# What do you do with an ex-golf course? Ride it!



## Tig (Feb 9, 2004)

5 years ago, this 178 acre area used to be a golf course that ran through several old neighborhoods here since the 60's. After fighting off the developers that wanted to put in apartments and other crap, the local water district managed to turn it into a shared use green belt/flood control/conservation area.

I've been riding it on the Fisher 29" MTB when the roads are too slick and dangerous. Several friends got permission to build a cyclocross track and have had a few small races this winter. It was too cold to get wet today so I stayed mostly on the paved paths.

From the handlebar mounted cam:
























Plenty of ducks, muscovy, and wading birds in the ponds. I've seen several red tail and red shoulder hawks, too.

















The old bunkers make great little hills for the CX course.


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## Tig (Feb 9, 2004)

The recent CX race...


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## majbuzz (Nov 30, 2012)

That would be great, wish we had one of those around my area. Enjoy!


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## MB1 (Jan 27, 2004)

Looks fun.


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## wim (Feb 28, 2005)

You guys got spunk, and I'm green with envy. "Developers" here grease someone's palm and do whatever they want.


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## Aushiker (Mar 23, 2008)

Thanks for sharing. Great to see the golf course being repurposed like this.

Andrew


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## curtw (Mar 27, 2004)

We lived in Oakbrook until 2008, and although we're in a nicer house now, I sure miss walking the dog on those trails. Where in the heck are those steps? I could have sworn that I've ridden or walked the whole thing.


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## Tig (Feb 9, 2004)

curtw said:


> We lived in Oakbrook until 2008, and although we're in a nicer house now, I sure miss walking the dog on those trails. Where in the heck are those steps? I could have sworn that I've ridden or walked the whole thing.


The CX course is in the section between Reseda and El Dorado. The steps/railroad ties are about 2/3rds the way North towards El Dorado. The guys who built the course put them there. 

There is a good chance I've ridden with you if you ever rode/ride with the Space City Cycling Club. I've been riding the local roads since 1987. These days, I'm usually on the red fixed gear or an old Giant TCR.


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## Tig (Feb 9, 2004)

wim said:


> You guys got spunk, and I'm green with envy. "Developers" here grease someone's palm and do whatever they want.


That was about to happen but the local water district decided to fight it with a lawsuit. Now our water bill has doubled or tripled because of it, so I'm going to enjoy the place as much as possible!


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## curtw (Mar 27, 2004)

Tig said:


> The CX course is in the section between Reseda and El Dorado. The steps/railroad ties are about 2/3rds the way North towards El Dorado. The guys who built the course put them there.
> 
> There is a good chance I've ridden with you if you ever rode/ride with the Space City Cycling Club. I've been riding the local roads since 1987. These days, I'm usually on the red fixed gear or an old Giant TCR.


Tried riding with Space City once, but the rest breaks were just too long. I told the group I would ride ahead and do laps over the Kemah bridge until they caught back up, but I never saw them again. My legs just get stiff if I stoip any longer than 2 minutes. Now the only group ride I do is the MS 150.

Story about the golf course--several years back when they caught that huge alligator on the course, my kids got into the picture of the gator on the cover of the 'Citizen' newspaper. They were standing on the bridge over the drainage ditch on Neptune (just after the curve and the name changes from Ramada).


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## Terrasmak (Jan 8, 2015)

That's freaking cool , in Vegas it would be turned into an unneeded shopping center and apartments. The developers seem to always get their way here. 

Now it needs a nice XC course to go with the CX course


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