timmyquest

I'm back at school and this time in the prime of riding weather. But i don't know where the heck to ride. I just went through a short 10mile zig zag through the city and back but it is just not the kind of riding i'm looking for.

I think tomorrow i'm going to ride up to the coarlville lake, there is a damn and a pretty scenic/hilly park i wana check out. Aside from that, anyone have any ideas?

timmyquest

Hmmm, no one huh?

Well, none the less i went to the park today and found a ton of people riding their bike so i think i'm on to that at least.

Murrays

I spent the first 31 years of my life in Iowa City and rode 10's of thousands of miles in the area so I'll try to help out...

A good loop is to go out Prairie du Chein, cut over the dam and back on Dubuque (which is a bit busy).

Instead of taking the road to go over the dam, you can go to the right and go towards Sugar Bottom (Mehafy bridge) and back to North Liberty. From there, you can go home through Coralville or Tiffin. Here's one good loop: https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=368088

One fall after I bought my first real bike, I lived on the west side, so I'd head west on Melrose (hilly), go south on Cosgrove Rd. and back on Black Diamond I think (flat): https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=368104 I can still almost taste those fall rides from '89!

Without spending all night drawing maps, you can head down towards Hills on Sand Rd (despite the town name, it's a flat ride. Check out Riverside & Lone Tree in this area as well.

Further west to Oxford. Beyond North Liberty to Solon, Ely, Swisher & Shueyville (search and you might find my story of when I raced the train from Swisher to North Liberty...and WON!).

West to West Branch (my first ever out of town ride back in about '79 and the last time I've walked up a hill the very next day). Check out Morse in this direction as well.

Well, that ought to get you started. I'd say Iowa City is a great place for road biking, but I live in Madison, WI now so my standards have been raised to a new level One advantage in Iowa City is that you can head out in just about any direction without too much difficulty.

Respond to this thread or PM me if you have more specific questions.

-murray

timmyquest

I'll be in mad town this weekend

I love that city, and am jelous of all the bike friendly things i see when i do go.

Casa bianca anyone?

Oh and thanks for the tips!

Jed19

I lived in Iowa City a long time ago, while getting my undergrad degree at the U of Iowa. I'll second what Murrays said and recommend those out of Iowa City rides into the countryside. Like he wrote, there are many options. I never did enjoy riding in Iowa City proper, but riding into the countryside from Iowa City brings back a lot of good memories.

In those days (1980-1984), traffic was light, and my last two years there, I lived on West Foster Road (off North Dubuque), and once you go pass the Interstate junction on Dubuque, it was a fun, traffic-light ride into the countryside. I also remember putting my bike in my car to go riding on weekends in places around Lake McBride, Dubuque (nice hills), the Quad Cities area etc.

Another thing I liked to do was riding out of town in the Fall to look at the foliage in the countryside. It was always pretty, and is one of the few things I missed about Iowa City, as I now live in SoCal, where there is nothing like that.

There are really many places to ride in that area, if you can ride out of Iowa City proper. I hope the traffic is still decent. I have not been back in that area since 1984, so I am sure a lot of things have changed.

Wish you all the best.

Regards,

timmyquest

Thanks for the feedback, can't tell ya much about traffic in '84 but Iowa City is a pretty happenin place now days.

FixdGearHead

Nice to see so many Iowans here!; grew up in CR...now I'm stuck out here on a concrete island (Manhattan).
Just found out I've landed a free ticket to the Iowa v Ohio St. game woo hoo!! Looking forward to coming back to see Iowa City.

Sorry- completely off topic and a day late; haven't been on these boards much lately

tompete

Check out this link

https://iowacycling.org/

briscoelab

Hey, I'm in IC. Go to www.iowacycling.org. That is the website for the University club. Anyone can join.... even if you aren't a student. Some of us are going on a group ride tomorrow. We ride fairly regularly.

timmyquest

Bookmarked

Not sure if i can make it out today but this is what i was hoping to find.

RiPHRaPH

Is it a great day to be a Hawkeye?
I used to ride out towards the Amana Colonies, past Coralville, etc. Not alot of cars in Amish country you know.
Just don't try to ride during football Saturdays.

Answer: It is always a great day to be a Hawkeye.

When I lived out on Melrose, I'd ride past the baseball fields, past IRP, over I-80.....
that was in the mid-80's, and I know it is significantly more busy.

I used to go to Burlington to ride and near Dubuque to do the Mississippi trails beginning near the lock and dam at Bellevue.

briscoelab

Get out and Ride!! 1:00pm at College Green Park.