6 Bridge Route

This is my entry for the last phase of the summer Games for LGRB.  I combined two events into one-I know that is a point loser but hopefully it won't disqualify me.  I took the long ride to work and rode on our greenway to do it.

   Any time I take the long way around to something it usually includes the RiverWalk.  It just is a nice way to go.

   My starting point for this ride was the Y  Here is my bike at the bike rack (that Q installed).

I turned right instead of left out of the Y.  It is a straight 2 mile shot from the Y to my studio.  Today I am going a big loop around.

Turning from 6th Street, right onto MLK and then right onto RiverFront Parkway.

Under the Olgati Bridge. I never mention this bridge because Interstate 27 goes over it and I don't ride my bike on it.  So getting underneath it is the only way to experience it on my bike.

 Here I am approaching the Market Street (John Ross) Bridge.  This picture was taken as the lanes were reduced from 4 to 2.  As you can see, traffic is very light, lanes are wide and until this point there were multiple lanes.  It is strange that on this street I was agressively honked and yelled at not once but twice.  I wasn't on it longer then 3 minutes.  It is hard to predict when drivers are going to take strong exception to you being on the road with them.

Under the Market Street Bridge.

Under the Walnut Street Bridge.  I am usually writing about crossing the top of the bridge.  It is rare view to see it from below.

This is the glass pedestrian bridge  I wanted to take a picture as somebody was crossing it, but  traffic was light and nobody came over while I was crossing.

This is crossing a bridge by crossing a bridge.  I am now on the Riverwalk on the bridge over looking the Veterans Bridge.

The RiverWalk. I just went on a little bit of it, up to UTC.  If I had time I  would have gone furthur, at least up to Wilcox and have continued to work that way.

Going through UTC I went up Vine Street instead of Oak. Oak is really nicer but I enjoy going down Vine everyonce in a while.  Oak Street looks pretty much as it did when I went to school there so many years ago, but Vine seems to be always changing with new buildings.  This view didn't exist 30 years ago.

Then I continued on to work in my usual way over the McCallie viaduct.  My camaera had died so I couldn[t take a picture of that bridge.  All in all, I went under, or over 5 bridges on this route to work-and never crossed the river!

What a Stubborn Man

Q is a stubborn man.  He wanted to start Breakfast on the Bridge today.  

Wait till the bridge opens. I told him .

No, he didn't want to wait.  He was tired of waiting for the bridge to open

It is going to be cold tomorrow.  Wait until it warms up, I told him. 

No, he didn't care about the cold. Hot coffee should banish any chill 

 Nobody will find you, you will be by yourself, I told him.  No, he didn't care if no one came by, he wanted to be there, just in case. And I was going to show up, wasn't I?

   So Q started the Breakfast on the Bridge season.


It was cold and lonely.

  Then the sun came out, warmed things up, and people started coming...

And coming...

  

Q was right after all.  What a stubborn man.  I'm glad he went ahead and had breakfast.

Come on out every Friday morning (except Bike2Work mornings) between 7 and 9 and join this stubborn man for breakfast.  You won't be sorry.

Springtime Bike2Work

     Another month, another Bike2Work.  What a difference a month makes.  How do people stand to get in their cars to drive to work in this weather?

Neon is the fashion of the day at Bike2Work today. Its good to be seen!

Also seen at Bike2Work: the ever enthusiastic Sergio and his son, Marcos.

As I was leaving Coolidge Park, I stopped to enjoy the view of the bridge in springtime.

Closing of the Bridge

Regular readers of my blog may have noticed that many of my posts mention the Walnut Street Bridge. Going to town and back, this Bridge is part of my regular commute and one of the things that make riding to work so pleasant. I have never ridden it without getting a sense of being gifted that this is part of my route. The view, the people, the events, everything, makes the ride always different and always enjoyable.

In December the bridge has been closed for repairs and will remain closed until May. Though the repairs need to be done and in the process the wooden part of the bridge will be extended to make it more appealing, it is TOUGH not having access to it.










I have the choice of going to the left,over the Veterans Bridge or to the right over the Market Street Bridge. The Veterans Bridge have on and off ramps and the speed of the cars is faster. But there are wide shoulders. The Market Street Bridge has been newly redone and it is beautiful in its own right. The lanes are narrow and in riding the bike it is necessary to take the lane completely. Early morning motorists don't appreciate that.

Which bridge to take? While I enjoy the Market Street Bridge more, Veterans is faster and closer to where I need to go. So I have been taking that.

Except I keep forgetting to make the left turn that will get me to the bridge. Many mornings I am approaching the Walnut Street Bridge before I remember, in which case I proceed to the Market Street Bridge. Adds to my ride. Which I don't mind-unless it makes me late...which it often does...make a note-remember to make that left turn or leave the house earlier!

All three Bridges

Snow!

The other day I was saying how the frost on the bridge looked like snow. Saturday we actually did have snow! In December! I can't even remember the last time we had snow in December in Chattanooga. Snow has gotten very scarce around here and when it does come, it is never this early in the year.

Of course, it was gone by noon. A typical southern snow event. So these pictures of snow on the bridge are rare indeed!

Here is Q walking across the bridge. I was on my bike when I encountered him. He was looking very picturesque, I think.

It seems the snow brings out unusual characters-here is Santa Cow! Santa Cow wasn't talking so I couldn't get the reason exactly why Santa Cow was out there. But, hey, why not?

Breakfast on the Bridge by Sam Silvey

  Breakfast on the Bridge was written up on LookOutdoorNews.com by Sam Silvey.  Check it out!

Breakfast on the Bridge

Bras Over Water

I never know what I will see on my bike ride across the Walnut Street bridge. It is the scene for more unexpected sights. This sight on a recent morning is a case in point-bras being strung across the bridge.

And here is high five dog all decked out!

Who was responsible for this? Turns out it was it was a breast awareness event sponsored by US 101, a radio station in town-Chattanooga's top rated radio station. Country of course. What else? They were collecting bras for Breast Cancer Awareness.



And here is Ken Hicks, US 101 DJ himself really getting into this bra thing!

I thought I would stop and donate. But then I thought better of it!

A Moment of Loveliness!

My very favorite aspect of riding my bike instead of stuffing myself in a rolling box to get to work is meeting of the people I would not otherwise get a chance to encounter. This morning (actually now yesterday morning) coming off the bridge I spied a wonderful couple, dressed to the nines strolling with the "we are in our own world and have all the time in the world" air that only young lovers.can have.

Of course I had to intrude. It was too wonderful of a sight so early in the morning to pass by. I asked what the occasion for dressing up. They looked at one another and she, with a little giggle replied "we are celebrating!". Well, even I could tell I should not question any further.

I took their picture-here they are looking so lovely. I went on to work, having a spot of my day filled with that loveliness. How great is my view from a bike!



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  An update-when I took the picture of this lovely couple, I immediately e-mailed it to them (the advantage of taking pictures with my phone.  People love having their picture taken if they can get it for themselves).  So I had their e-mail when it struck me that I should get permission to put their picture and story up.  It was such a private moment  and maybe they would object to having it spread to the whole world.  Alex wrote back-now I have a name.  I didn't ask names before-a lovely note back. These people must be totally wonderful .  It seems they just have that inate loveliness with everything they do.  Here is the note ne wrote me-

Dear Ms. Colleen,

It was a very fun time meeting you! I have not ever been stopped to have a picture taken of me before, and it was a fun experience. Please do not feel that you were not being intrusive at all.

I must say that the occasion for the fine dress was in fact a celebration of a birthday.

My girlfriend, Naomi, and I (Alex) were having a nice day together after being apart for a long time, and she was treating me to a birthday present.


Naomi and I will be glad to give you our permission for publishing your story, and you can include our first names if you would like.
Thank you for the picture and the fun experience!


Alex



Again, I will say how I love my view from my bike.  I get to meet such lovely people!

Breakfast on the Bridge

Q has been doing a Breakfast on the Bridge for a couple of years now. He found the traffic on the Walnut Street Bridge to be interesting and diverse, with people from all walks of like using the bridge for their place of exercise, socialization or as their passage way to getting to the other side of the river.

Q was inspired to draw these people together in a friendly, casual, no criteria breakfast  So every Friday (except for Bike2Work Fridays) Q is out there with coffee and pastries for anyone who stops by. It has been amazing the people who do drop by- kind of a gathering for Chattanooga Characters. I think being a character is a wonderful thing and I always imagine I personally am so bland and unnoticeable next to these wonderful and colorful people. But Q reassures me that I am the biggest character of all (I'm sure he means that as the highest compliment, right? I think?)

   I should make a regular feature in this blog about our visitors. This breakfast has been so popular that is has become a community effort. All casual and disorganized of course.

     This is Lee. He might be recognized by regulars on the bridge as a bridge troubadour. This is his famous bike. I actually liked it better when it was painted up in bright Christmas colors but I think he got tired of people playing "Where's Waldo" with his bike. Bridge regulars were always reporting to one another where his bike was spotted-he would leave it in the oddest places. But after getting it stolen a couple of times, and getting it flattened by a tree at a construction site, he painted his bike these boring monotone colors and doesn't leave it around as much. But I hate to tell him that his bike is just as recognizable as ever.

This is Laura Jane. I knew Laura when she was born. She was baptized in the same ceremony as my youngest daughter. I met up again with her as an adult because she grew up so very quirky and I seem to find myself getting to know the quirky types. I love Laura Jane! She is wry, intelligent, thoughtful and so fresh as she starts out on her adult life. She has gone car free which in this part of the world a very unusual thing (actually you wouldn't think so judging by the number of people who come to this breakfast who are car free.)

Today the view of. Lookout Mountain from the bridge this morning was glorious.(see the picture above.)  I consider myself lucky that riding across the bridge is part of every day for me. I love getting to know the people who are my fellow users. My life is rich and very blessed!