2008 Woodie Awards
Vote Absentee
Trails, bike condition, safety key to cycling enjoyment
Johnna Hjersman
Issue date: 5/1/08 Section: Features
Little green buds have opened into leaves, daffodils. Dandelions are boasting their yellows. The fountain in front of the city union is gushing and bubbling again.
Spring has finally arrived and students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are looking for any excuse to ditch the studying and stress of the indoors and enjoy the weather outside. One way for them to do so is to dust off their bicycles and hit the trails.
The Lincoln Parks & Recreation Department maintains more than 82 miles of bike trails, several of which connect to other trails and extend well beyond the city limits.
"Probably the longest trail we have within Lincoln is the Billy Wolff," said Terry Genrich, natural resources and greenways manager for the Lincoln Parks & Recreation Department.
"(It's) a little over eight miles long, starts down at the university, follows along Capitol Parkway to Holmes Lake and then follows Antelope Creek up to Highway 92."
Genrich explained that the paved Mo-Pac Trail, which starts near the university at 19th and Vine streets and heads east, connects with a limestone trail that continues beyond Lincoln for 25 miles to Wabash. One of the newest trails is the Jamaica North Trail, which leads from Calvert Street to Wilderness Park and then connects with Homestead Trail and runs another 15 miles south to Cortland.
Damon Hershey, an employee of Cycle Works' Bike Shop, 27th and Vine streets, said the Jamaica Trail is currently his favorite trail in Lincoln.
"There's very little build-up around the (Jamaica) trail, so you really feel like you're out in the country," Hershey said.
His advice for riders who are beginners, are new to Lincoln or are just starting to explore the trail systems is to "just get out and do it; just start riding (the trails)."
But before pedaling off into the sunset, riders should make sure they know their bikes are in proper condition. Hershey said the two best things riders can do on their own is to make sure their tires are at the proper inflation level and their chains are clean.
Spring has finally arrived and students at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln are looking for any excuse to ditch the studying and stress of the indoors and enjoy the weather outside. One way for them to do so is to dust off their bicycles and hit the trails.
The Lincoln Parks & Recreation Department maintains more than 82 miles of bike trails, several of which connect to other trails and extend well beyond the city limits.
"Probably the longest trail we have within Lincoln is the Billy Wolff," said Terry Genrich, natural resources and greenways manager for the Lincoln Parks & Recreation Department.
"(It's) a little over eight miles long, starts down at the university, follows along Capitol Parkway to Holmes Lake and then follows Antelope Creek up to Highway 92."
Genrich explained that the paved Mo-Pac Trail, which starts near the university at 19th and Vine streets and heads east, connects with a limestone trail that continues beyond Lincoln for 25 miles to Wabash. One of the newest trails is the Jamaica North Trail, which leads from Calvert Street to Wilderness Park and then connects with Homestead Trail and runs another 15 miles south to Cortland.
Damon Hershey, an employee of Cycle Works' Bike Shop, 27th and Vine streets, said the Jamaica Trail is currently his favorite trail in Lincoln.
"There's very little build-up around the (Jamaica) trail, so you really feel like you're out in the country," Hershey said.
His advice for riders who are beginners, are new to Lincoln or are just starting to explore the trail systems is to "just get out and do it; just start riding (the trails)."
But before pedaling off into the sunset, riders should make sure they know their bikes are in proper condition. Hershey said the two best things riders can do on their own is to make sure their tires are at the proper inflation level and their chains are clean.
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