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Landon Nature Trail out of Topeka KS

42K views 417 replies 9 participants last post by  slakjak 
#1 ·
Anyone ride this lately? I lost track of where the trail ended and the pasture started around 89th, around mile 12 or so.
 
#52 ·
Rode from 29th & Gage to Dornwood and back today. Trying to map it out as my phone died 15 min into the ride even though it said full charge. Did about a 20-25mi ride from what I can tell by satellite.

Thanks expostdelirium for the map draw out! That big hill on Dornwood kicked my ass! As did the 25th street run from Dornwood to Landon Trail. Soo many hills!

If any of you haven't rode Dornwood give it a whirl! I only rode the outside edge but the place is huge and full of trails and off shooting trails.
 
#53 ·
Will try and get out there tomorrow. Is the parking OK out there? Had a head on with a tree at Mr. Brownback's residence this a.m. I got that helpless feeling you realize that you are going to hit it and there is nothing you can do about it. The bike stopped a lot quicker than I did. With the exception of a guy getting aluminum cans out of the trash cans, had the whole place to myself from about 7 to 8. That's pretty rare.
 
#54 · (Edited)
The parking's pretty good honestly there's 3 ball parks there on 25th. I saw 2-3 cars down there and no one bothered me. People were walking the trails ect.

Honestly the place looks like it could get somewhat technical. I'm new to the whole MTB trail riding and the hill from the trail head that I had to climb was quite hard for me to climb. I imagine going down it you outta be quite careful. It's got a decent grade that goes down to a wooden bridge with plenty of roots and rocks.

I just rode the outer edge of the place so I really can't rate the trail yet. However it was very well taken care of from what I saw!

Sucks about you smacking a tree! I hope you and your bike are alright!:eekster:
 
#56 ·
Excellent, thanks.

The wife and I had to run out to Harbor Freight this afternoon so we went ahead and drove over there. Looks pretty neat. Going to try to get over there tomorrow a.m. after getting the grandson to school.
 
#58 ·
The F.O.D. volunteers are working wonders with that place. I went over to ride one Sat morning in June/July, and they were out there working on it. The guy showed me the masterplan and whatnot. It will be nicer than it already is when it's done, but for walking and learning as a "nature trail" it will likely NEVER be what it once was. It didn't have nearly the amount of trail it does now, and it wasn't intended for bikes (we rode our bikes there anyway). There was a cool swampy pond that has long-since dried up and silted in. There were concrete "podium" things that had little blue placards on them that identified different trees and grasses and other features around the park. When I first started going out there as a little kid, there was a hermit woman that lived way back in a cabin out there. 2 years ago, I found the place she used as a dump. That or it had been a hobo camp at some point. There was a HUGE wild-strawberry patch that we knew how to get to (it wasn't on the trail, and was barely in the park, and we'd eat 'til we were sick. There was also a big tudor-style house there SW of the dairy barn. It was a nice-looking house and I remember people living there in the eighties. Squatters then crackheads ruined that place, so they had to tear it down. THE thing that saved that trail and that park is the MTB community taking care of it and maintaining it and improving it until TPRD/SNCOPRD/FOD could see the value of having it. The credit really goes to them. I'm sure that's been the story for lots of trails all around this country. For a town this size, and as far away from any sort of "hipness" as it is, SNCO and Topeka have made a commitment to cyclists and cycling that is really pretty impressive. Having a city councilwoman like Karen Hiller, who rides often, has been good too. Terry Bertels had a great deal to do w/ the Landon/Shunga trails system. I don't mean to leave anyone out, but I know what those 2 have done.

There are plenty of "nice and normal" people that use that park, and it's about like anywhere in this town: there are good and bad folks everywhere. I NEVER keep to myself out there. I talk to everyone I see: 1) I used to live in that part of town so it doesn't scare me - at all and 2) I'd like to think that if I needed one of those people's help, that my kindness would work in my favor.

About riding to Clinton, my friend says to take the "little gravel" left, then to the right. He said the trail picks back up on the front edge of somebody's property and to get back on it there and that it will go on from there. He says it's rough for approx a mile, but that it will get nice again after that. He's been over the Wakarusa and into the preserve past Greene road. I've walked and fished that many, many times, but I've never ridden it, nor looked to until recently. He offered to go out there with me some time, so I plan to take him up on it if I/we don't go out to get it figured out ourselves.

I'll keep you posted. If I get this Ti bike sorted, and if the weather stays decent, I will be out there this week (like Mon or Tues).
 
#59 ·
Cool deal! Thanks for the history lesson on the area. I didn't grow up in Topeka so I don't know about all these areas. I grew up SW of Wichita. I'll probably ride Shunga in the morning starting by the Felker Park area around 9am ish if the weather is decent.

I wasn't really scared to be in the area myself. Everyone waved at me or smiled.
 
#60 ·
Dornwood is great! A real Jeckyll and Hyde type of trail. Nice flowing kind trail or possible death involvement sections. I didn't see the trail map until after I was done. Now I sort of understand the flow and direction. Will certainly try that next time and there will be many next times. I had my first end over out there. Very unpleasant. I had expected that one would hurt the head doing that but the bike nearly broke my leg whipping around. I am trying to put my run in here but don't know if it will work. Will try to figure it out. I don't know where it came up with the 128 mph max speed and I don't know where it came up with a cadence as I don't have the bike stuff for it on that bike. I have to figure that the heart rate over 200 was for my end over. Trail Ride by mjanway at Garmin Connect - Details
Next time, it might be better as I follow the trail correctly and don't have to stop as much. Very friendly people out there and I did have to listen to one life story from an old fellow out there.

Expost, take your friend up on that if you can. Otherwise the only thing I can figure is to ride down 89th to Clinton Lake. And a 1X9 would have worked great at Dornwood today. So hard to pick the right gear there, finally relied on the leg power a lot more than I usually do. Guess that will improve once I learn the trail.

Yep, two grandsons. I'll be 58 here in a couple of weeks. Probably the best shape I've ever been in since Coast Guard boot camp a few years back. Heart Attack 4 years ago made me straighten up my act.

Not too many bites on my M1 carbine yet. Have one possible. Maybe the timing is off. Might have to wait on my new Specialized. Will have to stop whining and jump back on the Schwinn.

See everyone around
 
#61 · (Edited)
Ouch! Endover's suck. Last time i did that was in college. I flew of the handlebars from hitting the brakes too hard to avoid a pedestrian that walked out in front of me. I flew over the top of them and landed on my feet! I know that is pretty un believable but it did happen. NO JOKE!

I'm glad you had a good time. I will be riding that trail more myself. Did you rack your bike there or ride it to there?

By the time I made it to the park on my ride Sat. I was pooped.

Kudos to you on getting in shape after your heart attack! I'm still working on losing weight here. Lost 50+ within a year and a half here. 270 to 212 at 5'8". I gained a little back this fall so I gotta get my act straightened out again too.

Hope to see you guys on the trail soon enough.

Also if you guys get a chance, review this trail on the Review tab on our site. It could use some updated reviews.
 
#62 ·
I rack my Specialized StumpJumper for trail riding. It doesn't ride too well on pavement. I guess I could max the air in the tires for the pavement and let it out for the trails but I figure if I rack it, can save all my energy for the trails. Will have to plan something for out there sometime and I can rack them up and drive out there. Got a 2 bike rack plus could fit one in the back with the topper on. Going to try and make Monday mornings for Dornwood.

Will go and review it right now.
 
#64 ·
Well,

I walk the older grandson to school, scrape the wife's van windows if needed when I get back so she can haul the younger grandson to pre-prison, excuse me, I meant pre-school. Then since I am riding the bike for my aerobics that day, I do the remainder of my exercises. Usually can be heading out the door by 9 or a little after.

I went and bought a Specialized CrossTrails from Capps today. I'm ready for anything anywhere now.
I didn't sell the carbine yet but figured another way to do it. Now the wife has the why do you need 4 bikes look in her eye sort of like why do you need X amount of firearms look. I've yet been able to answer one of her questions but there is probably going to be some payback involved somehow.
 
#66 ·
Ry, you could ride the Landon to Burlingame, turn right/South, go 2 or 3 blocks to 25th and ride straight to the Dornwood. It would be very hilly, but I've ridden that way a time or two. There's also another way in where you don't have to use Wittenberg. I'll PM you a map like before. The first couple of times I went in after riding there, I went in that way. It is just not as "tame" as I think you might need at this point. Well, that and it might be overgrown/closed-off by now.

If I'm in a hurry I just throw the bike in the back of the truck or in my wagon, depending on what I have to do after I ride.
 
#67 ·
Oh don't get me wrong that ride route you sent me wasn't bad. I'm just not in riding shape yet. I made it fine. Sure I was a huffing and puffing when i got home. I just have never rode more than 14 miles until Sat. Also a Dually rig isn't the best road bike. You lose alot of your effort in the suspension I would imagine.

I haven't rode since Sat. since it's been so chilly and it hasn't been warming up until after I go to work at 12pm. I typically ride at 8:30 - 9am before work. I've been watching my eating alot better this week so it works out.

That South wind we had Sat was a killer. It was really hard to get going.
 
#68 ·
Will get a picture of it pretty soon. Got it upside down in the basement putting some stuff on it. Payback has been on getting busy on the bathroom remodeling. Don't know if I will be able to squeeze out a ride until Sunday. Will be out on the trails tonight (running), then on the streets Friday a.m. (running).

Thought I was going to have the whole day Wednesday to myself so I was thinking about the day over at Perry but looks like that got derailed by a trip to the Moon Marble Factory and lunch at Papa Bob's. Oh well, something will loosen up and I will be out there.

Hunter green for the window and door frames, yes ma'am.

I like having the wind at my back and downhill on the way home.
 
#72 ·
That's a fun ride! I use that lots of times when it's cold-ish out, or when I'm in recovery mode and I just GOTTA ride. IMO, that path is the best from the Blvd to 27th (or so), then around 39th to 53rd, and finally from 53rd to 77th. It gets less "civilized" out there in parts, and it's a bit more fun. I'm sure they've finished lots of it since I was out there last though. During the winter we used to spend an inordinate amount of time walking those train tracks (many which have been pulled up to make the Landon). We'd walk from 25th to 37th pretty often (even hit White Lakes), but on our last little hike we were amazed to see how many dogs had been run over by trains. We were dumb enough to walk on train tracks, but we were smart enough to realize something else was going on. We never walked on those tracks again. NOW I ride where they used to be. Kinda cool. We weren't juvenile delinquents without parental supervision, mind you, but looking at it now, it suuuuure seems like we were.

I'm in bikebuild mode for the next couple of days, and I'm volunteering at the Mission tomorrow, so no ride, but I'll be somewhere on Saturday and likely on Sunday. I'll text my primary riding buddy (my former Jr. High Social Studies teacher) and see where he's going. Looks like I might try to hit the Landon on Monday if the weather holds. PM me if you're up for it, and we can try to organize something. If you're up for D'wood, I could lead a little expo out there instead if that's what you guys want to do.
 
#74 ·
I'm certainly up for anything Monday. Just let me know your druthers so I will know which bike to bring.
Other than that, hope to hit the Governors Residence Sunday a.m. as soon as the eastbound pulls out.
 
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