Where do you ride?

[Scottm]

I'm a single father and the only employee where I work so I have to be careful. I will not get my bike on the main roads, cagers here think turn signals are accessories and not a safety feature, and the 2 second rule is so you can leave space for someone to crowd in. Anything on the road other than a car is a target.
So where do you all ride your MBs? I've found a few dirt trails, but the city's bike trails do not allow motorized vehicles. Even though I have a mountain bike , dirt trails feel like I'm riding down an endless flight of stairs. Any suggestions? I've been thinking of just throwing the bike on the carrier and driving out to the country for a day and getting lost on farm roads.
I LOVE my MB and can't wait to put some long miles on it instead of just hopping from stop sign to stop sign in the neighborhoods.
Thanks

 

[gone_fishin]

commuting with cagers must be offset by liberal doses of "getting lost on farm roads."
bring the kids, have a picnic, take many rides!

trails can be rough on rear hubs and bearings, i learned the hard way...

all my riding is on clean ashphalt, and it's every bit of it scenic. the only time i have a problem is during events (and we have plenty) and the city-cagers inundate the place with city driving habits. i'm learning my way around the back roads quickly.

 

[Herrmanator8]

maybe you should carry a paintball pistol for those (EDIT) that give you a hard time

jon

 

[Scottm]

LOL, I don't dare take my hands off the handle bars. I'll do more damage to myself than the cager would. Last years several cheerleaders here in town got in trouble for shooting rival cheerleadrs with paint balls from the back of a pick up.
I'm in Texas,the land of pick ups, guns and cheerleader violence.

 

[bamabikeguy]

Scott,

I'd recommend you wearing one of those orange reflective vests, even in the day time, and for $5 you can get one of those small orange pennants that recumbents use, stick 6 foot in the air.

And take a cue from regular bike riders, anywhere they go is okay for you.

My brother can get around his medium sized city faster on the bike that his car, go on the parallel avenues to the main drags....

Oh, and if you find a route that has a lot of 4 way stop sign intersections, there WILL be less auto traffic, drivers HATE those roads compared to the ones with lights.

Good Luck !

 

[drimpact]

Luckily Where I live most of the state highways have nice wide smooth shoulders. I ride most of my distances riding as fast as I can go down these hwys.

I have lots of secondary roads to choose from also, a few routes take me down farm roads and R/R access roads. I love the fact I can go just about anywhere. I have had to lift by bike over fences, when I have taken the wrong turn and find myself on the wrong side of such fences. I ride the same roads and trails I road as a kid on my dirt bikes. only I never could pick up my motor bikes.

I stay away from sand, as almost always it is dry and will suck a bike tire to the hub faster than you can say" I am about to go over the bars, Again". Other than that I ride everywhere.

 

[Jim H]

Out here where I live is flat land. We have major roads which are used for beach traffic with nice wide shoulders. This used to be rural farm land but housing is replacing it quick. I take the old backroads around here to go into Delaware and back into Maryland. The Mason-Dixon line seperates the two from each other. You can relax pretty much on a ride out this way and see plenty of wildlife in your travels like deer,turkey, red tailed hawk and eagle. It's still a slower pace this side of the Chesapeake Bay, this is where I ride.

 

[Dockspa1]

I live on country blacktop and ride on only the backroads. I know how to get to Michigan and around northern Indiana on backroads. Capable of sneeking into and out of several cities on the backroads. The real problem is that, some of these backroads are pretty much single laners as is the RR service roads. By the way, watch out for those chains they put accross the service roads sometimes.
I do feel fortunate to live in the country but I would rather move back to Colorado or Alaska. It's all corn fields here. BORING!!!

 

[Scottm]

Thaks for all the great posts guys. I had a bummer night last night. Seized piston in cylinder (please no tech/mech stuff on this thread).
It's great to hear about your rides and it made me smile. My kids hugged me even though I was covered in blood, sweat, tears and gasoline. That made me feel a lot better too. I have not heard this song in ages, but some of your posts remind me of John Denver's Sweet Surrender. "Lost and alone on some forgotten highway, traveled by many remembered by few....".

Well I'll be back on my MB soon and I'll wriet where I ride. Keep the great stories comming.

And yes, It's a blessing to be born in this great country.

 

[bamabikeguy]

Thaks for all the great posts guys. I had a bummer night last night....I have not heard this song in ages, but some of your posts remind me of John Denver's Sweet Surrender. "Lost and alone on some forgotten highway, traveled by many remembered by few....".

Well, the song now screaming in my minds ear is "Another one bites the dust". Sorry....

But I'd rather think pleasant thoughts about you Scott, dig out the cassette tape deck !!! "He's Gone" by the Dead, Live at Rutherford NJ '89.

"Nothing left to do but Smile, Smile, Smile."