Comments | cherdt: I think I took a wrong turn in Albuquerque

cherdt

I think I took a wrong turn in Albuquerque

Jun 02, 2003 11:01

I've been itching to explore the fabled I-275 bike path that supposedly runs from Novi to Monroe. On Sunday morning, flastron put my bike in the back of his awesome $200 VW Rabbit GTI and dropped me off at the Home Depot on Ford Rd. in Westland. From there, it was easy to pick up the bike path. I decided to go north.

( Read on only if you are into cycling or are interested in finding out where my wrong turn took me. )

bicycle, biking

Comments 13

evilredhairgirl June 2 2003, 08:10:44 UTC

I always wondered what those people were doing riding their bikes next to 275. The freeway comes up really close to that path by the ramp to 14 from 275 which I have to take when coming home after visiting my Mom because they keep closing 94-westbound.

uterdic June 2 2003, 08:22:48 UTC

How far do you think you rode? I'm a bit interested in doing this path, but I'm not too interested in loading up my bike to get there. Is there a connect point from AA, that one could ride from?

About 45 miles cherdt June 2 2003, 09:38:26 UTC

I estimate I rode about 45 miles.

If you wanted to get to Hines Park from Ann Arbor, I'd probably pick either North Territorial Road or Plymouth Road, and connect with Hines Park in Plymouth. I've never ridden on either of those rodes, so I don't know if they are particularly bike-friendly.

I know what you mean. What's the point of driving 20 miles so you can unload your bike and ride 2-3 times that distance. It feels odd.

actionchrist June 2 2003, 08:59:57 UTC

outer and hines drive is not far at all from my house.perhaps i could start there sometime and ride the other way.

cherdt June 2 2003, 09:46:46 UTC

There's also a park near you called Lower Rouge Park, but I'm not sure if they have such nice bikes lanes. Time to explore.

I just looked at a map, and it looks like Hines Park might extend right into your backyard. It looks like Hines Drive stops at Ford Rd., but the park continues on. Could be the start of a beautiful thing.

oktiger June 2 2003, 09:20:39 UTC

if you ever want to go bikeriding with me, give me a call! i want to ride bikes this summer.

Sweet. cherdt June 2 2003, 09:50:13 UTC

I should have known that you would be interested. After all, our friendship is 106% compatible.

I will send you an e-mail and make sure that I have all your current contact info.

qmrf June 2 2003, 10:57:54 UTC

I decided to ride up to 8 Mile (which in Northville is mysteriously called "Base Line Road") Back around the time of Adams' and Jefferson's Presidencies, America went through a surveying frenzy: people wanted land, and the gov. needed to know exactly how much land they had and exactly where each parcel was that they were selling. A mile-grid was therefore measured across every part of America that wasn't already parceled out (basically from Ohio west). You're probably aware that all the old roads in Michigan (not just the ones named 8-, 9-, 10-mile) follow this grid pattern. This is because the surveyors had to clear sight lines through the forest between their mile markings, and it made sense to build the roads (and to place property boundaries) along these alleys that had already been cleared ( ... )

interesting cherdt June 2 2003, 12:13:24 UTC

I had incorrectly guessed that Northville had changed the name to Base Line Road to get away from the Eight Mile stigma, much like East Detroit changed their name to Eastpointe some years back.

So it turns out that Northville had never changed the name; it was Base Line Road before it was Eight Mile.

Now, can you confirm or deny the origin of the name "Novi"? The rumor, of course, is that it used to be Train Station #4, or, in Roman numerals, No.IV.

Re: interesting qmrf June 2 2003, 13:09:45 UTC

I'm familiar with the Novi rumor, but I don't know for certain if it's true. Some googling does show support, but I don't know how credible the sources are.

Multimag.com says:

[Novi] was first settled in 1825 by an Erastus Ingersoll, from Ontario, New York. Around that time, the name Novi was suggested by the wife of a Dr. J. C. Emery, possibly from a combination of ideas, one being that it was the 6th terminal stop, (i.e., No. VI) on the plank road from Detroit. The name is also Latin for "new," suggesting that here was a place one could start over and obtain a new lease on life. First referred to as Novi Corners, it acquired a post office in 1833. It later incorporated as village in 1958.
To the best of my knowledge, they've got their facts straight on Chelsea and Ann Arbor, so they are likely clueful about Novi as well ( ... )

Re: interesting qmrf June 2 2003, 15:10:52 UTC

I live in Novi, and while No.VI (#6, not #4)is the cute story that everyone likes to tout (myself included), the name actually came from Novi Sad, a city in Serbia where one of the first Novi settlers was from. As long as you pronounce it right (Nov-eye, not Nov-eee) it really doesn't matter to me what story you believe,.

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