Bicycle Austin forum

txbijaa

Member

Registered: 2010-03-26

Posts: 1

Bike-friendly route from Austin to College Station?

Hi guys. I'd love your help.

Can anyone suggest a bike-friendly route to cycle from Austin to College Station?

Though I live on the East Coast now, I'm returning to Austin for a quick weekend visit sometime this summer...and then planning to hop over to visit my folks in College Station. One of my tasks while I'm there is to get a road bike to use in College Station while I visit. But then I started thinking (ouch!)...it's only 100 miles, give or take, between the two cities. Why not just take a day to cycle there? How fun would that be?!? But of course the next question is: can I get there on a bike without being guaranteed to be smashed by an 18 wheeler?

I don't mind riding on highways as long as there's a good shoulder. Access roads are great too, of course. And if I can keep the total miles to close to 100, that would be perfect. I'm up for a leisurely century ride. I think the point at which it stops being fun is, well, anything much over that. :)
Any suggestions you'd have would be much appreciated! Feel free to email me directly at txbijaa@yahoo.com.

Thanks!
Meg

jasonorbust

Member

Registered: 2010-03-31

Posts: 1

Re: Bike-friendly route from Austin to College Station?

Glad you asked - I've been wondering that myself.  I started to figure out a route from Austin to College Station, and this is what I found so far:

Overall directions:  Austin to Manor to Elgin (see below) and get on FM 696 going East through Lexington to Caldwell.  At Caldwell, take FM 166 East through Tunis and take whatever route into College Station you want.  (FYI, this also happens to be the route that Google Maps' bicycling directions gave when I checked.)  Total is pretty close to 100 miles.

I strongly recommend against riding on TX 71 or 21 (which is how I would regularly drive to College Station from South Austin).  A lot of these roads have little or no shoulder and fast traffic.  I think these are dangerous roads to drive, let alone to ride.

Austin to Elgin:  A couple months ago I went for the following ride to scope out how to get out of Austin to Elgin, and I recommend it.  From downtown go East on MLK Jr. Blvd.  After crossing US 183 (but just before the TX 130 toll road) go left/North on FM 973 to Manor.  In Manor, go right/East on Old US 20 (parallel with the train tracks), which turns into Littig Rd.  Take this into Elgin.

I'm interested to read more suggestions...

Jason

AusTexMurf

Member

From: South Austin

Registered: 2008-11-21

Posts: 439

Re: Bike-friendly route from Austin to College Station?

Anyone have experience on this route ? I will be riding to College Station in Feb, camping in Bryan.
I am thinking, Southern Walnut Creek trail to Old Texas 20 to Elgin.
Suggestions from that point heading northeast to College Station ?
Thanks and Best,
Larry