9%?

I did a short ride per the training schedule today. It was supposed to be 8 miles but by the time I got home it was 10.  Knowing it was short, I decided to use it as an “infrastructure inspection” ride.

Going out of my neighborhood I turned north onto Soapstone Drive. Soapstone received a road diet a few years back and it has really helped slow traffic down. The bike lanes were fantastic. Last fall they began putting in a sidewalk. I was really excited to see that on Easter Sunday many, many folks were out using it with strollers, and just generally enjoying it. Before, there was nothing there but gravel and cars, so the change is great.

Except it has had an impact on the bike lanes.  I’m sending the photo to VDOT to see if someone (who does not bike) did this on purpose. Sigh.
 

 

 

 

 

 

On the other hand, further up the road (and I’ll get back to that “up” part in a minute), there is a newly regraded/repaved path on Sunrise Valley that is SO sweet. It’s not quite finished but when they’re done it will be a lovely way to access the Metro station.

You can see where the path starts up ahead and goes nearly a half-mile to the station.

So ‘ up’ … I switched the Garmin over to see my climb as I went up Soapstone. There are a number of stretches – pretty long ones – where it said the grade was 9%.  But when I look at it on MapMyRide, it says it’s only 5% (which is significant on a bike for a long stretch). I wonder which is correct…