Great Lakes - Racine, WI - MRK trail (pics)

I felt the need for a weekday road trip. Something short, just to ride something different. The wind was out of the south east, so how about the MRK trail near Racine? I could park at Cliffside Park and ride from there. Well, that's what I thought I was going to do! First I got lost with all the detours in the area and couldn't even get to Cliffside. Eventually, I found the backside of it and parked at Chapla Park, right on the lake.

http://members.aol.com/j999w/MRK0.jpg

No problem, rode into the park from the east ...

http://members.aol.com/j999w/MRK1.jpg

... and onto the trail.

http://members.aol.com/j999w/MRK2.jpg
http://members.aol.com/j999w/MRK3.jpg

WHOA ! What's this???

http://members.aol.com/j999w/MRK4.jpg

This isn't the bike trail I remember !!

http://members.aol.com/j999w/MRK5.jpg

Well, this isn't good. I rode back to Cliffside, headed north to 7 mile road and found this ...

http://members.aol.com/j999w/MRK7.jpg
http://members.aol.com/j999w/MRK9.jpg

Then south to 6 mile road and this is what that looks like ...

http://members.aol.com/j999w/MRK6.jpg

Oh well, so much for THAT plan! I back tracked, past the car,
rode around the neighborhood a little, and packed it in. Still a
nice evening at the lake front. Log the ride and head home.

http://members.aol.com/j999w/MRK8.jpg

A little research shows what's going on:

http://www.fuzzyworld3.com/bicycling3/2006/tr06-04.html

"The primary reason for the trail closure is to allow right-of-way improvements on the parallel Union Pacific Railroad. These improvements include the construction of additional tracks, the construction of a road underpass at Six Mile Road, and the closing of the crossing at Seven Mile Road."

NOW THEY TELL ME!

jw

I was planning on riding this trail this weekend on a big ride I have planned while in town visiting family. I am unfamiliar with the area, and a mid-ride reroute could have been difficult. Thanks for the heads up, now I've got a plan in mind to get around this mess.

I camped in a Racine municipal campground right next to those tracks that are under construction back in August. The sounds of the heavy construction equipment were better than an alarm clock in the early morning.