Here are some panoramic photos of the area (click to view larger) (for super-size, right click and open in new window):

Here, I’m standing in an empty lot on Solandara Way, which is seen continuing on the right. Baxter village is down the powerlines to the left.

This is about a block further in. Rosemary Ln is behind me, to my right. Baxter village is down the powerlines to the left.

Fearing snakes and other unknown creepies, I didn’t venture further. I crossed under the powerlines, and here is the view from the opposite direction. Verbena Ct is behind me, Baxter village is down the powerlines to the right.

More Tega Cay Trails photos and stuff:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/tegacaytrails
http://bit.ly/tegacaytrails

One of the things I like the most about living in Tega Cay is the network of paths and trails that wind through our beautiful landscape here. Many of them provide convenient and safe routes to and from our neighborhoods, parks and playing fields, and give us the opportunity to walk or bike to places that we might otherwise drive to. Even those that don’t enhance connectivity still offer a scenic environment for getting some fresh air and exercise. This is why I plan to volunteer my time to help build more trails in our community.

After contacting some people involved in Parks and Rec, I’ve learned that there is considerable interest in this already. In the recent Parks and Rec survey, nearly 65% of respondents said that someone in their household would use new biking trails if they were available, making it the most popular amenity of those suggested.

I was told that “if we have enough volunteers with passion around the trails we are considering a Trails and Natural areas sub-committee as part of the Parks and Rec team” and people may be organizing as soon as next month to begin clearing new trails.

While it will certainly require a lot of effort, I would think it’s a project that would need less cash investment than many others, and could benefit greatly from good ol’ sweat equity, if people stepped up to help. I think the trails would be a sensible investment in a time when personal and city budgets are strained.

I wanted to write something about this on the Underground blog, because I’d love to generate some discussion on the topic, and maybe even recruit a few more volunteers.

I don’t know what, if any, plans are in place already, but here are some of the things I’ve been thinking about:

• not only cutting new trails, but working to maintain and improve existing ones
• ped-only trails? …bike-only trails? …shared trails?
• Are there opportunities to create shortcuts connecting otherwise distant points (without intruding on people’s property and privacy)?
• The golf course meanders throughout the entire city. Does this provide more challenges than opportunities? (There is lots of wooded area alongside the course, but how much of it is usable, without putting people in danger of flying balls?)
• If we have the opportunity to set aside areas on the newer, undeveloped land for trails, can it link to the existing network, or will it be disconnected? (Trail connecting Lake Shore area off Hunter’s Run to area behind Wal-Mart – could this connect all the way to the school…?)

What do you think?
Leave comments here, and/or email tegacaytrails@gmail.com if you want to volunteer or get updates on trail work.

Quoted from an SRAM product recall on Rock Shox mountain bike forks:

The steel steerer on the forks can crack, causing the fork to detach from the bicycle frame. This can cause the rider to lose control and crash.

LOL. Ya think? If your fork detaches while riding, and you don’t crash, I’ll buy you a drink. (But, more likely, you’ll be wanting to see a dentist.)

Full details on the recall are linked here.

I may have the opportunity to design the jerseys for a local mountain biking team. Here are the designs I pitched, initially. The logo was a real challenge to work with, as I wanted to come up with a bold, aggressive design for the jersey, while the design of the logo does not feature any strong lines, and is contained in a very static circular shape. As you can see, I’m suggesting a departure from using the logo as is…

By now, most of us have heard about the Carolina Thread Trail, the proposed network of 400 miles of trails knitting together 15 counties in North and South Carolina.

Gaston County, N.C., and York County won $50,000 grants for planning and design. Their work will be pilot programs for the overall trail plan.

On Wednesday, about 30 people met at Manchester Meadows for a public meeting about the trail. The primary goals of the meeting were to inform the public about the trails network and to get public input and ideas.

Get the whole story at the Charlotte Observer

Well, I’m most likely not going to be able to ride in the bike-a-thon this year. I’m VERY disappointed, as it was one of the highlights of last summer – such a fun ride, so many cool people to meet (and pass), and such a great cause. I raised $1000, which my company matched, so it was a great way to channel my love of riding into a positive contribution to society.

Anyway, my good friend Mike is riding again this year, and serving as captain again for Team Obermayer. I encourage you to make a donation via his fundraising webpage, or the general team page. Or, if you can, sign up and ride!

It’s sunday morning, 9am, 18 degrees outside. I’m hung over and my voice is shot.
I’m garnishing my first cup of coffee, and I find… I’m out of milk. Crap.
What could make this situation worse?
I know!
I’ll ride my bike to the store.
Yea, that’s the ticket.

I load on some layers, strap on the courier bag, and grab my newly rigid Schwinn singlespeed. First thing I do is splash thru the ice puddle at the bottom of my driveway. Smart. Splatters of water all over me immediately freeze. V-brakes screeching as they scrape ice from the rims. Wind bites right thru my fleece. This might be harder than I thought. The worst uphill is right at the beginning. I charge up it in my only gear, legs aching immediately, jeans cold and windblown against my legs. At least the sun is shining on me. Trying to decide if the gator is better on my neck or over my face. It impedes my ability to gasp for air, so to the neck it goes. I put the hill behind me and settle in to a comfortable pace. Now I wish I had a bigger gear. It’s a long, gradual uneventful downhill from here. Grab some milk at the 7-11, enjoying the brief break from the cold, and I’m back on the road, refreshed. I head for home, thanking mother nature for the only hangover cure that ever works for me – fresh air. Take a brief detour to say hi to the kids at the pond, who already have a fire raging, and are collecting wood to last them thru a long day of hockey. I show off my singlespeed conversion, endure complaints about how the karaoke party was for “grown-ups only”, and bust my ass riding on the ice. I roll back home, where it now feels unbearably hot, strip off all these layers, and settle down in my comfy chair with my hot, milky coffee.
The nausea and dizziness are returning already. I may have to go ride again…