Mint Hill (485/Idlewild) to University Area (Wachovia/Verbatim)

"The deal" is 50 years of auto-oriented planning for land uses and transportation (for example, note area that your employer chose to locate in and the design of their facilities). Welcome to the New South! We hope that you will use your indignation to help those who have been working for the last decade to make Charlotte a more bike-friendly place. It took decades to get this way and will take decades to change, but change is happening: bike racks on buses, a new ordinance requiring bike parking at new buildings, a funded bicycle program, a bike planner, miles of new bike lanes and greenways every year, all in the last 5-6 years. And more and more people moving here from more bike-friendly places demanding better bicycle facilities. (Don't forget to hound your local elected officials!)

Regarding routes, you might check out the Bicycle Suitability map (another recent bike facility), which is available for free from bike shops or from the bike program (http://bike.charmeck.org). The map is dated, but still useful. Also, you may be able to piece together a route on local streets using the suitability map or a good map like those from ADC map company.

Glad you are willing to persevere -- the more cyclists on the roads helps all of us. Happy trails!

how long have you been here? the city has done quite a bit in regards to cycling during the past few years.