Need to vent...

[Roadtrip]

Wow. I didn't realize so many had these same sorts of experiences. Both of the local MUP's are within a ten minute drive from the house, so pretty easy to load up the bikes and get there...

Roads here in Cincinnati are either dangerous (congested and speeds of 45mph+ in a 35mph zone), small, bad pavement, CLUTTERED with parked POS cars that haven't been moved since the Nixon administration.

Did I mention the hills yet??

The MUP has been pretty nice to get some miles under my legs while in a somewhat controlled environment, but I'm beginning to wonder, just might be time to start logging more miles on the road.

[Crankin]

We don't have the # of MUPs that other cities have. There are 3 in the area, 2 within close distance, i.e. it's less than 10 miles to the start. I have only been on these paths during the week; one is full of commuters and fairly fast riders on their lunch break, as well as the other types, joggers, dog walkers. The other have more of the typical path "people," and again I would only go on them during the week. Made the mistake of riding the Bruce Freeman rail trail close to its opening day, on a Sunday, last year at this time. My voice hurt from calling out! Plus, it runs a long a road I ride on at times, which is perfectly acceptable for cycling.
The week we came back from Spain, we decided to go on the Minuteman Bike Trail on a cool, almost rainy Sunday in June. We were on our hybrids, dressed in "casual" cycling clothes. DH did not have bike shoes on, although I did. I had an altercation with a woman who was blocking the space between those obnoxious poles they put at the entrance to paths, after an intersection. I barely clipped out in time as she and her family just stood there as I almost crashed. Finally, I said, "can you please let me through?" and she started screaming at me, "why are you in such a hurry?" And i certainly did not look like a roadie type that day.
I won't go there again ever, on a weekend.