I finally got to try out the extension. I've ridden the old part lots of times but I don't live close by anymore.
A. I appreciate that they added it. Nice to be able to get to ToBay, which was my favorite to go to by car when I was a TOB resident. No complaints about the engineering, although it seems like it would have been easier and cleaner to circumnavigate the back of the theater lot rather than make an S through the middle. Yet . . .
B. Snack stand or whatever that is at the end was totally closed, including the restrooms and water fountain, leaving me with a "is that all there is" feeling?
C. Ride was monotonous. I probably won't do it much.
D. New section was about equally crowded as Cedar Creek to Zachs Bay section. It looked like people (with meandering young children) were parking at the theater lot and riding or walking from there.
E. Back in the day, the old terminus, on the west side of the theater lot, was a big bike parking lot equipped with a guy on a lifeguard tower keeping an eye on the bikes. We were comfortable chaining bikes there and walking to the beach when they had that. Sometimes there's be at least 50 bikes there. It was free but I'd be willing to pay a couple bucks for the service if that would help get it back, preferably relocated closer to the boardwalk.
F. Also back in the day, if Cedar Creek Park was closed or you just didn't want to go through it, you could access the trail a little further north at the exit from the northbound parkway onto Merrick Rd. I didn't check that out.