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Discovering New Routes

08.14.2014 by Ray Niekamp // 8 Comments

I’m in the middle of a two-week break before classes resume, and I’ve been getting out on the bike almost every day. Now, in my area, that could lead to a lot of repetition of routes. In fact, some cycling friends have complained about getting bored riding the same few routes over and over.

We’re somewhat constrained, geographically. There aren’t many roads to the west of us. To go south, we can take only one road. Going east or southeast is okay, although our route options are limited there, too…but we use those roads more often. A rugged creek valley blocks off our access to the north, and if we want to head for downtown or even farther north, we’re forced to ride about nine miles east, first. I envy riders who live in areas where they can ride to all points of the compass.

But as you know, I started riding my mountain bike this year, and I’m finding that if it’s variety you want, that’s the way to go. Every mountain bike ride I’ve taken over the past several weeks has involved places I haven’t seen before. And the fun thing is, they’re all within a few miles of my house.

You see, Austin is criss-crossed by all manner of trails. Most of them seem to have been created as hiking trails, but they’re easily accessible to mountain bikes, too.

Take what happened to me on a ride last week. I found a trail two blocks from my house that runs through an undeveloped buffer zone between two housing subdivisions. It’s not a long trail, maybe a half mile at most. I had been using it as an alternate route to get to a local park that offers several bike trails. Last week, coming home from that park, I noticed an offshoot from the trail between the subdivisions. Heeding Yogi Berra’s command — “When you reach a fork in the road, take it” — I turned. The new trail led up a gentle hillside into a larger greenbelt area. It apparently has been used by mountain bikers for some time, since in some spots it is wide, for singletrack. In other spots, it gets close to a rocky cliff over a dry creekbed. It’s got a lot of tight twists and turns, some small whoop-de-dos, and some minor rock gardens.

I took another turn, and eventualy found that this trail goes all the way to Escarpment Blvd. — the main north-south route in our neighborhood. But what I didn’t know was that the trail didn’t empty out onto Escarpment. It leads to a tunnel under the road, and to another trail system.

A day or two ago, I set out to find another trail a friend had mentioned in passing. This one was a little farther from the house, and it turned out to be a whole trail network. Again, I found a tunnel under a major highway, and a trail that goes farther east than I had expected. I didn’t have time to ride it then, but it will see me next week.

I’m not going to turn this into a mountain biking blog, but as I’ve said before, the MTB has provided a nice change of pace to my riding. If you’re in the same route doldrums as I was earlier this summer, grab that mountain bike that sits unused in a back corner of the garage and ride. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at what you discover.

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Comments

  1. nheisel says

    August 14, 2014 at 7:46 pm

    Good post and I agree that mtn biking breaks up the same ole routes of road riding. I cannot wait for the new Violet Crown trail system that will go into Hays County. It will cut right by the Wildflower Center.

    Reply
    • Bike Noob says

      August 15, 2014 at 11:10 am

      Do you live in that area? As you probably know, I ride the Veloway a lot.

      Reply
      • nheisel says

        August 21, 2014 at 9:55 pm

        Yes I live in the area and frequently ride the Veloway and trail systems around the Veloway and Slaughter Creek. It is nice to have the riding options both for road and mtn. The Violet Crown trail will certainly be nice to hop on when finished. Here is a link to the proposed trail:
        http://www.hillcountryconservancy.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/VCT_ProposedRoute_Letter.pdf

        Reply
  2. melslost says

    August 14, 2014 at 8:16 pm

    I had to laugh when you said the riding was constrained by the terrain- my thought went straight to suggesting a conversion to mountain biking. Nothing like discovering new trails.

    Reply
    • Bike Noob says

      August 15, 2014 at 11:12 am

      It’s fun — and I find it much more strenuous than road biking. Already seeing the effect in pounds and inches lost. If I ever get good at it (unlikely), watch out!

      Reply
  3. capejohn says

    August 15, 2014 at 8:47 am

    I can relate to your bike route dilemma. My son and his friend have been riding the same route daily for months. The Bee Caves they call it. As a rider in New England we can appreciate having dozens of routes leaving from our homes and many times more than that if we want to drive to a start point in RI, NH, ME or Conn. All less than an hour or two away.

    Reply
    • Bike Noob says

      August 15, 2014 at 11:09 am

      Bee Caves Rd. is about 10 miles by bike from my place, and I used to ride it often. I haven’t done it this year, though, so I’ll have to get out there again. Thanks for reminding me.

      Reply

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