New Picture

 I have been meaning to get a new blog picture of myself.  The picture I have up is a picture taken of my with my bike (though the bike really isn't evident in this cut) for a public service announcement that Chattanooga was doing  to encourage to get moving.  Different active people were photographed and then put up on billboards and buses with the admonishment to Just Get Moving".  I was the biking person and I saw my picture going by on the bus for several years.

  So obviously the picture was out dated and I needed a new one.  Since I let my hair go gray I felt this picture was a bit misleading.  But I liked it. I don't have many pictures-or at least good ones-taken of me so I hated to change it.  I happened to see Trisha's picture on LGRAB at the same time that Russ and Laura of  PathLessPedaled came into town.  What a serendipitous moment!  I would get Russ to take pictures of me with my bike for the blog. 

  So Russ and I met early Tuesday morning to get some pictures and I think I definitely got some to take the place of the currant one.



  Thanks, Russ, for helping me update my blog picture.  Happy travels to you and Laura!

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!

Visitors!

  Imagine selling everything you own, setting out on your bikes, with only your trade of jewelry making and photography to support yourself for an adventure of a life time.  This is exactly what Russ and Laura did a year ago and have been on the road ever since.  They rolled in Chattanooga Thursday for a week of exploration.

    They headed out from Portland, Oregon a year ago and have been meandering every since.  They don't have firm plans set and take suggestions from oneplace as to where they should go next.  They were in Nashville when they were told to come to Chattanooga.  I don't know exactly who mentioned CKhattanooga, but looking at the Nashville people Russ and Laura talked about I know Dan Hensley of Nashville Bicycle Lounge and Tricia  of Let's Go Ride A Bike fame.(though I haven't actually met her in person)

  This is their trip so far  
View Larger Map

  So who are these people?  To read more about them go to Path Less Pedaled.  Chattanooga was treated to a presentation Thursday night at Outdoor Chattanooga to hear their story.  There was less then a day notice to arrange and publicise their presentation but there was a good size and very interested crowd that showed up.

   A small group of us took them to dinner at Taco Mamacita's for Mex fusion food.  Russ and Laura are a delightful and down to earth couple.  To live such a lifestyle, going with the flow is a valued attribue and they seemed to have just the right amount of mellowness.    But on the other hand, to live a life where you don't know from one night to the next, where you will be sleeping and always seeing new places and meeting new people requires an alertness and sharpness that is often lost in living the same ole same ole.  After a year on the road, Russ and Laura seemed to have gotten those two contrasting attributes of mellowness and sharpness about right. 

   They love the quiet touring where it is just the two of them, rarely talking to others, and they then look forward to the constant socialization of city stays.  It does sound they get the both of both worlds.

  Talking to them does light those adventure fires that are always smoldering deep within.  Maybe it is time to  Sub 24 hour overnight trips (S24O).  I used to do those occasionally, long before there was a name for them, but it has been a long time since I have done them.  Time to hit the road again, I think.  Russ and Laura might be leaving behind a trail of inspired bike tourers in their path.  What fun!

Summer Games Round II

  This is my entry for the second round of the Summer Games at Lets Go Ride A Bike.  The first event I chose for myself was carrying a load, something I do it all the time.  I am ever amazing myself and others on how much I can carry on a bike.  I often go shopping without that very crucial question that bike riders should always have-how exactly am I getting this home?  When I make it out to the bike with my purchases, reality hits me, as though the bike was a complete surprise.  But I found with a little bit of ingenuity that I can fit it all and even ride it home.

  These pictures are from a typical Sunday shopping trip.  First a trip to the Chattanooga Market to get my produce, then a trip to Greenlife for all other grocery needs.  Usually that overloads me to beyond capacity.  But on this trip home, I by passed the 2 Bridges Art Festival and I was taken by the bright, big and cheerful flower.  My little garden corner is shaded and dark and it is hard to have colorful flowers. I thought this would brighten things up.

  Of course, I committed to buy it before I had a plan of getting it home.  No problem.  The stem went between me and my backpack.  I was quite the picture it seems, because several of the vendors stopped me to take their own picture of me.

Carrying Flower Home

"Planted" in my garden

For my second event, I had every intention of doing a maintance task but I didn't get around to it.  I am ashamed to admit that doing maintance on my bike is an extremely rare event.  I keep regular dates at Suck Creek Cycle for the guys there to keep me running but rarely do any on my own.  So while I have done enough to know I am perfectly capable, it just is not a thing that comes naturally to me. 

  So under pressure to get something done, I reached for something that does come naturally-reading.  I read Bicycle Diaries by David Byrne(Q, I bet you didn't notice that I had taken your copy)  Q had read it and greatly enjoyed it-telling me choice bits from the book.  He had forbidden me from reading it until he had had finished with it because he didn't want me ruining it for him with me telling him those choice bits of othe book.  While the book felt familiar because of this exposure, there were still delightful surprises for me to discover on my own.  A very enjoyable read.

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I Won!

I just got the word from LJ, I was a winner in the first Round of the Lets Go Ride A Bike Summer Games.  Hayy!!  I won a Terry bike skort and halter top.  I love Terry stuff and I will be looking forward to wearing these!  Thank you, Dottie and Trisha of LGRAB.  Now on  to round II!

I only got two entries for this round of Olympic Games.  I  never could get my daughters or son to ride with me.  They kept giving my excuses about their bikes not working or tire rot or something like that.
 But I did get a group ride entry and a date night entry.

   I am counting the Brews Cruise as my group ride entry. For my date night, the lady Jane and I with our J's and Q's rode our bikes to the Comedy Catch.  I will write about it more fully later.

  Now on to the next round!

Let The Games Begin!

  The inspiring ladies, Dottie and Tricia of the blog Let's Go Ride A Bike is sponsoring Summer Biking Games with GREAT prizes. This contest has nothing to do with how fast or how far you ride your bike.  They are not encouraging more spandex wear or arduous training schedule.  Its all about getting on the bike and having fun!

  Until June 6 is is about Social Biking.  My favorite event is dressing up and going on a Bike Date.  I might be disqualified because this occured before the official starting date but I will have to enter my Biking To The Ballet,  It was the dressiest yet I have been on the bike.



  I will attempt to compete in the   Ride With Family  event.  I better start asking my kids.  My son did do the ride Tour De Brews (which I WILL blog about soon) with me, but again that was outside the dates and I didn't get pictures.  I should be able to get him to come with me again on something.  But the real coup would be to get a daughter.  My oldest has been spotted on a bike but the youngest daughter on the bike is a rare site indeed.  Think I am up for it?

   OF course I have the Group Ride in the bag, just deciding which one to enter.

This should be fun.  I encourage everyone reading this to join in the action.  Go to Let's Go Ride A Bike pick out your event, get on your bike and GO!