Hot on the Trails

If you don’t clean up Fido’s poop, you deserve to get bopped on the nose with a rolled-up newspaper.

“Trails have shifted from a want to a need in the last 15 years,” says Urbanophile blogger Aaron Renn. “Now, a great trail is an amenity and a new form of infrastructure your city and community have to have.”

Payne has been meeting neighborhood leaders and well-heeled donors to raise $100 million to connect underserved areas to the Monon and other greenways.

One dog-owner takes his Saint Bernard along on rides in a cart. Another lets his pooch scoot along on a skateboard. Even if you don’t cross paths with these regulars, chances are you’ll still see a creative rig.

Not ideal for distance at 1.5 miles, the Tracy is well suited to casual runners and quick-cardio seekers.

At Joe’s Cycles, look for croques monsieurs, baguettes, and croissants come Tour de France time in July, but when the Vuelta a España rolls around in August, he’s all about the Spanish bocadillo.

Formerly known as the Zionsville Rail Trail, the Big-4 Rail Trail, a greenway through the heart of the northwestern suburb, is a favorite of children and parents, at the center of a sprawling system that spans Boone County.

“It is very user-friendly and also a very sociable trail,” says Franklin College senior Michael Powell. “Everyone you pass waves and greets you.”

Training for a solo ride from Noblesville to San Francisco, Emma Fisher uses the greenway to head out of town and onto the rural roads of northern Hamilton County. “Potter’s Bridge is the beginning and end of my journey every time, so it’s special,” says Fisher, who likes to hang a hammock between trees and take a breather on the riverbank.

“The soft surface is a welcome deviation from pounding the pavement,” says Fox 59’s Larra Overton, a former college track athlete. “Especially when training for longer distances like the Monumental Marathon, extended trails with a variety of terrain and scenery are crucial.”

“I wish I could show my friends how cool this ride is,” says downtown attorney and bike commuter Jay Church. “The entire length is in the city, but offers a quiet, natural experience. Traffic moves fast on Fall Creek Parkway, but otherwise you wouldn’t know you’re in a dense urban environment.”

“When you’re doing a longer run, it gets boring running the same loop over and over,” says Mini-Marathoner Vince Rightley. “There is no traffic. You can get away from everything except the trees. I can get 10 miles in without worrying about cars.”

“Once the connection is made to the east, bike commuting to downtown Indianapolis from Greenfield and Cumberland will increase,” says Scott Irons, owner of Indy Cycle Specialist. “It’ll also be a boon to Irvington, as riders explore our shops, restaurants, breweries, and the beautiful neighborhood.”

Trek women’s advocate Kate Nolan has ridden Town Run for 20 years. “It’s very flowy. There are lots of short step-ups and -downs, and I love the drops,” she says. “It has plenty of terrain changes, from hilly and windy to dirt berms in the prairie.”

“I love the trail south of the zoo,” says Andrew Hector, a downtown runner working up to a marathon. “It’s pretty much just you, the woods, and the river … a little oasis in the city.”