My own personal I-80 needs a construction project!

I know you guys probably get sick of all my stuff on the river path, but hey, it really is my highway.  Well, it's significantly better than I-80....meaning that I only share the road with about a dozen other people (although that number is up quite a bit this spring/summer)!  There aren't any accidents that shut it down.  And the people using it aren't trying to cut me off or not let me merge.  So really it's not like a highway at all I guess.  It's more like a drive on a private road that runs along a beautiful river for several miles.  Maybe you guys should convert....you'd probably smile more.

The other way (unfortunately) that the river path is not like the highway is that there is no "construction".  What!  Is he crazy you ask?  He want's construction on his morning commute?  Actually, construction might not be the right work......how about maintenance?  Now I'm not specifically talking about the path itself (although there are some areas where the roots have made the path like a washboard road).  Just some of the access facilities (on ramps...if you will) that get you to the path.  Specifically, the stairway that allows access via 2nd Street.

This is how it currently looks:

Now this is not a multi-million dollar repair folks.  I'm guessing about $50 bucks worth of supplies and a couple hours of work would whip this into shape.  However, I'll bet a hundred dollars that this project will take longer to get done than the I-80 rebuild.  Sad but true.

I won't beat the point to death, but for the $$$$ spent you get way more "bicycle and walking" infrastructure (miles of path per dollar) than you do building highways for cars.  Let's hope I can squeeze $50 bucks for this out of the Parks department!

Bike path gets plowed before your street does!

I should have posted this yesterday, but it was busy at work.  Just a quick note of awesome for anyone who rides on the cold, snowy days.  By yesterday morning at 7:15am the river path had been plowed and was ready for riders.  Yep, plowed within 24 hours of the storm!  I bet that is a better response than some of the neighborhood streets got!  Keep up the good work Parks Department.

Also, just for reference....note the gal out for a walk.  Proof that I'm not the only nut who uses this path!

Thank you Parks Department!

Somebody has been out cleaning up the river path this week.  Not just the standard empty the trash cans, but removing debris (bark, rocks, etc) from the trail and even cleaning out the underpass at East 2nd / Glendale Ave.

The underpass is one area that's gotten really bad in the past few months.  It fills with wind blown dirt, tumble weeds, abandoned shopping carts, and rocks.  It's also an s-type curve that has a blind entry so these obstacles are sometimes detected on short notice.  Usually it's restricted to one lane due to the debris and makes for a potential accident waiting to happen.

I can only imagine that the someone is a Parks department employee who is not slacking and doing more than is required.  I'm sure that if that person did only a moderate job....emptied the trash cans and called it a day, that no one would know.  Instead he busted out the broom and shovel and made a difference in my morning.  So here's a big thank you to who ever did a little extra work this morning!

Bike path regression....averted. Also, I am not alone!

Just a quick update on the bike path construction woes I posted yesterday.  I emailed with Jeff Mann in the Parks Department and was relieved to find out the patches they put in are temporary while some of the construction is ongoing.  I take the to mean the final product will be much improved.

I'd say I need to calm down, relax, and take a breath before firing off such posts (and emails)....but it seems I might be one of a select few watching such things.  And if being a pest results in path improvements verses degradation, then a pest I am happy to be!

Speaking of those select few....looks like about 4-6 walkers and one other intrepid bicyclist!  I saw as many as 4 sets of tracks in various places along the path.  I don't know why people don't ride when it snows....I think of these as some of the most fun commutes!  I mean come on, it's like being a six year old.  Power slides through the corners, covered in slush and mud, 20 foot skid to the intersection with stop signs.  Best riding ever!

That being said, there was one power slide / skid I could have done without this morning.  It was here at the blind s-curve (where locust st. terminates at the river in an apartment complex).

While the image above may not be to scale....I meet a RPD cruiser right in the blind spot of the s-curve that was covered in snow and has a pretty good off angle slope.  I was moving along at a pretty good clip and so was he....fortunately, we avoided a head on collision.  Although my resulting two foot down, both wheels locked power slide was not graceful.

I always ring my bell before entering this corner and I did so today.  He had a window down but obviously didn't hear it.  I wish he would have give a quick beep of the horn since he uses both lanes.  Either way I'm glad to see RPD in any form out on the river trail.  In fact if they increase the number of patrol passes, I promise to work on improving the grace factor of my power slides!

The squeaky wheel gets the grease...or lighting on the river path.

A little dogged persistence and a few good contacts at the city engineering department and parks department have paid off.  Most (90 % give or take) of the lights along the river path now seem to be working!   So a big thanks to Steve and Jeff and their respective departments.  It's really refreshing to know that once you've made contact with the right people you can get things done.

So with that said....the proof is in the pictures.

So if you've been avoiding the path on your evening commute, it's now well lit and you will really notice the difference.  Don't be afraid to give it a try.

Bicycle underground!

Bike Path at the Kietzke Lane / 395 Underpass.

Cyclists talk a lot about the things that you only see and hear (and smell) while riding.  They usually mean the sights and sounds that are really around us every day that are blocked out while riding in a loud, hermetically sealed form of transportation (e.g. a car).  Well, it is true...drivers don't smell the diesel exhaust, hear the ubiquitous noise their tires put out, or the rev of their engines as they hammer it away from the stop light.  Perhaps if they did, they'd understand the real point is they miss the smell of fresh cut grass, the ozone smell after a recent rain, and the gurgle of the river as you ride along it.  And even more specifically, they miss entire areas that are open only to bicycles and pedestrians like the river path.  Mile after mile of parks and riverside views.  Even in the places where car culture impedes, like the recently expanded section of the 395 bridge, the cyclist wins out over the driver.  They may now have 6 lanes of concrete, but we gained a really nicely planted and landscaped areas that once was just dirt!  So if you don't use it....get out and take a ride on the river path this weekend.