The bike path I rode every weekend is now mostly destroyed. Much of it is still under water, but what I can see of it is not passable. I do not know where I will ride in the near future, as it will be a year or more before this trail is once again open. It needs major rebuilding and repair, or maybe even re-routing, before it can be used again.
I do start Zumba classes this week, through FitChick Express in our town. I don't know if it will be enough to make up for the lack of biking. I cannot bike on streets or county roads, as they are too dangerous for bikers. Most other bike paths have been devastated by the flooding, even in other towns. I feel selfish and foolish being so upset about losing my bike path, when there are so many other bigger issues right now in my town, and in towns nearby. Major infrastructure repairs will be needed just to make county roads passable.
I wrote a big blog post about it at my other blog. Feel free to check it out for more details and pictures. I'm posting a picture below of what is left of some of the bike path. The bridge looks to be intact, but the pavement and embankment on the other side, where they connected, is gone. You can see where the pavement is still there. That's where I would ride...across that bridge then up that pathway and on to the Airport. There are at least three other bridges I crossed on those rides, and if I went east, towards Sandstone Ranch, there were a couple bridges there too. I'm assuming much of the pavement is washed out, or the earth beneath them so degraded that they will need major repairs. In some places of my path, I was riding ride alongside the river, only a foot or so higher than the river. The river rose more than 15 feet, obliterating everything. Scary.
I'll keep you posted.
just an FYI...The bike path from near 3rd St to Sandstone Ranch Park is NOT damaged at all. Yes, there is some debris that needs cleaned up. You can volunteer to do so.
ReplyDeleteI am not sure what trail you are talking about. The Greenway is severely damaged and we've been told to stay away from it. From Martin Street east to Sandstone Ranch, there is much more than debris - there are huge swaths of the path that have been completely washed away. I am certainly willing to pick up debris, but I am not capable of forming new road bed and pouring new concrete. Last weekend, I drove to Sandstone Ranch's overlook to see the damage to the bike path. The St. Vrain cut a completely new channel and washed out most of that end of the Greenway trail. I'm linking to a picture I took so you can see it. If you are talking about a different bike trail, I'd love to know about it - where its trailhead is and where to park and how long the trail is.
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