Southeast - Anyone live near Woodstock?

I live in Woodstock, GA (Towne Lake) and am having a difficult time finding safe places to ride around here. It seems every road I'm on has cars flying 5 inches next to me at 55 mph. Most of the people I see riding around here are on the sidewalks, and I can understand why. Just wondering if anyone knew of some good places to ride.

Thanks

There are many roads in my area which are the same way. Sometimes you just have to ride on them anyway. If there is a rail trail or MUP nearby you should be able to find it with Google.

Looks like there is a mountain bike trail but not much else. http://www.singletracks.com/bike-trails/blankets-creek-bicycle-trail.html

Anyone live near Woodstock?
No. We're all down here in ATL being run over by SUVs and buses. :rolleyes:
Just kidding. There are a few folks up that way. Stop by the Atlanta/Decatur thread (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/234331-Atlanta-Decatur-needs-a-LONG-quot-What-s-Up-quot-thread-too!) and say hello to the locals.

Also check out www.mapmyride.com and http://atlbike.org/ for rides and routes up that way.

I'm just north of downtown Woodstock off of Main St. And I certainly sympathize! Riding around here is tough. All the roads seem busy. On weekend mornings (when there's less traffic) sometimes I ride a loop consisting of Dupree, Bascomb Carmel, Bells Ferry, Ridge, Sixes, and Hwy 5. But even during "low" traffic there's still a lot of traffic on at least half of those roads. Toonigh Road seems to be a bit less busy, and someone I know over that way says Univeter and Butterworth are ridable (but I've never tried them). But it really seems you can't put a decent route together without getting on a busy road.

Outspokin bike shop (in downtown Woodstock) does Saturday morning rides that leave out of the Hickory Flat Publix (on Hwy 140) and go to the east from there. Traffic over there seems lighter and the cars we do encounter are a bit more used to seeing bikes on the road since lots of folks ride over there every weekend. This would be roads like Lower Union Hill, Union Hill, Arbor Hill, Trinity Church, Gaddis, Gantt and Sugar Pike. But of course that means racking up the bike and driving somewhere which is always a pain. I have another riding buddy that lives in Towne Lake and he says for his weekday rides he just stays in his neighborhood. As a consequence he is getting really good at hill climbing!

Thanks for the reply Bill! That's good to know about those group rides. I've been following a path through Wyngate and through the neighborhoods near Victory Rd, then along Bells Ferry across the bridge and into BridgeMill, but I'll try that loop you suggested.