Wakefield/ Accotink

[wrtaylo]

Howdy,

Does anyone know how the conditions are at Wakefield/Accotink? Last time I was there it was ice, ice ice. Thanks

[drewdane]

I haven't been riding lately, but here's a thread from MTBReview.com that covers your question:

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=5788

[pete]

Wakefield is a disaster. Went Monday real early and there were thousands of 3 inch deep frozen ruts, can only imagine how bad it is today in the 40's. Accotink was in good shape with very few soft spots but again it was much colder Monday.

[wrtaylo]

Anyone interested in a 6:30 am ride Saturday morning @ Accotink. Followed by some good ole fattening McDonalds. It is suppose to be right at freezing Friday night, so the ground will hopefully be hard enough to ride Saturday morning.

Let me know

wrtaylo@hotmail.com

[chunk]

no mtb'ing for me this weekend. this is the time of year for the ro@d bike.

[mtbmore]

With the warm temps of the next two days , that even if it gets down to 32 overnight on Friday it will be way too soft for riding. This time of year it needs to be under 35 for over 48 hours before it will be hard enough to ride. MORE put in some serious work into the trails last year because of all the damage caused by MTB'ers riding the soft trails. Please stay off the singletrack. There are too many people that live around Wakefield that would love to see Mountain Biking banned in the park. Do not give them reasons to complain.

Scott Scudamore
Mountain Biker and President of MORE

[wrtaylo]

Sorry,
No offense intended (to MORE or the trails).

I take back my earlier comment about riding Saturday..........

I thought the ground would be hard packed..........

[mtbmore]

Your previous post was not taken as an offense. It actually gave me a chance to address the whole frozen thaw problem that we will have the next two months. Keep up the posting it is all good.

Scott

:)

[pete]

I have often wondered why there is not a designation for Wakefield as CLOSED or OPEN much like Fountainhead or Schaffer?
Wakefield is destroyed currently, and I cannot imagine it getting better with the coming thaw.
I realize that the CLOSED sign is up more than it should be at these other trails but Wakefield really needs to recover before it is shutdown altogether. Even if its closed Dec-Mar regardless of conditions.
If I was a hiker/dog walker, I would be pissed at the conditions too, not a nice walk in the woods at all. Looks like someone held a race in a downpour there.

[mtbmore]

Pete, MORE has had numerous discussions with the Wakefield management and the Fairfax County Park Authority about the Wakefield Trails. The biggest problem with Wakefield vs Fountainhead or Schaeffer (the two parks with open/close policies) is Wakefield has numerous trailheads. The other issue at Wakefield is staffing the phone line and checking the trails for conditions. There are some serious discussions happening right now at wakefield to improve the biking there. Feel free to contact Joe Penano MORE's Trail Liaison for more info as we move forward.

Scott Scudamore
MORE President

[dmofot]

So what are the conditions like after this weekend of warm weather? As of now, the website still says the MORE ride is on for tonight, is this going to happen or is it cancelled?

DT

[Fritz]

I scouted a short section of Accotink singletrack last night from the Carrliegh pkwy road to the cinder trail and it looked good enough to ride. Does anyone know about conditions in the rest of the park? I'm inclined to give the go-ahead for tonight's ride (3/1/04) unless someone knows otherwise.

Thanks,
Joe P

[pete]

Rode Acc yesterday and found 80% of it just right. The usual suspects should be avoided(the bowl AND the low section towards the Rolling Rd entrance are always bad) and judicious decison making on other spots is needed. I strung together a decent, albeit redundant, ride and feel no guilt whatsover.

[drewdane]

I assume Wake is a swamp and will stay that way for some time. Is Accotink looking rideable this weekend? There have been a couple of pretty hard downpours over the last few days.

Fountainhead and Schaeffer remain closed, and I imagine other areas are a mess as well.

I really need a ride, and I'm not going to be able to leave the immediate NOVA area this weekend. :(

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Drew

[DaveG]

It's in great shape. Rode in the watershed after work yesterday and it was in great shape.

[Fritz]

Just a reminder that there's a MORE workday at wakefield this
Saturday. C'mon out if you can and let me know so I have an idea of
how many people are showing up.

Thanks,
Joe P

[CGE]

I just sent Joe an e-mail about this, but just in case I don't get a change to check my e-mail:

What do I need to bring/ do to help at the Trailwork event?

Eckard

[Fritz]

CGE, no need to send me an email if you post on this board. I and Fritz are one. Fritz is my evil Siamese twin (no I'm not, he is!).

For the workday, just bring a pair of work gloves and enough water and snacks to last ya. We'll take care of the rest.

Thanks!
Joe P

[CGE]

Thanks,

Joefritz or is that Fritzjoe

[Fritz]

I want to thank everyone that showed up to the workday at Wakefield today. The stream trail is looking much better and hopefully we also cleared up a major drainage problem over by the powerlines.

Much thanks to the Bike Lane for helping promote the workday and providing lunch!

Joe P

[Craig]

I know it has been raining alot over the last several days, but have Wakefield and/or Accotink dried out enough to the point that parts are rideable? I was thinking about an afterwork ride tomorrow (Tuesday, 6 April).

Thanks!

Craig

[Fritz]

Rode at Accotink this morning at it was fine. The trails were hardend by all the wind and overnight freezing. It may have thawed quite a bit since then. Don't know about wakefield.

[tsteele999]

I am going to try for a ride at from Wakefield on Tuesday after work at about 3pm or so, this will be my first singlespeed ride this year without kids along...If anybody is up for it, I drive a white Passat and ride a grey Bianchi SISS.


The wind is supposed to stop screaming tonight and tomorrow is supposed to be in the 60's...yea Spring!!


Tom Steele

[Craig]

I see today's casual pace ride at Wakefield has been cancelled; is that due to a scheduling conflict or trail conditions at Wakefield/Accotink? I put the bike on the car today and am ready to ride... looking forward to it actually. :cool:

[tsteele999]

This is what Wakefield/Accotink are supposed to be like- not many puddles, mud is compacting and not sticky, great traction, I rode for about 2 hours and may go back tomorrow. BTW, The trail along the creek in Wakefield is going to be a freeway this summer- all the obsatcles are gone, smooth, flat, fast. It was nice to have some fallen tres to at least slow you down a little...

In the woods way in the back some trails are still sloppy but not as bad as last year. Accotink was in great shape.

[bigbadbrad]

:confused:
Just curious; I drove into Wakefield on Saturday AM, just stopping by to see the skatepark progress. This was just last Sat., April 3, after about 36+ hrs. of rain. Was shocked to see a handful of riders preparing to head out. These were not "amateurs" or novices; one guy was on a Santa Cruz Blur w/discs, pretty serious bike.
:eek:
I was somewhat taken aback, found it irresponsible of them, etc. Gave me pause, as I know trail access issues arise when mountain bikers are made out to be insensitive to trail conditions, i.e. riding after lots of rain can damage trails, etc. I'm certain the trail at Fountainhead, for example, would have been closed Sat. AM. (Then again, maybe they were planning just to stick to the main loop around the lake . . . ?)

Just curious as to other riders/MORE members' positions.

Thanks,
--Brad

[drewdane]

I don't think cluelessness has any relation to skill level. One guy I know who grew up riding in mostly dry Southern California had to be "reeducated" after commenting how much he looooves ripping down the trail after a heavy rain...

:confused:
Just curious; I drove into Wakefield on Saturday AM, just stopping by to see the skatepark progress. This was just last Sat., April 3, after about 36+ hrs. of rain. Was shocked to see a handful of riders preparing to head out. These were not "amateurs" or novices; one guy was on a Santa Cruz Blur w/discs, pretty serious bike.
:eek:
I was somewhat taken aback, found it irresponsible of them, etc. Gave me pause, as I know trail access issues arise when mountain bikers are made out to be insensitive to trail conditions, i.e. riding after lots of rain can damage trails, etc. I'm certain the trail at Fountainhead, for example, would have been closed Sat. AM. (Then again, maybe they were planning just to stick to the main loop around the lake . . . ?)

Just curious as to other riders/MORE members' positions.

Thanks,
--Brad

[Phil123]

Does anyone have any predictions what the trail conditions will be like at Wakefield for Sunday's Cranky Monkey race? There's been afternoon rain showers every day this week where I've been. Can Wakefield absorb this sort of rain?

Thanks!

[dmofot]

I think it depends on the next couple of days. While it has rained a little bit here and there, it wasn't hard until yesterday. I rode several times there this week and conditions were fine. Depending on how the weather goes tonight, it looks like the weekend should be nice and sunny...hopefully making for good race weather. I know Jim would be happy...

DT

[febbraro]

I went there this afternoon to check out the trails. The wakefield trails and the bowl are in bad shape.

The bowl is a mess, and in wakefield any low lying spot is still really wet and muddy.

I dont know how much it could dry out tonight and tomorrow, but if the race was today it would be a no-go.

[Squirrel Girl]

Are any casual riders going to Wakefield/Accotink tonight? I figure it's probably too wet, but wouldn't want to miss out if it's dry enough for people to go.

[Dirt]

Are any casual riders going to Wakefield/Accotink tonight? I figure it's probably too wet, but wouldn't want to miss out if it's dry enough for people to go.

Sorry I miss y'all last night. Even though I'm not the official ride leader, I've gotten used to showing up and leading a casual group around. The new project I'm working on is not too flexible with my hours. I'll still be out for Thursday's ride though.

Take care. Cross your fingers for no rain.

Peter

[MTBeers]

Sorry I miss y'all last night. Even though I'm not the official ride leader, I've gotten used to showing up and leading a casual group around. The new project I'm working on is not too flexible with my hours. I'll still be out for Thursday's ride though.

Take care. Cross your fingers for no rain.

Peter

what's the status on this ride? i'm in tyson's and so far not a drop...

[Dirt]

what's the status on this ride? i'm in tyson's and so far not a drop...

Sorry I missed this notice. I haven't been able to monitor the boards much during the day since I've been in meetings most of the time.

WAkefield was sloppy, so we went to Accotink. The conditions were pretty darn good. There were a few puddles, but nothing bad.

See y'all next Thursday.

Peter

[MTBeers]

So far, so good, no rain.

Anyone still headed out tonight?

[Muddy1]

yep, I'm planning on heading out. :)

Cheers,
Kristina

Uh oh, well maybe not at this point. Its starting to rain with lots of thunder rumbles. :mad:

[MTBeers]

yep, I'm planning on heading out. :)

Cheers,
Kristina

Uh oh, well maybe not at this point. Its starting to rain with lots of thunder rumbles. :mad:


i'm out. we shouldn't ride. next time...

[jks9199]

OK...
I'm kinda presuming that it's gonna be at least Wednesday or Thursday before anything is rideable? Anybody know different?

[Fritz]

OK...
I'm kinda presuming that it's gonna be at least Wednesday or Thursday before anything is rideable? Anybody know different?

I rode at Accotink yesterday (Sunday). It was fine except for a few puddles in the usual places. Should be even better today.

JoeP

[febbraro]

I went during lunch today (Tuesday) forgot to check the weather map. Apparantly it rained there this morning, it was pretty muddy and soft everywhere, had to bail.

Give it a day or two.