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Summer construction

Old 06-28-06, 06:16 AM
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Summer construction

For the past couple of months the city (and maybe the state) have been doing some upgrades on the bike path I take which follows a freeway. Typically they put up a big sign on a sawhorse that says, "Road Closed". I smile to myself thinking, "It's not a a road", and ride on through. Usually I pass a dozen guys sitting around eating donoughts.

Usually no one is working and there is no earthly reason the trail should be closed. But then this week the sign changed to read "road closed from 6/19-6/30" now they have cars parked all along the path from fence to fence so there is no way to get my bike (with wide handle bars) thru. Now about a dozen guys are standing around eating donoughts and another dozen are driving heavy machinery and sawing concrete. Fifty percent working is pretty good. Still other than the parked cars there is nothing actually blocking the path.

So I've been relegated to taking a surface street to replace the last 5 miles of path. I miss my bike path so much!! Cars are crazy/stinky/fast. Riding this street this week has taught me how lucky I am to have a bike path going straight to my destination. I think I'll send some letters to the city councilmembers and state legislatures to let them know what a difference those 5 miles make to me.
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Old 06-28-06, 07:53 AM
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You don't know what you got 'til it's gone. In my city, we don't even have bike paths. Actually, we do have one bike path, but it doesn't lead to anywhere. You have to take a 4-lane highway to get to it, and it leads from one part of the highway to another. We also have a couple of bike lanes on two of the most dangerous streets in the city. I have never seen a cyclist on one, and I hope I never do because they would probably die.

I guess that's what you have to deal with in a city where the only people who commute by bike are guys who have had their licences taken away. About a year ago someone approached me about becoming a special advisor to the city's planning commitee. They wanted me to represent bicycle commuters. I only know one other person here over the age of 16 who bikes by choice. I just laughed and told them that I would prefer to let the Public Defender continue representing bicycle commuters [wink]. It's not that I don't think it would be nice to have some more bike paths or lanes, but there just isn't much demand for it. Even bike cops in my city ride on the sidewalk.

When that path opens back up, cherish it. You don't know how lucky you are.
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Old 06-28-06, 08:28 AM
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Originally Posted by JoeUser
You don't know what you got 'til it's gone. In my city, we don't even have bike paths. Actually, we do have one bike path, but it doesn't lead to anywhere.
When that path opens back up, cherish it. You don't know how lucky you are.
I read your post and thought, that sounds just like where I live. Then I looked at your location and found out that is where I live. Knoxville is in hilly East Tennessee. I live in West Hills and commute to work in Lenoir City by bike (sometimes). I drive to Anchor Park in Farragut, which takes as long as it would take to drive to work which is 30 minutes. Then take 10 miles of backroads to get to work which takes another 45 minutes. My commute from home would be 22 miles but I am not yet brave enough to take Kingston Pike or Parkside Drive west. The funny thing is the signs posted along Kingston Pike on the far west end that proclaim it as a bike route. Riding on a 6 inch shoulder while cars whiz by at 70 mph is not my idea of a bike route.

Al
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Old 06-28-06, 08:37 AM
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bike, you should definitely write that letter. I'm sure those guys get tired of citizens telling them what they need, and would like to hear someone who's appreciative.

Joe and trek are right, there are few/no bike paths here in the southern Appalachians. This is God's country for mountain bikers, but very little is done for road bikers and especially commuters.
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Old 06-28-06, 09:37 AM
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I don't mind not having bike paths. I prefer to go reasonably fast (18-25mph) and ride with traffic...
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Old 06-28-06, 10:03 AM
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Originally Posted by aadhils
I don't mind not having bike paths. I prefer to go reasonably fast (18-25mph) and ride with traffic...
Yeah I guess that's the difference. I'm a softy, I like to listen to the birds and watch the river and am not to concerned with getting anywhere quickly. ahh well. This morning I had to work to keep up with traffic, saw two dead animals and was a big ball of sweat when I got to work.
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