cxagent Posted February 1, 2019 Share Posted February 1, 2019 (edited) Let's post some urban rides so people have some place to ride other than wet / muddy trails. I will start - Park at the Best Buy or Sam's Club parking lot at 290 and MOPAC. Go north on the frontage road of MOPAC to the new pedestrian bridge and follow the sidewalk to Zilker Park. Pick up Lady Bird Lake Hike and Bike Trail heading east. For a short(er) ride, loop back to the north side of the lake on any of the crossing bridges. Go south under MOPAC and reverse your route to the parking lot. (about 15 miles) For a longer ride, keep going east thru Guerrero Park until you hit the 183 bridge over the river. ( Detour to the south to get around washed out bridges Follow residential roads north to Airport and Shady Lane (not bad car traffic but not protected either). Pick up the Southern Walnut Creek Trail in Govalle Park just east of Airport and Shady Lane. Follow the big sidewalk as far as you want - Decker Lake or Manor. You will have to cross some busy roads but most of the route is protected from automobile traffic. Reverse your route when you get tired. Best Buy to Decker Lake and back is over 40 miles. I will update the mileage next time I ride it. Edited February 1, 2019 by cxagent Added link 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chongo Loco Posted February 1, 2019 Share Posted February 1, 2019 Up north til the 183 construction dies, my preferred parking spot is at the Austin Tennis Center on Johnny Morris. Bathroom and water fountain at the tennis center and nice fairly secure parking at the trailhead lot adjacent to the tennis center. Also makes it more of a challenge climbing the biggest hill out there right before you get back to the parking lot. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mack_turtle Posted February 1, 2019 Share Posted February 1, 2019 (edited) SATN un-trail trails: Starting at the opposite corner from the Sunset Valley Best Buy described above (SW corner of MOPAC and 290/71), ride around Target and take up the Archstone Greenbelt to Monterey Oaks. Follow the trail around the track at Small Middle School to Brush Country Rd. Do a lap around Arbor Trails (Costco, Kerby Lane, etc.) if you dare and take up the VCT toward Dick Nichols Park. From DNP, take Latta Creek Greenbelt gravel path or the far-right singletrack if it's dry to Davis Lane. The hill at the far west terminus of Davis is rocky and dry. Follow it to the top and turn left before Gorzycki Middle School. Either proceed left and go to Circle C Metro gravel trails or ride up the hills along 1826 to Spruce Canyon. There's a trail along the east side of 1826 that leads all the way to SH45 but IME the useful "dry" surface on a soggy day ends at Spruce. Take Spruce Canyon to La Crosse. There is a gravel loop in Circle C west of Escarpment and a gravel trail that leads from the Escarpment spillway to MOPAC. From there, you can go alone MOPAC to LaCrosse and do laps around the Veloway. The main trail that leads to Idalia Drive and then to Bauerle Ranch is surprisingly dry, but stay away from trails that parallel the creek. There are also endless possibilities of low-traffic neighborhood street with good hills and views in the area. Edited February 2, 2019 by mack_turtle 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sluggo Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 b00b loop. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
St.Bernardo Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 Here's Brushy area wet weather alternatives. This is one of the longer ones, but I add/subtract as time allows. Sucks, but gotta make due with what's available. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinBike Posted February 2, 2019 Share Posted February 2, 2019 Here are two options from central Austin. A 22 mile around the lake and a 32 mile that avoids the hike and bike trail but goes all the way out to the (far) YMCA on the SWCT. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cxagent Posted February 2, 2019 Author Share Posted February 2, 2019 Oh yeah. Strava might actually be a useful tool for these rides. Unlike other rides 😉 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cxagent Posted February 2, 2019 Author Share Posted February 2, 2019 Albert posted this route in the Narnia thread. There are some other good posts for those interested in loops around north Austin. https://www.strava.com/activities/2110059778 One good thing about a loop is you can park anywhere along the loop. If you complete the loop - you are back to your car. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AustinBike Posted February 3, 2019 Share Posted February 3, 2019 And, in case anyone is wondering, Walnut Creek will probably be closed for the month of February: 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cxagent Posted February 3, 2019 Author Share Posted February 3, 2019 (edited) I think the way that should be said is "... *SHOULD* be closed for the month of February". But we have all seen the incredibly amazing riders that CAN ride it anyway... Edited February 3, 2019 by cxagent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mack_turtle Posted February 4, 2019 Share Posted February 4, 2019 did two of these rides this weekend on a singlespeed cross bike with 32/35mm tires. minimal singletrack but lots of gravel walking paths of grassy trails. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita Handle Posted February 4, 2019 Share Posted February 4, 2019 311 mile loop. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntonioGG Posted February 4, 2019 Share Posted February 4, 2019 21 minutes ago, Anita Handle said: 311 mile loop. More details on this please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anita Handle Posted February 4, 2019 Share Posted February 4, 2019 https://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/texas-hill-country-loop/ *note: I ain't ever done this nor would I be able to unless I was camping and shit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AntonioGG Posted February 4, 2019 Share Posted February 4, 2019 12 minutes ago, Anita Handle said: https://www.adventurecycling.org/routes-and-maps/adventure-cycling-route-network/texas-hill-country-loop/ *note: I ain't ever done this nor would I be able to unless I was camping and shit. Thanks! Bikepacking is exactly what I was thinking about. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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