Greenway!

Was talking with my neighbors upon returning home from the farmers market this morning. Still on my bike, so they asked me where I'd been. When I told them, they asked if I'd used the new greenway as a cut-through to Westmoreland Road instead of traveling the more trafficked Catawba Ave.

Did you say "Greenway?!"

Went inside, made my salsa with fresh goods from the market and figured I'd check out this "greenway" in the afternoon when I made a quick bike run to the store to get chips.

Let me say that I did know that they were re-working the path and bridge that goes around the pond back behind our neighborhood. And I had noticed the entrance to a nicely paved path coming out a wooded area near the Birkdale Village Shopping center and onto Sam Furr Road. But I hadn't be 2+2 together.

Now I have. It's the Upper McDowell Creek Greenway. It's only 1.5 miles long and it's not yet fully completed. But I'm loving what's been done and what's left to be completed. Even bitter, it's connected to my neighborhood and is easy to access. Zoomed it on the way to the store. Took a few pictures.

Not a long trail, but a relief from dodging traffic and something I'll add to a nice evening or morning ride.

Also took the time to go to the Mecklenburg County Greenway site to see what else is out there that I may have missed. Turns out there are a lot of planned trails, but very few developed. However, once this is fully developed it will be much easier and safer to get around these parts on foot and on bike.