Ninety-minute ride
I realized a week ago that I’ve been thinking like a driver when contemplating my routes. This past week I began taking alternate routes that are less hilly and less heavily trafficked. I also checked-out a book, Take Your Bike: Family Rides in the Rochester Area by Rich and Sue Freeman, published by Footprint Press. I’d been wondering if bikeways might be an option for certain trips.
Turns out, they are. And I had a great time riding sections of two of them this afternoon.
It took five minutes to get to Midtown and another two, including waits at traffic lights, to get to the trail along the Genesee River. Except for maybe 100 yards through a construction site, the whole thing is paved. And running along the riverbank, it’s pretty level too.
I’s had some apprehensions given the neighborhood it runs through, but as I rode south towards the Erie Canal I realized that da boyz from the ‘hood just don’t go there. It was nice being able to ride a distance without worrying about traffic. Birds, squirrels and occassionally another cyclist were the only traffic to be dealt with.
I rode past the ‘hood and into Genesee Valley Park and stopped on a bridge over the Erie Canal. A half-hour elapsed. The hospital was a couple of minutes away on the other side of the river, so I felt pretty good about it. The ride was easy, I took my time enjoying it, never had to huff and puff up a hill and it took only five minutes more. Cool. I think I’ll try this as a route to the hospital instead.
I turned west on the towpath trail along the canal. It too is paved. Even has markings to remind you it’s two-way. I rode that for another 15 minutes and found myself at the junction of Chili Ave and I-390, where I rested and turned around. That point would be about a third of the way (by this route) to my parents’. I think I’ll try that some time. I’ll have to build up to it first.
The neatest thing about that spot is that the trail crosses the railroad mainline there. There’s a little miniature railroad crossing for the trail, complete with signs and gates with flashing lights. It was the cutest thing.
On the way back I crossed the river and rode the trail through the University of Rochester campus. The scenery was breathtaking. College students jogging. My, oh, my. Oh, and I saw a few deer too.
Continuing north, the trail goes right through one of the 60s “Urban Renewal” projects. As with the other side of the river, it seems like da boyz just don’t go there. The trail ended back at the Central Branch of the library, and I took the city streets home again.
I felt really good about the ride. I got to enjoy the activity without having to be vigilant in traffic. Although I covered between 15 and 20 miles, it was all easy and I was able to keep my pace down too. I’ve found I’ve been tending to go as fast as I can everywhere. Maybe I can break that habit.
