Routes

Howard, I live in the Poplar-Highland area and love to ride to downtown and back. It's a great weekday afternoon ride. In fact I think it's one of the best kept cycling secrets in Memphis. By 6PM the rush hour is over and Midtown returns to normal. The only thing about this ride that makes me very nervous is the setting sun blinding me and the drivers coming up behind me. From Goodlet and Tuckahoe you have 2 options. The "South side" route has been covered. I more frequently use a "North side" route. From Tuckahoe and Goodlet, North on Goodlet West on Walnut Grove North on St Andrews, from here you weave thru the High Point Terrace neighborhood. You end up at Highland Park Place and Holmes. North on Holmes West on Broad (for some reason some folks don't like Broad. I love it. Wide and almost completely devoid of cars). North on Hollwood (just for one block) West on Summer (2 blocks) to North Parkway N Pkway to 2nd street. (2nd is one way going south. It's wide and a fun ride thru downtown, past the Peabody, thru Peabody place. You could go up a little further to Front St. East on Linden past the Forum Linden to Somerville East on Peabody South on Cooper East on Harbert which will eventually dead-end at East Parkway and Avery. East on Avery, Cross Hollywood past the BOE South on ?? East on Garden Lane South on Humes East on Lombardy and wind thru Chickasaw Gardens to Lafayette Place. South on Lafayette Place East on Court . In a few blocks you'll have to go south and end up on Central a couple blocks west of Highland. Try it and let me know what you think. Of course this makes a loop with the north route. There are also some cycling routes on the City of Memphis website. The routes follow the cycling signs you see on some streets.

Peabody to Linden is the best way to get into the south side of downtown. If you want to go in on the north side, take Belvedere north from Peabody. It becomes Evergreen, then left on Overton Park to Belevue to North Parkway. N. Parkway is a good ride and gets better as you get closer to downtown.

I would get off of Central and cut over to Peabody to Linden (very wide) which will take you down to the Forum. I haven't ridden downtown yet, but I would say that would probably be the best.

I was downtown last weekend for the first time in awhile and was impressed with the riverwalk. I'm interested in riding from Germantown to Downtown, but was wondering about best route. I would probably go down Shady Grove , then Tuckahoe to Goodlett to Central, but I'm not sure how to go after that. Possibly Central to Cleveland to Union? Any help would be appreciated!