Big Dam Bridge

[Tuckervill]

Neither the 12 nor the 20-mile route is all that flat. Other than going over the bridge, you'll need to be able to climb a hill (~8-10%) on Cantrell coming up past Alltel and the Stephens Espicopal School, and a slight rise up Cross Street to Broadway. We'll be on the short climb end of the Broadway bridge, then a nice downhill into NLR and onto the RiverTrail proper. About a mile and a half of false flat & twisty little wooded trails around Big Rock, and another small climb out of there, around the Burns Park Golf Course, and back into the dog park/soccer area where we started.

Hey, I live (and ride) in NWA. Even the hilly parts of Little Rock are flat compared to here.

Thanks for the grade of the bridge. I was curious about it, because it comes so soon after the start, and my knees need a little warm-up before they start climbing. Should be able to handle it, but I'll take a spin around the soccer complex first, if it's not too crowded (bet it will be).

Is it true that the Little Rock side of the trail is not finished, yet? Have to ride down Rebsamen Park and Cantrell?

I wonder what the hold-up is. NLR seems to have it all together.

Good luck on that century. Maybe next year.
Karen

[Hub]

I didn't know that he was going to post, But that post just above is the real deal--major Tom-

[PscyclePath]

I didn't know that he was going to post, But that post just above is the real deal--major Tom-

You'd be surprised sometime what you come up with when you have a senior moment, forget the doggoned URL, and Google for "Big Dam Bridge"...

As for the two sides of the trail, there's a real big difference in the Little Rock side and the North Little Rock side. Save for a two-mile stretch of trail from the I-430 bridge, and a new strip of pavement alongside Murray Park, the Little Rock side of the Rivertrail runs on city streets, and once you leave Riverfront drive, it throws you out into the middle of Cantrell Road/LaHarpe Boulevard, and on the wrong side of the traffic lane, to boot, if'n you happen to be west-bound. I don't ride over there all that often save recently for one of the Sunday groups, and I tend to be pretty cautious when I do.

There's a whole different culture over in North Little Rock's city guv'mint, with a lot more emphasis on doing things differently. I'm sure y'all will notice the difference when we come across the Broadway bridge ;-) On both side, the route is gently rolling for the most part, and what climbs there are aren't bad, and are fairly short. Now when you get out on Fortson Road or the Batesville Pike, it will make our friends from northwest and north central Arkansas feel a lot more at home ;-)

Oddly enough, the Tour de Cure is running here on Saturday, but heading south and out into the Grand Prairies, where it's flat as a flitter for the whole route and the "climb" means going over a 5-foot levee ;-)

Apologies for the intrusion, and I'll pull off now...

TE

[Dogtown Rider]

I felt the need to clear up some of the Big Dam Bridge ride information offered above. First, the approaches to both ends of the bridge are 5% grades for a distance of 1500 feet. Second, the hill on Cantrell that is included in the BDB ride is a 5% grade for .14 miles, rising a whopping 37 feet from 263' to 300'. Third, the Little Rock bike route does indeed feed onto Cantrell, but it doesn't "throw.. you out into the middle of Cantrell Road/LaHarpe Boulevard, and on the wrong side of the traffic lane". Signs direct you to follow the sidewalk for a short distance until you can cross under the road(the BDB goes the opposite direction, #3 doesn't relate to this ride).
Come on up and enjoy the ride if you have already registered. Registration is now closed due to the great response. Be sure to visit the Fast Girls/ Slow Guys rest area at mile 65. You'll meet some great folks and I promise that you won't be terrorized.
DTR

[Hub]

Okay friends and neighbors- I may not have a chance to post agin before I go on my vrey first organizied ride. I'm really excited & lookng forward to it.
If I finish 20 miles without a trip to the ER I will be happy and satisified!!

Tuckerville- I'll be with Pscyclepath in his Old Guys Jersey & I expect to finally break the sacred Postal Jersey out of the garment bag- I have a red, white & blue helmet and will be riding a Postal 5200- I'll also be shaking in my
Bass Clogs!!

I hope to see you there!!!

[PscyclePath]

The Big Dam Bridge opened this morning with a ceremonial ride with the sponsors, BACA (Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas), the Arkansas Bicycle Club, and Central Arkansas Recreational Pedalers in the lead. a little less than 200 or so riders, I guess... Shortly afterward the 5K foot race put more than 1500 runners over, and that was a pretty awesome sight as well.

Pictures, did someone say? try:

http://tinyurl.com/eutqc

(Big thanks to Bryan, since I rode off & left my camera back in the truck)

The literature and our friends from Dogtown sez a 5% slope, but iy was a pretty easy ride over and back even in larger-than-middle-sized gear. And the view from up there... simply awesome.

Hope to see y'all somewheres along the trail...

TE

[uforgot]

Does anyone know what the weather is like late Nov/early dec? I'd like to ride the dam bridge, but I am booked until then. I want to take my new Thule hitch rack and head south, maybe over Thanksgiving. Arkansas is a beautiful state and apparently the people down there have a great sense of humor. Can't wait! Just need to know what attire...

Anyone know where I can get some dam gloves??? Okay, okay, I loved all of the "Vacation" movies...