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Cycling news & info with a special focus on notable bike tours, bike trails, bikeways, lanes and bicycle routes as well as innovative bicycling products like space saving & easy to transport folding bikes.

Saturday, June 06, 2009

Slideshow - Beach Blue Folding Bike n Freighter

By Larry Lagarde

I took one of the new (but very retro) Beach Blue cruiser styled folding bikes for a spin on the Mississippi River levee bike trail this afternoon. As I rounded a curve on the trail, a broad vista of the river opened. Gazing into the distance, I could see the unmistakable profile of a large, ocean going freighter rounding a bend on the horizon. Riding downriver fast on the current, the freighter was heading right for me so I seized the opportunity and squeezed off a few photos. The result is the slide show below.


The slide show includes a soundtrack from Green Day. To hear the music, click on the speaker icon shown on the top left of the slide show & enjoy.

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Monday, February 26, 2007

Katy Trail Expansion - Mo' Details

Last week, I reported on a just announced expansion of the Katy Trail in Missouri. Today, I received more details on the project courtesy of Kerri Yap at the Missouri Department of Transportation (Mo DOT)...

"Larry,

Great Rivers Greenway suggested that I contact the Dept. of Natural Resources to get more information on this project... The extension (from St. Charles) to Machens is actually about 12.6 miles. The distance to the West Alton Trail is approximately (an additional) 7 miles. However, this measurement was taken on the road. It is not a straight-line distance nor does it follow any potential alignment. Currently it is the desire of DNR to connect Katy Trail to the West Alton Trail, however there is nothing planned. As far as a construction schedule goes, DNR hopes for construction to begin late Fall of this year. However, the start date depends on permitting and other variables, so it is very possible for the start date to be a bit later. Given the Fall start, they hope to have the entire stretch to Machens open next summer (2008).

Routes for bicyclists between Machens and the West Alton trail are really a matter of preference. Bicyclists are allowed on MO 94, however this might not be comfortable for everyone due to vehicle speeds and constrained shoulders. The majority of the roads in that area are county roads so you might check with them."

Trails like the Katy are magnets for vacationing families looking for a safe yet soft adventure. Hopefully, the powers that be at MoDOT, GRG, DNR, etc. will recognize that more families are turning to bicycle tourism and will close that 7 mile gap sooner rather than later.

Thanks to Kerri for providing these helpful details. :-)

Trails like the Katy are magnets for vacationing families looking for a safe yet soft adventure. Hopefully, the powers that be at MoDOT, GRG, DNR, etc. will recognize that more families are turning to bicycle tourism and will close that 7 mile gap sooner rather than later.

Without a doubt, the Katy is a success; however, until the Katy runs into Kansas City or St. Louis, the trail will never reach its full potential.

Ride safely.

Larry

By the way, I'm always looking for first hand reports about bicycling on long distance bike trails. If you rode a trail recently, write me about the experience using my email link at the bottom of this page. If I publish your info, I'll be glad to give you the credit.

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Tuesday, February 20, 2007

Katy Trail Expanding Eastward

by Larry Lagarde

Mississippi River, Illinois Trail Network & Downtown St. Louis In Sight

The 225 mile long Katy Trail will soon become 11 miles longer on the eastern end, making a connection to the beautiful William Clark suspension bridge tantalizingly close. Spanning the Mississippi River just north of St. Louis, Missouri, the Clark bridge has 10' wide bike lanes that connect with an extensive bike trail network in Illinois.
(Photo: Clark suspension bridge.)

Once on the Illinois side, a cyclist can continue south to the old Chain of Rocks Bridge (a historic landmark and formerly a part of Route 66 that is now a bike/ped only trail) and ride across the Chain of Rocks back into Missouri. In fact, this trail leads straight into downtown St. Louis and the Gateway Arch.

Already, the KATY rail trail spans nearly the entire width of Missouri. This new expansion of the trail (plus efforts now underway to link the trail west into Kansas City) mean that the KATY trail will soon be an even larger producer of tourism revenue for Missouri.

For more about the trail expansion, visit MoBikeFed.org. For maps and descriptions of bike trails in and around Saint Louis, visit RideFinders. For more about the trail network that extends from the Chain of Rocks bridge, see Conor Watkin's cycling page on area trails or try the site for the Confluence Greenway Trail.
(Photo: Chain of Rocks Bridge.)

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Friday, February 16, 2007

NOLA-BR Bike Path Master Plan Funding

On Wednesday, the Baton Rouge Metro Council agreed to contribute $12,500 towards the $250,000 master plan to build a proposed bike path on the Mississippi River levee from Baton Rouge to New Orleans. The master plan is required to qualify for federal funds, which could pay for up to 80 percent of the $33 million project. The Pontchartrain Levee District is putting up $50,000 for the study, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has agreed to provide an additional $125,000. East Baton Rouge, Ascension, Iberville and the three other parishes on the proposed bike path are being asked to kick in $12,500 apiece for the study.

See the complete story in The Advocate (Baton Rouge's main newspaper)

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Monday, February 12, 2007

Long Distance Katrina Cyclist Terry Hunter In Metairie

by Larry Lagarde

He's been on the road for months but long distance cyclist Terry Hunter finally made it to New Orleans.

I had been wondering if something happened to Terry since speaking with him briefly on Saturday. He was about to cross the Bonnet Carre Spillway just west of New Orleans and I was expecting him to call me when he reached the Mississippi River Trail (MRT). The call never came. (Photo: Larry, Rita & Terry on Airline Drive in Metairie, Louisiana.)

On the way to pick up my 7 year old stepson from school, I called Terry and he answered. It just so happened that he was moments away so I made a quick detour to greet and congratulate him on all the miles he has ridden.

We met in front of a sports bar on Airline Drive across from Zephyr Field. In the bike trailer, Terry's dog (Rita) was sleeping soundly with her paw hanging out. Strapped atop the trailer was a water jug, radio and a spare tire & tube. A fishing pole with a bright orange float protruded up from the rear.

Terry shared that his original bike and trailer were stolen earlier in the bike tour while he was in Monterey, California. He's had a great deal of support from everyday folks along the way, including someone that custom made the heavy duty front fork just for him.

Terry told me that his back was still sore from sleeping last night on the levee. He arrived in Metairie via the MRT which is a smooth, non-motorized, asphalt trail atop the Mississippi River flood control levee. Unfortunately, there are no lodging places along this section of the MRT and Terry did not know how to retrieve my number from his brand new cellphone.

Terry only plans to stay in New Orleans a few days to share his story with local media and meet with staffers at the office of Mayor Nagin. Then, Terry will continue his ride east through other areas devastated by Katrina and beyond, finally ending the Homeless Ride For Southern Grace tour when he hits the east coast in South Carolina.

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