C&G Rail Trail

[An Einnseanair]

Originally Posted by Suesbal

Couldn’t bicyclists just ride up Highway 15 between Mathiston and Houston?

Technically, and legally, yes. Just make sure your life insurance is paid up first. I personally wouldn't ride up Hwy 15 on a bicycle, especially not with kids or with all the travel gear required for long-range cycling.

Originally Posted by recycled

I pedaled from the end of the Tanglefoot Trail in Houston going east less than 1 mile to county road 406, and followed 406 a few more miles east till it bisected Natchez Trace. I don't think I saw more than a couple of cars on 406. Then I pedaled the Natchez Trace north to Tupelo. There are no trucks or buses and very few cars along the trace, so it really does not need bike lanes. The cars don't travel very fast, and it is easy for them to pass a cyclist since there is rarely oncoming traffic. No need to spend more tax dollars where they aren't really needed.

I wasn't looking at 406 because there isn't a legal interchange there (you would have had to ride/push up the shoulder to the Trace bridge). But you're right; from a new trail perspective, that route is much better than Hwy 8. Both shorter and less traffic.

But for this to be considered a truly linked trail system usable by families and long-distance bikers, both the Fed and city of Houston would have to build dedicated bike lanes or a separate bike path on both roads.

Also, I admit I'm not much of a long-distance cyclist, so maybe my estimation the on-road danger is exaggerated. A former in-law hit a cyclist with a vehicle. I had a brief moment of panic once on the Trace when I topped a hill with the sun reflecting off my dirty windshield (just got off a dirt road), then suddenly realized a large cluster of bicyclists was just ahead of me in a patch of shade. Luckily, they were in the other lane going the other direction or I would have had to swerve hard to miss them.

When I ride it's on more of a mountain/casual bike and not a high-speed road bike. I'd have a heart attack from anxiety if I were to ride in an actual vehicle travel lane on a highway.