0 comment Wednesday, June 25, 2014 | admin
Everybody familiar with this intersection on the Cherry Creek bike path? It's between Lawrence and Larimer and it has a sign that says something like "Watch for cross traffic" or something. I always approach it with caution when I'm riding from the north because I always think someone's going to come flying down that ramp from Speer and T-bone me. Never happens, though.
Today at about 5:30 p.m., the bike path was pretty busy, and there was a guy coming from the north as I was riding up from the south. About a half-second before the other guy crossed the intersection, I see someone running down the ramp at the blind corner. The running guy stops about a foot into the bike path, bends down and jumps back onto the ramp, out of the cyclist's way. He picked up something when he bent down. What was it? A longboard. Apparently he got a little out of control and jumped off it on the way down, and just barely picked it up before it hit the guy on the bike. No harm, no foul, but my fears have been validated.
A few minutes later, I'm getting ready to turn onto the bridge across the Platte to REI, and a guy is walking his two dogs on the right side of the bike path. I see the dog is going to walk right across the intersection, so I slow down to wait for the guy and the dog. I'm rolling, okay, the dog's out of the way, turns right onto the bridge. As I'm just about to turn right onto the bridge, still going about 2 mph, a guy in full lycra feels the need to pass me on the right and cut onto the bridge between me and the guy with the dogs. I almost hit him before I swing my handlebars back away from him.
I just laugh and shake my head. "Pffff." The guy with the dogs looks at me and we smile at each other. I point at Mr. I Have To Put On A Uniform To Ride My Bike Anywhere And Must Maintain My Target Heart Rate At All Costs, so the guy with the dog doesn't think I'm talking shit to him. We nod at each other, and I enjoy the rest of my ride.
Today at about 5:30 p.m., the bike path was pretty busy, and there was a guy coming from the north as I was riding up from the south. About a half-second before the other guy crossed the intersection, I see someone running down the ramp at the blind corner. The running guy stops about a foot into the bike path, bends down and jumps back onto the ramp, out of the cyclist's way. He picked up something when he bent down. What was it? A longboard. Apparently he got a little out of control and jumped off it on the way down, and just barely picked it up before it hit the guy on the bike. No harm, no foul, but my fears have been validated.
A few minutes later, I'm getting ready to turn onto the bridge across the Platte to REI, and a guy is walking his two dogs on the right side of the bike path. I see the dog is going to walk right across the intersection, so I slow down to wait for the guy and the dog. I'm rolling, okay, the dog's out of the way, turns right onto the bridge. As I'm just about to turn right onto the bridge, still going about 2 mph, a guy in full lycra feels the need to pass me on the right and cut onto the bridge between me and the guy with the dogs. I almost hit him before I swing my handlebars back away from him.
I just laugh and shake my head. "Pffff." The guy with the dogs looks at me and we smile at each other. I point at Mr. I Have To Put On A Uniform To Ride My Bike Anywhere And Must Maintain My Target Heart Rate At All Costs, so the guy with the dog doesn't think I'm talking shit to him. We nod at each other, and I enjoy the rest of my ride.
0 comment Saturday, May 31, 2014 | admin
So the exit ramp off the Cherry Creek path at Wynkoop was only closed for a couple of days. After work on Wednesday, I got the pleasure of watching Josh drop his bike over the concrete wall to get on the bike path, by golly. He looked like a guy breaking out of prison.
Anyway, they fixed it, and the exit ramp is open again.
Oh, except look the fuck out, because instead of building a ramp, they put in this eight-inch curb. I thought the concrete was still wet when I was approaching this section after work (from the bridge), so I slowed way down. Good thing I did, because I wouldn't have seen this thing. Somebody's going to lose some teeth after flying over their handlebars hitting this in the next couple of days, coming from either direction.
I'm crossing my fingers that the contractors are working on a better permanent solution.
Anyway, they fixed it, and the exit ramp is open again.
Oh, except look the fuck out, because instead of building a ramp, they put in this eight-inch curb. I thought the concrete was still wet when I was approaching this section after work (from the bridge), so I slowed way down. Good thing I did, because I wouldn't have seen this thing. Somebody's going to lose some teeth after flying over their handlebars hitting this in the next couple of days, coming from either direction.
I'm crossing my fingers that the contractors are working on a better permanent solution.
Labels: Bike Path