Multi-use trail etiquette

[Ed W]

As promised, the bike trail etiquette piece has been posted to both my personal blog and the local bicycling advocacy blog.

CycleDog

TAOBIKE

If I missed anything, feel free to add comments on either of the blogs or here on the forum.  

Surprisingly enough, I didn't think to include anything about wearing a Santa suit in 90 degree weather.  Imagine that.

[tulsacyclist]

That was a good read. I liked the humor.

[sauerkraut]

I'm a hardcore running nut. My biggest problem is dogs and/or careless dog owners, the problem seems much worse on Tulsa's RiverSide jogging trail than on our jogging trails in Columbus, Ohio. I don't mind the fast bikes or rollerbladers when I'm running. The bikes can be a bit pesky when there is alot of them on the trail. I have heard problems between the rollerbladers and bike riders on the Olentangy Trail when it's a busy summer weekend, that Olentangy Trail in Columbus, Ohio is very busy in the summer and parking at all the trail heads is full, so  I just  do my running on the Heritage jogging Trail in Hilliard, Ohio, the parking is better and the trail is less crowded. Since the Heritage trail is so wide & flat many bikes go pretty darn fast on it.. The Heritage jogging trail runs out into farmland and rural areas. I just keep to the right side as I run and I have no problems.[]

[sauerkraut]

I hear Tulsa opened up a few dog parks or a dog runs, I think dog owners should go there and I'd favor a dog ban on the RiverSide jogging trail and in Riverparks in general. A dog can spoil the fun for many people not to mention the dog poop all over. JMO.[]

[sauerkraut]

Thanks for the posts and the links Ed W, There is alot of good info about Tulsa's Trails. I have not had time to read all the links. The trail maps are good for out of state people and tourists like me. Good post.[]

[nathanm]

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

A dog can spoil the fun for many people not to mention the dog poop all over. JMO.[]

I don't know about an outright ban, but dog owners are pretty ridiculous about not picking up the surprises they leave for everyone else. I was riding my bike through inteller's neighborhood the other day and saw several piles of similar looking poo in the middle of the street.

It looked like the Jenks pedestrian bridge, which has been littered with hundreds of little bundles of joy the last few times I've ridden across it.

[sauerkraut]

quote:Originally posted by nathanm

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

A dog can spoil the fun for many people not to mention the dog poop all over. JMO.[]

I don't know about an outright ban, but dog owners are pretty ridiculous about not picking up the surprises they leave for everyone else. I was riding my bike through inteller's neighborhood the other day and saw several piles of similar looking poo in the middle of the street.

It looked like the Jenks pedestrian bridge, which has been littered with hundreds of little bundles of joy the last few times I've ridden across it.

Yep. It's time the city puts a stop to that. people want dogs but don't want to clean up after them. They walk dogs in public so others have to clean up the dog poo. Dogs should be banned at all public parks. With the new dog parks Tulsa has let the dog owners go there. All that dog poo is a health hazzard and can ruin a picnic in a park. One dog can spoil it for a lot of people and many people like to have more than one dog.[B)]

[charky]

Good stuff Ed W.

I've been running the Riverside trails for years...and really haven't had any issues with bikers or dogs. In the past 5 years I can can only think of one instance of getting buzzed by Lance Armstrong.

I think the bikers appreciate a little wave or "thank you" to their "on your left".

I do a lot of my running these days on the west side of the river and the Turkey Mountain trails...which typically has much less traffic.

[BKDotCom]

Off topic:
Does the bridge on the creek turnpike trail (creek & 169) exist yet?
The one on this map
Several months ago I noticed they'd started on it... might head this way this weekend... if there's a bridge.

[Ed W]

Thanks for the comments!  I try to keep it light and humorous on the blogs in order to get readers to return.  

As for the 'FEMA' bridge, it was supposed to be constructed starting in January.  I seldom get down that way, so I'll ask a couple of cyclists at work about it.  They live near that bridge.

Sadly, our contact at INCOG, Patrick Fox, has left for another job leaving the bicycling subcommittee in limbo once again.  The ad hoc advocacy group is talking about becoming a formal organization in order to provide some continuity.  I'll have more on this later.

[sauerkraut]

quote:Originally posted by BKDotCom

Off topic:
Does the bridge on the creek turnpike trail (creek & 169) exist yet?
The one on this map
Several months ago I noticed they'd started on it... might head this way this weekend... if there's a bridge.

That map link is great and so are the pictures. The only bad thing about the Creek Trail is the street crossings. When I'm doing a hard run the last thing I want to do is stop for crossing a street and car traffic. I lose time and I break my pace. Tulsa has been really busy building and expanding alot of trails. I'd like to see the RiverSide trail expanded farther south and a full trail on the west bank of the river. That Turkey Mountain trail is all dirt (or it was), I don't like running on dirt trails and when it rains it's all mud- Unless they have paved it over since I was last there, I ran there last in the summer of 2007 hoping to find a west bank trail, I saw the dirt trail and turned around. Some people ride horses there.

[charky]

quote:Originally posted by sauerkraut

quote:Originally posted by BKDotCom

Off topic:
Does the bridge on the creek turnpike trail (creek & 169) exist yet?
The one on this map
Several months ago I noticed they'd started on it... might head this way this weekend... if there's a bridge.

That map link is great and so are the pictures. The only bad thing about the Creek Trail is the street crossings. When I'm doing a hard run the last thing I want to do is stop for crossing a street and car traffic. I lose time and I break my pace. Tulsa has been really busy building and expanding alot of trails. I'd like to see the RiverSide trail expanded farther south and a full trail on the west bank of the river. That Turkey Mountain trail is all dirt (or it was), I don't like running on dirt trails and when it rains it's all mud- Unless they have paved it over since I was last there, I ran there last in the summer of 2007 hoping to find a west bank trail, I saw the dirt trail and turned around. Some people ride horses there.

Not sure about the 169 bridge. I'll ask a co-worker that runs the Creek Turnpike trail every so often.

The west side trail is fully paved all the way to 71st now. You can take it from 11th Street...go south...and you'll end up at the trail head at Turkey Mtn. Trail starts back up at the south end of the parking lot...and it'll take you back east across 71st Street.

The trails at Turkey Mtn. are a lot of fun. I try to get a 4-6 mile trail run in once every week or two. Great change of pace (literally) and very challenging.

[cks511]

quote:Originally posted by BKDotCom

Off topic:
Does the bridge on the creek turnpike trail (creek & 169) exist yet?

IT'S OPEN and looks great.

[BKDotCom]

quote:Originally posted by cks511

quote:Originally posted by BKDotCom

Off topic:
Does the bridge on the creek turnpike trail (creek & 169) exist yet?

IT'S OPEN and looks great.

Thanks for the info!
Next on my wish list is for some trails south thru Jenks.   You can take the trail to 101st & Elm/Peoria..  riding any further south means riding on Elm (death wish).   I don't see them widening Elm (and hopefully adding trail/sidewalk) any time soon..
However I see potential on Elwood south of 71st/Turkey mountain for trail or sidewalk.

[Vision 2025]

The City of Jenks recently awarded the Elm road widening from the turnpike to 111th; I understand work begins the first week in August.... So, let the long awaited night mare on Elm Street begin.