Two wheels good, four wheels bad

Where and how to bike
in a car-dominated city

Maybe I needed to get
in shape. Maybe I was tired of going nowhere on an elliptical bike at the gym
while watching a Simpsons re-run or the fat ass in front of me. Maybe our environment really is becoming
an inconvenient truth.

Or maybe I just
wanted to go somewhere on a bike.

So I’ve been riding
seriously since last spring. I feel better, I think better, and I’m saving
money.

There are several
classifications of bikers: the serious jock-minded hardcore biker you can only
see in a flash as he passes by as if shot out of a cannon; the amateur
enthusiast who dons the gear, puts in the miles, but doesn’t necessarily consider
them self a “biker”; or kids or drunks who have lost their drivers license.

I fall into several
of these categories. No doubt so will you.

But forget
categories. The question is, where to ride?

Sure, the path along
the river is getting expanded, and there are already some gorgeous trails that
carve through our various parks. But at one point or another you’re gonna have to run with the cars. Finding a nice place to
ride — and a safe place to ride — is the trick.

For some pointers,
click on www.bikerochester.com. There you’ll find clubs, bicycle
shops, organized bike tours, and links to trails throughout New YorkState.

Ride Rochester
— A Neighborhood Bike Tour invites you to “rediscover Rochester neighborhoods from the seat of your
bike.” The next tour is of the South Wedge and Upper Monroe neighborhoods,
Saturday, September 23, 8 a.m.-noon, starting and ending in MarieDaleyPark on Gregory Street. For
info call 271-0520.

Or if you wanna venture out on your own, I suggest using secondary
roads as much as possible. If you have to ride in traffic, look out and be
aggressive. The meek may inherit the earth, but on a bike they’ll inherit road
rash. The paths I choose to get where I’m going are a hybrid — some city
streets, some shortcuts through parking lots, gravel trails, and side streets.

Here’re a few spots
to get you started:

-HolySepulchreCemetery

Massive and
relatively flat.A beautiful ride on the edge of the city.

-Mt.HopeCemetery

Historically
fascinating, placid and quiet but more of a workout than Holy Sepulchre.

-Highland Park

Very hilly but
beautiful, especially around lilac time.

-OntarioBeachPark

Although you have to
dodge the occasional oblivious pedestrian, the paths around the Gazebo, the
merry-go-round, and old bath house (plus a ride out to the end of the pier are)
so fun, you’ll forget you’re actually doing something good for yourself. Do, however,
watch out for dogs.

-The river trail from TurningPointPark
to MaplewoodPark

Real shady in
some spots, and somewhat of an off-road ride with the gravel and rocks. A bit of upgrade makes going south a workout and heading
north a breeze

-The neighborhood surrounding The Public Market

The smells of the
market and the multi-cultural vibe from the throng in and around the pavilions
—especially on Saturdays and Sundays — makes for a cool trail to weave in
and around.

-The Canal path from Downtown to Pittsford or Fairport

This can be a
hardcore trek distance-wise, but is fairly level and auto-free.

No matter where you
ride, remember a few rules for safe biking in the city:

-Cars will simply not
see you, will cut in front of you, will come dangerously close with rear view
mirrors, and will honk whenever your 15mph ass holds up their important
schedule.

-Once parked on the
side of the road, people immediately fling their car doors open, clotheslinining you in the process.

-Dogs will chase you.

-Children, while
hogging the whole sidewalk, often swing their lunchboxes and backpacks with
reckless abandon.

-Potholes and faulty
sewer grates can consume you whole.

This article appears in Sep 20-26, 2006.