Originally Posted by
brotherdan
I personally enjoy riding on expressways. I'm not allowed to do so in my home state, but I often use them when touring in the west. I don't think they are too visually appealing, and you certainly have to be extra cautious when approaching ramps and interchanges. But I never feel safe on any road where there are cars present. At least on an expressway you usually have a broad shoulder to ride on. Expressways can shave a lot of time off of a long ride, whereas, hunting around for small back roads can add lots of miles and hours to a trip, even if you have a GPS to point you in exactly the right direction. If you spend all of your time in subdivisions you end up stopping and starting all the time at stop signs and traffic lights. It's not that I think people should always try to avoid subdivisions, but you're wasting your time and probably missing the scenery if you try to ride in subdivisions as much as possible.
The subdivisions are the scenery! LOL.
You'll see some of the most expensive, beautiful homes in your life. Riding on an expressway during the heat of the summer without any shade or trees smelling nothing but gas with high speed traffic traveling a few feet away is not my idea of a vacation. When the shoulder disappears, the fun ends too.
Out west, you might have no choice but, I find plenty of choices. It is true you add more miles riding through subdivisions. Alot more than taking an expressway and it can be hilly at times. However, there are stores, shops where you can reload on soft drinks and food. The stop lights and stop signs actually make it safer for the cyclist. One more thing, you actually get to meet people.