I drove part way to a central point. I had ridden a route about = to the mileage of my commute, but not the actual route, and in the middle of the night with no traffic, and not carrying anything that actually weighed anything.

FF to this mornig. I found a public place (large supermarket complex) and parked off in the end of their lot. Got my stuff, and then proceeded to hook up to one of the City trails on Old Cheney from 40th Rock Island, then cut back to 14th. About 3 miles, 1/2 the distance from my house, about 20 minutes. Not a long time, but there are some low grade long rises along the way that ill need to build up to. ***EDIT***

URL for this route is: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=2062717
Actually almost 4 miles. Whoo Hoo.

But, im sink showered, in the chair by 740, and I didn't leave but 10 minutes earlier than I usually do. I figure ill do this for 2-3 weeks to get used to it ( I do have to ride back to my car, after all) and go from there. Ate 2 pop tarts and a liter of water after I got situated, and I don't feel half bad. We'll see tomorrow (two lower discs gone and all that-sometimes doesn't like my efforts to fight fat).


But I did it.

Whoa, congrats! I'm surprised we didn't see each other, I ride on the same trails at about the same time (56th to the normal trail, zoo to the Rock Island, off the Rock Island to the "Tierra" trail that runs through tierra/williamsburg/southpointe). That's awesome to hear that someone else from this forum is commuting on those trails. If you want any company on the way home, let me know, I usually leave here around 4:30ish then head back to the RI, out south to Saltillo, then back north and wind my way back.

Also, if you need routing tips let me know. There's a couple good ways to get from the Union College neighborhood that we both apparently live in to the Rock Island trail without using sidewalks or riding deathly streets (48th, 56th, Pioneers, etc).

THAT WOULD BE AWESOME! I live less than a block off 56th on Prescott, so I can go either way, but 48th seems the lesser evil with the construction on 56th. I posted here prior here about my 330 am ride and the sidewalks down 48th-it wasn't horrendous, but I can only imagine it being worse at 7am with traffic if I was on the road. THere have got to be more creative ways to get to S 14th and just past Pine Lake. I didn't ride that trail (Rock) all the way because I don't know quite where it ends up, timing wise, but since Im a block from that Amigos at work that might work out too. Even less congested way to Old Cheney would be nice-that city sidewalk trail on the north side all the way down is really pretty nice.


I don't get out of work until 5 (ha ha....unless the infamous 4:49 call comes in), but thanks for the invitation!

Luckily you're in the 'Clyde' forum. If you were in the 'Living Car Free' forum, you'd be worthless :D

I grew up ~45 miles from Omaha in Southwest Iowa. :beer:

No problem! First, dude seriously, you literally live a block away from me. That's HILARIOUS and ironic! Go walk down to 56th then look north - you'll see my pickup sitting in our (horrible and unmowed!) yard with a for sale sign on it :). I've probably ridden by your house dozens of times - so ironic. Heck, I bet our kids trick or treated at your house on Halloween.. haha! Anyway! Here's a link to a route to work:

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ne/lincoln/716042443 (http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ne/lincoln/716042443)

I've ridden that particular route dozens if not a hundred times over the past year. Prescott street is completely devoid of traffic, always, so you have 0 fear of problems with cars while riding on the street. Ride on the street, avoid the sidewalks, but watch for cracks/potholes between 48th and 40th. There's a couple hills, but not too bad, they just build character :D.

Calvert also is largely devoid of traffic, but also watch the descent to 33rd - lots of cracks and potholes as well. Once your ride both once or twice you'll get a feel for where you can go.

I wasn't exactly sure of your destination so I ballparked the 14th and Old Cheney area. Anyway it's a good ride, devoid of traffic with lots of other commuters. I used to ride it daily at my old job for over a year. I still ride it on occasion.

For getting home tonight, I'm guessing your car is parked at Hy-Vee? If so, here's a route from 14th and OC to Hy-Vee that is 99.9% bike path - and goes right behind my work :).

http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ne/lincoln/24388646 (http://www.mapmyride.com/route/us/ne/lincoln/24388646)

My office is in the building that will be directly overlooking the bike trail on the opposite side from the apartments when the bike trail dumps on to Orwell St. Another bonus, if you take that route the vast majority of the way is going to be a gently sloping decline or purely flat. You'll get back to Hy-Vee pretty dang fast!! :)

And who knows! I might end up seeing you anyway. The south rock island basically ends at Pine Lake road and 14th, but I continue south on 14th to Saltillo, then turn around. Fast and lost of fun, I always like the headwind out of the south so I can have a fast ride home once I turn around :).

Anyway.. enjoy!

Congrats on the ride! I wouldn't call it cheating so much as working your way up, but if you feel bad about it you can always flog yourself with a rusty bicycle chain :lol:

Oh, I would also loose the pop-tarts in favor of a more nutritous breakfast. I cringed the last time I checked the nutrition facts in those tasty foil wrapped rectangles of pure gastronomic evil tm.

OH crap, addendum :). I didn't realize you were PAST old cheney on 14th. In that case, ride up the "sidewalk" on the west side of Pine Lake (the one that goes by the bank, Popeye's and Southwest High). When you get to the YMCA, continue on the "sidewalk" West (towards the Y) and then cross into Dinsmore park. You'll go down a slight hill with the playground to your left, when there is an intersection veer to your left - that will be the Rock Island.

There is also a trail that runs along pine lake, then back into South Pointe. I HIGHLY recommend against taking this trail! It's a nice trail, but there are a lot of street crossing - busy ones - and nobody seems to pay attention to the trail. I rode it daily for the beginning of the year, and had too many close calls with cars either turning in front of me into traffic, or coming from traffic into me. In addition in the southpointe/williamsburg area there are a TON of kids and walkers, so you have to ride pretty slowly and carefully as they too are oblivious to cyclists :). The other route (to the RI) is by far the preferred one.

Anyway if I can too avoid those late calls, I'll be in the 14th and Pine Lake area around 5 or 5:15. Again, offer extended to help you with the route back to Hy-Vee if you'd like. Partially because I wouldn't mind finding an excuse to not have to do the trip out to Saltillo on 14th :).

Oh, I would also loose the pop-tarts in favor of a more nutritous breakfast. I cringed the last time I checked the nutrition facts in those tasty foil wrapped rectangles of pure gastronomic evil tm.
Lordy yes, amen. They won't fuel you worth spit and they got no shortage of calories and gunk.

I can probably be at the Gas station/amigos about that time. Red Specialized Hardrock with a rear rack/slider bag and a somewhat unwieldly grey messenger bag. Ill look at those routes in a minute. I work at TerraScan, Inc., behind what is the new Fox's lounge.

Yah, pop tarts was what was in the wheel of death when I got here. Usually I eat 1 amigos breakfast burrito and a Dew for my morning caffeine. Lunch for me doesn't usually happen until 2-3 unless I get buried in a project, then I just forget completely about it. Ill need to work on that.

Streeeeeets......baaaaaaad. I took the sidewalk/up 14th pretty much the whole way-I didn't know that RI went behind Dinsmore-good to know. It must hook up to those trails by Wilderness later, then?

I can probably be at the Gas station/amigos about that time. Red Specialized Hardrock with a rear rack/slider bag and a somewhat unwieldly grey messenger bag. Ill look at those routes in a minute. I work at TerraScan, Inc., behind what is the new Fox's lounge.


Sounds good, I'll be there right about 5-ish (maybe a couple minutes after). Look for a big dude on a blue Long Haul - I'm pretty much utterly impossible to miss.

Streeeeeets......baaaaaaad. I took the sidewalk/up 14th pretty much the whole way-I didn't know that RI went behind Dinsmore-good to know. It must hook up to those trails by Wilderness later, then?

Oh man, you'll enjoy the RI through that area SO much better. It's kind of confusing to get to the first time you ride it, but after that you'll be quite happy. Instead of the slight gradual uphill on 14th, you get a pretty nice flat path, with a loop down then a really fun climb up to Old Cheney. I say fun because I'm sadistic.

Basically the RI technically ends at the YMCA, from what I was told, but you can also get to the Jamaica Trail - which goes all the way to Beatrice (a route I said "sure" foolishly about riding this weekend..) - from there. The Jamaica is a great trail, just a warning, bring spare tubes. LOTS of spare tubes.

Anyway, I can fill you in more when I see you. After last week I think I've finally ridden every MUP in the city - hah.

Also, the streets here, at least the ones I told you about are really not bad with really courteous drivers. All are residential, and I've never had a problem on one. Other streets, well, I avoid like the plague. Pretty much any major artery in town is not to be ridden on.

Looking forward to it. See you round five, disasters not withstanding, squeaky brake pads and all.

CAS

LOL! Sounds good. If you can't make it, shoot an email to bdinger at gmail.com. It goes to my annoying but handy redmond phone, which is something I can't seem to teach my text-messaging friends.