South Austin Trail Network

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Originally Posted by Zeke

All of that land to the north is CoA. Can a trail be routed through there?

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To the north of Slaughter Creek Trail? It is CoA land, all the way over to Slaughter Lane. But no, what trail is in there now, is all that there is going to be.

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Originally Posted by cxagent

Keep riding it until you can't. Then the question will be addressed.

From what I saw on Sunday, they were trying to leave a way around the construction. They may have to block it 100% while they are actively working but they appear to be trying to leave a path around the work zones where they can.

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Hearing back about the construction zone blockage while the Violet Crown Trail is constructed. This work is being contracted thru the City. The City is not willing to help find and maintain a usable route around the construction areas. The way it is scheduled, those areas will be blocked for months. (Please - No jokes about constructions schedules.) For now I would start looking for alternate routes thru those areas. Maybe stay on the west side of MOPAC where the construction is on the east side of MOPAC..

This is what Mopac looks like right now:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/yq...Nd5YD5RYk=s220

There is no way around it. Another way to continue down Whirlpool trail from Dick Nichols is to continue from Dick Nichols to the library. Cross Convict Hill there to the sidewalk that runs along the north side of Convict Hill. Go to Latta Lane and reenter the trail under the bridge, next to the big swinging metal gate.

That's the way I came back a few afternoons ago.

"MOPAC is too hard right now. I can't ride that trail." Whatever guys. You poseurs and your b-lines!

I rode over there today to check it out and turned around when I ran into 6 guys and a front end loader blocking the trail. I rode back to the hump and rode along it till it ran into Mopac then headed north along the fence. I didn't get very far due to the veg but it's seems like there should be a way to reroute around construction on that side.

Also, be on the lookout for a dog that can wipe it's ass. I rode through a pile sitting in the middle of the trail, complete with "used" napkins, today.

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Originally Posted by big_papa_nuts

I rode over there today to check it out and turned around when I ran into 6 guys and a front end loader blocking the trail. I rode back to the hump and rode along it till it ran into Mopac then headed north along the fence. I didn't get very far due to the veg but it's seems like there should be a way to reroute around construction on that side.

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Yes, I think so too, but we need assurances that they won't move the construction fence if a trail is developed along the east side of their construction. Also, that fence that you were following is a problem. It runs continually, then turns up towards Mopac. No way to get around it. We would need help from the contractor to create an opening there.

There's a small challenge to this. We just need a little help.

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Originally Posted by The Tip

There's a small challenge to this. We just need a little help.

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I say we just sit tight and wait for the time when we are offered a little help. Or asked for a little help. Until then, we are just wasting time and effort.

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Originally Posted by mack_turtle

"MOPAC is too hard right now. I can't ride that trail." Whatever guys. You poseurs and your b-lines!

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Someone... Please... Throw him a bone... Pretend to be offended by mack-turtle's kindergarten-level trolling.

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Originally Posted by The Tip

There's a small challenge to this.

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Coming from Convict Hill east side trailhead heading south...

Get on Latta Drive to Nairn Drive... There's a trailhead on Nairn Drive that brings you back to the east-side Mopac main trail. It will circumvent just a little more than a quarter mile of the original main trail, the part that runs under Mopac.

From there, if you want to head to the west side of Mopac you can turn back north on the main trail until you get to where you're able to cut under Mopac. But we will need to cut a short trail a little south of where the construction is going on, to get back the the main trail on the west side.

Or just head south to Davis and make a U-turn to the west side trail (Dick Nichols area).

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Originally Posted by big_papa_nuts

I rode over there today to check it out and turned around when I ran into 6 guys and a front end loader blocking the trail. I rode back to the hump and rode along it till it ran into Mopac then headed north along the fence. I didn't get very far due to the veg but it's seems like there should be a way to reroute around construction on that side.

Also, be on the lookout for a dog that can wipe it's ass. I rode through a pile sitting in the middle of the trail, complete with "used" napkins, today.

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I think I was a victim of that same dog a few weeks ago on Disco Discgo. Toilet paper roll right by the side.

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Originally Posted by Junior

I think I was a victim of that same dog a few weeks ago on Disco Discgo. Toilet paper roll right by the side.

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I saw that one too. Looked like that one was at least up against a tree, but this one couldn't have been more in the middle of the trail unless they stopped to measure.

This must another trend Austinites are on but I saw some more used TP on Velero loop.

Also noticed someone pulled up a big rock in Latta just outside DN and sawed off the stump gate on the north line of Choose Your Own Adventure. Just unnecessary IMO. CYOA is nothing but alternative lines and you could just go arround the rock.

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Originally Posted by big_papa_nuts

Davis is a bit of a different story. Northbound I just merge into the bike lane then over to the left turn lane when safe. Southbound is a little tougher to be "legal".

Long story short I'm sick of being treated like some spastic child by drivers because other cyclists will just jump out into traffic where ever the want. Also I'd hate for the trails to get unwanted attention because people complain, or someone gets smoked.

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I thought of this post on my ride today. I was northbound. I came out of Bambi and dropped off the curb onto the bike lane to go east (away from Mopac). But sure enough, a car coming towards me, also eastbound, slowed down to a stop to see what I was going to do. Argh! You just can't win. But that is a much better move because you don't have to stop riding when you come to the street. You might have to slow down to move over to the left turn lane, to turn around, but at least you can keep moving. Better.

Hey Tip... Just walked the trail we spoke about a few weeks ago... Since you seem to be back in good health, when would you like to go through it with me?

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Originally Posted by RidingAgain

Hey Tip... Just walked the trail we spoke about a few weeks ago... Since you seem to be back in good health, when would you like to go through it with me?

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PM sent

There are a bunch of baseball sized rocks on a portion of Bambi. I didn't kick them off the trail (STRAVA!) but should have maybe. I have no idea where they all came from. Maybe getting worked out of the ground, but I didn't see the holes they could have come from. Night riders should be careful.

Pleassssse no rock comments. Pretty please?

I was just walking some trail in Dick Nichols and on some newer trail elsewhere. The SATN got about 1/2" of rain. It is NOT good right now. Very sticky. Maybe by this evening with all this wonderful sunshine.

Also, broken record time, but I have to talk about tree cutting. Nobody can stop you from modifying a trail to make it faster, which is what most of the cut trees I see are about, but for heaven's sake if you do cut a tree, cut it right at ground level. Maybe even below ground level. I saw some freshly cut stumps today that looked just about perfect for catching a pedal. Even if they were low enough now not to catch a pedal, they won't be in six months when the trail tread wears down another inch or two. And not only are these 3" stumps dangerous, they look like shit. Better to cut them below the ground level and throw some dirt on top of them. Then the trail looks like it's been there forever and not like some environmental disaster.

sigh

Good tip Tip.

Don't forget to also remove cuttings well off the trail, stuff just tossed to the side is just as pedal catching.

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Originally Posted by The Tip

I was just walking some trail in Dick Nichols and on some newer trail elsewhere. The SATN got about 1/2" of rain. It is NOT good right now. Very sticky. Maybe by this evening with all this wonderful sunshine.

Also, broken record time, but I have to talk about tree cutting. Nobody can stop you from modifying a trail to make it faster, which is what most of the cut trees I see are about, but for heaven's sake if you do cut a tree, cut it right at ground level. Maybe even below ground level. I saw some freshly cut stumps today that looked just about perfect for catching a pedal. Even if they were low enough now not to catch a pedal, they won't be in six months when the trail tread wears down another inch or two. And not only are these 3" stumps dangerous, they look like shit. Better to cut them below the ground level and throw some dirt on top of them. Then the trail looks like it's been there forever and not like some environmental disaster.

sigh

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by The Tip

I was just walking some trail in Dick Nichols and on some newer trail elsewhere. The SATN got about 1/2" of rain. It is NOT good right now. Very sticky. Maybe by this evening with all this wonderful sunshine.

Also, broken record time, but I have to talk about tree cutting. Nobody can stop you from modifying a trail to make it faster, which is what most of the cut trees I see are about, but for heaven's sake if you do cut a tree, cut it right at ground level. Maybe even below ground level. I saw some freshly cut stumps today that looked just about perfect for catching a pedal. Even if they were low enough now not to catch a pedal, they won't be in six months when the trail tread wears down another inch or two. And not only are these 3" stumps dangerous, they look like shit. Better to cut them below the ground level and throw some dirt on top of them. Then the trail looks like it's been there forever and not like some environmental disaster.

sigh

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Yeah, and heaven forbid someone should fall on them. Not cool.