Note to Self: Avoid park trails on holidays!

[Tri Girl]

Isn't that the truth? Because I'm off work, I went for a ride on Tuesday this week when it was almost 70 degrees and there were people out in droves (and it was a weekday- go figure). Kids on new Christmas bikes and scooters and dogs galore. It makes me nervous with kids around because you just never know which way they'll go (most likely right in front of you). On days like that, I take the bike computer off (or the slow numbers mess with my ego) and just enjoy the ride.
Glad you had fun!

[beccaB]

A century ride my husband and I participated in, had us use several bike trails. It was a beautiful Saturday. We had to go at least 15mph in order to finish on time, and it took me a while to realize most of the people on the trail at that time were not participating in that event. We went around a lot of people, and some were not too happy with use. Normally we don't use bike trails except for when road conditions are treacherous. I'm glad there ARE bike trails, but I think the accepted speed is 10mph, and that's slower than we usually average.

[Trek420]

I never use the multi-use trails one either:
the days after Christmas or ...
right after new years.

Both times are clogged with:
cute little kids taking their first wobbly ride on their ill fit bikes with doting parents either hovering right over them or ignoring. Or.....

Individuals and groups with their New Years resolution bike.

Sadly if we wait a couple weeks both groups will be gone and then the trail is MINE!

[Selkie]

I never use the multi-use trails one either:
the days after Christmas or ...
right after new years.

Both times are clogged with:
cute little kids taking their first wobbly ride on their ill fit bikes with doting parents either hovering right over them or ignoring. Or.....

Individuals and groups with their New Years resolution bike.

Sadly if we wait a couple weeks both groups will be gone and then the trail is MINE!

Right on, Sister, but you forgot: The first warm days of spring.

I ride at "off hours" to avoid the hordes.

[Kalidurga]

Right on, Sister, but you forgot: The first warm days of spring.

I ride at "off hours" to avoid the hordes.

Not to mention Memorial Day, Fourth of July, and Labor Day. Even on weekdays, off hours are definitely the way to go.

I miss my rail-trails. When's that first warm day of spring...?

[Trek420]

Right on, Sister, but you forgot: The first warm days of spring.

My favorite time to ride my favorite mixed use trail is bad weather. Like today it's not too cold, light rain or anytime it looks threatening. Keeps the crowds down. I'd go today but too much to do on the house.

[channlluv]

My favorite ride is on a five-mile loop around a reservoir here in San Diego. It's a beautiful place, but along about an hour before sunset during the summer, it turns into family hour. I learned to go in the middle of the day when I'm sharing the whole park with maybe a dozen other people. I also avoid Sunday morning - I think a lot of people must come out to the lake instead of going to church.

I'm always shocked at the attitude of the parents who think it's okay for their little darlings to wander in the middle of the path. Twice I've had to screech to a halt to avoid toddlers, for heaven's sake, whose mothers were pushing the stroller with one hand while holding their cell phones with the other, while the baby was out of the stroller wandering along either way ahead of or way behind Mom. Once I yelled, "WATCH THE BABY!" really loudly so that whomever the mom was talking to would know that the baby was in danger and might hang up, even in the mother was clueless. Sheesh.

It's a 15 MPH bike path, people, and I'm the SLOW rider out there!

Sometimes I'll come across a young kid out on a bike riding all alone. They've usually gotten way out ahead of the parent with them. There are snakes at this path - I've personally seen a rattlesnake - so I sometimes slow down and loop back and tell the kid to slow down until their parent catches up.
Really, there are warning signs every quarter mile or so to watch for snakes. What are people thinking?

And the people who bring their dogs and let them run out on looooong leashes across the path.

And there's the guy whose going totally gonzo on his mountain bike, not observing any sort of safety or respect for other riders at all, who has nearly run me off the paved path on a couple of occasions because he comes barreling off the mountain trail onto the pavement at 20+ mph. The second time I heard him coming, though, so I was able to pull over and give him room to get by me.

It still feels safer to me than riding on the streets. I'm just not up to that yet.

Peace, all,
Roxy

[Trek420]

I'll take streets any day over people on most mixed use trails. You never know what kids will do, which way they will go. I've learned not to say "on your left" because if they hear you they think it means "go to your left"

Believe me I'm glad that people and whole families are outside riding, hiking and running. It's great! Keep at it. More please

I'll be right there over there on the road most days.