StephenH

Anyone know anything about the current status of this trail?

According to this link:
https://www.traillink.com/ViewTrailPh...AcctID=6032398
The trail starts at Farmersville, is real nice, then sort of peters out after a couple of miles.

The reason I ask, is I just drove through Celeste, and it looked like a paved trail through there. Surely it's not paved the whole way? Or is it just a mile or two around Celeste that is fixed up nice?

txvintage

Loks like an awfully nice trail head for just a couple of miles of trail. Most likely its gravel after you get out of "town".

I really need an old rigid frame, eyelt equipped MTB.

Jtgyk

This trail sound GREAT!!!! I wonder how much of it is done? Does anyone have more news?

txvintage

Well, Farmersville is only 13 miles away. Some investigation may be inorder.

Jtgyk

'Nuff said!

Got to leave work this afternoon after all!
Sue and I drove out to the Trail head and reconnoitered.
The trail is apparently open with none of the problems posted in the comments of the website in evidence.
The paved section extends for 2.5 miles. We went out 3.7 miles and had to return as the sun was going down. The trail looked like it went on straight forever.

First Cement


Then Asphalt


And cement again


From there it is Rock


And Dirt


A local Horse rider said she's personally ridden up to The Old Merit Schoolhouse...and believes the trail is open further. I may drive to merit next Friday, if the weather holds, and spend the day riding from there to see how far it will take me. (I should be able to make more than the 8.3 mph avg we did today)
I'll put on the knobby tires for that section though. My High pressure slicks were OK, but I'd feel better with a little more traction and cushion.
(Front suspension could be nice too...but even without it the path was better than chipseal ANY day!)

Sight lines are limited by the cut for the train, but you get occasional glimpses of goodness.


And just to prove I was really there and to have something to post as a semi-before picture.

A picture of moi and the geeked out Hardrock (my commuter)

Oh...It's over 19 miles from Wylie.

Jtgyk

Just Logged this on Map My Ride:

https://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united...e/437254793617

StephenH

Cool! Thanks for exploring this out more!

Jtgyk

Thanks for finding the trail!

It must be one of the best kept secrets in the nation.

Perhaps an undisclosed location where Cheney likes to hang out?
hm........

txvintage

So long as he is on a bike and isn't hunting, I'm ok with that, lol.

The question now becomes where do we get a map of the trail to figure out distances and places of interest.

Jtgyk

Haven't found an official trail map...the Traillink page
https://www.traillink.com/ViewTrail.aspx?AcctID=6032398
Is looking for people with GPS uploading and mapping capability to submit data as well as marking trail heads, drinking water access, toilet facilities etc.

I've started mapping the ride on Map My Ride (link to what I've done so far above)
Basically turn the map on "hybrid" and follow the cut for the tracks from Farmersville to Paris.

Jtgyk

You can actually see the tracks without going to Hybrid mode. It shows the tracks...but they're not there anymore ...just the bed.

apacherider

So...using Google Earth street view, where the old tracks cross the roads, it looks like the tracks are picked up until Paris, where the abandoned tracks are still in place.

I'd be interested to know how deep the gravel is along the unimproved sections.

I have ridden one of these rails/trails things in East Texas and it was very rideable on a mountain bike or even a hybrid.

In Celeste for example, it's paved:

https://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=3...34840231720717

But then outside of town it goes down to doubletrack:

https://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=3...23329437424983

Wolfe City:

https://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=3...59756633253012

Ladonia:

https://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=3...62782543447643

Etc. Etc. Etc.

I was wondering if there might be bridges or trestles out along the way.

The link mentioned the total distance would be 56 miles one way when completed?

Jtgyk

I'll be systematically trying to take each section when I can to report on conditions.
next section will be from Merit

apacherider

I ride often from Dallas to Murphy/Wylie/Farmersville. It would not be too much of a stretch really to ride up to Paris and make a long day of it. What would that be, about 150 miles or so round trip?

txvintage

You're a better man than me, lol. I could conceivably make it from Farmersville to Paris, although I don't have much expereince riding on lose terrain so I'm guessing at the required energy out put.

I get my Garmin eTex Legend HcX tomorrow if the tracking number speaks the truth. I don't currently have a bike set up for this, but I might be able to put some cross tires on my tourer. I really need a rigid framed MTB....

apacherider

I'm interested to see what you can come up with!

Sometimes I ride from White Rock Lake up to the Oklahoma border and back. This would be a little more distance and would give me the chance to ride a mountain bike versus a road bike. Last year I rode from Dallas to Austin(and back) and Dallas to Nacogdoches(and back on a mountain bike) but not all in one day. I think Dallas-Paris and back would be a solid all day ride. Assuming the gravel is not super deep.

Jtgyk

no need to beat up your touring rig....I'd be willing to loan you the Trek with the trekking bars as soon as I get some cyclocross tires on it.
Hey, it'd be for a good cause!

Jtgyk

Is there a category for off road randonee?

apacherider

Endurance racing would be the equivalent. I do the Leadville 100 almost every year. So high mileage flat stuff does not bother me too much. I did 140 miles saturday on my mtb around Dallas riding many of the DORBA trails. I split my time between New Mexico and Texas, so I have to take advantage of the great winter weather here in Texas!

This trail/ROW interests me because I could incorporate it into part of a regular route I have.

I'm interested to see if the ROW for the tracks is not blocked somewhere by barbed wire fencing or some obstacle that cannot be hiked around. One of those deals where if the State does not maintain the ROW, farmers/ranchers kind of land grab it for themselves. There are alot of peckerhead rural people living up that way. Cool thing is I would not have to worry about them running me over.

txvintage

Cool! We should pick a day to see how far we can get. I think our problem may be in days that coincide with each other, lol. I would be up for chipping on on the cross tires, or buying some heavy duty tubes for rental considerations!

I read the comments on the trail site about man made brush blockages/baricades. I'm not adverse to moving some of those out of the way as long as it doens't include downed trees or getting shot, lol.

I've got some soccer tournament and college recruiting visit obligations for the next two or three weekends, but I'll see what I can work out for the last weekend of the month.

Jtgyk

No worries about the Tires and tubes...I'll be picking some up tomorrow, since it will be pretty much a bust as for as riding goes. While I'm at it I may mount the tires on the 40 spoke rims.....

Got any tire recommendations?

txvintage

I have no experience with cross tires. That being said, my favorite tire is always the one on sale, lol.

scattered73

Ritchey Speedmax(35s) and Kenda Kwick. These are my favorites as long as there is no mud involved, I have had no luck with thorn resistant tubes in the wider widths and they are difficult to find always seem to break at the valve.

Jtgyk

Wow!
I grew up around that area (Crested Butte, McClure pass, etc.) Must account for my freakish lung capacity.
When I moved to Texas 25 years ago I was dizzy all the time (turned out I was hyperventilating)
If you are bombing around up there, I can see how the Chaparral would be no problem!

I wonder if one did find barbed wire or other obstacles...if the state would be supportive in maintaining ROW?
And it would definitely be cool to have a 65 mile ride where you didn't have to put up with teh drivers.

Creakyknees

hey thanks for the tip on the trail.

just fyi, there's another trail way on the West side of DFW - it goes from Weatherford to Mineral Wells, about 50 mile out n back.

"The Lake Mineral Wells State Trailway begins northwest of Weatherford and travels 20 miles westward to downtown Mineral Wells: www.tpwd.state.tx.us/park/lakemine/lakemine.htm#trailway"