How many times have you heard this: "Omaha just isn't a good bike town."?
I hear it almost every day, from customers and would-be avid cyclists who think around every corner there's an F-250 or a distracted soccer mom in an Escalade ready to mow them down. Of course, that's absolutely true, depending upon the road or street you choose.
But guess what? There are hundreds of other roads on which you'll see nary a soul. Those are the good ones. Those are the ones that see more bike traffic on a weekend morning than car traffic.
We have most everything a cyclist could ask for within 20 miles of Omaha. Long, wide-open flats, leg-crushing climbs, rolling, protected hills. The only thing we're missing are long, steady climbs. (We do have a few that will do the trick, though — if you know where to find them.)
I've been on countless rides where someone has mentioned all of this. Inevitable comparisons to Lincoln, which seems so god-awful flat and boring by comparison. And to Kansas City or Des Moines.
Sunday, though, it was just me. On the isolated, winding, hilly and breathtaking roads of the Loess Hills in and around Council Bluffs, I was alone with my thoughts. I encountered maybe a dozen cars the entire time. All gave me a polite wave.
As I crested one hill after another, lungs burning, I couldn't help but think, "Man, this is awesome."
9 comments:
You can make anywhere good if you look at it in the right way.
Agreed. Good post, I wish more people appreciated what we have.
It's great for "the cyclist." It's not great for a person who just wants to get around on a bike. Bike lanes could help, but the hills would deter most people after they logged a couple miles on their Walmart bike.
But hey, maybe then they'd become "cyclists."
Omaha and Lincoln are way different. those guys ride gravel that's cause all they really have so they make the best of it. Here you can have good mix of everything.
We have long sustained climbs, it's called wind. only difference, when we turn around we don't get to coast home, we have to pedal, that makes it better.
You are absolutely right. I used to think Nebraska and SD were the worst for cycling - until I moved to Dallas. I'm sure there are places far worst than Dallas, too. So "it could always be worse." Omaha is a great place to be a cyclist.
mike (munson) - See, I disagree with you there. It's perfectly fine for anybody who wants to ride a bike. There's nothing you can do about hills - except climb 'em. A bit of exercise is kind of the point, isn't it?
SMS - I still like long hills better than wind. And I really don't mind wind, actually. Hills are just better.
Well said, Bryan. We do have a lot to be thankful for in Omaha.
Munson has a valid point. It's almost like Omaha is two cities. The older parts, east of 72nd, are acceptable for utility cycling, as long as one chooses the right routes. Bike lanes and paths will help encourage some people to venture out, but there's nothing we can do about the hills other than just get bigger legs or easier gearing.
The newer parts, west of 72nd, and some of the other metro area towns and neighborhoods, in my experience are difficult or dangerous to navigate. The roads carry swiftly moving traffic, and the grid system breaks down a bit. I am sure there are some routes that are better than others, but I'm just not that familiar with cycling out west.
In my travels from west to east, it's actually parts west of I-680 where things get sketchy. Up until then, it's pretty straightforward. But 680 creates a big stumbling block for those looking to cross the city.
Fort, Maple, Blondo, Dodge, Pacific, etc. are fairly horrible for getting across there. I have two spots nearby - north and south of Fort - to make it happen. Both of those are pretty far north if your destination is somewhere closer to Dodge or Pacific.
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