BEST BIKE PATHS OF THE SOUTHWEST : Safe, Scenic and Traffic-Free Bicycling (Paperback)

~ (Author) "A 3.7-mile narrow canyon road, closed to automobiles, climbing 600 feet through riparian wilderness and dense saguaro cactus forests, crossing and recrossing a freshwater stream..." (more)
Key Phrases: Condition of Pavement, General Description, Level of Difficulty (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Cycling the open road has its pleasures but it can also be intimidating, especially for the novice or the parent with young children. Fortunately, there's another option for those cyclists who have something a little more peaceful and recreational in mind: the paved bike path. Free of cars, red lights, and exhaust fumes, recreational paths are popping up everywhere. In The Best Bike Paths of the Southwest, Wendy Williams has done you the favor of finding them in advance.Organized by state, The Best Bike Paths of the Southwest is the only comprehensive listing of these community treasures, describing fifty-six paths and detailing everything you'll need to know about each one:
-- A map of each state, showing you where the path is
-- A detailed description of the path, including mileage
-- General background, including the history of the path and any useful tourist information
-- The level of difficulty, type of scenery, and condition of pavement
-- Availability of food and bathrooms
-- Directions, including the most accessible parking area

Whether you want to explore San Francisco's East Bay, discover Arizona's breathtaking Sabino Canyon, or cruise along Nevada's Truckee River, there's a bike path waiting for you. So fill your water bottle, pack a lunch, pump up your tires, and prepare for a great ride!

About the Author

Wendy Williams, a graduate of Northeastern University, lives in New York with her husband and son.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Fireside; First Edition edition (April 4, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0684814005
• ISBN-13: 978-0684814001
• Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #761,261 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

21 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Nice collection of Bike paths in the southwest, October 20, 2000

By	John "John" (PHOENIX, AZ USA) - See all my reviews

This book covers bike paths and routes in several cities in Arizona (14 routes), Southern California (6 routes), Northern California (26 routes), Nevada (2 routes) and Utah (8 routes). There are no maps of the routes but the author does a pretty good job of describing them. The descriptions are pretty detailed including such things as places to park, restroom locations, places to eat, level of difficulty, and condition of pavement.

This book seems to be written with the casual cyclist in mind. If you're looking for a route where you can "hammer" out 40 miles at a fast pace then this book is not for you. If you're looking for a place to enjoy a leisurely weekend ride with friends or children, then this book was designed with you in mind, For example, in their level of difficulty ranking the authors consider a 3-mile route with rolling hills to be "challenging."

The only negative comment I have about the book was that it was written about 5 years ago so some of these routes may have changed over the years. For most of the routes, the author does provide a phone number to call to get more information about the route. If you're traveling to a new area and plan to ride one of these routes you may want to call ahead of time to make sure the route or bike path still exists or has not changed.

4.0 out of 5 stars Got bikes? Get book!, March 31, 2009

By	E. Fridlund "Lotus72" (Eugene, OR) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is an excellent resource for safe bike paths throughout the Southwest. The detailed maps, directions for best parking, and stops along the bike paths make this book an ideal resource for those who take their bikes with them on vacation!

An important element of the book is the traffic-free bike path focus. This is perfect for families with children and others who don't wish to share the road with cars!