Our three-part tale of how one couple was inspired by a newspaper article to buy bikes and ride concludes. Tuesday, Paul Baragona told how he and wife Jo bought her bike. Wednesday was about how he got his. Today, they hit the road. Which is actually a greenway trail

"The greenways in the Triangle are superb. Besides local neighborhood greenways that circumvent area subdivisions, we have the 'remote' Wake County section of the ATT and the paved urban section of the ATT that runs along Fayetteville Road north of Southpoint Mall. We have miles of paved greenways along Crabtree Creek from Oak Park subdivision off of Duraleigh Road all the way to Shelley Lake [and on downstream almost to WakeMed; see the map in the upper right corner of the blog home page]. That trail takes an abrupt right turn over a crooked bridge a few hundred yards north of Crabtree Valley Mall.

The western extent of Cary's White Oak Creek greenway.

"If you’re physically fit, that particular greenway takes you up (and I do mean UP) to North Hills Park. From there, you can hang a right onto Currituck and work your way over to Lassiter Mill at North Hills Shopping Center, then right down the hill towards Aldert Root School and over to the rest of that stretch of greenway eastward towards Wake Medical. I have not yet gone past Lassiter Mill Road, but I will very soon."

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"Jo gets her exercise at a local gym. I do not. Biking is my only real exercise, and I’ve been doing it only since your article about the best greenways. Jo likes the more leisurely trips, and the ATT is usually more leisurely than even White Oak Creek. Even with the hills, the new section of White Oak Creek is my favorite. I call one section the “Watani Grassland” area (think N.C. Zoo) and wildlife is plentiful early in the morning and just before sunset. I attended the dedication June 7 and talked to several people in the parks department about adding a portable toilet at the western end near Green Level Church Road. They seemed to think it was a good idea. They might even consider a parking lot, but I think a portable toilet is more pressing at the moment.

"My advice to anyone who wants to get started would be to hook up with a good bike shop, or look for used bikes and have a bike shop check it over and upgrade the bike, kind of like we did. We now have $915 in everything, and nearly $700 of that went to local bike shops. Only $235 went to individuals for the bikes, themselves, so the local economy did not suffer much because we bought used bikes. I’ve probably ridden 250 miles since I picked up my bike May 22nd. I will continue to ride at every opportunity. My best rides are between 6 and 7:30 A.M. and around sunset. That’s when the animals come out to play and, this time of year, it’s not so doggone HOT!!!"

OK, I lied. Tomorrow, one last installment: A little reflection from your Get Out! Get Fit! guide on Paul and Jo's excellent experience and information on resources to help the aspiring. Pauls and Jos of the world.

06/12/08 at 11:33
If you take the right and go over the crooked bridge (avoiding the Cat 1 climb up to N. Hills Park), you'll pass under the Beltline then cross Crabtree Creek at the "red bridge." Then take a left and you'll go along the creek. You'll either have to exit at Allegheny Dr or stay on the greenway as it turns to dirt shortly thereafter. Then you'll come to a wooden ramp up to Hertford St. Once on Hertford take a left and you'll come to Root Elementary. Go around Root on the road/sidewalk and you'll come to Lassiter Mill. Take a left, cross the bridge, then take a right on to the greenway.