The city I grew up in used to have lots of rail routes and they were converted into mixed use paths, some paved, others gravel.

It's so much nicer to enjoy a car free path, where you don't have the sounds, smells and brake dust to breath from cars. More trees on a path than a road.

I am a good cyclist, I ride in downtown Toronto, but if I want to space out and let my mind really wander, a path is orders of magnitude better than a actual road.

There is no benifit to navigating traffic and risking injury. More relax and free to stop or slow and take notes.

There is nothing better about being on a road with cars vs, in a nice park or path.