The backbone of the site is the section on routes, with reviews of various routes accompanied by downloadable maps and cue sheets through Ride with GPS. Most of the routes are loop rides that start at Dix Park, as it is close to both the Walnut Creek Trail, and the Rocky Branch Trail. The section on Greenway Connectors, or Highway Crossings is a listing of bridges and underpasses that are not part of the greenway system, but help in charting longer routes by connecting various greenways segments. Points of Interest is a more general category that features posts about art, trail structures, and destinations on or near the greenway trails. This category is an attempt to answer the question, “What was that cool/interesting/bizarre thing I saw on the greenway?”
This web site is a pandemic enabled project. When the Meymandi Concert Hall stage went dark last March, my life as a double bass player with the NC Symphony was put on hold. Riding the bike was a safe way to get some exercise, and to visit with friends. I have been biking around Raleigh since 1980 but there are routes from ‘back in the day’ that I wouldn’t dream of doing today – whether due to increased traffic, or increased caution on my part. Luckily, the Raleigh greenway system, along with those of neighboring towns, has grown in recent years to provide new and interesting routes without having to tussle with cars. During the first couple months of the pandemic shutdown, most roads became quieter and safer, making the discovery of new road and greenway combinations seem less brazen. Some of the connections and routes from this site came by way of riding with friends, and this tradition of sharing routes is a large impetus for this project. I would especially like to thank my riding partner Marjorie Salzman for help in finding routes, and for her eagerness to ride at the drop of a hat.
Craig Brown
April 2021