Bicycling in Bloomington

 This is the second post that describes the conditions of Monroe County roads outside of Bloomington. Other posts referenced in this post:

Monroe County Roads, Part 1

Bloomington Streets, Part 1

Bloomington Streets, Part 1a

Bloomington Streets, Part 2

Bloomington Streets, Part 3

County road surfaces range from very good (a small proportion) to rough and potholed (a much larger proportion). But, most would be considered as fair. I’ve noticed over the years that roads will deteriorate, get fixed, and slowly deteriorate again. Smooth roads are unusual but few are really difficult to ride. Usually, only short sections are serious problems for bicyclists.

Few roads are wide or have shoulders that bicyclists might use. They are generally narrow country roads. The landowners and the county road crews do not cut the weeds back from the roads, so during the summer, the weeds go over the roadway. On the recent rides, I was sometimes forced to ride farther from the shoulder than I normally would because of weeds.

Overall, the roads are relatively lightly traveled but there are no enforced speed limits. There are few posted speed limit signs and I have never seen any police enforcement on rural roads in the 20 years I’ve been riding in Monroe County. Drivers can choose any speed, so many drive too fast. However, except for a few drivers (SUV drivers mostly) they seem to be cautious and considerate.

The roads are relatively clean. I rarely see glass or other dangerous obstacles on the roads. Because the cars go at autobahn speeds, the roads are narrow, there are few shoulders and curbs, the hazards get blown off the roadway. The road sides are different. Hoosiers use road sides as part of their waste management system.

Perhaps the most challenging part of riding on the county roads is the lack of road signs with the road names. Bicyclists should assume that road signs are rare, random, and sometimes wrong. For example, on the recent Sunday ride, I had to guess where to turn off Popcorn Rd on to Rockport Rd. I did not see a sign for Rockport Rd until I turned off it about 10 miles later. I would guess that no more than 25% of intersections have signs for both roads and many intersections have no signs. Getting lost is easy.

Maps have little value. I often carry one when I’m riding in parts of the county that I don’t know well. I use the map as general guide to where I am, but not where I’m going. It usually takes a couple looks at the map to figure my location if I get lost. My advice - don’t ride far from town without an experienced rider.

The road naming is also confusing. Road names will often change without any indication or reason. For example, a road near my house goes for about five miles and has four different names. Roads can make right turns at intersections and have the same name. For example, Leonard Springs turns right and left at intersections. None are signed so a rider would think s/he is on Leonard Springs but actually on a different road. Northeast of Bloomington, Maple Grove Rd intersects with Maple Grove Rd. Many roads share names in different parts of the county, e.g., Ratliff Rd. Overall, the road naming is confusing and can create problems for bicyclists.

Dogs can be a problem on the county roads. Many residents allow their dogs to run loose. While the dogs might not necessarily bite, they often bark at and chase bicyclists. The dogs’ guardians will usually say something like “he won’t hurt you” but it’s not reassuring when the dog is snarling.

Some county roads are like Rockport Rd with many short, steep hills. These roads tend to be west of Bloomington. Sometimes I’m surprised to find myself on a road that I didn’t know was so hilly.

At the same time, the county roads have many attractive features. Bicyclists can ride through beautiful farmland and forests. There are many vistas west of Bloomington that are especially nice. On the east side, bike rides that go by Lake Lemon and Monroe Lake present attractive scenery.

One especially nice feature of the country roads is that is possible to find quiet. On Sunday’s ride going up to Kirksville on Rockport Rd, I really noticed how quiet it was. Because I was going slow, there was no riding noise, so neither the bike nor my ears created any sound. It was almost frightening that it was so quiet.

I’ve have also seen much wildlife on the rides. Deer are very common in both the county and the city. Wild turkeys will often cross the roads; I’ve seen them often by Monroe Lake. While coyotes are shy, I generally see a few each year. I saw one near the intersection of Vernal and Oard on Monday. I’ve seen some big birds with massive wingspans but I can’t identify them. The lakes and streams have herons, egrets, and many other birds I don’t recognize.

I’ve been riding these roads for 20 years and almost always find something pleasurable on each ride. The low traffic volume makes riding fun and the scenery is often very nice. The scenery changes by the season so there is always something new to appreciate. I sometimes choose routes during different seasons, e.g., the Kirksville ride in the winter, just to enjoy the scenery.

Overall, bicycling on the county roads is generally a pleasant experience, especially if you don’t get lost because of the poor signage.