i'm an advocate i make no bones about it, and i'm proud of it, in fact. i think it's fair to say i've helped a lot of people over the years, and in doing so, i've ruffled some feathers, too. that's a drag, i suppose, but some brain cells are going to get hurt in any learning process. i don't set out trying to hurt or offend; my goals are generally noble and altruistic; i think rumsfeld calls it collateral damage. but there are a number of things that happen--that are done--in the name of "improving" things for bicyclists that are just STUPID. they are done by people who DON'T ride bikes. i swear to dog that they [the powers that be] don't even KNOW a serious bicyclist--just "avid" bicyclists. those "avid" bicyclists will be the death of us all. want proof? check out this photo, taken this morning as i rode up northwest beaver approaching the i-80 overpass. the photo shows the latest stupid improvement by the city of des moines [fill in the blank of responsible department] to the city's much-praised bike trail network.
LOOK AT THAT, WOULD YOU? THAT'S MUDDY WATERS, and we're all singing the blues. there was so much water that i could get no closer than that. and the idiots have made it impossible to escape, as it is totally fenced off as one approaches from the west side.
STUPID STUPID STUPID. i cannot believe that this kind of crap--this shoddy, unsafe, dangerous engineering--CONTINUES to be the standard for trail building. wha? no kidding: ride the trail any time south of ashworth pool, and you'll find the same "design" which encourages overflow and pooling with NO drainage options. ride the trail north to saylorville: if the regular root bumps don't kill you, the over-the-trail-drainage most certainly will.
MAYOR COWNIE: i went on your ride for trails. have you ever ridden these trails? they SUCK!!!
thought you might like to know...
do YOU have any trail trouble spots? tell about them in the comments, and i'll start a "trail of shame" list. let's see if we can do anything to help.
2 comments:
thee very newest section of thee Trestle to Trestle...right where thee black label heads to go under Beaver Ave....yup you guessed it...under fucking water...complete dumbass design. Hey but what do I know I'm just a stupid cyclist:) I must add I love that piece of trail when its not under water:)
Peace
Kim,
I've been shaking my head at that much ballyhooed modification of Lower Beaver so the trail could pass underneath it. As soon as that went in, I knew it was going to flood often. A safe usable surface crossing would have likely been cheaper and pretty much flood proof.
Not to mention that the entire section of Trestle to Trestle right along the river is nothing more thn a water drainage path for the hillside up above. How much additional cost would it have been to have berm up some additional dirt along the south side of the trail.
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