Short Segmented Trail Detours
Signs along the W&OD Trail have been warning us for months that Dominion Electric would be making critical repairs to the aging electrical lines running along the W&OD Trail. Additionally, nearby residents received letters letting us know of the infrastructure improvements coming our way.
During the early part of the work by Dominion Electric trail segments were closed with traffic either being diverted from the paved trail to the gravel or vice versa. It wasn’t until late September that I encountered my first detour which just happened to be next to our bench.
September 20, 2021
October 14, 2021
It made zero sense why we were asked to dismount and push our bikes the last part of the gravel trail and back onto the pavement. For the record, I’m a rule follower, but some rules are just begging to be broken. 😉
These short detours continued for about a month; however, we were also warned that a 4.5-mile segment of the trail between Loudoun County Parkway and just east of Claiborne Parkway would be closed for the week of October 18-22. While driving home from teaching last Friday, I saw work crews adding temporary bike decals to the right side of the roadway where trail traffic would be detoured.
The Big Detour
Always looking for an adventure, I decided riding the detour was a must do. I could have easily gotten on the W&OD Trail west of the detours, but chose to follow the detour signs on while dodging cars that had no respect for the signs reminding drivers to share the road.
A few pictures from along the way…
Avoid the Detour
While it’s great that pedestrian and cyclist trail users have the option to run, walk, and cycle along the designated detours, some of the detours are along busy parkways. Yes, it’s great that a huge effort was made to make an alternative route for trail users; however, many drivers aren’t willing to share the road. Sadly, the closest encounter I had was with a school bus that decided it had to pass me on a two-lane road with oncoming traffic, giving me about a foot of clearance…
Questions:
- • Would you have taken the detour?
- • What type of trail work have you had to endure where you run, walk, or cycle?
- • Would you dismount and push your bike if you saw that sign?
Yikes. Very interesting.
I find running on main roads, many drivers don’t move over. At least on foot I stop and move over. Harder on a bike.
I guess it depends on where the detour would take me.
I have had to go off the trail on hikes and once it was pretty dangerous.
Fortunately, most of our parkways have parallel paths which are great, but I wanted to experience the full effect of the detour and stayed on the parkways. We ride roads a lot, but they’re usually less traveled country roads, not parkways.
Well I’m a rule-follower, too…but I agree if a rule is ridiculous, I may take it upon myself to do things my way LOL Vehicular traffic is very frustrating for us cyclists! I know many runners feel the same way about inconsiderate cyclists, though …which is why I try to rep the cycling world in a position way.
You and me both! High five, friend!