Login required to started new threads
Login required to post replies
I'm going to be in TX visiting family this summer. Would like to ride from Austin to San Antonio while the family follows in the car a few hours later. Looking for a fairly direct route that would still give me decent road surface as well as minimal car traffic (if possible, if not wide shoulder would be nice), as well as convenient stops for picking up water and food as needed.
A quick Google map search showed two routes. One that follows I-35 S on the frontage road next to it. The other option that it gives is via FM2252 S. From a brief search, it looks like the frontage road might be the best option? Any thoughts?
I don't think taking the frontage road is that great of an idea. There certainly will be stretches that are fine, but big chunks of it will feature lots of high-speed cross-traffic with drivers who won't be watching for or expecting cyclists. Plus, you might as well be biking in New Jersey for all the scenario you'll see. You'll have a god-awful interstate on one side and a repetitive series of strip-mall retail on the other. On the other hand, you won't get lost.
FM 2252 might work fine. I've not been on it -- car or bike -- in quite a while. I'd "ride" the whole thing in street view before committing to it. You said you want to keep it pretty direct, so that excludes some reasonable routes that take you in an arc to the west (pretty but hilly) or the east (flat but some nice options). You're looking at, what, 80 miles or so as is so I can see why you'd want it straight and with resources for water, etc.? I'm thinking I would do something like leave Austin via S. 1st., hit Old San Antonio into Buda and work over to 2252. San Marcos will make a good place for a break. Nice river there.
Here is a proven route to San Marcos. Many cyclists on weekends.
South 1st Street
Left on 1626
Right on Old San Antonio Road
Right on Main in Buda
Right on Jack C Hays Trail
Straight on N Old Stagecoach Road
Right on Post Road to San Marcos
You could try the strava route builder. It creates the route based on which roads see the most cycling traffic. If you have a garmin, you can download a tcx/gpx file of the route and upload to your unit and just follow it.
I moved to a new area last summer and this was a pretty good way to learn the good routes...I would just pick 3 points and then let strava create a loop.