rachmaninoff

Hi, I would like to know if anyone could map out, or know of a safe route cycling from Fort Worth (using the trinity trail system) to Dallas?

Creakyknees

I know a few who have done it. Let me see if I can find them. Have you browsed mapmyride and ridewithgps?

Yo Spiff

Where in Ft. Worth to where in Dallas? There are a lot of alternate routes depending on exactly where you are going.

Not sure if there is a route that stays completely on the trails, as the existing trails don't all connect yet. I've previously planned out a route from Irving, just north of the airport to South FW, and I tried to keep to local roads or main roads with wide shoulders as much as possible. Looks like I didn't save it, though, and I haven't ridden it.

For Superbowl Sunday in February, the FWBA and Manly Bulge clubs did a ride from downtown to downtown, pretty much following a straight line taking highway 180. It starts out as Lancaster, which becomes Division and then Jefferson, and then FW avenue in Dallas. Wasn't traffic free, but it wasn't bad. Decent shoulders most of the way.

IMG_9906 by Yo Spiff, on Flickr

rgilliam2004

Now that would be cool to take 180.

rachmaninoff

From Benbrook to Pearl Street in downtown Dallas. I found a few routes other people have mapped out that I can use for reference but I am very much an amateur cyclist (Never rode more than 65 miles in a day and never rode in busy traffic) and do not know if the people that created these routes mapped them onto dangerous streets that only an experienced commuter could manage or if the routes are amateur proof. I am sure people do it every once in awhile and I can learn from them rather than having to methodically map my own route (although I will do it if I have to). I'd like the most stress-free route possible even if it is 30 minutes to an hour longer. I have to go to Dallas in about a month and I thought it would be neat to do my first century at the same time. (I'd be coming back the same day and would have a good, practical reason to ride more than 100 miles than just doing it for my own personal satisfaction). Thanks for all the responses, sorry it took me this long to reply, let me know what you all think.

Yo Spiff

You are pretty close to me. Depending on when you are doing this, I may be interested in joining you for part or all of the ride. I might even be able to get a few folks together to make a group ride out of it. What sort of pace do you ride at for longer rides?

rachmaninoff

I am a total newbie to cycling but am overall pretty athletic. I just got my road bike and clipless pedals 3 weeks to a month ago. I have been riding about 25 miles a day from my house to Trinity Park in downtown and back at about 15.1 (that's what I did today) mph pace, take into consideration I am using a free Iphone Strava app to calculate that, also. Just today I shaved 10 minutes off my ride time so I am sure I could probably keep up by the time I rode out there. It's just about building and training those cycling specific muscles. I'd love to have company...


Well, I took some time to make a route. Edit: As you can tell I'd be screwed if I planned this myself =]

https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=...8d6a8ea1af65a2

stdlrf11

That route is all F'ed up through Arlington and Irving. Just take Trinity Blvd to Shady Grove. Don't use River Legacy park. At the north end of the trail its blocked off, and you'd have to ride through a lot of fields to get to a street again.

ETA: You can just take Randol Mill (1st st) out of Gateway park all the way to Green Oaks, instead of heading through the neighborhoods all the way south to 180, then all the way back north.

When are you planning on doing this? What day of the week and what time of day?

I live in Euless and work in the area you are headed. If you all get a group ride together, I might join you.

rachmaninoff

Yeah I figured there has to be a better route and it'd be great if we could get a group ride going. I am thinking about Sunday Sept. 16 or 30 - maybe both. I want to try to get there around 1 or 2. I want to spend about 2 hours in Dallas and then come back.

Yo Spiff

Is that your average? And you are apologizing over it? I can cruise at that pace, but my own average centers around 13mph after stops and slowdowns affect it. I can stick with a faster pace for a few miles, but can't maintain it over a long ride. If I am doing 50+ miles, I don't push the speed at all. Touring pace. 25 is an average ride for me however, and on the weekends I usually do 30-50.

I'm in the S. Hulen area and would probably meet up with you at the low second water crossing.

rachmaninoff

I highly doubt I could ride at a 15.1 pace all the way to Dallas, but I guess I can maintain that for a 1-2 hour ride. I would assume that we ride at around the same pace. I just don't want to slow down anyone in case I am a slow rider - some people zoom past me on the trail - so I figure their pace is the one I want to ideally shoot for.

That sounds great, let's plan for the morning on the 16th or 30th of September, then? Are you going to want to stay in Dallas and ride back with me or come straight back? The Dallas Symphony Orchestra has a performance that I am going to try to catch at around 1 or 2 before I ride back.

Yo Spiff

I'm not interested in the symphony myself, I would likely use the time for some photography downtown. Let me check with the boss and make sure I don't have anything else going on those days.

rachmaninoff

Understandable, to each their own. Sounds great, I'll check back on here each day.


Anyone else in the area that would like to come is more than welcome.

Creakyknees

just want to step back in to plug the various effective cycling courses.. classes forming now... get comfortable with traffic!

https://cyclingsavvydfw.org/

rachmaninoff

Thanks for that, I'm hoping I can just ride with someone that's done it before rather than spending money on a cycling safety class... have you asked your pals about a reasonable route?

stdlrf11

I've been commuting for a few years now and I still want to take the class. I think I can learn a lot from it.

What do you all think about this route? Its kind of like the route I take to work.

https://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=5643446

nkfrench 

The "superbowl" route from Ft Worth to Dallas is on Jan 1 when traffic is unusually light. Expect more traffic on other days.

Lazyass

From 360-> Dallas that looks like a good route. I've been going on Sat AM rides from Trinity Blvd/360 -> Handley Edenville -> Randol Mill to a coffee shop in downtown FT Worth and back (if anyone ever wants to go, I'm always solo). Trinity has fewer lights and probably less traffic than Green Oaks.

Doohickie

The people who developed Cycling Savvy also developed a lot of the materials on CommuteOrlando. There is some great stuff there under On the Road and Animations. A good place to start is the essay You Lead the Dance.

stdlrf11

That's good to know. I've been tinkering with the idea of a similar ride to Ft. Worth. I used to ride Trinity from Raider into Dallas for my commute, but that changed when I moved. I had never ventured west on Trinity on a bike. I'll have to give it a whirl.

rachmaninoff

Just checking back in. Are we doing the group ride to Dallas next week Sept 16 or should we wait and do it Sept 30?

tcs

If you need to bail for any reason, both the TRE and Amtrak run between downtown Dallas and Fort Worth. Check their schedules and bike hauling policies beforehand.

"What you can learn on your own in the school of hard knocks in ten years, you can teach yourself in a structured course in six months or learn in a well taught class in thirty days." John Forrester

rachmaninoff

I don't plan on crashing. I plan to not crash. That's a good mentality that gets me through many aspects of life. But I agree, I need to do everything in my power to avoid becoming a statistic.

stdlrf11

TRE doesn't run on Sundays, and Amtrak is a mobile crackhouse.

The Orange Line will take you as far as Las Colinas.

Yalc

I have done downtown to downtown several times and just taken 180, I have done it alone and with a few friends (5). and never really had any problems (other than the hill after loop 12 on the ride back to dallas) Just stay alert and hold your lane. Arlington is even starting to seem safe to ride after doing this ride a few times.

https://app.strava.com/rides/19833937