Touring - Who would like a 40 mile Greenway Organized Ride?

Here in Durham NC, we will be putting the finishing touches on a 20 mile greenway, when the last few blocks are finished this Spring. We are considering sponsoring an 40 mile organized ride (to go down and back), to promote the completed trail, and I wanted to get input from those of you who go on organized rides and tour. FYI, it is a compilation of many types of riding surfaces, ranging from sidewalk, wood board bridges, concrete, asphalt (a little is a bit old and beat up), and even a few miles of packed earth. It goes through Downtown and into the country, it passes by a Museum and a Minor League Ball Park, and lots of recreational parks. With the curb cuts and some less than smooth terrain, skinny road tires would likely be the least enjoyable tire option, and would probably be promoted that way.

Let me know how you feel about riding on greenways, and organized rides, along with suggestions or concerns you might have. I see lots of different types of rides being promoted these days, and think it's a good idea; I certainly like riding on it and do it whenever I can. Thanks for your feedback.

I ride the ATT all the time with my Trek 720 hybrid. It's a lot of fun, but the trail isn't very wide and the greenways to the north are even more narrow. I can't see having a large scale bike event on it mostly for that reason. It's crowded enough when using streets. I also heard there is some other bike event in the works for April or May to showcase the new plaza by the SunTrust building. I don't think it'll be completed by then though.

Is the bridge across I-40 the part that is going to be finished this Spring? I think that's actually going to be more like the spring of 2007. You could probably currently get 20 one-way miles out of it if you started at the greenway at Horton Rd, and also took all of the spurs back and forth on the ATT. I bet they are going to mess up some of the trail they already put in because of the downtown streetscape activities and the new farmer's market pavillion on Foster St. They've already messed up some of the trail they just put in. They are probably going to start working at the north end of American Tobacco soon too which may inconvenience that main access point to the trail.

Still, if you decide to have it, I'll be there as long as we all stop at Tyler's Tap Room for a few beers on the way :beer:

The portions that they will be finishing this spring are along Stadium Drive, and along West Club (under I-85). Due to new roads built last fall there's a great safe way over I-40 by getting over to the sidewalk along Hope Valley Rd. to get to the southern unpaved portion of the ATT. I've traced the route, have a look at the map http://www.wayfaring.com/maps/show/4165

It's around 20 miles from the Horton Rd terminus, to the southern county line (where we're stopped by the river). Certainly there are still sections of the trail that are a little narrow, but it's hard to image more than 300 people signing up for the ride either. Imagine how many people you would have at an organized ride if there were no road racers. This would certainly be a different experience than other rides, I think it's great to highlight the differences that a greenway ride would have from a road ride. For example, if there are tons of people perhaps we start the ride in the middle and half the group goes North first, the other half goes South first. Stagger them by ability or age or their own preference. There's certainly enough room for people to pass one another.

A greenway ride could be a really different experience than a road ride. At least to me, the focus while on a greenway trail is more on the experience, what you see, who you meet and ride along with and talk to, rather than some sort of a time trial where every passing car is a potential threat. I think it would be a great way to let people know about the longest greenway trail in North Carolina, and get a great group of riders together that sometimes get overlooked by organized bike events. Anyone else?

The portions that they will be finishing this spring are along Stadium Drive, and along West Club (under I-85). Due to new roads built last fall there's a great safe way over I-40 by getting over to the sidewalk along Hope Valley Rd. to get to the southern unpaved portion of the ATT. I've traced the route, have a look at the map http://www.wayfaring.com/maps/show/4165

I think you (or someone) posted this on a local listserv and I tried it out. It worked fine but I never would've found that without the directions.



Imagine how many people you would have at an organized ride if there were no road racers.

Good point. I bet some would still show up though.



A greenway ride could be a really different experience than a road ride. At least to me, the focus while on a greenway trail is more on the experience, what you see, who you meet and ride along with and talk to, rather than some sort of a time trial where every passing car is a potential threat. I think it would be a great way to let people know about the longest greenway trail in North Carolina, and get a great group of riders together that sometimes get overlooked by organized bike events. Anyone else?

Like I said, count me in, but count on a stop at American Tobacco for a few beers at Tylers.