Plans for a long Tuesday bike ride were scuttled by this season’s cold, but that didn’t mean I was going to drive to my meeting in Waverly, lunch date in Station North, and acupuncture appointment in Hampden. I mean, really–drive there? Please. And contrary to what some folks might think, having a cold is no reason to lock yourself in a metal box to get from place to place, no siree. And the rides were beautiful–the yellows, reds, and oranges of Guilford Avenue, the empty streets of Waverly and Station North in the late morning, and that afternoon ride to Hampden ran me in to several other cyclists, all with different stay-warm and stay-safe strategies. One woman asked me when we were stopped at a red light if I ride year round and at night, and if it’s safe. Continue reading
safety
Safety Signs at 26th & Charles
A short ride down the hill, a little dancing, a short ride up the hill–so much easier than walking or driving. On the way back I snapped this picture of safety signs reading “Road Closed 1000ft” and “Road Closed 1500ft” behind a fence at 16th & Charles. Charles is a main drag, but wow, its asphalt is like a backstreet. They’re repaving in chunks, and above 29th is a mess, but the mess will move down here, slowly but surely, and hopefully it will make it to at least Baltimore Street, but how will people get around once it meets downtown? No wonder we like to think our infrastructure has always been there and always will be, no matter if we ignore it–it’s such a hassle. But somebody up there knows we just have to suck it up and do it, and in the meantime these signs will let us know what to do and keep us safe, because for some reason when we see orange we just go around. I wonder how they made that happen. Tomorrow, a long ride, up hills. Better get to bed.