george7100

Hi everyone,I'm fairly new to the forums and I am seeking some info. I am a over the road truck driver and I carry a bike with me to do some riding during my down times. I currently travel all 48 states and Canada any places or ideas would be welcome,I have a Trek 7100 currently, ( a lot of places don't like my truck being around),Thx,George

jppe

Do you come through western NC by chance?

george7100

yes I do,was in that area 2 wks ago

doctor j

If you're in northwest Arkansas (Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville), there is a truck stop at Exit 58 (Greenland, AR) on Interstate 540. The road in front on the truck stop is West Wilson.

Head east on West Wilson, through Greenland, for about 1 mile. You will come to the intersection of West Wilson and U.S. Highway 71. Take a right on U.S. 71 and head south. From Greenland it's about 10 or 11 miles south to Brentwood where there is a rest area. About 5 or 6 miles south of Brentwood is Winslow. The road will get steep there and go over Mt. Gaylor.

U.S. 71 is a great road for cycling. At West Fork, south of Greenland, the road goes from 4 lane (no shoulder) to 2 lane with a good shoulder. Not much traffic on 71, as most of it is on I-540 now.

DnvrFox

The Denver Metro area is filled with great trails. Tell me where you park, and I will give you a trail if available.

george7100

DnvrFox where can I get a copy of the map that you posted,thx

DnvrFox

Don't know. Only online.

Right click with cursor on map, copy, paste into irfanview.com (or other imaging program), print

kenkayak

Hello George7100 /Eastern Canada St Stevens area east around the islands lots of beautiful ferry trips around Campobello;on the USA side /Moosehorn national wildlife area[huge].Calias and Lubec all the way to the jewel of all Grand Lake Stream and the Stud Mill Road//BRING your flyrod and yer guns for hunting./Kenneth

george7100

Thx, DnvrFox,I googled Denver bike maps,looks like some great riding

ktytrfan

Have you heard of the Katy Trail in Missouri? If you haven't, please get on some of the sites that feature it and take a look. It is 225 miles at the present time and goes from Clinton to Sedalia. No real "hills" to speak of as it used to be a railbed for trains. The surface is packed down with a limestone "finish." Unless it's just rained the surface is usually good to ride on, though some folks really have a heard time with getting their bikes/chains/working parts so gritty and dusty from the trail. Mo. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has an annual ride every June that goes from one end of the Katy to the other. Just one idea as you are traveling through our fifty great states!! Enjoy!

ktytrfan

Forgot to say, your Trek 7100 will do great on the Katy Trail as that is what I ride. I call it "my old trusty."

ktytrfan

Have you heard of the Katy Trail in Missouri? If you haven't, please get on some of the sites that feature it and take a look. It is 225 miles at the present time and goes from Clinton to Sedalia. No real "hills" to speak of as it used to be a railbed for trains. The surface is packed down with a limestone "finish." Unless it's just rained the surface is usually good to ride on, though some folks really have a heard time with getting their bikes/chains/working parts so gritty and dusty from the trail. Mo. Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has an annual ride every June that goes from one end of the Katy to the other. Just one idea as you are traveling through our fifty great states!! Enjoy!

george7100

DnvrFox, I forgot to tell you ,that when in Denver area I try to park at Commerce City,a couple of large truck stops there where I-270 joins I-70,thx again for the info

george7100

thx,ktytrfan,wish i was farther north,as I am in Mo now,been riding around Rolla today and probably in the am

george7100

doctor i I know where you speak of. Been in that T/S several times,I have even driven my Truck up and down US 71 that was before it was closed to trucks,thx

DnvrFox

The Sand Creek Greenway - a trail from the Platte River/Front Range Trail to Aurora, goes right by I-70 and I-270.

As you know, this is not the most scenic of areas. But, there are some pretty spots along the way, and closer to the Platte River Trail it gets prettier. The PRT (cement) goes north and south about 38 miles with just two street crossings, and is like the Interstate of the metro trail system.

Link to the Sand Creek Greenway:

https://www.sandcreekgreenway.org/

Probably best on a hybrid or wider tire bike.

gcottay

Hello, George.

If you are in Quad-Cities of Illinois and Iowa you should find good parking in the industrial area on the far west side of Rock Island. Once you are parked, ride toward the river to get on the sixty plus miles of the Mississippi River Trail with bridge and seasonal water taxi links to the Iowa side. A local trail and route map is available here.

RoMad

George, If you are in Florida there is a great trail that crosses under I-75 in central Florida. It is the Withlacoochee trail and it is great. Get off of I-75 at the Brooksville exit. It is exit 301. Go East 2 or 3 miles and you will see the trail passing over the road you are on. The road to the trail parking is before you get to the trail and may not be good for your rig. You may need to park nearer 75.
The Withlacoochee trail is 46 miles long and you will be on some of the nicest portion of it. From the overpass at state road 50/98 you are only 6 miles from the south end so you will probably want to go norh from where you start. Have fun and here is a link to the trail site. https://www.dep.state.fl.us/gwt/guide...with_state.htm

Mojo Slim

If you make it to the Sacramento area, you can't beat the American River Bike Trail. 32 miles (one way) along the river, with plenty of places to stop to eat. Some hotels, especially near Old Town, back right up to it.

doctor j

George7100, while I was in LA (Louisiana) this weekend, I found another place you may want to try a ride, assuming you are traveling down I-49 from Shreveport toward Alexandria or Lafayette.

Take Exit 90 from I-49, just north of Alexandria. There are places there where you could park your rig.

Take LA 498 east (actually, it's south) about one quarter mile to the intersection of LA Highway 1. Turn right (north) onto Highway 1 and pedal away. Highway 1 parallels I-49 for a good way, and the majority of the big time traffic is on the Interstate.

Up the road is a Louisiana welcome center. It's also at exit 94 on I-49. They have restrooms, maps, dark roast coffee etc. I included a portion of Highway 1 in a recent ride. The part I rode was from LA 498 up to Boyce, which is also at Exit 99 on I-49. Flat terrain, good pavement, not much traffic. I am told that Highway 1 is a good ride all the way to Natchitoches, but I have not ridden that far on Highway 1 yet. There is at least one convenience store on Highway 1 in Boyce.

billydonn

Omaha or Council Bluffs are right on I-80. Truck parking might be easier in CB at the stops around 24th Street and there would be good access to trails from there.

https://www.omahatrails.com/OmahaTrailsMap.html
https://parksandrec.councilbluffs-ia.gov/biking.asp

capejohn

What about Taunton Ma. You ever here?

Dan Burkhart 

I'm surprised I missed this thread. Greetings from a fellow gearjammer. I'm sort of part time these days,on the road 7 days and home 7 days. It's working out great.
I carry a bike with me as well, and try to get out on it whenever I can, but tight scheduling and not knowing where the trails are mean that often times, I'm just out for a spin around an industrial area
before I go to bed.
One thing worth knowing if you are ever westboud on I-94 entering Minnisota is that there is a bike path that passes right through the St.Croix rest area. You can ride from there down to the river and explore the little town there. I think it's called Afton or something like that.
I've found lots of other backroads and residntial areas that make for a nice ride too over the years.

Barrettscv 

If in Chicago, try the North Branch bike path. You might be able to park your rig along the westbound lane of Devon Ave in Chicago. There is a lane for parallel parking that is usually empty.

The North Branch bike path runs through the Cook County forest preserve without traveling on streets. It provides a 35+ mile out and back ride.

See: https://www.bikeforums.net/clydesdales-athenas-200-lb-91-kg/530323-chicago-mup-madness-172-miles-25-pics.html

Pictures from the North Branch start at post #5.

A link with a map is here: https://www.fpdcc.com/tier3.php?conte...8&file=map_68e

Dan Burkhart 

Thanks for the link. I'm going to be near there Thursday morning. I have a drop in Schaumburg. Hoping to be there early enough tomorrow evening to go for a spin, but I think it will just be on the local streets.
(Time to put some lights on the bike.)