This route briefly uses Ten-Ten Rd. and Tryon Rd., both of which can be inhospitable to cyclists at high traffic times. Downtown Apex is charming, Olive Chapel Rd. is a good road, and the American Tobacco Trail opens all sorts of possibilities for permutations. While there is less traffic on the roads on Sunday mornings,… Continue reading ATT via Apex 45.3 miles
Category: Routes 20 + miles
Southwest Meander 21.1 miles
Getting to Cary from southwest Raleigh can be problematic. This loop crosses US 1 with the Hinshaw Creek Greenway bridge, and the vehicular bridge at Athens Dr. Both the out and back legs of this trip follow roads that can be glutted with traffic at times. Better greenway connectivity to Cary would be a boon… Continue reading Southwest Meander 21.1 miles
Over the Water Take Two 35.8 miles
If this route was a musical variation of the Over the Water and Through the Woods route, you would still recognize the tune, but the harmony would be different enough to capture your interest. The middle part of the route, from Bond Park to Lake Crabtree is the common material while the outer sections represent… Continue reading Over the Water Take Two 35.8 miles
Skycrest Loop 29.3 miles
Shrink and stretch this loop as your time and legs allow. The interesting part of this route is the Raleigh Blvd., Skycrest, Southhall link between the Crabtree Creek Greenway and the Neuse River Trail. For a little hill work, and as an alternative to taking Crabtree Creek Trail out east to the Neuse River Trail,… Continue reading Skycrest Loop 29.3 miles
Cary Short Loop 26.1
This loop turns at Lake Crabtree, so shows two good routes to that park, where connections can be made to the Cary system. The northern side of the loop is slightly longer and uses the packed gravel roads in Umstead Park. The southern leg crosses the SAS campus – itself a place of serenity during… Continue reading Cary Short Loop 26.1
Lake Lynn and points north 30.3 miles
Finding greenway trails in the the northern part of the city can be tricky. This route crosses Glenwood/US 70 at a the busy intersection with Ebenezer Church Rd.. North of that point, the neighborhoods are relatively quiet, and many roads have designated bike lanes. This route has some hills! Three legs form this lopsided triangle.… Continue reading Lake Lynn and points north 30.3 miles
Knightdale Loop Stretched South 45.1 miles
This longest of the Knightdale routes, this one is best done on a Sunday morning – or whenever traffic is light. About 28 miles of the ride are on the greenway, but a stretch of the Auburn-Knightdale Rd. has a 55 mph speed limit, and the road isn’t really wide enough for passing dump trucks… Continue reading Knightdale Loop Stretched South 45.1 miles
Expanded Knightdale loop 39.6 miles
This double loop route crosses the Neuse River twice, using the Milburnie Dam bridge, and the Mingo Creek Trail bridges. The Milburnie Dam bridge, leads to Old Milburnie Rd and Forestville Rd to make the trip into downtown Knightdale via roads. Mingo Creek Trail and its bridge follow a flatter, and more secluded route back… Continue reading Expanded Knightdale loop 39.6 miles
Over the water and through the woods 36.8 miles
There are a few ways to link the Raleigh and Cary greenway systems and this loop route uses two of those. Umstead Park is the largest and most peaceful ‘connector,’ but has packed gravel roads that some may not like. The Dynasty/Electra link is a route that uses mostly neighborhood roads and greenways. There are… Continue reading Over the water and through the woods 36.8 miles
Garner Road to Neuse River Trail 35.3 miles
This is a good ride for a Sunday morning, when traffic on Garner Rd. is light, though it is a popular ride for cyclists and drivers are generally courteous. Once the route reaches Auburn Knightdale Rd., there are many options to extend, and even curtail this route. A three + mile tail at the bottom… Continue reading Garner Road to Neuse River Trail 35.3 miles