The construction here makes it sooooo hard to get to on bike from circle C now. It's a pain. But this is a great 3 mile course. read more

Veloway - Veloway - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

Cycling track 1.86k/ 3miles in length natural areas featuring Texas wild flowers and a dad yelling at his daughter, but that's gonna happen I guess. One draw back to the Veloway is accessibility, if you drive there no problem if you cycle there as I do problem. It will force you to ride down Mopac South to reach the entrance. Used to be able to access the track via the Bowie High parking lot but not anymore! Giant fence has been installed. Still the Veloway is a wonderful resource for our cycling city. read more

Veloway - Chicanes on backside of the track - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

Super smooth, wide, and nature-y! A safe place to ride your bike or blades without worrying about cars or peds. Enough elevation changes to get a great workout in, too. Parking possibly challenging on nice weekends due to the proximity of the wildflower center. read more

Veloway - Beginning of loop with water and benches. - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

Been going here for several years now and makes for a nice 3 mile bike ride. The course starts out fairly flat to slightly downhill and then gradually increases in grade, goes around some bends and there's a nice steep but super short hill about in the middle that gets the blood flowing a bit. The rest of the course is fairly flat with a slight incline to finish the remaining 1.5 miles. Easy, non-committing ride that allows for getting in a lot of miles away from the hustle & bustle of cars or a low-key few miles, either one! read more

Best place I've ever ridden. No traffic, no stress, smooth roads, no flats, great to meet other cyclists

I wanted to take my bike out since it was a nice day and I haven't had a chance to bike since I moved here for various reasons. I asked my friend and also searched Yelp for a decent bike path place. That led me to Veloway which was close to my house and it was not crowded on a Wednesday afternoon. I rode around the 3 mile bike loop roughly 4 times. I am not fast by any means and the one hill there was a little rough to be honest. I definitely will come back here in the future since this is a designated bike trail with no walkers, animals, etc allowed. read more

Oh what fun it is to ride along a biking path today! No cars, just wheels, and beautiful scenery. As challenging as you make it. If you're new to the Veloway, and especially for groups- don't gather on the track at the start area. Don't do it. It's dangerous to you and other riders. Congregate in the grass off to the side and only get on the track when you're actually moving. Likewise, if you fall, make your way off the pavement as soon as reasonably possible. read more

This is a great path. I believe its slightly under 4 miles with lots of paved surface to ride. Its a closed looped circuit, so the stop and finish is where you arrived on the trail. There is also a short but steep grade to climb which offers a decent workout away from automobile traffic. When I visited this trail it was essentially empty. It was late Monday morning and about three other riders were enjoying a ride. I will most definitely be back. read more

The Veloway has not been reviewed in a while. It has been repaved and is far more skater friendly. The word must be getting out because there are a lot more users than there used to be. Also, Austin's traffic is not getting any bike-friendlier. However, that popularity brings a host of people breaking the rules. These rules are not just to annoy people, they are for everyone's safety. There have been a number of serious injuries at the Veloway and often they involve someone breaking the rules. The Veloway is for bicycles and rollerblades only. That means NO skateboards, NO motorized vehicles, NO electric bikes, NO walkers, NO pets. Apparently a lot of folks don't understand the meaning of "no." All traffic is one way only, clockwise. Slower riders and skaters must stay to the right. For some reason kids on bikes tend to ride back and forth across the road when they struggle uphill. That doesn't work out well when someone comes past them going 20+ mph. They and their parents need a gentle reminder to ride in a straight line and stay to the right. There are a lot of serious bikers and rollerbladers who go very fast. I mean very fast. Horseplay and not following the rules, especially on blind corners can be very dangerous. Come on out, enjoy this free resource, open to all bikers and skaters. Just follow the rules so everyone can be safe. read more

We were in Austin to attend our friend's graduation. We were really into rollerblading and one evening decided to go find a place to rollerblade. We went to Target and started rollerblading when a tricked out Caprice rolled up on us and acted as if we were tresspassing on their territory. We got out of there pretty quick. We returned to our hotel and started rollerblading around the hotel when another car rolled up on us and asked us if we knew where such and such street was. It was weird that they would drive to the back of the hotel to ask us. We decided to hang up our rollerblades until we could find a safe place to skate. The next day, we heard of this legendary place called the Veloway where we could go rollerblading in peace. Our friend used to live in Austin while in college and called a friend he knew that still lived there inquiring where this "Veloway" was. Scott: "oh yes, it's on Stassney." Off we go and it's about an hour until sunset. So up and down Stassney we go. Several times, thinking we missed it, alas the sun set and we went home finally looking up the Veloway on our computer back at the hotel. Turns out the Veloway is actually off Slaughter. The wife kept saying, "Thanks a lot, Scott. 'The Veloway is off Stassney.. Like Stassney a pig.' " The trail is really set up for bikes. Rollerblading, it's acceptable, but it's not really ideal. We managed to only come upon half a dozen bikers and everyone was very nice to warn us that they were coming up on us and we kept out of people's way so all in all it wasn't too bad. The trail is about 3 miles long and there's a part that closes a loop that's just about a mile long. We had a lot of fun and would go back again. read more

Veloway - HEY MA! Lookee at the size of that there snake! - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

So, what - the rollerblading craze is over, is that what I'm getting? Well, good. F those guys. Seriously. Way too many wheels for a single person. I mean, I know they're small and all, but what are there like eight on each skate now? Before this afternoon I hadn't been out to the Veloway in probably 10 years, since before I moved to out Phoenix even, and those guys, those way too many wheel guys, they were why I'd never gone back - used to be like thirty of 'em to every cycle, I swear to God. Half of em didn't even know what they were doing. Tripping over themselves. Veering this way and that. Was like navigating the falcon through that asteroid field, I'm telling you, those guys. But now that I'm back home where I belong - and living south west - well, this place is just around the corner and I was out riding so I figured I'd give it another chance. And this time, only two of those rollerbladers were out there. Nice. I don't remember all those houses though - were they there before? A little distracting, actually, at least the first time around. But 2 or 3 laps in, when you're really groovin', I don't know, they just fade away, and it's like you're just out in the woods somewhere, I don't know. A paved road through the woods. Quite relaxing, actually. Without all those damn rollerbladers, anyway. F those guys. read more

Veloway - Parks Near Me - Austin, Texas

There was a buffalo at the Veloway this morning. I see so many roadrunners,rabbits deers and snakes and occasional an eagle, but a buffalo that took me by surprise. I tried to get a picture on my Iphone but my hands were so sweaty it didn't come out. Then the buffalo stormed away and I thought it might be best to steer clear of it. read more

Bike riding in the summer in Austin is possible. Despite the heat, so long as you are moving, you can survive. The problem, however, is that the City of Austin has hired Lord Voldemort's cousin to design the traffic lights and flow to cook cyclists. (I promise you I will get to the Veloway, but allow me a moment of rant.) Having ridden on Austin roadways for years I've been stranded at lights, and endured countless "Austin Stacks" where large amounts of traffic are held up at a red light for no apparent reason. When it comes to traffic lights on Austin city streets, as a roadie and a commuter I see red too often. Enter the Veloway. Here you may cycle to your heart's content absent the commands of a traffic light, or the pressures of vehicular traffic consisting of people talking on their cell phones or other assorted psychopaths. These features make the Veloway safe and enjoyable, and a reason I am a fan of the park. With this explanation being said, here are my pointers for making your trip to the Veloway a bit more enjoyable for you and everyone else: 1. Slow traffic really needs to keep to the right. There are plenty of blind curves on the path, and the safest spot for not-very-fast people or toddlers is on the right. The fast people, and they know who they are, typically keep to the left to give the slow people room. I say this as a fast person. 2. Beware of snakes on the tarmac. The "caution snakes" sign is not meant to be cute. It's for real. Snakes enjoy resting in the sun, and I've seen a few on the Veloway. The upshot of having snakes around is that you go really, really fast after happening upon one. Get in the left lane. 3. If you cannot ascent "Mount Everest" in short order, stay to the right. This is the one hill with a substantial grade on the loop. Although there is a warning sign, the hill arrives immediately after a blind corner. If you cannot make it up this hill and need to walk up, or are otherwise slow in your ascent, please keep to the far right. The seasoned riders who are on the Veloway typically hit that hill at a good speed in order to hurtle up in on the left hand side. 4. Lastly, and this is directed at the City's Parks and Recreation Department: do not close the Veloway on occasion for the exclusive use of particular groups. I have driven to the Veloway more than once to find it closed for the exclusive enjoyment of some church group. Like Town Lake Trail, the Veloway is a public space that people expect to be open during its posted hours. Closing the park for some exclusive group to use is just not right, and the practice needs to be discontinued. read more

I don't understand what the fuss is about. This place feels like a bicycle treadmill. Anyone looking for a fun and engaging ride should look elsewhere. I went once and it was such a chore, I left after one lap. If you come here expecting a workout and near silence, I think you'll enjoy it. For me it was just too boring to warrant a drive to circle c. read more

The Veloway is one of my favorite places in Austin. I only wish it was closer to my house or I could ride there safely, rather than having to drive there to ride. But once I get over that, and get down there, it is great. Minus one star for the rollerbladers wearing patchouli and the two guys I've seen riding backwards recently. Like seriously, both of the infractions are highly unsafe: the first, I may run you over with my bike so that you have to go home and take a shower to get the road rash and patchouli stank off, the second, you may cause severe bodily injury to us both and I will call Wayne Wright on your dumb butt for going backwards on a track that only goes clockwise and putting me and everyone else in danger with your BS shenanigans. I've seen other people complaining about the other riders at the Vway and I agree. People ride like they drive: some are good, some are bad, some are dumb, some like to go fast , some slow, some like to pass you then slow down (I guess they just want you to stare at their ass for a while). And much like regular traffic, if you have a huge problem with it, go when people aren't there: really early, really late, when it's really hot or cold or rainy. I actually went a few weeks ago when it was rainy and that was pretty cool since it is a safe environment to learn how to handle yourself in the rain and there was only like five other crazies there at the time. And the Veloway is the perfect place to learn how to right with new gear, like clips. Well, a more perfect place would have softer grass and less cactus. I learned on a booze cruise and that's what prevented all the inevitable falling from hurting as bad. And even though many of the people you encounter here are a weird breed of bike yuppie, you never know, you may find a love connection on the track. Like the other day, I went and passed this guy, then half a mile later, he passed me, then I snowed him on the big hill, then he passed me on the last mile. And so on. We were basically riding the exact same speed but I guess it would have been weird to ride abreast with a stranger. So when we both left at the same time, he waved and I waved. Still looking for his Shot in the Dark ad in the Chronicle... read more

Due to recent rains I knew my usual trail rides would have a few wet/muddy spots in them. Not that I have anything against mud but I have gotten a few odd looks after a ride when I go into a store for a cool drink and, forgetting that I had ridden through the wet stuff, had a streak of mud splatter down my spine from the rear wheels. So since I had errands to run down south today I brought along the bike and tried the Veloway today. Of course its paved and mud free. Being right across from the Lady Bird Wildflower Center I guess it was not much of a surprise to see the beautiful array of wildflowers in bloom all over on both sides of the Veloway trail. That definitely made the ride more interesting and pleasant. Oh, and the snake crossing signs. I thought that was a cute joke but I guess they are not kidding as I about ran over a nice little grass snake rounding out lap 4. The Veloway has a nice mix of curves and gentle hills mixed into the Urban Hill country scenery. The riders I encountered were all courteous of each other and spread out enough to not be too crowded. I really enjoyed myself on the Veloway but since it so far from home I probably wont be able to ride here as often as I would like to. But its always good to have lots of great riding options. read more

On Friday I was so excited. Why? Because I FINALLY got myself a bike. I hadn't really ridden since I was maybe 14 years old, so I was really pumped. My boyfriend told me about the Veloway, and on Saturday morning we were there bright and early trying out my new wheels. It's true, once you learn, you never forget how to ride. The Veloway's 3.1 mile, one way only track was awesome. It's well maintained, lined with wildflowers, and equipped with signs about snake crossings and upcoming inclines. It's great to be able to watch all of the amazing cyclists who come out here to train, and I can see myself coming here over and over again to enjoy the weather and get some quality cycling time in. You don't have to worry about anyone walking along the track, and the faster traffic stays to the left, so you can really build up your skills and endurance without any distractions. Definitely one of the best tracks/trails in Austin. read more

The Veloway is one of the best reasons to live in Austin. This 3 mile bicycling and skating loop (no walking, jogging, motorized vehicles or pets) is nicely paved and wide, with a white line painted down the middle so that slower users can stay right, and faster users can pass. The loop winds through some really beautiful countryside - after you pass by a few backyards, you really feel like you are out of the city. The route is especially lovely in the spring months when the wildflowers are in bloom. With the exception of one steep short rise, the loop is relatively flat. We take the family to the Veloway a few weekend days a month. When the kids were still very small, we'd tow a trailer, but now that the kids are a little bit older, we all ride. The Veloway is used by all kinds of people - so don't be intimidated by the many lean, stringy, spandex-cycling-outfit clad people unloading their expensive racing bikes off their Yakima racks in the parking lot. Even the most serious-looking cyclists frequently smile and yell things like - "Way to go!" and "You're doing great!" when they see my three-year old son furiously pumping his little legs as he propels his tiny pink bike (still with training wheels) along the route. Just keep your flock to the right of the white line, and all will be well. Recently I've been going to the Veloway for some exercise before work, and being there early on practically deserted weekday mornings is especially pleasant - there is a lot of shade and you get to see bunnies and deer along the route. On nice weekend days, the parking lot fills up quickly, but don't despair -- just park on the street and ride to the entrance. Even on very busy days the Veloway itself never feels crowded. The only thing to watch out for is special events at the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center across the street - on those days, parking is pretty difficult. If you've never been to the Veloway, you really should go. It's one of the loveliest ways to do something outdoors in Austin. read more

I was pretty grateful this place existed when I started training. I was too scared, initially, to get out on the road with real cars that could eat me for dinner. I didn't want to be reduced to a white bike chained to a lamp post. It is great for getting to know your bike and working up to your distance goal. It is quiet and has wildlife to make you forget Circle C and Bowie High School are all around you. After a while, though, you need to graduate to real hills to progress. Luckily, you can head back out to the light at Mopac and turn left to enter the Autobahn. It is an 8-mile loop in a bike lane on Mopac, after Mopac stops being a freeway, for big girls and boys. It's no 360, but those people are crazy. read more

The Veloway is totally cool. 3.1 miles of wide asphalt winding through the trees over hill and dale. Perfect for inline speed skating. It's known worldwide in the skating community as a special place. If you're a beginner skater though, it's very challenging. Little hills get really big when you're starting out. You should be very comfortable on flats (parking lots) before venturing out onto the Veloway. Hope to see you there. Say hi. Oh, and if you're on a bike and you think that somehow that's going to allow you to beat me around the track, best of luck. read more

I pulled out the sneaker quad skates from the back of my closet to go skating here once, which ended up being about a 3 star experience. But I've given the Veloway a solid 4 stars because I can imagine how it'd be a lot better speedskating with Rollerblades. The Veloway is a wide, smoothly paved loop for bicyclists and rollerskaters. Some of those hills can be a little tricky (uphill or downhill), but thankfully there are rails just when you need it. Be sure to don protective pads if it's been a while! Also, it's South Austin, so there's not as much shade. In the summer, it gets really hot really fast. The bicyclists and bladers looked at me like I was crazy for quad skating in 93 degree heat. So if you're crazy like we were and go in the heat of summer, don't forget the sunblock, a sweat towel, a hat, and a container to hold enough water for the entire 3.1 mile loop. read more

Recently moved to Austin, guy at a bike shop tipped me off to this. The pavement is in decent condition, but watch out for kids. If your kid can't make it around the whole thing on their own, please ride elsewhere. Not trying to be rude, but there are a few blind corners and I almost hit one who was stopped. All levels of riders go here, if you're slow stay off to the right and you'll be fine. read more

I liked this place, but there is one part that is pretty tricky the first time you go. I went with a friend, I would say we are pretty decent cyclists. We were just peddling along at our own pace, doing alright, when all of a sudden there was a sharp turn and behind some trees was a massive hill that was previously completely concealed. We were not prepared for that and we both nearly fell off our bikes. Then some guy in full bike gear with a racing road bike comes by yelling at us to get off the path if we were going to stand around. It was mildly humiliating and annoying. They ought to put up a sign telling you to pick up some speed a little way before that hill, it really does come out of nowhere when its your first time on this path. Other than that the place is nice, however. The pavement is perfectly smooth and the scenery is beautiful. I recommend it, just watch out for hills. read more

This is a great place for road bike training. The paved trail is 3.1 miles long through a wooded area and double lanes make it easy to pass slower cyclists & children. No pets, no walking, everyone rides in the same direction, and ice cold water provided daily by ATX Bikes. Be on the look out for the occasional snake & tarantula crossing. You might even see a deer or two... Ride safe! read more

I just bought a new bike due to my jump into Triathlons. The Austin traffic terrifies me in a car, so biking on the road just isn't for me yet. The Veloway has been my saving grace. How perfect is the trail? It's laced in shade, paved, no traffic, and made just for bikers. There is plenty of room to move around and share the road too. However some people have trouble corralling their small children to stay to the right. Not a reflection of the trail, just their parenting skills. Beware of the right turn incline, heed the signs and make sure you are prepared for it. If you fall, there are many people around to laugh with you-cheer up Charlie...it's just a hill. I think the Veloway is great and plan to work it into my weekends from here on out. Austin does it again! read more

Rating is a 5/5 for cycling and a 2/5 (and falling) for skating. Southwest Austin is horribly dangerous to bike around since the city pretends that everything South of town lake and West of Lamar doesn't exist. There's virtually no bike paths, with the exception of a few specific interior roads, even though many of the streets have been replaced in the past 5 - 10 years. The veloway is a great safe(ish) space for cycling and inline skating. With that being said, this rating for skating is deteriorating as the surface of the veloway continues to deteriorate. I've been riding here for a long time and the surface is close to unsafe for experienced bladers, I wouldn't recommend learning here or even practicing here if you aren't experienced enough to handle some major cracks and damaged road at 20 - 30 mph. I've gotten to the point where I can only stand to do 1 lap on this and even at that, leave the veloway feeling beat up. This is on 110mm touring skates as well. I couldn't even imagine trying it on normal rec sized wheels. Totally different story for biking, and should probably keep a 4+ star rating for a long time. In any case, make sure to obey the rules of the veloway, direction, stopping, staying to the side, etc. The riders here are typically some of the more courteous of anywhere in the Austin area. Great place to learn to road bike for adults and kids. Hopefully some funds can be found in the near future for resurfacing which is badly needed. read more

The wife & I did this fun little 3 mile loop 5 times today. It's like a little race track for your road bike. All paved, runs one direction, nice and wide and hardly anyone out there! Great fun! Quick update, this is an AWESOME little loop. We've been back several times now and really enjoy it. It's great for all ages, if you've got little one's and are teaching them to ride, as well as, you older, more professional riders who just need to put in some miles and don't want to deal with automobiles. Last weekend we even saw Mellow Johnny's bike shop had a little service station setup for the morning, in case you have a flat or an issue with your bike, it seems there's even some extra support out here. FYI: They have a water fountain, small covered seating and portable toilets. Plenty of parking and I believe there are some good roads nearby if you just want to swing in and take a lap on your epic road ride. read more

This was my first chance to get to ride the Veloway, not much I can complain about. I got there about 8AM on a Sunday, weather was overcast/slight drizzle. There were probably 6-8 other folks out there (not sure if that is normal, I would assume it is normally busier). It is a short loop ~3 Miles. I did just over 30 miles and the elevation was ~1100 ft, not much at all, but fun for what it is. I'll definitely be back, great place to practice aero position and other techniques without having to worry about getting run over by any cars. Peace of mind is hard to put a price tag on, don't have to worry about that here since it's free to ride. :) I wish North Austin had something similar. All in all, great experience and a great place to train. Just a quick note: For the new riders who don't know etiquette, etc, it's pretty simple and think of it like a highway, if you are going slower (just because you're slow or if you are tinkering with stuff), stay RIGHT! I only had one issue when passing a couple folks, nothing wrong with riding side by side, but don't take up the whole path, plenty of room for everyone. Also, to the lady who tried showing her kid how to ride a bike out there, yeah, wrong place dummy. read more

Have your Rollerblades been sitting in the back of your closet since the early 90s? Can't ditch the nostalgia of wrist guards or the dream of becoming the next Texas Rollergirl? Then, lace (or snap) up those blades, and hit the Veloway's 3.1-mile, paved loop! The Veloway's smooth and relatively flat surface is perfect for speedskaters and born-again bladers alike. Water fountains are located at the Veloway's starting point, but take my advice and wear a hydration pack. After a morning of blading, head across the street to the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center to view the wildflower and native plant gardens and hike the trails. read more

A great trail for biking and rollerblading only. The loop is a little over 3 miles and has a good mix of turns (some mildly technical) as well as slight declines, inclines and flat surfaces. The pavement is smooth for the most part but there is going to need to be a refresh on it soon. I personally like to use the trail to prepare for triathlons due to the mix of turns. Ideal for training for the CapTexTri and TriRock in Austin. I usually do about 25-30 miles on the trail only because it gets a little boring any longer than that distance. You can easily extend by riding across the bridge/highway to the Circle C ranch. There you can find a good 10-15 extra miles on smooth flat surface to extend. This dedicated bike trail is another great example of what makes Austin a unique and awesome place to live! read more

I enjoyed biking on the Veloway w/ hubby :) It's a great, tucked-away spot to cycle, run, roller blade, whatever tickles your fancy. It's most certainly a great place to get away from cars & enjoy the sunshine! Created & located by Circle C, so of course it's very family-friendly. Only caveat? Lotsa children (unless you consider that a plus when you exercise!) & I wish it had more hills/challenging terrain. Other than that it makes a GREAT warm up / easy riding / speed riding place :) read more

Feeling saucy? Then pack up the bicycle and global warm your ass down to the Veloway for a grand ol' cyclin' time. Take Mopac south and turn left on La Crosse (the light after Slaughter), then turn left into the gravel parking patch of your wildest dreams. While biking on the Veloway, one can't help but feel like the star of a car commercial -- only instead of pimping out the latest Mazda, you're pimping out your hybrid bike that all the "real cyclists" like to ridicule. Two lanes of fury alternate between fairly straight shots and bodacious curves, with one short but steep incline tossed in for good measure. The ONLY negative aspect of the Veloway (other than the distance from my house) is the terrifyingly ominous "SNAKE CROSSING" sign located near the beginning of the track. Can't they just let a snake sighting be an adrenaline rush for the unlucky few who have to witness them, rather than putting the fear of God into all who enter? read more

I love the Veloway. It's a fantastic place to bike ride or skate. As a speed skater, there are a couple of rough patches, but overall the trail is good and the hills are manageable. The trail is wide and there is a fast and slow lane. read more

We enjoyed this ride so much. The wildflowers were breathtaking. The pavement is in great shape. If you are a cyclist and want a great ride without having to worry about traffic, it is a must in Austin. Minor caution for roadrunners and squirrels. read more

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Very nice enclosed track Pierre no dogs are allowed no people running it is two lanes wide going only in One Direction. You can have your beginner Riders on the inside experience on the outside still passing and pursuing one another. There is nice break areas with Scenic views throughout the trail. Whether you're a beginner or intermediate it's a good place to come and cycle free of vehicles. read more

For the past couple of years, I would visit the Veloway and enjoyed the well-maintained track. Most of these experiences have been great, and everyone seems to enjoy the Veloway for the same reasons I did: a way to enjoy a ride without worrying about cars. People were nice; in fact, once I had trouble fixing my wheel on my bike and a couple nearby helped me. The track has its surprises, but after several times around, you get the hang of it. Because of my experience last week, I have no plans of ever going back. In fact, I recommend that a sign be installed near the "Caution Snake Crossing" sign that reads "Caution A-holes Biking." If you are on the Veloway and not a "serious" bicyclist, then be warned. If you are a parent walking with a child as he tests out his first "real bike" albeit with training wheels, then take care. There are cyclists who pass so closely they actually brush you, cyclists who make disparaging remarks. For some narcissistic reason, they think it is their private track for perfecting not only their time but their bullying skills. One in particular creates a diabolical scenerio in my mind: recalling his quite unique outfit and bicycle, I see him on the road as I drive my Volvo (nothing but metal, baby) and for once, I am not my considerate self, my hyper-aware of cyclists rights attitude evaporates.... I didn't realize that the Veloway was for training only. I wish I could go bike in Iowa. There, you find miles and miles of biking trails that actually lead somewhere, though you never do leave Iowa. read more

The Veloway is unquestionably the best place in the city to get your bike riding skills back up to snuff. It's a smooth, paved loop through the woods near Circle C and right across the street from the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center. The loop is roughly 5K (just over 3 miles) and is open to cyclists and inline skaters ONLY. No cars to avoid and no joggers/walkers to dodge. Although it's a short route, the terrain is varied enough that you can get a good workout. There is one very noticeable hill that will have you shifting to the easier gears, but it is a very short climb. I find myself working harder on the gradual, sloping hills that you don't notice so much. A lot of people do multiple loops and then extend their ride by doing a loop on the shoulders of Mopac and 45. Traffic is lighter down here than downtown, but if you're not comfortable with cars whizzing by at high speeds, then I'd suggest you just stay on the Veloway. You'll see all kinds of people and bikes out here--everything from roadies with matching spandex outfits and $8000 bicycles to entire families on a mishmash of hybrid, comfort, and Dora the Explorer bikes. To get there, take Mopac south past Slaughter and take your next left on LaCrosse Avenue. Be careful--it's a left turn light with traffic behind you coming up at 65 - 70mph. read more

pros: free, beautiful, plenty of parking, safe cons: gushing water on the track after rain I'm always happy to find a place to skate without cars or pedestrians. The Veloway is a beautiful hill country setting with oaks. It's a shared track with bikes and skaters. As expected for Austin, people are friendly and helpful. It can get crowded on weekends and peak times (mornings when it's cooler and when folks are trying to get in their workout before going to work). I'm grateful that they built another shaded area for putting your skates on. Also happy that they seemed to have fixed the stinky sewer smells from a few years ago. After rain, the water overflow problems make it unskateable (but okay for bikes). There are a few slow inclines that are hard during the extreme heat or for beginning skaters. There's one steep incline too. Nice for variety. read more

This place is so beautiful! Wildflowers and green trees and a smooth trail for anything with wheels. I went yesterday with my cousin to rollerblade. As soon as i got the hang of it (it has been about 5 years...) i had a permanent smile on my face. Definitely worked up a sweat in the heat but there are nice trees for shade and there was a nice breeze to cool me down. I will be going back there a few times a week!! read more

Smooth surface. Quiet. Not to crowded. Nice views. A lot of parking. Go right before sunset and you got the place almost to yourself.