Event #2 - Explore a New Bike Path
I've said it before, and I'll say it again: I'm kind of a wuss on a bike. It all stems from crashing a golf cart as a teenage. Now being in anything open, sans seat belt, scares me. Especially on tight turns, steep hills (going down!), and being close to walkers/other cyclists. I have this momentary panic that I'm going to suddenly lose control and end up having a fiery crash. It hasn't happened. Yet. And I'm getting better. Every time I ride, I'm working to completely conquer my fear. Hopefully before too long, I'll be completely fearless!
Until now, the only trail I rode was Campion trail in Irving. It's a great trail. It has beautiful scenery and isn't very crowded. The downside is that it's far away. We have to load up the bikes and drive about 20 minutes to get there. That wouldn't be a problem if we only rode occasionally, but doing that numerous times during the week gets old really fast. Especially when it requires waking up at 5 to beat the 108º weather. Not fun.
For now, long rides on the street are not an option. When precious cargo is attached to the rear of a bike, riding on the street with careless drivers flying by is scary and too dangerous!
My mom's husband pulling my precious son.
The area of Dallas I live in isn't really bike-friendly. But thankfully, my neighborhood borders the city of Richardson, which seems to get more bike-friendly every day.
After studying some confusing trail maps, we decided to give some trails in Richardson a shot. After about a mile-long ride on a few peaceful streets, we reached the bike trails. There were a few street crossings I wasn't crazy about once we started out on the trails. But Richardson even tried to make those less scary. On most streets, there is a little protected place in the median to stop your bike after crossing the first three lanes of traffic. It's nice to be able to wait until it's clear to finish crossing, rather than trying to fly across all six lanes at once!
The trails pass by lots of pretty little streams and creeks. Our favorite is Duck Creek. The geese can be mean though! They don't move and try to bite. My bell doesn't even phase them.
Landon loves these trails. Not only does he get to feed the ducks, but we pass by lots of playgrounds. He loves the chance to take a little break from the bike and play!
What I loved the most was that the trails were not crowded at all. We passed a few dog walkers, joggers, and cyclists, but not enough to scare me!
I'm so glad we discovered this new path. Not only is it so much more convenient, but it's a fun ride. I can't wait to keep exploring and see what other trails are out there!
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