One of my e-maps shows the Southern trails to be future, but all trails exist and are asphalt and fairly smooth. There are two man-made hills here, my 7 speed Schwinn and I avoided them, but I guess you can get a workout if you want one. There are also exercise stations along the trail, Dan was doing well just to pedal! Maybe next time!
Archbishop Fiorenza Park is part of Brays Bayou. It and several other parks West of Beltway 8 have been built to give Brays Bayou a place to rest during flood events so that my friends down stream don't get flooded so often. Brays Bayou crosses under Hwy 6 and flows into the lake that the park was built around. A trail branches off from the park, goes under the highway and follows Brays Bayou West for some distances. I will take this trail some other time.
At a scenic spot on the back end of the park, I found this swinging bench. I tried to get a selfie, but I guess I am too old for selfies! It's rather comfy!
The parking lot, playground, and clean restroom are on Westpark Dr, just West of Eldridge Parkway. This might be a good place to park and ride, if you want to continue on to McClendon Park and even farther. Bring your own water. Both water stations I saw were out-of-service.
This might be a good time to discuss who runs this park. Harris County Precint 3 is responsible for parks all over West Harris County. Because of gerrymandering, Precint 3 is also responsible for Brays Bayou Greenway Trail from Gessner to the railroad tracks west of Stella Link Other agencies who also control parts of these trails include Precinct 1, which has a small sliver just west of Gessner, and a good bit of trail east of the railroad tracks. The City of Houston (Keegans Bayou) and probably other groups I have not seen.
Steve Radack, commissioner of Precinct 3, has more constituents (population) than the governors of about 10 states. He has almost total control of the budget for roads, bridges and parks in our precinct. See www.pct3.com An interesting fact is that our state constitution established that each county (I have visited all 254) is governed by 4 county commissioners and a county judge, regardless of size or population. Loving County has about 100 residents, Harris County about 4.7 million! Go figure.
Commissioner Steve Radack has been in office for three decades. His name is on park signs and county structures all over West Harris County. At www.pct3.com, I found parks, dog parks, trails, community centers and two senior centers. All carry his name. An older park, just across the street from "Archbishop Joseph Fiorenza Park" is "Bishop Joseph Fiorenza Park", and the sign was cast of concrete, I guess, long before Steve Radack was elected, because his name is not there!The park page on the pct3 site shows this as phase I with the bigger park as phase II. A sign that I wonder about are the numerous signs that warn of alligators! Maybe why they say no swimming.
Two other places, that Dan thinks SHOULD have Mr. Radack's name on it, are the signs at the toll booths announcing a toll of $1.75, and in front of the empty Astrodome, but now I'm just bellyaching! Mr. Radack was responsible for a world class soap box derby track, and a permanent home for Houston Area Live Steamers (HALS.org) in Zube Park. Mr. Radack is not running again, so I wish him well.
My ride in the park was very nice. The trail is patched asphalt and is not near as wide as the more heavily traveled main trail along Braeswood from Gessner to Mason Park, but was scenic and restful. Next time, I think I will drive there and bike farther west along a part of Brays I have never seen.
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