Bridges do Freeze Before Roads

11/22/2014 25m

It's true what they say: bridges and overpasses do freeze before roadways. My drive out to Cecil for today's ride coincided with freezing rain and the I376 to I79 roadplex was just a body shop's fantasy come true. Cars sliding everywhere.

I was glad to get off the road and get onto the Montour Trail, sure that the packed limestone surface was the right place to be riding today. Inevitably, R and I learned that all the bridge decks that the trail uses were also quite frozen over and very slippery. This may be why we were the only cyclists we saw this afternoon

This is the National Tunnel at about MP25:

We rode out to see the Valleybrook Road project and the Library Trestle project. The Library Trestle looks like the deck is complete and the side rails are onsite and ready to be installed. The Valleybrook Road project shows initial concrete poured on the overpass supports but nothing is crossing the road yet.

We stopped at Starbucks in McMurray. I miss FarmHouseCoffee. On the way back the temps were warming - not enough to thaw the ice on the bridges, just enough to melt some of the ice and produce a mix of water over ice which was even more interesting. Completely workable, just not rideable.

This is a waterfall by the Montour Railroad Museum near Valleybrook Road.

We started riding at about 32F, and we finished riding at 43F - so our initial clothing was way too warm, and we changed layers and gloves for the second lag. It's amazing how different 10F can make the experience.