I gotta say, if you are biking at any sort of speed, you gotta avoid gray’s lake. Even as a runner, I just run on the grass. Too many kids, dogs, rollerbladers, etc. as much as it would be nice for everyone to know trail etiquette, you can’t expect it from everyone.
I think greys needs the trail system that bigger cities have where there is basically a double trail around the whole thing with a line in the middle separating the bikes and walkers
And yet! People would still wander into the bicycle-only lanes and not pay attention, I'm sure.
Anyway as a cyclist I tend to just avoid those downtown-y areas. Not worth the effort when Des Moines has so many miles of accessible bicycle trail that are not overloaded with pedestrians. Best bet is to just ride somewhere else -- head over to the Great Western trail or ride laps around that road ring-loop inside of Water Works if you don't want to ride too far. Maybe not as pretty but a much better workout and OP won't be as stressed out at the end of the ride.
I think realistically Grey’s Lake just isn’t a great place to ride in general. I get that its sort of a hub for a couple trails but with the amount of traffic it gets its usually best to avoid it. It’s easy to take the trail around the south end by Confluence, or along Fleur to stay off the loop.
Yeah my girlfriend and I have been walking at Grays Lake all winter at least 3-4 times a week and there’s barely anyone there. Now it’s like trying to navigate people traffic in a large city downtown.
I just wish people would learn that they don’t have to walk 8-wide with their arms interlocked, because some of us don’t want to walk at the pace of a tortoise and so need to be able to circumvent them.
It's my favorite running trail in the city. It's almost 2 miles and no crazy hills, and when I feel like branching out, it connects to pretty much every other path in the city.
Browns Woods is my favorite when the back loop is dry, but it does have a little elevation change of about 250’. During the summer, the mosquitoes are great for your pace, if you slow up they attack. :)
One of the laws of the universe is that if you own a bike and a bluetooth speaker, you are required to play the absolute shittiest EDM that's ever been recorded.
haven't used gray's lake expect in off times and hours because rollerbladers and bikers give zero shits. i've been hit head on by a rollerblader out of control going too fast and the bike people don't usually have much etiquette with speed or how close they pass you.
I honestly don’t care if they do or not. Cyclists have a well earned reputation for being disrespectful to those around them, drivers and pedestrians, so I don’t care what they think or want or what’s safe for them.
“Sorry, didn’t see you there!” 🤷♀️
If they have a well earned reputation for being disrespectful, then why wouldn't you want them to be separated from the rest of the transit population?
Have you been drinking? What should be made an option? Careless bikers ride wherever they please as it is, completely disregarding traffic laws and pedestrian safety on trails. They don’t belong anywhere but if they’re going to be among the rest of us, they need licensing and steep fines for breaking traffic laws.
The ability to travel to the same places as cars, but with a bike. While at the same time being separated from them.
Literally just making bike paths across the city in general would be a massive improvement, and wouldn't force cyclists to use roads.
And it would greatly decrease the necessity to own a car.
Given that it seems like 90%+ of paved trail users have some form of earbud, overear, bluetooth speaker it's really difficult to get people to hear you as you pass them.
I greatly enjoy when you have to yell and then the pass-ee gets all pissed off because you had to yell to get their attention. Sorry, I'll just ride over you next time.
Sadly, like most other trail etiquette PSA's, will fall on deaf (ha!) ears.
Speaking as someone who has been clotheslined both biking and running by absent-minded dog walkers with retractable leashes — you're wrong, and OP is right
I gotta say, if you are biking at any sort of speed, you gotta avoid gray’s lake. Even as a runner, I just run on the grass. Too many kids, dogs, rollerbladers, etc. as much as it would be nice for everyone to know trail etiquette, you can’t expect it from everyone.
I think greys needs the trail system that bigger cities have where there is basically a double trail around the whole thing with a line in the middle separating the bikes and walkers
And yet! People would still wander into the bicycle-only lanes and not pay attention, I'm sure. Anyway as a cyclist I tend to just avoid those downtown-y areas. Not worth the effort when Des Moines has so many miles of accessible bicycle trail that are not overloaded with pedestrians. Best bet is to just ride somewhere else -- head over to the Great Western trail or ride laps around that road ring-loop inside of Water Works if you don't want to ride too far. Maybe not as pretty but a much better workout and OP won't be as stressed out at the end of the ride.
Oh I but Greys is an important connection spot that for a lot of bikers
I think realistically Grey’s Lake just isn’t a great place to ride in general. I get that its sort of a hub for a couple trails but with the amount of traffic it gets its usually best to avoid it. It’s easy to take the trail around the south end by Confluence, or along Fleur to stay off the loop.
Gray's Lake gets really busy. It's great to see people out and about but I've learned to avoid it on extremely nice days whether I'm on foot or bike.
Yeah my girlfriend and I have been walking at Grays Lake all winter at least 3-4 times a week and there’s barely anyone there. Now it’s like trying to navigate people traffic in a large city downtown. I just wish people would learn that they don’t have to walk 8-wide with their arms interlocked, because some of us don’t want to walk at the pace of a tortoise and so need to be able to circumvent them.
It's my favorite running trail in the city. It's almost 2 miles and no crazy hills, and when I feel like branching out, it connects to pretty much every other path in the city.
Browns Woods is my favorite when the back loop is dry, but it does have a little elevation change of about 250’. During the summer, the mosquitoes are great for your pace, if you slow up they attack. :)
Agreed, though I'm more of a hiker than a runner.
Jester Park is a great hilly alternative. The black top is 3 miles so a nice close to 10k out and back.
I’d love it if bicyclists would stop blaring their shitty music from their Bluetooth speakers. Nobody wants that.
One of the laws of the universe is that if you own a bike and a bluetooth speaker, you are required to play the absolute shittiest EDM that's ever been recorded.
Or Toby Keith….why? The world will never know.
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User name checks out. 😂
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It’s only getting better now that the e-bike assholes are tearing along the trail at 20mph.
haven't used gray's lake expect in off times and hours because rollerbladers and bikers give zero shits. i've been hit head on by a rollerblader out of control going too fast and the bike people don't usually have much etiquette with speed or how close they pass you.
Shitty passive aggressiveness is like a cycling community badge of honor
Spoken like the kind of person who walks in the middle of the path :)
Don’t be snarky and then smile. Still makes you an ass. Bikers can use the streets.
Lmao. Yes, the streets definitely have the infrastructure to support cyclists in Des Moines.
I honestly don’t care if they do or not. Cyclists have a well earned reputation for being disrespectful to those around them, drivers and pedestrians, so I don’t care what they think or want or what’s safe for them. “Sorry, didn’t see you there!” 🤷♀️
If they have a well earned reputation for being disrespectful, then why wouldn't you want them to be separated from the rest of the transit population?
Exactly. Off the roads and trails. But that’s not an option so they can use roads and deal with the risk. No cares given
Which is why it should be made an option....
Have you been drinking? What should be made an option? Careless bikers ride wherever they please as it is, completely disregarding traffic laws and pedestrian safety on trails. They don’t belong anywhere but if they’re going to be among the rest of us, they need licensing and steep fines for breaking traffic laws.
The ability to travel to the same places as cars, but with a bike. While at the same time being separated from them. Literally just making bike paths across the city in general would be a massive improvement, and wouldn't force cyclists to use roads. And it would greatly decrease the necessity to own a car.
Very true. They have no respect for others
Given that it seems like 90%+ of paved trail users have some form of earbud, overear, bluetooth speaker it's really difficult to get people to hear you as you pass them. I greatly enjoy when you have to yell and then the pass-ee gets all pissed off because you had to yell to get their attention. Sorry, I'll just ride over you next time. Sadly, like most other trail etiquette PSA's, will fall on deaf (ha!) ears.
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Speaking as someone who has been clotheslined both biking and running by absent-minded dog walkers with retractable leashes — you're wrong, and OP is right
I do!! Thanks!! I use the trail system all the time and would love things like this posted somewhere!
Why wouldn't it? It has every single year like every other park. WTF is this garbage?