TAF Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 13 hours ago, June Bug said: I'm assuming Narnia is the correct name. It's from The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe, by C. S. Lewis. Four kids hide in a wardrobe and are magically transported to the land of Narnia. Riding under 183 and suddenly being on a bit of single track, surrounded by wildflowers with ducks on a nearby pond always has (had) a bit of being transported to Narnia vibe. Caveat: I have never seen a very large noble lion, other talking animals or a White Witch on this section of trail, but that door could open if one has the correct frame of mind. Yes, young Carrie and I named it that, and yes, from the book. One minute you're on a pretty busy street, then all of a sudden the duck pond, and then those huge, wide and empty warehouse area boulevards -- so tranquil at weekends! The 'G' was added after we got super muddy tires one weekend - I think I even came off the bike, it was so sloppy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted October 20, 2018 Author Share Posted October 20, 2018 On 10/18/2018 at 11:07 AM, FJsnoozer said: I did. The elbow is poured after the soccer fields. They were working on the route along the track and had the forms up We just checked from the south end. Saturday, and a full crew was working today. We talked to a very cheerful guy who thought it would only be two or three weeks more, but who knows. There is one tiny section at the south end still to be framed and poured. I think they are working on a short retaining wall by the parking area along the elbow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMentallo Posted October 20, 2018 Share Posted October 20, 2018 Wasn't that pond named Lake Fail before the city renamed it to Drainage Pond ac1364#@$ or something like that? Not so Narnia nor built around Christian allegory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinBike Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 There was work happening on a Saturday morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheX Posted October 21, 2018 Share Posted October 21, 2018 My office is at Steck and Mopac. I drive by this on the way home going north under 183. First they put in the sidewalk on the outside of the guardrail, then a while later they widen it on the INSIDE of the guardrail. Seemed odd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted October 21, 2018 Author Share Posted October 21, 2018 (edited) The guy we talked to also said that there was plenty of room for the sidewalk between the curb and the railroad track under 183, so no modifications required there. I'm guessing that will be the very last bit. AB, I was impressed that the rain didn't stop forward progress. I wish the same contractor was working on finishing the last two bits on the Southern Walnut Creek Multi-Use Trail. No progress on that for months. I'll be using that today to drop off some overdue books at the library on Amherst. Although the connector to Balcones District Park isn't in yet, one can continue up the canyon and then there's a steep up beside Duval to the sidewalk, then right on Amherst on the sidewalk or in the bike lane. ETA: There have been more sections added to the northern end of the WC Multi-Use Trail, including on the little connector that goes over to Scribe Dr. Amazingly, the dirt sections were quite dry. The canyon had a flooded section near the spring. I saw a person ride through it; they got their feet wet and it was at least bottom bracket deep. On 10/20/2018 at 1:58 PM, MrMentallo said: Not so Narnia nor built around Christian allegory. Clarify? Edited October 22, 2018 by June Bug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrMentallo Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 A dismal swampy drainage pond and The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe don't have much in common. That book series is almost entirely based on Christian allegory and bible stories with the names and setting changed. Narnia the trail and Narnia the setting are very different places. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted October 22, 2018 Share Posted October 22, 2018 3 hours ago, MrMentallo said: A dismal swampy drainage pond and The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe don't have much in common. That book series is almost entirely based on Christian allegory and bible stories with the names and setting changed. Narnia the trail and Narnia the setting are very different places. You're a cheery fellow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted October 23, 2018 Author Share Posted October 23, 2018 On 10/21/2018 at 11:06 PM, MrMentallo said: A dismal swampy drainage pond and The Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe don't have much in common. That book series is almost entirely based on Christian allegory and bible stories with the names and setting changed. Narnia the trail and Narnia the setting are very different places. It's rather more of a lush oasis than a drainage pond; have you been there recently? The trail was lined with amazingly thick stands of wildflowers this year that changed as spring and summer progressed, until the bulldozers came. I always found it to be a pleasant interlude from pavement and traffic. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chardog Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 The missing link to connect all this is a decent north/south route in the Pickle Research Campus and Domain area to connect the underpass of Mopac at the Railroad. A trail between the railroad and Pickle under Braker and between the railroad and the Domain would be ideal, but I am certain the issue is none of the 3 land owners (RR, Pickle, Domain) being keen on giving up any land for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 19 minutes ago, Chardog said: The missing link to connect all this is a decent north/south route in the Pickle Research Campus and Domain area to connect the underpass of Mopac at the Railroad. A trail between the railroad and Pickle under Braker and between the railroad and the Domain would be ideal, but I am certain the issue is none of the 3 land owners (RR, Pickle, Domain) being keen on giving up any land for it. Opening the south gate at Pickle during the weekend would be a damn good start. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinBike Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 A route through the pickle already exists. What we need are unlocked gates. I go through there all the time on weekdays, but on weekends it is usually locked. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chardog Posted October 25, 2018 Share Posted October 25, 2018 3 hours ago, AustinBike said: A route through the pickle already exists. What we need are unlocked gates. I go through there all the time on weekdays, but on weekends it is usually locked. Seems like a bike/ped only gate would be a reasonable solution. Like at the Highland Park Baptist Quarry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinBike Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 My guess is that this is not an issue of cars vs. bikes, but an insurance issue with people that have a reason to be there vs. people who do not have a reason to be there. Churches are harder to sue, and UT has deep pockets that makes them a target. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 46 minutes ago, AustinBike said: My guess is that this is not an issue of cars vs. bikes, but an insurance issue with people that have a reason to be there vs. people who do not have a reason to be there. Churches are harder to sue, and UT has deep pockets that makes them a target. True, but the gate off Burnet Road is usually open, and I've not seen anyone in the 'guard hut' recently - well, not at weekends. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chardog Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 3 hours ago, TAF said: True, but the gate off Burnet Road is usually open, and I've not seen anyone in the 'guard hut' recently - well, not at weekends. One would assume the buildings such as the nuke are secure enough from evil doers on foot or bike. Seems like the UT lawyers could come up with some wording for a sign such as "Enter at your own risk". Would be mighty neighborly of them to let us through. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntonioGG Posted October 26, 2018 Share Posted October 26, 2018 42 minutes ago, Chardog said: One would assume the buildings such as the nuke are secure enough from evil doers on foot or bike. Seems like the UT lawyers could come up with some wording for a sign such as "Enter at your own risk". Would be mighty neighborly of them to let us through. I wondered about the Tokamak. Is it still even operational? [looked] Looks like Pickle still has the Tokamak but the one under RLM was removed. I got to see the one under RLM while I was in school. Pretty cool stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 10 hours ago, AntonioGG said: I wondered about the Tokamak. Is it still even operational? [looked] Looks like Pickle still has the Tokamak but the one under RLM was removed. I got to see the one under RLM while I was in school. Pretty cool stuff. It's still there, but since the main gates are generally open, there's really a solid argument to open the south - at least during daylight hours. @Chardog - you gonna give them a holler? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chardog Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 10 minutes ago, TAF said: It's still there, but since the main gates are generally open, there's really a solid argument to open the south - at least during daylight hours. @Chardog - you gonna give them a holler? So complaining on a niche forum doesn't get results? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAF Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 6 minutes ago, Chardog said: So complaining on a niche forum doesn't get results? Indeed. You can contact em, or I can contact em. Seems silly that we both do it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chardog Posted October 27, 2018 Share Posted October 27, 2018 2 minutes ago, TAF said: Indeed. You can contact em, or I can contact em. Seems silly that we both do it. Feel free to contact them. Thanks! 🙂 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WatersPark Posted November 3, 2018 Share Posted November 3, 2018 On 10/18/2018 at 12:23 PM, June Bug said: Yes, the first picture is the new sidewalk, but it's the south side of the 183 feeder, so the photo is looking with the flow of traffic southeast towards the intersection with the end of Shoal Creek. The second pic is of actual Narnia. I've been really pleased with the speedy progress on this section. I use the Northern Walnut Creek Multi-use Path to get to the Milwood library. The right of way for the final two sections on the north end have been cleared and unfinished for many months. Trail is almost done in Balcones. Concrete poured from the intersection with the creekside trail to within sight of Amherst. Downed trees on singletrack have been removed as well. Some water still on the creekside trail by the spring. Could use some hands shoveling mud off the bridge. If anyone is available, It's my park day is tomorrow, 10 am Balcones parking lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted November 9, 2018 Author Share Posted November 9, 2018 Rode around barricades on the sidewalk and through Narnia! Told the guys working on the railing that it all looked beautiful. So yes, you can ride through. One dark note. I can see areas that have potential to dump a lot of mud on the sidewalk when it rains. This is a chronic problem on sections of both the southern and northern Walnut Creek Multi-Use Paths and it chafes my chaps to think that it might also be a problem on this section, because drainage issues should have been addressed in the planning documents from Day 1. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ridenfool Posted November 9, 2018 Share Posted November 9, 2018 Oh pshaw, it never rains here ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
June Bug Posted December 27, 2018 Author Share Posted December 27, 2018 (edited) Rode Narnia today. The crossing lights are not yet active. Everything was good until I got to the north section where the trail goes to the east and two drainages come in that cross the path, with this result. The water coming out of the large culverts was fine; the gravel was pushed in from the drainage ditch between the RR track and the building. Anybody know which mobility authority to contact about this? I don't think it's City of Austin. Edited December 27, 2018 by June Bug Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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