CD's Saturday cycling tip: sand trap

Around here, municipalities prefer a sand-and-salt mix as their approach to snow and ice on the roads. A key tactic is to spread the mix at intersections of interest. For cars this works fine and on a mountain bike in the snow and ice a rider won't even notice. Things gets trickier after the precipitation is gone and the road is dry because the sand is still there. The trick is compounded as the passage of cars tends to sweep the sand on to shoulders or into corners — just the sorts of places road cyclists tend to ride or turn through. The situation is now as slippery in such spots for the cyclist as it was for the driver before the sand and salt. My morning commute has two notable dunes: one at Trinity and Chapel Hill roads, the other just down the street at Trinity Road and East Chatham Street. Cycledork claims no technical expertise but I try to avoid the sand if possible. If that's not possible — and in some situations crunching forward on sand and gravel is the best solution — slow down, especially through corners. If traffic allows, ride around it. Obviously, that's not always an option. So be vigilant. Watching and looking are always good habits, particularly when approaching a potential hazard. The payoff here is that sometimes that sand bar has enough tire tracks through it to actually provide a clear(er) path. Especially on a road bike, avoid braking while in the sand unless, of course, you want to slide.