Joe Bikerider

Here in the SF Bat Area (east bay) the paths have been jammed. And not much fun. I don’t really mind the little kids but throw in some parents and it’s too much. Then add some TDF wannabees who just rediscovered that jersey in the back of the closet and it’s downright dangerous. I rode Saturday and nearly got hit. Yesterday I drove to the pool store for some bags of salt. This morning I drove to the grocery for milk. The bike traffic was just too much. Bunches of cyclists at every intersection seemed like they were not sure where they were going. And those two woman who rode along my street taking the lane and chattering away. I suspect those will be the ones speeding to pick up the kids from school and barely missing me as soon as school opens up.

I guess today I’ll sit in the shade and watch the salt dissolve. Sigh.

Flip Flop Rider

hear ya man. Hanging out by the pool sounds rough

MNebiker

We have an extensive local train network that I ride as often as I can, but since I'm retired I ride during the week and avoid weekends or holidays to avoid as much of the crowd as possible. But with people at home during this virus situation I think every bike in the area is being used, from 12" kids bikes up through the TDF wannabees, plus dogs, walkers, joggers, etc. The trails become an obstacle course - BUT I'm not complaining! They have every right to the trails, they need to get out of the house to get some exercise and the kids are probably bouncing off the walls. It is actually a good thing - but the heavy usage can make it a bit frustrating - so I ride during the week, and try to ride sanely in the traffic. I just wish the TDF boys would tone it down a bit . . . .

kobike86

There is a curfew for 4 days therefore no riding

StarBiker

Damn people.........

livedarklions

I'm strictly on the roads now, the paths are too jammed. Around here, the dogs are worse than the bicyclists, though.

rollagain

I think I'll hit my favorite MUP on a weekday. Either that or go out at about 10:00 p.m. when I can have the road mostly to myself (and use up some of the lighting equipment I've bought). People scare me these days, and I want to avoid them.

aclinjury

and why don't you ride on the street? or were you hoping that people would stay at home so that you could enjoy the trails all to yourself?

Hobbit712

I tried riding today but didnt get very far. About a mile out I see a wall of rain coming at me. Turned around and tried to beat the rain home. No such luck.

Got home soaked. Dried off a bit and jumped on the recumbent stationary and got 45 minutes in. Just needed the exercise.

Hopefully going to make it back out tomorrow on the mountain bike. We will have to see how that goes. I crashed about 10 days ago and bruised the ribs. Still a little tender though.

Barry2 

Contra Costa Canal Trail was pretty empty today. Sounds like you didn’t get out early enough.
if I’m out by 7:30AM it’s good, even on weekends.


Barry

GeneO

Ditto, except at night,

Thomas15

I acknowledge that the MUPs are there for everyone to enjoy.

Having said that my local MUP is one of the larger ones and we are about 100 west of NYC. So we get 'em in droves. There are bicycle rental businesses and other attractions so it is crowded. Given that it is so long the trail is generally crowded in the 3 or so miles near each trail head and some of the trail heads are spaced out quite a bit.

I think that the thing that bugs me the most is not so much the trail traffic but rather it is when they dismount and climb all over the place, in particular the waterfalls and venture into the space between the trail and the river. Both are dangerous, the falls because it is slippery and not designed for the clueless to climb, the space between the trail and the river due to it's steep bank and the presence of snakes and deer ticks.

I rode the trail on Sunday. I knew it would be crowded and it was. My schedule didn't allow me to use it on Friday, which isn't too bad, but I'm only using the trail if no other good choice is available until after labor day.

Joe Bikerider

I’ll certainly try adjusting my timing. In fact I had been starting later and that was pretty good as far as little kid traffic is concerned. I was hoping the little darlings were settling down for their nap after lunch and that seemed to work. Then this past Saturday everybody
was on the trail. Yikes! I used the bike holiday To get the pool filter all tuned up, chemicals balanced, the water clean and we had a great time doing that pool hangout thing this afternoon. There is a reason I live in California.

BNSF

Here in the west suburbs of Chicago, we're fortunate to have two parallelling paths; one which goes through the downtown of every suburb and has about 100 road crossings, and a second one which is MUCH less busy, much more rural and with just a fraction of the road crossings. It is nice to have the choice.

GeneO

Prairie path. Miss it.

BNSF

Yep, and the Great Western Trail. Not as close for me, but MUCH less busy. Even the "busy" sections through Lombard and Villa Park see but a fraction of the traffic the Prairie Path does. Best part is, its possible to make a loop - ride out on one path, ride back on the other.

GeneO

I used to live there - moved last year. A prairie path trail-head was a quarter of a mile from my house. I not only used the paths for pleasure and long rides, but also to commute to work. I have hundreds of miles of interconnected paved paths where I live now, but they are to busy so I ride them only at night now.
Cheers

thekidshredder

Can't ride which sucks so as a result I was surfing youtube and found a pretty cool video of kids getting free mtb stuff. Since I am new I can't post URL's but their channel name is RiGHTEOUS MTB. I have no idea why the i is not in caps but whatever. Their video is like free mtb stuff or something along the lines of that.
- Cheers

Joe Bikerider

Went out today and it was pretty nice. Starting out I stayed on local streets most of the way. Then got on the IHT to cross the bridge at Treat. Then dropped off a book "The Maltese Falcon" at the Little Library along the Iron Horse Trail just north of the Pleasant Hill BART station. It's my personal rule to drop off books at a different place than I picked them up. This library seems to have quite a lot of turnover. Definitely a good one. Circled around across 680 and up Oak Park blvd. Then through those neighborhoods and south back to home. Very nice ride but getting hot at the end. Hope you all had a nice ride too.