Peter Cole wrote:

brink wrote:
Visiting Minnetonka, Minnesota just west of Minneapolis and rode the
regional trail built on an old railroad right-of-way. WOW what a great
ride... goes through historic downtown Excelsior, alongside Lake
Minnetonka, beside dozens of parks, and into litte Victoria.

This trail would make a *great* commuter corridor on bike. No stoplights,
plenty of grade-separated crossings at the busier highways, and the traffic
wasn't too bad on the trail itself. For at least eight months out of the
year anyway, I'd think it would make a pretty nice option for a bike
commute.

Trail was beautiful... green and shaded most of the way and plenty of
places to stop for rest/food/pictures etc. One thing I'll say about
Minnesota... they really do parks and community planning right out here.

I've never understood the appeal of RR ROW trails, they're so boring.


I don't find streets and highways to be [opposite-of-boring]; I think of them as
dangerous, because of a heart-stopping close encounter. the effect of which I
will probably never be able to shake. I stick to sidewalks, side streets, and
our one Rail Trail. All 2 miles of the latter. ;-) The MUP is flat and
straight as an arrow for its entire length. Boring? To some, probably. But
for a 2 mile stretch I can put completely out of mind: gravel trucks; cagers;
intersections; driveways; road signs. I can safely center down and check in
physical-me. The feeling of sudden freedom from burden that I get from being on
the MUP is very much like having just paid bills: There! Done! Now I can loosen
up and enjoy myself.

I must add that timing is important. I avoid the MUP during periods when
new-moms w/ strollers clog the path by walking four abreast, when
human-with-canine-on-40-foot-leash is out and about, and generally when my
finely tuned humans-per-acre gauge registers above 1. ;-)

--
Michael