Austin Parks Thread

[Syndic]

I think it's cool, too. It must feel really freeing but I wouldn't participate. I'm just not that brave.

Kinda sucky that they planned it for that day, though. That's pretty close quarters. I'm not sure I'd be comfortable being stuck with all of those naked people around me.

[ahealy]

I've always wanted to do the ride! Y'all...it's just a penis or a vagina in the wind. chillllll.

[migol24]

Originally Posted by ahealy

I've always wanted to do the ride! Y'all...it's just a penis or a vagina in the wind. chillllll.

Sorry homie... you're on your own here. Living in Sf for three years, I saw too many naked dudes flaunting IT... fat ugly hairy dudes, and not a single hot woman. No thanks. haha

[ahealy]

Originally Posted by migol24

Sorry homie... you're on your own here. Living in Sf for three years, I saw too many naked dudes flaunting IT... fat ugly hairy dudes, and not a single hot woman. No thanks. haha

loll... you're not on the ride to pick up people! It's about being proud of your body! jeeeesh.

ps. are you at medici???

[KevinFromTexas]

I've done two of the rides. It is a lot of fun. And believe me, you're paying more attention to where you're going and enjoying the ride than anything else. I actually think there's no way we'd be able to ride on the boardwalk anyway. Typically the ride has between 200 and 400 riders and the pack can stretch for several blocks. But man, the energy of it. Remember, that's also the weekend of the ROT Rally. Last year we rode down Congress a bit. That was fun. lol

[migol24]

Originally Posted by ahealy

ps. are you at medici???

no. didn't get it.

[the Genral]

[QUOTE=ahealy;6553540]loll... you're not on the ride to pick up people! It's about being proud of your body! jeeeesh.
I'd be worried my thang would get caught in the spokes.

[ahealy]

[QUOTE=the Genral;6554126]

Originally Posted by ahealy

loll... you're not on the ride to pick up people! It's about being proud of your body! jeeeesh.
I'd be worried my thang would get caught in the spokes.

is that right?

[the Genral]

[QUOTE=ahealy;6554131]

Originally Posted by the Genral

is that right?

Its a blessing and a curse.
But seriously, I think its cool if you are into it, I personally have a hard time peeing in public.
I hope everyone scrubs their bike seats when the ride is over. Yech!.....riders, don't forget the baby wipes!!
I'd join in...with clothes on...but I'd probably be giggling like a school girl the whole ride. I have never seen a bunch of nekid people before, except in movies and at Hippie Hollow, from about 500 ft above in a small plane.
I love the boardwalk and the weird factor surrounding the naked bike ride, and I dig the fact that there are people living here bold enough to do it.
I also like that the city budgeted about $250k to build a fishing pier, I believe not connected to the boardwalk, to the east, perhaps to discourage fishing off the boardwalk. Hope its lighted at night to attract the fish. Imagine how peaceful that would be in a beautiful setting.
For those of us who have to drive to use the bw, where would be the closest place to park and get access to it, assuming I'm coming by car and not naked by bike. And one more question....could anyone hop on a bike, naked, and ride around town anytime they want, or does it have to be an organized event such as the naked bike ride thingy?

[KevinFromTexas]

Parking downtown is not something I regularly have a problem with since I mostly ride my bike, but I would imagine the lot near the South First bridge or the American-Statesman lot might be ok. There's also those state office buildings on Riverside, but I'm not sure if they have public parking. I know there's a trail entrance near there, though.

On the bike ride thing, it is still technically illegal, but since it is an organized and publicized event with so many participants, the cops typically look the other way. They do watch to make sure things don't get out of hand. They even gave us an escort the last time at the beginning of the ride. Two years ago I did see a guy getting arrested, though, he was um, taking steps to avoid that outcome. We had stopped at the Capitol, it was actually the Capitol police that went after him, but from what I heard he had been drinking on the Capitol grounds, and apparently that's a big no no.

I've never been, but I know there is a paved road that hugs the shore at Hippie Hollow that is at least a half mile long. I would imagine it would make a decent place to ride and then go for a dip.

[IluvATX]

From today.

[KevinFromTexas]

Colorado Tower will stick up there then.

[KevinFromTexas]

Just two more weeks.

• Video Link

[kingkirbythe....]

That looks so nice. I can't wait.

[KevinFromTexas]

http://impactnews.com/austin-metro/c...ake-trail-gap/

Planned bridge to connect Lady Bird Lake trail gap
by Joe Lanane August 21, 2014

Shortly after debuting The Boardwalk on Lady Bird Lake, The Trail Foundation is already busy on its next project along the Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail in Central Austin.

A new bridge that connects the boardwalk with existing trails will soon fill a gap in the southeast corner of the trail along Lakeshore Boulevard. Currently pedestrians and bicyclists are forced onto the Lakeshore Boulevard sidewalk in front of Hostelling International. The new trail will run behind the hostel and lead trail users up a new steel bridge before rejoining the pre-existing path.

[KevinFromTexas]

I was thinking now that the boardwalk is complete and that they're now planning more park upgrades that we could use a dedicated thread for park improvements.

Anyway, this article talks about the Riverside solution either involving pedestrian tunnels or sinking the street. It also mentions the idea about demolishing the Daughtery Arts building and putting a parking garage there. There would also be more parking underground (1,200 spaces) where the Palmer Events Center pond is. They're also proposing to demolish the Long Center garage since some view it as an eyesore, though honestly, I think the south side of the Long Center is more of an eyesore with a blank wall, loading docks, dumpsters and a surface lot that will become visible from Barton Springs Road if the garage is demolished.

There's a map in the link showing the layout.

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news....257263.735466

For Auditorium Shores area, Chicago firm imagines new future
Posted: 8:22 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, 2014

By Sarah Coppola - American-Statesman Staff

A private firm’s long-term vision for the area is sparking more debate about what the future of Town Lake Metropolitan Park should be.

Chicago-based Tur Partners has spent more than a year crafting a vision for the 74-acre park on Lady Bird Lake’s south shore, which includes Auditorium Shores and Butler Park.

Tur imagines that, in the next 20 years, the park could have hundreds of underground parking spaces, pedestrian bridges over Riverside Drive (a road that would be depressed or moved underground) and a relocated, rebuilt Dougherty Arts Center.

[AusTxDevelopment]

Originally Posted by KevinFromTexas

I was thinking now that the boardwalk is complete and that they're now planning more park upgrades that we could use a dedicated thread for park improvements.

Anyway, this article talks about the Riverside solution either involving pedestrian tunnels or sinking the street. It also mentions the idea about demolishing the Daughtery Arts building and putting a parking garage there. There would also be more parking underground (1,200 spaces) where the Palmer Events Center pond is. They're also proposing to demolish the Long Center garage since some view it as an eyesore, though honestly, I think the south side of the Long Center is more of an eyesore with a blank wall, loading docks, dumpsters and a surface lot that will become visible from Barton Springs Road if the garage is demolished.

There's a map in the link showing the layout.

http://www.mystatesman.com/news/news....257263.735466

Here's the map for people who can't get past the paywall.


http://media.cmgdigital.com/shared/l...ium-shores.jpg

[Syndic]

Portion of Auditorium Shores could get name change

http://www.myfoxaustin.com/story/266...et-name-change

This is something you'd never expect. You take for granted that the name of Auditorium Shores will always be called Auditorium Shores. But this goes to show that you never know what ways things are going to change.

This begs the question. Do we need a Parks thread?

[jngreenlee]

Austin Texas ‏@austintexasgov

Need some fresh air? #ATXCouncil ok’s purchase of 6400+ acres of parkland along Slaughter Creek.

[Digatisdi]

Does anybody know what's going on with regards to the Republic Square renovation?

I can't find any updates that aren't two years old.