Biking a Ride to Shelby Farms

When your tummy gets out so far, you need a mirror to see your belt around it, you do a few things to correct the situation (presuming you think it needs correcting) 1) kick sugar out of your diet, 2) exercise.

I kicked sugar out a month ago, going with water with meals (saving $2+ meal), and got back on the bike. Yep, it's a real 2 wheel collection of parts. I call it a Heinz 57, because its got one brand of wheels, another's tires/tubes, and still another's shifter. Heinz does it with herbs and spices, I did it with bike parts-same effect, only mine's not edible. It's not getane, or any other name, just Heinz 57. It's carried me about for 20+ years, on one ride or another. Been a dependable source of recreation.

Memphis TN has some real exercise-minded souls, and enough of a critical mass of them to get things done that benefit cyclists, etc. The group got together with a railroad that had not used a track for years, and talked em into ripping up the rails and letting it be paved over and made into a trail for walkers, bikers, skateboarders, etc. Nationwide, its part of a rails-to-trails program that's catching on. This one is called the Shelby Farms Greenline, because at the east, it ends at the Shelby Farms Park, the largest urban park in the country. At the west it ends in Mid-Memphis, at Tillman Street. Because of demographics there, some say that's not a savory part of town, but its safe enough for most. They have police on bicycles up and down it all the time, so no problems.

A few articles (and years) ago, I spoke of a bridge in New Orleans I mentioned the Huey P Long Bridge, and its rails in the middle with cars on the sides concept. Memphis has the same kind of bridge, the Harahan Bridge. The vehicle part was removed after another car-only bridge was built in 1949. The steel for the roadway was left in place, though, and the exercise folks, along with the mayor, went to the bridge owner to see if they'd let em rebuild the north side only to use as a bike/walk path across the river. Union Pacific Railroad agreed, and so we'll have a bike path across the Mississippi River before too long.

It seems like more and more roadways are built to include 3-4 foot paths on their outside edges for pedestrians, cyclists, etc. The new bridge across Biloxi Bay to Ocean Springs MS has one, and I look forward to walking up to its highest point to catch a Gulf Coast Sunset shot. This bridge has a most peculiar design at its north end. Coming from that point, it leaves shore, climbing to its highest point for high-masted boats, and then flattens out. But it starts out west of the original pilings, crosses them as it climbs, then turns back headed toward Biloxi, on the east side of the original pilings. Guess it was cheaper to pour new pilings at the height they wanted than to go back and extend the old ones. Its elevated a good 25-30 feet off the water, to allow a surge to go underneath rather than knock out a roadway. Hurricane Katrina's surge took out only the lower parts of the roadway, they noticed. And they built a nice wide pedestrian path on both sides, so everybody's happy! The folks wanting a long walk to Biloxi have a nice path, a breathtaking view of the Gulf of Mexico, and shirtless gamblers leaving the casinos have a way to walk home!

I have taken to riding from my abode up Highland, then west to Tillman, then back around to do the whole 6 miles of the Greenline. But this time, because I knew the path in Shelby Farms was calling me, skipped the ride back to Tillman, preferring to spend the energy on the hills and curves in the park. Being that it is an old rail bed, it doesn't have much rise or drop in it, but it does have some, and a biker can tell both. Uphill you're in 3rd or 4th gear, downhill or flat, you're probably 10th or higher. It has 5 surface crossings, and 4 overhead bridges. At the surface crossings, there is a stop sign, and you do well to heed it. Two of the roads are major roads, two are neighborhood streets. There is a sensor that turns on a blinking light for the cars, to tell them there is traffic on the greenline, and watch for it. Nice touch, because some bikers don't like shifting down, slowing down and playing it safe.

Seems like there are always walkers, some strollers, runners and a lot of bikers on the 'Ëœline, especially on a warm sunny day. Once you've passed all the surface crossings, you're on your own, and can gear up and stay up for another mile or two. Then you've got a little state access road to a compound, where they keep the roadway helper vehicles corralled. Its two lane, though, and most bikers don't shift down, much less slow down for it. Just after this, you cross under the city beltway, and then you're on a bridge over a stretch where the ground drops to the bottoms around Wolf River. There are 3 or 4 bridges in this stretch, bridging the river and swampland around it. It's a dedicated wildwood natural area, named for some local lawyer who spent a good bit of his time arguing for its protection as a natural area, not to be disturbed by developers. Good job, Lucius!

Get past the Wolf River and its bottoms, and you're in the heart of prison country! There are two to the left, and one on the right. The state, the Feds, and the county all house their bad boys around here, but the razor wire (so far) has kept them from being a Greenline hazard. Another half mile or so, at Farm Road, and the Greenline ends, with a turn to the right to connect to paths in the Park.

As I said before, the paths had beckoned before, but I didn't think I had the energy to take them on then. This time I had saved some, and curiosity called me to see where it went. The path stays along the road for about 50 yards, then veers away, going first downhill and then uphill into the park itself. Its not long before you're going through the woods, by a lake, then another, and then winding up on a road that motorists can take thru the park. Cross that, and go around a lake over to the visitor's center. Shelby Farms has the most developed trails in the county, allowing you to go ride along the river, and to other places. But I stress if you really did like it flat on the Greenline, this will be a challenge where you use your lower gears to get up some of the hills. If the Greenline bores you with its flatness, this will have you thinkin you are in heaven! I found it a nice mix of flat riding and hills. It definitely makes for an interesting ride, going through the woods, and by lakes and such. Makes you wanna ride just to see where it goes!

Next time, I'll ride down by the river, and report back later when I do, but don't hold your breath.