larry h

we are going to be in nashville this week if we start at the lake how many miles can we go on bike trails without using city streets alot we have looked at some maps but it appears the trails are not connected but in several sections thanks

Spreggy

Larry, I'm not an expert or resident, but I just visited there and here's what I found. If you're downtown, go to 3rd street and take the pedestrian bridge (which looks like a normal bridge at first glance). Once you cross, take a right and ride for a mile or two thru an ugly industrial looking area that makes you think this can't be a bike path. But suddenly you pop into Shelby Bottoms park, and can link to other parks (watch for a bridge) to extend your ride. I managed to burn a couple hours on that route.

The other ride I would suggest is to Percy Warner Park. Go up Broadway til it splits, take the West End split a few more miles to a left on Bel Meade. Ride past all the mansions on Bel Meade until you get to the park, and enjoy a scenic and very hilly ride. It's like a rollercoaster in there, and very pretty.

There's a good shop that helped me out on West End called the Bike Pedlar.

Good luck!

Gavush

I may be a little late... but you can try asking on national mountain bike . org 's tennessee forum.There are several people on the board who have biked the greenways quite a bit. Though I work near downtown, I'm about 40 minutes west and do most of my biking on that side of town. If you don't mind light traffic, the northern end of the Natchez Trace Parkway is about 25 minutes from downtown (in light traffic) off exit 192 on interstate 40 west. Take a left at the bottom of the exit ramp, say on that road.. go straight at four way stop, take a right when the road ends at a traffic light, and boom - it's right there. There is a parking lot about 3 miles up. Also, instead of taking a right a the light you can take a left and the historic loveless cafe is there on your right, as well as Trace Bikes. (they close at 5 iirc)

Gavush

some of the folks on national mountain bike forum (tennessee section) are pretty familiar with the greenways, I'd try posting your question on there.

What I can recommend is to go about 30 minutes out of your way to exit 192 on I-40 west and go up on the natchez trace parkway. traffic is really light (even at 5:30pm) and it's beautiful... plus, it's usually quite a bit cooler up there. You take a left off the interstate ramp, then straight at a 4 way stop, then right at the end of the road and it's right there. There is a parking lot 3 miles up.