Since the Salem Lake Trail is soggy and the Salem Creek Greenway has detours and a dead body (since removed), I rode the Bicentennial Greenway today. I started at the south end at the Piedmont Environmental Center on Penny Road in High Point and rode to the north end where it stops at South Chimney Rock Road in Greensboro and then rode back. The greenway is paved and has no level or straight areas, only hills and curves. There is one very long steep hill, two short but very steep hills, and lots of other size hills. The are lots of bridges, a tunnel, a switchback wood ramp up one hill, and one hill with 5 flights of wood steps with a rail on which to push the bide. There are areas of pressure ridges in the pavement that will shake out your tooth fillings. A round trip is just over 12 miles.
Status Report
First trail ride of the year and first in two months. Slower than usual pace. I've got to get the old legs back into shape;15 mph wind did not help. Rode the full loop starting at the Market Place Mall. Stayed comfortable just wearing my usual summer kit. Still the same idiots on the trail: walkers on the wrong side of the trail, bikers riding two abreast on the narrow greenway who would not yield, and a biker swinging wide into my lane in a curve while going uphill as I was coming down the hill (that was a little scary but he did smile as I squeezed by).
Greenway was in good shape. There was no work in progress at the Reynolds Park Road underpass and the greenway was clear to ride through the work zone with using the detor. Some overflow at the concrete dip.
Salem Lake Trail was in good shape; firm not soggy. Water puddles in the usual places. Same rocks, roots, and ruts. BE AWARE: North side of the lake has two trees down; one just blocks the outside lane and the other is across the entire trail but a broken section in the middle allows you ride through.
Greenway was in good shape. There was no work in progress at the Reynolds Park Road underpass and the greenway was clear to ride through the work zone with using the detor. Some overflow at the concrete dip.
Salem Lake Trail was in good shape; firm not soggy. Water puddles in the usual places. Same rocks, roots, and ruts. BE AWARE: North side of the lake has two trees down; one just blocks the outside lane and the other is across the entire trail but a broken section in the middle allows you ride through.
Status Report
Work has begun on replacing the Reynolds Park Road bridge where it crossesSalemm Creek and the Greeenway. You can still ride through the area but that may change at anytime. When the greenway closes at the bridge, you will have to take the detour, which is short but includes the short but very steep hill that leads from the greenway to the Reynolds Park picnic shelter #1 lower parking lot.
I'm a warm weather bicycle rider. During the cold months, I attend Les Mills fitness classes at the Clemmons YMCA to stay fit. So until March, there will not be many trail status reports.
I rode 1405 miles this year, which included 108 rides on the Salem Creek Greenway and Salem Lake Trail, with only one accident.
I'm a warm weather bicycle rider. During the cold months, I attend Les Mills fitness classes at the Clemmons YMCA to stay fit. So until March, there will not be many trail status reports.
I rode 1405 miles this year, which included 108 rides on the Salem Creek Greenway and Salem Lake Trail, with only one accident.
Status Report
What a difference a day makes. Yesterday was my first ride in weeks and I did the Marketplace Mall, to the dam, around the lake, and back loop in 1:29:07. Today the loop ride was 1:14:33.
Lots of swarms of gnats in areas around the lake. You have to cover your mouth and nose so as not to inhale one, which I have done before. After the rides, my shirt is covered in gnat bodies.
Lots of swarms of gnats in areas around the lake. You have to cover your mouth and nose so as not to inhale one, which I have done before. After the rides, my shirt is covered in gnat bodies.
