Progress?

In a recent post, I mentioned the ongoing closure of our longest bike bath due to freeway and levee construction. As you may recall, on January 5, I saw this:

Bike path STILL closed, several days after Dec 30, as promised by this sign.

Well ... I gave them another 5 days, being that there were holidays and such. Maybe the construction people were still recovering from that New Year's Eve champagne, combined with all of the heavily spiked egg nog and holiday turkey/ham/pie/fruitcake/what-have-you. Today, January 10, which is 5 days later than my previous visit on January 5, I rolled up on the Funqapillar to see this:

Still closed ... but in a different way.

Although the path is still closed, the concrete barrier has been removed, along with the improperly dated closure notification sign. Replacing them is some red tape that says "DANGER" and a rather non-descript sign that simply says the bike path, its title now reduced to that of a mere bike "lane", is closed. No reopening date is offered, suggested, or implied. It also says the bike path lane is closed "AHEAD", which is confusing, since the DANGER tape is blocking (and therefore closing) the path lane right here where the sign is, not further ahead as the sign implies.

I'm not sure whether this change is an indication of progress or merely a horribly unstylish new look for the same infuriating closure. I do see path ahead ... but it seems to now be called a "lane", which could imply that it's being reduced in size ... or it could mean the construction crew can't tell the difference and just grabbed the closest sign that had the word "BIKE" on it.

Whatever the case, it's all making me feel, as Jon Lovitz used to say in the old Subway commercials, "ANXIOUS."

Eat Fresh!

If this part of the lane path were to be reopened, it would instantly connect me to several additional riding options. More paved paths, lots of trails and fire roads, plus horses and cows to visit ... all just up the lane path a tiny bit further. Without the lane path connection, it means a very long detour starting nowhere close, using busy streets that don't even have a bike lane, or even worse ... DRIVING to somewhere else to ride, which just somehow seems wrong to me.

It's been more than three years now since all of this started (January 2009), and since the full bike path has been open. It's close now ... or so it seems ... but I'm feeling impatient to have the barriers removed once and for all.

I shouldn't complain, really. After all, I have beaches and beautiful weather to ride in all year long. Just longing for some of those really long uninterrupted-by-streets-and-traffic rides I used to be able to take. Soon enough ... soon enough.

Until then, there are other topics on the way ... product reviews, photos, and more! Stay tuned!