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T.H. from Limerick has left a new comment on your post "Thun Trail may dissappoint future trail users":
As an avid recreational cyclist, I am happy to report that a whale of improvements have been done on the Thun Trail since 2005. My last ride there was on 08-03-08. I have a Trek hybrid bike with 32mm tires.
Starting at the Montgomery County line, the trail now has a packed cinder surface except for just a couple isolated areas. There is ample room for two bikes to pass each other. Yes, they have also erected signs at key points. If you're on a bike you have to slow down or stop to read them, but at least they're there. The crossing of 724 at Monocacy Creek Road is much safer now too; the slopes on both sides are now paved to help prevent spinning and wipeouts. I would still recommend dismounting, however, for lesser-skilled cyclists.
There is about a 1/4-mile stretch at the Ugly Mug Tavern that is still a virgin trail, for some reason. But stay with it, and you'll be back on the "real" trail in no time. The bike/walk path now goes past the baseball field in Birdsboro to Armorcast Road, which is rougher than the trail, if you can imagine that. Hopefully they will either resurface that street, or, pave over the sidewalk and make it a shared trail.
Make a right and a quick left on 724, and you will see "Bicycle PA" signs with SRT on them. These signs will take you on the paved part of the trail, which is actually Old Schuylkill Rd/River Rd. It gives a nice break to cyclists with narrower tires.
At Gibraltar, it's back to cinders, and it's marked too. This section will take you into Reading. There is pavement on this section where deemed appropriate. The only caveat here is watch for blind turns. A few signs to indicate that wouldn't hurt.
As of August 2008, only between the Brentwood trail head and the bridge at RACC (Reading Area Community College) was the surface still not upgraded. But I would assume they are working on that as time and resources permit.
I can make the trip one way west in about 75 minutes. Going east with a tail wind, knock 5-8 minutes off that.
No, it's not the same thing as the Montgomery County trails, but give Berks County credit. Slowly but surely they're getting there. At least now the Thun Trail looks like a public parkway instead of a path to nowhere.
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2 comments:
The Thun Trail in Berks County is owned and operated by a private non-profit organization, and not the county. Volunteers take care of the trail.
The trail between Brentwood and RACC in Berks County has been completed.
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