How does your state rank...and whatcha gonna do 'bout it?

[WadePatton]

http://www.bikeleague.org/news/090508bfs.php

We're down below the middle at 36...local club is working "with" planning and development of big city next door.

I'm a bit surprised by GA's low ranking-given the large number of cyclists and great roads and trails in the northern part of the state. Georgia is also the birthplace of SORBA.

WV-likewise has some absolutely stunning trails and killer climbs while at bottom end of the rankings.

Of course the great faves are up top and I suspect that the survey has much more to do with road issues than trail access ones.

[malcolm]

I'm in Alabama and not surprised by our bottom 5 at all. The irony is there are some stunning incredibly undeveloped very hilly areas that make great riding except none of the roads have shoulders and the populace is not bike friendly at all. I'm in Birmingham and the numbers of cyclist is growing at an exponential rate so maybe it will improve, but I suspect it will be years. I hear mtn biking is great and I'm in the process of building up a turner flux now so I guess I'll see.

[paczki]

I'm kind of surprised that Vermont is below NH, ME and MA. Very peculiar.

[WadePatton]

AL has lots of great riding from Birmingham northward and eastward. I've not raced it yet, but the BUMP n Grind is one of the bigger SE races. It's held there on Oak Mtn. I have ridden Monte Sano in Huntsville. If you have any mtn biking bones in you at all--the Turner will bring 'em out for sure. There are trails in a state park East of Birmingham too IIRC. The SORBA site should have a good listing for you options.

I rarely ride roads with shoulders...shoulders means more traffic.

I'm in Alabama and not surprised by our bottom 5 at all. The irony is there are some stunning incredibly undeveloped very hilly areas that make great riding except none of the roads have shoulders and the populace is not bike friendly at all. I'm in Birmingham and the numbers of cyclist is growing at an exponential rate so maybe it will improve, but I suspect it will be years. I hear mtn biking is great and I'm in the process of building up a turner flux now so I guess I'll see.

[malcolm]

Wade, I'm sure it is similar in places in Tenn.. We have these great 2 lane blacktops, but zero shoulder, I mean not an inch and high speed traffic that tends not to yeild much room. Most of the places I go are fairly low traffic but most routes require at least some time on moderate volume 2 lane blacktop with high speed limits and given how rural alabama is some of these frighteningly narrow roads are major thoroughfares.

[victoryfactory]

I'm kind of surprised that Vermont is below NH, ME and MA. Very peculiar.


It has to do with the way those surveys are conducted. They count up things
like miles of bike lanes, bike racks and public bike awareness stuff per capita etc.
It has nothing to do with how much nice road riding there may be. It's more city/commuter related, I think


Political

[benb]

Vermont's got a lot of bike trails, etc..

Maybe it's hurt because there aren't a lot of rural areas, but VT is pretty aggressively building new ones.

They just announced they're taking eminent domain across a family property in VT for a bike trail... though it's near the road and no one really objects as most of the family is very pro-bike even if they never bother to get on a bike and turn a pedal.

VT also has a lot of areas that sound like what people are describing in the South.. nice beautiful road but you get buzzed by 75mph dump trucks every 30 seconds with no shoulder. I find NH to have better shoulders.

Also VT has a lot more open space and a lot more clear cut fields that seem to be there for nothing more then to have picturesque grassy fields. They look nice but on a windy day I'm more then happy to ride through wooded NH or MA roads where I get battered less.

I don't know though, I think I still like to ride through the green mountains more then the whites.

[LegendRider]

http://www.bikeleague.org/news/090508bfs.php

We're down below the middle at 36...local club is working "with" planning and development of big city next door.

I'm a bit surprised by GA's low ranking-given the large number of cyclists and great roads and trails in the northern part of the state. Georgia is also the birthplace of SORBA.

WV-likewise has some absolutely stunning trails and killer climbs while at bottom end of the rankings.

Of course the great faves are up top and I suspect that the survey has much more to do with road issues than trail access ones.

It appears the survey methodology ranks government, community and business support of cycling. Georgia has some good riding, but there isn't much support from business or government. The one notable exception is the city of Roswell. The mayor rides and he's done a lot - bike lanes, support of racing, etc. Good guy.

[girlie]

I'm kind of surprised that Vermont is below NH, ME and MA. Very peculiar.

Not at all in my mind....actually I was surprised it was so high on the list. Vermonters don't like outsiders moving to Vermont never mind if they visit and inconvenience drivers. It's one thing to visit and spend your money but another to just get in the way:) Also, the roads have little to no shoulder and are very curvy. A lot of the drivers get mad at cyclist, in my opinion, because they are fearful they might hurt someone...so they get anger.
Vermonters are strange.....BUT I have noticed it's gotten leaps and bounds better. Maybe they are getting smart to the fact ski Vermont in the winter and BIKE Vermont in the summer. Let's hope so!
Obviously not all Vermonters......and I am over third generation Vermonter, and if you know anything about Vermont you know for whatever reason that matters:)
girlie

[Viper]

.....

[dauwhe]

Not at all in my mind....actually I was surprised it was so high on the list. Vermonters don't like outsiders moving to Vermont never mind if they visit and inconvenience drivers. It's one thing to visit and spend your money but another to just get in the way:) Also, the roads have little to no shoulder and are very curvy. A lot of the drivers get mad at cyclist, in my opinion, because they are fearful they might hurt someone...so they get anger.
Vermonters are strange.....BUT I have noticed it's gotten leaps and bounds better. Maybe they are getting smart to the fact ski Vermont in the winter and BIKE Vermont in the summer. Let's hope so!

I've had good luck in Southern VT (Brattleboro area)--hardly any bad interactions with cars. Of course most of the time I'm on roads with little traffic.

Dave (only lived in VT 8 years; still work there (and ride there) but live in that evil state to the south)

[dvancleve]

AZ is #3? That surprises me, especially that it is above OR. Thinking about it though, things aren't bad here in Chandler (SE Phoenix suburb). Road conditions are bad due to the heat and plenty of truck traffic, but we do generally have bike lanes etc. My daughters' school doesn't have a non-student bike rack though, so when I pedal over for conferences etc. I lock to parking sign. I keep hoping somebody from the school will comment on it...

Doug

[girlie]

I've had good luck in Southern VT (Brattleboro area)--hardly any bad interactions with cars. Of course most of the time I'm on roads with little traffic.

Dave (only lived in VT 8 years; still work there (and ride there) but live in that evil state to the south)

Well, Dave the joke goes anything south of White River Junction would be happily given to Massachusetts and isn't really Vermont.....:D

I am happy Vermont is getting better. I had a head on with a car during the Brandon Gap Stage of the Killington Stage Race. Killington promoters had a very difficult time with the local drivers - a lot of the cars would refuse to pull over or stop for the peloton. Tough people from a cold state. I love my state but there are tight turns with no shoulders and fast local drivers. Makes for a scary thing for both the drivers who in the end don't want to hurt anyone and obviously for the riders. Or maybe this is all a Vermontian ploy to keep everyone out of the state ;)

Happy to hear, from someone riding there more recently, that it's good....really happy to hear it!

girlie

[WadePatton]

Here's the newest SORBA/TVA development. Raccoon Mtn. Near Chattanooga. Things are looking up around here. The green part is established and about 22 miles. The yellow part is the new section and will add considerable climbing-to be completed this winter. yahoo!

No shoulders, no traffic, no problem.

http://sorbachattanooga.org/images/NewsPictures/9-6-08-gathering/smallmap.jpg

[dauwhe]

Well, Dave the joke goes anything south of White River Junction would be happily given to Massachusetts and isn't really Vermont...

Skiers claim everything south of the "Doogie Line" is Massachusetts--the line goes through Granville Gulf!

Maybe I should say that if the road is paved, it isn't Vermont! Of course, the dirt roads in Vermont are generally smoother than the paved roads in Massachusetts...

Dave

[girlie]

Skiers claim everything south of the "Doogie Line" is Massachusetts--the line goes through Granville Gulf!

Maybe I should say that if the road is paved, it isn't Vermont! Of course, the dirt roads in Vermont are generally smoother than the paved roads in Massachusetts...

Dave

:) Yeah last I heard there is still more dirt road than paved road in Vermont.
Just make sure they didn't "just gravel" (say it with an accent) the road.

girlie

[thwart]

Come on up to the Cheesehead State...

#2 and shooting for #1. :beer:

Oh, yeah. Good beer, too. :beer:

[WadePatton]

Hey Malcom, check dis out: http://sorbahuntsville.org/site/ festival Oct 4-5.

Wisconsin--heck I was just there in 1986, what's new? :p Went to Elkhart Lake for the IMSA event.