Ambitious planning….

Not for this blog so much, rather just for the daily riding.  Wifey has joined me for the morning commute (as she regularly does in the summers) and then there are lunch and dinner plans....all by bike.  Commuting doesn't pose much of a problem.  Were fortunate, in that our route from home to work follows about 5 miles of the river path and the remainder is through downtown and the local burbs!  However, lunch and dinner will require some route planning if we don't want to ride through construction on unfriendly sections of McCarran Blvd. or the hairy sections of Mill St.

So I pose the question....  How do you plan your bike routes?

 I've been riding in Reno as a regular commuter for about 4 years now.  The time in the saddle has let me explore most of the areas of Reno that I like to frequent and find all the little back streets and some of the ever increasing (yeah!) routes with bike lanes.  However, tonight's dinner (775 Gastropub) will require some time in an area of Reno that is decidedly unfriendly if you are on two wheels under your own propulsion. 

Google maps have their bike directions (very much still in beta) and option one suggests a leisurely(?!)  ride up Virginia St., heading through downtown.  I've read in the RGJ that the new rapid line that RTC is running is supposed to have a bus only / bike lane on Virginia St., but I haven't verified this.  Either way I'd be hesitant with wifey along, she is still not comfortable in traffic and this route would make me less than popular I'm sure.  The good news is Google maps option 2 is actually pretty good and after a short ride on Virginia St. (and a slightly suicidal section of Moana Lane) it heads for back roads and a pleasantly circuitous route that I might actually use.

The end result for me today is to take quick look at Google maps suggestions and tweak and tune that route with sections I know make for a nice ride (A short section of Peckham Lane, Virginia Lake, the new bike lanes on Arlington, Wingfield Park, etc.) and avoids McCarren and Virginia St. as much as possible!  Wish us luck!