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 of this route makes the connection with the Neuse River Trial at the Mial Plantation parking lot, though going into Clayton to catch the Sam’s Branch Greenway is another option.
Some of the best road riding here is south of Auburn-Knightdale Rd., giving a nice payoff for the trip to that point. If you extend the route to Clayton, a stop at Deep River Brewing is a great option. The newly extended Sam’s Branch Greenway leads to the river from Legend Park, a stone’s throw from downtown Clayton.
The Neuse River Trail and Crabtree Creek Trail form the backbone of this ride. The link between the Crabtree Creek Trail shown here is made with Milburnie Rd. to Oakwood, to downtown, to Rocky Branch Trail to Dix Park. Should you choose do the route coming through downtown Raleigh, there are many places to rehydrate. The shown route goes just blocks away from two favorites Tasty Beverage and Crank Arm Brewing.