Some of the underpasses on the W&OD must get interesting with this rig...

Trail Event--July 30

The 5th(?) annual Friends of the W&OD 10K is scheduled for Saturday, July 30. It will start at 6:30 p.m. on the west side of Ayr Hill Road in Vienna. Runners head west on the trail, leave the trail briefly near Clark's Crossing to run a short spur in the neighborhood, then return to the trail to run to Hunter Mill Road, turn around (without crossing HMR), and return east to finish at Ayr Hill Road. Expect more trail congestion than usual due to the race. Last runners should be off the trail by 8:00 p.m. (before dark!). Usually 400 runners and about 100 more people who are volunteers and spectators. Information is at the Friends website: www.wodfriends.org.

Purcellville–Construction

The Maple Avenue and W&OD Trail Pedestrian Improvements project will begin on Tuesday, July 5th, 2011. The Town’s contractor will begin working at the W&OD
Trail at Maple Avenue, and will shortly thereafter continue along the east side of North Maple Avenue. Daytime temporary traffic flaggers and short period closures can be expected during construction. Detours will be provided for users of the W&OD Trail around longer term work areas in the area of Maple Avenue. The improvements will include the installation of a 10FT wide multi-use asphalt trail along the east side of North Maple Avenue and connect pedestrian and cyclist access from East
Main Street to Loudoun Valley High School and the W&OD Trail. The improvements will also include the realignment of the W&OD Trail as it intersects North Maple Avenue and provide a safer more perpendicular crossing. Total construction time from start to finish is anticipated to take approximately three months.

Trail event today

There will be a Womens’ Run from 8 to about 10 am. They will be using the trail between the Reston and Herndon Parkway, both directions. There is a possibility of up to 400 participants.

Atlantic Boulevard overpass

Signs along the trail inform us that steel for the Atlantic Boulevard overpass will be set June 21 through June 24. Intermittent trail closures should be expected when the overhead steel is unsecured. Atlantic Boulevard is near Mile Marker 23.5; between Route 28 and Church Road.

New Member Orientation

Reminder from:		WODtrailpatrol Yahoo! Group
Title:		Patroller Orientation
Date:		Saturday June 18, 2011
Time:		8:30 am - 9:30 am
Location:		Vienna - Sandburg St
Notes:		Orientation for new Trail Patrol members will be held at 8:30 AM on Saturday, June 18th, at the intersection of the W&OD and Sandburg St. in Dunn Loring. Bring a chair or something to sit on. The session should last about an hour.No need to bring anything except pen and paper if you want to take a note or two. Contact: Dirck Harris, Patrol Training Coordinator, Dirck_H55@....

Beltway Bridge Opening at 10:00, not 11:00

The new bridge over the Beltway will open June 15th at 10:00 a.m., rain or shine. There will be a ribbon cutting ceremony on the east side (inner loop of the Beltway). Parking at Sandburg & the W&OD Trail.

no more vending

The vending machines at Smiths Switch have been removed. A combination of low sales volume and vandalism is the cause.

Friends of W&OD Annual Picnic

Having trouble reading this email? View it on your browser . Not interested anymore? Unsubscribe Instantly .

Friday, June 3, 2011 Friends of the W&OD Trail Annual Picnic Please come and join us at our annual Friends of the W&OD Trail picnic on Saturday June 11th from 12 noon until 3 PM. The location of the picnic will be at the W&OD Trail office in Ashburn and the address is 21293 Smith Switch Road Ashburn, VA 20147. Items on the menu will include crab legs, coconut shrimp / shrimp cocktail, pulled pork BBQ, BBQ chicken, coleslaw, potato salad, baked beans, cookies, and assorted drinks including sodas, iced tea, lemonade, and bottled water. Please RSVP by emailing us at wod@... or contacting us by phone at (703) 729-0596 with the number of people attending in your party. We look forward to seeing you here! back to top

ABOUT NVRPA The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority enhances the communities of Northern Virginia and enriches the lives of their citizens through the conservation of regional natural and cultural resources. It provides diverse regional recreational and educational opportunities, and fosters an understanding of the relationships between people and their environment. NVRPA Board of Directors – City of Alexandria: David M. Pritzker, Justin Wilson; Arlington County: Paul Ferguson, Michael Nardolilli; Fairfax County: Jean R. Packard, Stella Koch; City of Fairfax: Brian Knapp, Arthur F. Little; City of Falls Church: Jeffrey Tarbert, Barry D. Buschow; Loudoun County: Joan G. Rokus, Su Webb (Chairman).

Forward this email to a friend. Not interested anymore? Unsubscribe. www.nvrpa.org

Trail Patrol Orientation

Orientation for new Trail Patrol members will be held at 8:30 AM on Saturday, June 18th, at the intersection of the W&OD and Sandburg St. in Dunn Loring. Bring a chair or something to sit on. The session should last about an hour.No need to bring anything except pen and paper if you want to take a note or two. Contact: Dirck Harris, Patrol Training Coordinator, Dirck_H55@verizon.net.

Be Careful...

From: http://www.thewashcycle.com/Cyclist-Runner crash on the W&OD

Someone wrote in with this eyewitness account and it is reminder that pedestrians have the right-of-way on the trail and it is critical that we, as cyclists, treat them with great deference.

I witnessed a crash on the W&OD this morning. A cyclist rear-ended a runner. I was riding my bike and was catching the cyclist at the time and saw what happened very clearly. The cyclist was at fault. She just rear-ended the runner, who was in the middle of the trail. I told her it was her fault, to which she replied, "he was in the middle of the trail." I said, "and so were you." Though he was in the middle of the trail, she had plenty of space to pass. In fact, she was right on the orange line in the middle when she hit him. Cyclist and runner fell. Runner had cuts/scrapes on hand and no other injuries. Cyclist was fine so far as I could tell. I stayed around only long enough to make sure there were no injuries and to tell the cyclist (not so nicely I am afraid) that it was definitely her fault and she needs to be more careful. I am afraid I could have been nicer to her and maybe she wouldn't have been so defensive. I told her that as a cyclist I'd like to support her, but I really couldn't because it was clearly her fault. I don't know whether she gave an audible warning that she was going to pass. I didn't hear any and I was close, so if she did it was faint. In any event the runner didn't move right (which he said he always does). She just plowed down the middle of the path anyway. It happened on a long straight part of the W&OD through Falls Church where we could see the runner for a long time. There was no other traffic and the runner did not deviate from running a straight line.

Posted by washcycle on May 29, 2011 in Crash , Injury , W&OD Trail | Permalink | Comments (19)

Viva Vienna

Reminder from:		WODtrailpatrol Yahoo! Group
Title:		Viva Vienna
Date:		Monday May 30, 2011
Time:		10:00 am - 6:00 pm
Location:		Vienna
Notes:		Vienna street festival

Trail Events--Sunday May 22nd

Leesburg 5K
Time: 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Location: Leesburg
Weight Watchers of Leesburg 5k. 65 participants expected.

Great Strides"
Time: 8:00 am - 2:00 pm
Location: Leesburg & Vienna
Great Strides Leesburg & Great Strides Vienna. 500 people participating in each event (1000 total)

Trail Event--Saturday, May 21th and 22nd

St. Timothy Bike-a-thon
Time: 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
About 20 youth and 5 adult cyclists riding from Arlington out to Purcellville on May 21st, riding back to Arlington on May 22nd.

Trail Event--Friday, May 20th

Bike to Work
Time: 6:00 am - 9:00 am
Thousands of area commuters will participate in the annual Bike to Work Day event. Many of those will be on the W&OD Trail. Several of the ride's "pit stops" are located along the W&OD Trail; including Reston, Herndon, Vienna and Merrifield. For more information on pit stop locations, please go to www.waba.org.

May 14 trail event

Got Your Back" 5k run
Time: 8:00 am - 10:00 am
Location: Reston
Notes: Got Your Back" 5k in Reston (using short area of trail around Sunrise Valley Drive). 500 people from 8 AM to 10 AM.

"Just when you thought the trail was safe"

The electronic sign at the eastern end of the 495 overpass construction was changed to read "CAUTION ZOMBIES AHEAD". While I looked for zombies, I did not see them. Sorry about the quality of the photo. It was the best I could do with my cell phone. However, ABC chanel 7 was there interviewing trail users and looking to film the zombies.

summer must be coming soon

The fountain at the trail's end in Purcellville has been turned on; a sure sign that warm weather is here to stay. Other items of note: the crossing at Cochran Mill (mile 30.5) has been repaved and the vending machines at the Smiths Switch rest area are out of order.

Trail Events on Saturday, April 30

1) Paul's Ride for Life Time:
Location: Reston Town Center
7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m. Registration open
7:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Ride
12:00 p.m. Closing ceremony at Reston Town Center Pavilion
10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Cyclefest open
ROUTE: Start at Reston Town Center Pavilion
The ride includes 10, 20, and 1/2 Century +2 mile options.
About 250 participants expected

2) Cycle Fest
Time: 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
Location: Reston Town Center
Notes: "Cyclefest" will be occuring at Reston Town Center in conjunction with "Paul's Ride for Life".

3) Walk-Run-Ride for Life
Time: 8:00 am - 11:00 am
Location: Ashburn at Smith Swtich Station
"Walk / Run / Ride for Life" event from 8 AM to 11 AM.
Approx. 100 participants for this event sponsored by the Assist Pregnancy Center. Participants will enter the trail at Cedar Lane heading west towards Smith Switch rest area, then return to Vienna (Grace Orthodox Presbyterian Church).

Trail Patrol Orientation

Orientation for new Trail Patrol members will be held at 1pm on Sunday May 1st at the intersection of the W&OD and Sandburg St. in Dunn Loring. Bring a chair or something to sit on. The session should last about an hour.

new asphalt

The paving between mile 13.6 and 11.8 has been completed and gravel shoulders installed. All that remains is for the new striping to be added. There are also new sections at 19.5, the Route 28 bridge (hurray! a few less kerCHUNKs), and over Broad Run at 24.5; the last fixes the slump that filled much of the west bound lane.

Saturday Events--April 23

1--Ride To Provide
Time: 8:30 am - 2:00 pm
Location: Reston Town Center
Notes: This features Lorenzo Alexander from the Washington Redskins and will begin at Reston Town Center; riders heading out to Leesburg, then returning to RTC. Approximately 150 people for this event

2--Hunter Mill Walk
Time: 8:30 am - 5:00 pm
Location: Hunter Mill Rd - Wiehle Ave
Notes: The monthly gathering of the Civil War reenactors will be hiking from Wiehle Avenue to Hunter Mill Road. About 12 hikers maximum for this event.

Trail Patrol Orientation

Orientation for new Trail Patrol members will be held on Sunday March 27, 2011,
from 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm. It will be held at the Reston Library, 11925 Bowman Towne Dr, Reston, VA 20190 (703) 698-8808

If interested in joining the Trail Patrol sign up at http://www.wodfriends.org/

Sunday Event--March 27th

Walter L. Mess W&OD 5K

Time: 3:00 pm - 6:00 pm

Location: American Legion Lodge Post 130, 400 North Oak Street, Falls Church, VA

A 5k run will be held on the W&OD Trail in Falls Church in honor of Walter L. Mess. The start and finish of the race will be located at the American Legion Post.

Walter Mess, a founding member of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority, Falls Church city resident and long-time park supporter, Mess was appointed to the NVRPA Board as an original representative from the City of Falls Church in 1958.The run, sponsored by the Friends of the W&OD Trail will honor Mess and his extensive involvement with the community. Proceeds from the run will benefit FOWOD and local charities.To register or get more run information, visit www.mc-coop.org or call 703-927-4833. Registration forms are also available at the City library, 120 N. Virginia Ave., and Community Center, 223 Little Falls St.

To 0, but not beyond

After uncounted thousands of miles riding the trail I finally reached mile 0 today. Next, I guess, will be to ride the entire trail at once ...
As Jeff has noted new pavement is being laid between Hunter Mill Road and Vienna. Today they were paving between miles 13 and 12.5 so there's just a little way to go. But then the gravel shoulders have yet to be laid.
The fountain at Sunset Hills Road (near Mile Marker 16) is now operational.

Trail Paving

Parts of the trail are being paved between Vienna and Hunter Mill Road. While this causes a short term inconvenience, long term benefits will be derived from a smother trail. I suspect that mountain bikes must have loved the detour—especially the water portage—but road cyclists would not be thrilled about walking across the rocks with their external cleats. Expect crews to soon be out marking these sections.

From the W&OD Flyer Spring issue

Monday, March 14, 2011

In this issue
Construction activities along the Trail
Upcoming Events on the W&OD
W&OD Trail Comments/Suggestions
In short
About the Friends of the W&OD
The Friends of the W&OD (aka FOWOD) are a volunteer affiliate of the popular Washington & Old Dominion Railroad Regional Park, which is owned and operated by the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA). The purpose of FOWOD is to support and enhance the Trail and its multiple uses as a recreational, environmental and historic resource through fund-raising, promotion, research, educational programming and maintenance.

FOWOD meets on the first Tuesday of the month (except on holidays) at the Vienna Community Center; located at 120 Cherry Street SE Vienna, VA 22180. Meetings start at 7:00 PM and conclude no later than 9:00 PM.

For more information or to join FOWOD, please call (703) 729-0596 or go to the FOWOD website at www.wodfriends.org.

FOWOD Board Officers
President - Roger Neighborgall
Vice President - Pat Turner
Treasurer - David Jackino
Corresponding Secretary - Peter Straub
Recording Secretary - Jay Wind
Webmaster - Bill McCarthy
FOWOD Board Members
Jennifer Crawford
Steve Lord
Anne Pastorkovich (Trail Patrol Representative)
John Shea
B.J. Silvey (Trail Patrol President & Representative)
George Topic
Sam Wheeler
Gordon Wisotzki

Upcoming Meeting Dates....
March 1st
April 5th
May 3rd
June 7th

Interested in becoming a member of the Trail Patrol?Help promote safety and proper trail etiquette
Provide information and directions to trail users
Assist trail users
Call the park office at (703) 729-0596 or email us at wod@nvrpa.org for more information.

Fun Places, Beautiful Spaces
The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority enhances the communities of Northern Virginia and enriches the lives of their citizens through the conservation of regional, natural and cultural resources. It provides diverse regional recreational and educational opportunities, and fosters an understanding of the relationships between people and their environment.

Please visit all your Regional Parks at www.nvrpa.org

W&OD Park Staff
Karl Mohle, Park Manager
Andy Kaganowich, Park Ranger
Roger Bornt, Maintenance Supervisor
Jackie Payne, Maintenance Worker

Feature Story
Warm Weather Returns to the W&ODWith spring beginning on March 20th, warm weather will (hopefully) return to the W&OD Trail. When the temperature goes up, naturally more people want to get out and enjoy the trail. As a gentle reminder, here is some practical information for our patrons to consider as they utilize the trail:

Travel in the right-hand lane, move to the left lane to pass slower traffic.
Give audible warning to trail users ahead.
Move completely off the trail when you come to a stop.
Travel only at speeds safe and appropriate to trail conditions and usage.
Along with these reminders we also have these suggestions for you as you are on the trail:

Let common sense and courtesy be your guides.
If possible, use the buddy system. At a minimum, make sure someone knows that you are going out on the trail and what section you'll be using.
Stop before crossing roads; be alert to obstacles that may be hazards or impede vision.
For a more complete listing of guidelines, please go to our website at www.nvrpa.org/w&odtrail or visit our friends group website at www.wodfriends.org


Construction activities along the TrailOver the coming days and weeks, various projects will be conducted along the W&OD. The following is a list of said projects and relevant information:

The new W&OD Trail bridge over the Capital Beltway (I-495) is under construction on the north side of the existing trail bridge. The existing bridge and trail are open during construction. Trail repaving and realignment to the new bridge is scheduled to occur between March 15 - April 15, 2011. Bicyclists are asked to dismount and follow the directions of the flagmen while in these work zones. Please use caution while traveling through this area. Once the new bridge is open to trail users, which is anticipated to be on or around April 15, 2011, the old bridge and trail pavement will be removed. For more information, contact Dan Iglhaut at (703) 359-4628 or via email at diglhaut@nvrpa.org.


Repaving of various sections of the trail is on-going. Recently, the section of trail from Isaac Newton Square (Reston) down to Hunter Mill Road has been repaved. Other areas will include the east and west side of Route 28 bridge, the short section from Van Buren Street (Herndon) down to mile marker 19, the area around Broad Run Bridge in Ashburn (mile marker 24.5) and, lastly the area from Clark's Crossing Park down to Ayr Hill Road in Vienna. Depending on weather conditions the repaving is expected to take 2-4 weeks. Please be aware of signs/flagmen in the area and use caution while passing through these sections.

Upcoming Events on the W&OD
On Sunday March 27th, 2011, the Walter L. Mess W&OD Trail 5K Run will be held on the trail in Falls Church in honor of Mr. Mess. The start and finish of the race will be located at the American Legion Post Lodge #130, located at 400 North Oak Street in Falls Church.

A founding member of the Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA), city resident and long-time park supporter, Mr. Mess was appointed to the NVRPA Board as an original representative from the City of Falls Church in 1958. The run, sponsored by the Friends of the W&OD Trail (FOWOD) will honor Mr. Mess and his extensive involvement with the community. Proceeds from the run will benefit FOWOD and local charities. To register or get more information, visit www.mc-coop.org or call (703) 927-4833. Registration forms are also available at the City Library, 120 N. Virginia Avenue, and Community Center, 223 Little Falls Street.

On Saturday April 30th, 2011, Paul's Ride for Life will occur beginning at the Reston Town Center. This event is in conjunction with the CycleFest Expo at Reston Town Center. The bicycle ride is dedicated to Paul Rossmeissl; he passed away at age 54 from injuries sustained in a bicycle accident along the W&OD Trail. He gave the gift of life to three individuals who received his liver and both of his kidneys. This ride will benefit the Washington Regional Transplant Community. For more information or to register visit www.paulsrideforlife.org.

Bike to Work Day May 20th

Join thousands of area commuters on Friday May 20, 2011 for the annual Bike to Work Day. Learn how cycling can be a fun and healthy way to commute to work. There will be 50 regional pit stops throughout the Washington, D.C. area. Several of these pit stops are located along the W&OD Trail; including Reston, Herndon, Vienna and Merrifield. For more information on pit stop locations, please go to www.waba.org.


W&OD Trail Comments/SuggestionsPlease contact the trail office at (703) 729-0596 or via email at wod@nvrpa.org if you have questions or comments about the trail. If you have suggestions for our quarterly newsletter we welcome your thoughts as well.

Washington & Old Dominion Trail
21293 Smiths Switch Road, Ashburn, VA 20147 | T: 703-729-0596
www.nvrpa.org/W&ODTrail

Trail event today

Civil War re-enactors will hike from Wiehle Avenue to Hunter Mill between 9am and 5pm today.

gravel shoulders

Gravel shoulders are being laid along the newly paved section from MM 15 (Hunter Mill) to MM 17 (Isaac Newton). They're complete from just west of Isaac Newton to Sunrise Valley. Used the marked detour of the bridle trail for the section between Sunrise Valley and Buckthorn.

Great day for a ride

Except for some water puddles, the trail was clear from mile marker 7 (Falls Church) to mile marker 24 (route 28). Heading west into the wind was slow but the return trip was great. Near the Dulles overpass I saw 2 female cyclists riding double using both lanes. The one in the left lane refused to yield to oncoming traffic and forced another cyclist to the edge and 2 pedestrians off the trail. While it is ok to ride double, please yield to oncoming traffic.

a quiet ride

Took my Glider for a spin out to Purcellville today. The debris from the high winds is mostly gone. They've been clearing dead trees, vines, and such from about Cochran Mill Road. Saw the truck at work near Mile Marker 35. The picture is near Mile Marker 36.5 looking eastbound. Dominion has done a nice job.

signs of spring

Rode from Vienna to Purcellville. The cheeping at Difficult Run was deafening. Most of the brush and debris from the recent high winds has been removed. Fountains at Sunset Hills and Purcellville remain off but the others function.

Ding Dong, the ice is gone -- not

The trail west of Leesburg is clear except for two locations: the S curve at Clarks Gap (MM 38+) and underneath 7 along 287 at MM 43+. In those two locations one needed to dismount as snow/ice covered all of the trail. Both sections were short though, under 10 yards. Other than that, lay down on your aero bars and GO!

Tried out the trail today and found it rideable east of Leesburg all the way to Herndon. Some icy patches, with wide tracks through them, in the shady spots, especially from Rt. 659 west. Will be trying out west of Leesburg in the next few days; a couple of days ago there were still extensive snow/ice patches in the shady spots -- some with tracks through them and most without.

Two wheels good, three not so much fun

First ride of the year on the trail, from Sandburg out to Cedar and then to Lee Hwy and back. OK for those on two wheels, but for those of use who have a bit wider track due to having two wheels in front like I do on the trike, there were a few spots where one of my front wheels was riding on the packed down ice & snow- a tad bumpy. Tracks are more than wide enough in all the places I rode for two wheelers. If the weather forecast holds for this week, it should all be gone by the end of the week. Saw a big Red-tailed Hawk swoop in to a tree in the middle of Falls Church right over a walkers head. Lots of people out on the trail.

Ice is melting but continued caution is appropriate

Today I cycled from Falls Church to the west of Herndon. Ice remains on the trail but only 2 sections have place where extra caution is required--just west of Gallows Road and west of Cedar Lane. Otherwise the trail is either clear or cleared tracks are wide enough to use with relative safety. With warming temperatures these areas should soon melt.

Trail Conditions

I cycled from Falls Church to Herndon. The trail was relatively free of ice except for sections between Gallows Road and Route 123 in Vienna, west of Hunter Mill, and east of Old Reston Ave where the trail passes the power substation and golf course. While much of these areas had a small clear path, a section west of Cedar Lane and the section at the power substation had places where a short walk was appropriate. Several places have overhanging branches and brush on the trail.

Conditions in Reston Area

Yesterday I tried riding on the Trail from Wiehle Ave west. There are two narrow tire tracks left by the NVRPA vehicle that are mostly melted. It's a good test of bike handling skills to ride in the 8" or so track. However, there's still lots of ice in several sections even in the tire tracks, especially near the power lines near the old Sallie Mae building. At Old Reston Ave I gave up and rode along Sunset Hills Rd instead. On the return trip I started at the YMCA and headed east and was able to ride OK to Old Reston Ave. Knowing about the ice to the east of there I detoured along North Shore Dr back to Wiehle.

Today I drove along Hunter Mill Rd and where it crosses the trail it appears that there's a lot of clear trail to the east toward Vienna. The section to the west where it's shady is still ice-covered with some melting in the tire tracks. I'll be glad when NVRPA gets their new snow plow later this month.

Conditions?

Anyone out there care to give a report of trail conditions as of February 4th?

Temporary closure west of Vienna

Signs on the trail between Vienna and Hunter Mill Road indicate that the trail will be closed on Thursday, January 27, 2011 from 5:30 p.m. until 5:30 a.m. the next morning.

Trail Conditions

Today, I cycled from Falls Church (mm7)to Trailside Park in Herndon (mm21). The trail was relatively free from ice. Some slush on trail just west of Gallows Rd and just west of Cedar Lane. The only serious ice issue was east of Old Reston Ave where the cedar tress screen Dominion Power's substation and shade the trail. There the ice was still solid and required cycling on the gravel portion of the trail.

Potomac River Run - 5K

Date: Saturday January 1, 2011
Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Location: Reston Town Center
Notes: January 1st Potomac River Running conducting a 5k on the trail from Reston Town Center down to Sallie Mae / American Dream Way bridge and returning to the Town Center. About 300 participants (maximum)

Trail mostly clear from Sunrise Valley Dr to Vienna

We took a brief walk along the trail today near Sunrise Valley Dr and it appeared to be mostly clear. A cyclist coming from Vienna reported that it was clear from that direction. The photo at the right was taken just east of Sunrise Valley Dr where the trail is shaded. Even there a narrow clear area is present, where the NVRPA truck drove over the snow.

NOTICE for Dec 2 evening trail users!

From the FABB Blog:

Open season December 2 - Fairfax County police will be conducting a "deer
culling" operation adjacent to the W&OD Trail at Clarks Crossing Road where the
soccer fields are located. According to signs posted there, the trail will be
closed on December 2 from 5pm to 5am. As we all know, the trail is officially
closed after dark but many people use it in the Fall and Winter for traveling
between Reston and Vienna.

For more information about the W&OD Trail see the W&OD Trail Report, the Friend
of the W&OD Trail site or the NVRPA W&OD Trail page.

Update - 12:30pm Nov. 30: I just spoke with a county wildlife biologist who
stated that the trail will be closed at 5pm on Dec. 2 and that police will be
using rifles to shoot deer in the area. Cyclists will not be able to get
through, from approximate Clarks Crossing Rd to Hunter Mill Rd. See the Fairfax
County bike map for alternate routes.

Labels: NVRPA, W and OD Trail
posted by Bruce Wright at 11:24 AM #

Trail reopens west of Leesburg

The Northern Virginia Regional Park Authority (NVRPA) is pleased to announce the two-mile stretch of the W&OD Trail between mile markers 36 and 38 west of Leesburg has been re-opened for public use.

This portion of the trail was closed to the public in December of 2009 to enable Dominion Virginia Power to install an underground transmission line. The Park Authority and Dominion worked together to ensure the trail would remain open during the year-long process by arranging the construction of a paved detour. The affected area started at milepost 36, approximately 3/5 of a mile west of the Route 7 trail crossing.

Trail repaving

Beginning November 30th the trail will be repaved starting in the Isaac Newton / Private Drive section of Reston and heading east to Hunter Mill Road. Total time for this project will be approximately two weeks (assuming no weather issues). The trail will be detoured onto the horse trail and signs deployed alerting trail users. As time/funds permit other sections of the trail will be addressed as well. Future projects include paving from Hunter Mill down to Vienna Train station, paving west of Reston into Herndon, and a small stretch near Broad Run Bridge (mile marker 24.5) where the pavement is sloughing off.

Thanksgiving day 5k run

Giving Thanks 5K Run

Date: Thursday November 25, 2010
Time: 8:00 am - 10:00 am
The run will have a maximum of 100 people. It will utilize the trail from Vienna Station to Clark's Crossing.

Construction on cut-through near Washington Blvd.

Be advised that the cut-through that links the W&OD to 19th St. near East Falls Church has ripped up pavement, down to mud. Some have ridden through, but be prepared to dismount if conditions warrant.

Optimist Club Walk

Date: Saturday September 25, 2010
Time: 8:00 am - 1:00 pm
Location: Vienna - Clark's Xing
Notes: Saturday September 25th the Vienna Optimist Club will conduct a walk from the Vienna Train Station / Caboose area out to Clark's Crossing Park and returning to the station/caboose. They will begin around 8 AM and conclude by 1 PM. There will be approximately 250 people for this event.

MS Capital Challenge Walk

Date: Saturday September 25, 2010
Time: 6:00 am - 4:00 pm
Location: Vienna - Arlington
Notes: Saturday September 25th the MS Capitol Challenge Walk will be conducted from Vienna to Arlington from 6 AM to 4 PM. The MS walk will begin off of the trail and the MS folks will enter the trail around Park Street/Talahi Road area in Vienna and walk east and leave the trail in Arlington (Lee Highway area). There will be approximately 500 people for this event.

Tree work west of Leesburg

Bartlett Tree Company will be out along the trail in the area from Purcellville to Loudoun County 4H Fairgrounds to cut down dead trees, broken branches, etc. They started yesterday and will finish by late next month (September). They have been educated in trail etiquette and will have signs/flagmen stationed to guide trail users around the work area. In some areas the entire trail will be blocked; in such instances trail traffic will be detoured onto the horse trail. Forward this email along as necessary and let me know if you have questions. Thanks,

Karl Mohle
Park Manager
W&OD Railroad Regional Park
21293 Smiths Switch Road
Ashburn, VA 20147
(703) 729-0596 - office
(703) 724-0898 - fax

Pacific Blvd. Bridge Dedication

Date: Wednesday August 25, 2010
Time: 10:00 am - 11:00 am
Location: Pacific Blvd. Bridge over the Trail, just west of Rt 28.

Beltway Bridge Construction

The NVPA reports: "As part of the Capital Beltway HOT Lanes project, the new W&OD Trail bridge over the Beltway is under construction on the north side of the existing trail bridge. The existing bridge and trail will remain open during construction. Currently, on both sides of the Beltway, bridge abutment walls are being constructed next to the existing bridge and trail. PLEASE USE CAUTION WHILE IN THESE WORK ZONES. The bridge beams are scheduled to be installed in October and the bridge deck is scheduled to be installed in November. Once the new bridge is open to trail users, the existing bridge will be removed."

Reston Bike Club Century

Date: Sunday August 22, 2010
Time: 6:30 am - 5:30 pm

Location: eastbound W&OD Leesburg-Reston
Approximately 1200 riders start at Reston Town Center. The portion of the W&OD used for this event is from Grace Street in Herndon to Ashburn Road (westbound leg) and returning from Leesburg to Reston Town Center via trail in its entirety (eastbound leg).