Summer is approaching (in the Northern hemisphere, anyways) and while I do still bike in the winter, I’m hyped for the nicer weather to go on more leisure rides rather than just commuting.
However, I’m lacking ideas and inspirations for spots to cycle to, so I was curious where everyone here likes to go on bike rides!
I do love me a ride to the beach! The nearest one to me is about 20 or so kilometres which makes it a perfect little day ride with a stop to a beach-side restaurant I really like!
Nice! My beach is 20km each way as well. 15km if I go by a more direct route but the way I go adds 5km and is marginally safer. Part of the more direct route is being improved this year but it still doesn’t quite link up but instead will go out to another beach north of my current fave spot. Looking fowards to having an alternative place to go but it’s not quite as scenic as the coastal route I currently enjoy. It does mostly follow a river, so still pretty nice, but the other way you get to see the sea a lot more!
There’s apparently a plan for a rail-to-trail which would directly connect my city and the beach, which despite progressing at a snail’s pace has me really excited! It would be along some rivers and creeks in the forest, which I always dig.
Currently, the options are either the highway (which I avoid unless at night because at least it has a shoulder) or the old route, which doesn’t have shoulders but doesn’t have too much traffic either, and most drivers are respectful. It’s a quite gorgeous ride too, going through fields and farmland. No lights and no shoulder are why I opt for the highway at night, though!
Oh man, that rail-to-trail sounds great! I hope it gets completed sooner than later!
Make sure you email whoever is working on that and tell them how much you appreciate their work and are looking forward to biking it! I’ve written to my local council on a few occasions and told them how much I appreciate what they’re doing with specifics about how it effects me personally which can be anything from increased safety, lower environmental impact, improved physical & mental health, just plain fun, or connecting more with your family/friends/community etc. The more they hear that they’re having a positive impact on people and their community the more they’ll be motivated to push ahead with new projects!