Argh, summer chip seal projects have begun

[denda]

Oh, don't you just hate that! Every good road I had to ride on, they have messed up with that stinking stuff!

[Maxxxie]

Is chip seal this stuff?



It looks like gravel with a tiny bit of tar to hold it together, without the benefit of being steamrolled, or flattened, or made smooth.

People actually do this? On roads?

Max

[marni]

sadly enough yes, yes they do. Also what we fondly refer to as road snakes where they pour far too much tar over random cracks and then the tar nevver sets in the heat and your, your tires and your shoes get all sticky and tacky and every little bit of bug or trash sticks to you, your tires and your shoes. Hot tar below and human fly paper with the gnats and bugs sticking to the sunscreen and sweat on all other surfaces.

Good, good times.

marni

[Owlie]

Cleveland/Cuyahoga County doesn't even bother to do that. Its policy on road maintenance (if indeed it has one) seems to be to patch it by pouring a too-large glob of tar into the hole (which creates its own problems), wait ten years, then spend six months resurfacing the road. What's really fun is when these roads slope, so if you're heading downhill, you get a really scary bumpy ride.

I miss home. There's a lovely rail-trail there that they resurfaced in 2005. With the exception of the playground-area crossing and maybe three holes (that ODNR was nice enough to circle in fluorescent yellow-green paint), it's smooth...

[OakLeaf]

DNR maintains your trails?! Wow. We have one trail that's on state park land and it's not even rideable, it's got so many bumps from roots growing through it. At least they put orange snow fence around the parts that have washed down into the river.

[Owlie]

DNR maintains your trails?! Wow. We have one trail that's on state park land and it's not even rideable, it's got so many bumps from roots growing through it. At least they put orange snow fence around the parts that have washed down into the river.

It's very popular, so that may have something to do with it. Parts of it (well, I've never ridden on those parts) might also be maintained by whatever county it runs through (Hamilton County Park District paved the part from the old trailhead to its golf course.)

(And which trail are you referring to, so that I may stay away from it?)
The towpath is supposed to be nice, but parts of it, I hear, are crushed limestone. Not good for my bike, at any rate.

[OakLeaf]

(And which trail are you referring to, so that I may stay away from it?)

Blackhand Gorge. It's only a little over four miles, so you wouldn't have any occasion to use it unless you were specifically visiting this area. Very scenic and the history is fascinating, but come on foot if you come.