Differences Between Cycling Austin and Cycling the Caribbean
I kept my recent trip to Austin pretty quiet while I was there, but seeing as that was almost two months ago….I’m ready to post about the differences I found between what it’s like cycling there as opposed to the Caribbean.
I’ve been riding here in Grenada for three years now and although I may not like some of the conditions, I’ve become very accustomed to the cycling way of life found here. From the cycling I’ve done in other parts of the Caribbean, I’d say that it’s typical of what you’d find anywhere in the region. I’d also guess that riding in Austin is comparable to cycling in most North American cities.
Okay, so with that in mind I wanted to give you a few observations I made on my very first ride back in my favorite US city
Smooth Roads: I remember the roads of Austin being smooth, but I felt like I was rolling along the pathway to heaven when I jumped on my bike. Yeah, the pavement was so smooth that I honestly couldn’t believe it. What’s the best thing about smooth roads? Faster Speeds…..and I do love going fast.
Too Many Lights: Okay, so the smooth roads was a definite plus…..but all those freaking traffic lights was a total turnoff. Here in Grenada, I never pass a stop sign and never have to go through a traffic light on my daily routes. I forgot just how awesome that really is.
There was at least two times in Austin where I stopped at a red light, waited, and not one single car was on the road with the green light. Come on man, with all these sensor triggered light systems how the heck can it be that me and the couple cars had to sit there waiting for nothing?
The red lights were a major downer and I didn’t enjoy having my groove thrown off when I had to stop.
Too Many Fast Cars: Okay, so here in Grenada I might not get 3 feet….but the cars going by me are not overly fast. With all the windy roads and steep climbs, it’s just not possible. But in Austin, I was riding roads with cars whizzing by me at 60+ mph. Insanity.
I don’t get phased by much, so the speedy cars didn’t really concern me…..but it totally made me realize how intimidating it can be for some riders out there. Especially when many of those drivers are flying by while looking down at their phone. Drop the Damn Cell Phone, People.
Getting in the Miles: I’m not a huge distance rider, but I do enjoy putting in the miles. Here in Grenada, I’m limited to routes and options and getting in big miles is super difficult. Either I have to do way too many loops, or deal with some intense climbing in order to pack on more miles than I typically do in a day.
But in Austin, I found it so easy to get in the miles. In fact, many times I’d get back from my ride and would be amazed when I looked down at my computer. I’ve said it before, and now I can definitely say it again…..20 miles in Grenada is like doing 35 in Austin.
Culture: So what I loved best about cycling in Austin, was the incredible bike culture. You can’t go 5 feet without seeing a cyclist. The cycling culture found in Austin is something you can just feel. It’s a total bikey town….and I love it.
For a small island like Grenada, I really should just be happy that we have cyclists and people who love bikes. But man, I sure did realize just how much I love being immersed in good old bicycle loving culture.
I like the comparison of island miles to stateside miles, and totally agree I think it is about 2 to 1, island miles are just so much tougher. makes you a strong rider though.
Hey Darryl, thanks a bunch for letting know about your bike journey experience in UK! Actually I’ve plan to visit US in December 2015 and bike riding is must do in our trip. So co-incidentally we’are also located Austin and Caribbean couple of streets for bike riding. It’s really good to know how is the current conditions of those places. It’ll be helpful to make our biking experience pretty safe. 🙂
Would love to get more information about cycling in Grenada if anyone is willing to share. I’m actually headed there in January to attend SGU but they don’t recommend bringing bikes due to the roads apparantly. I do a lot of road cycling here in the states and am hoping to race on a team back here when I return in May so I’m trying to figure out how I can keep up my fitness while there. Any info you’re willing to share would be great and much appreciated!
Hi Sarah, I can help you out as much as possible. I own Mocha Spoke in Grenada which provides bike rentals and some sales.
There are a lot of us here in Grenada who are road cyclists and there are also a lot of people who commute by bike as well.
You can definitely train hard while you’re here so you’re ready to race when you get back. You can get some training with the Triathlon team and can also take part in some races with the cycling team as well.
Please contact me directly at [email protected] so we can talk about things more.
Good post! We have traffic and a few stoplights in Playa del Carmen, and very few of the positives of the US bike scene. Good weather, but that’s about it. Really missing riding in quieter places in the US where you can ride for miles without encountering a car and get lost in your thoughts. Here you have to be on your toes every second or THWAP, get hit by a speeding taxi or motorbike!
Yeah, I’m sure things are pretty similar between where you’re riding and what it’s like over here. Stay safe and be sure to remember that you deserve to be out there on the roads as much as anyone else.
Similar feelings about Portland and Grenada – cycling is awesome here but there’s only a few dozen of us out there on the roads! I miss the cycling culture but the climbs around here are awesome and I wouldn’t trade it for a bunch of traffic lights!
Yeah, it took going back for some riding in Austin to be reminded of what it’s like over there. We still need to connect for a ride soon.