Uses for Wood Ash

I heat and cook with wood so have a bunch of ash to deal with.
Last winter it was getting dumped near the railroad tracks to keep weeds from growing in the rocks where I can't mow.
If there are no weeds, they lift the sprayer arms and go right past without spraying.

In years past it got thrown in an evergrowing pile.
This year that pile is getting put on garden paths.
I pulled the weeds and grasses in the paths, dug it down and put the soil on the nearest garden beds,
then piled about 3" of ash, which was covered by about 4 more inches of wood chips.
Plan is to stop using carboard to reduce weeds in the paths.

I have used it to keep the ice in front of the house from being so slippery and noticed it killed the grass come spring.
So maybe it can be used to kill weeds by the tracks and in my garden paths.

but Craig, aren't you worried about the pH skyrocketing in the adjacent beds?