Last night, I actually did sit for a spell and visit many of your blogs (although I have many more to visit!). For now, I’m off to volunteer at a Dress for Success workday, and THEN I will attempt to work on the photos from my brewery ride last weekend.
** 36 hours / 620 miles / 3 breweries / old friends **
For now, I’ll share this image from Warrenton, VA.
Is “sit for a spell” a term that you use, or are familiar with?
It was time for a much needed getaway. No schedule. No appointments.
Just 36 hours through the mountains of Virginia to visit a few breweries and see some highschool friends.
The time went far too quickly, and before I knew it, I was back home and back on the job.
I’m working through the photos, and will share them soon. Until then, I’m off to visit you!
It’s the beginning of the weekend, and while there is still one more day of work, I’m anticipating a weekend on the motorcycle. YAY!
The images you see here are my recent contributions to Monochromia.
If you haven’t visited Monochromia yet, please do! Photographers from around the world contribute some incredible B&W images to this blog, and several of those photographers, including me, will be meeting in NYC in October.
How cool is that?
My travels will prevent me from visiting each of you until next week. Sending peaceful thoughts during tumultuous times.
This third and final post about Atlanta (#1 Art and Architecture and #2 Cuisine and Cocktails) reveals the green side of the city and surrounding towns. Trees are everywhere, and my early morning walks were much cooler because of the shade. If you saw my previous two Atlanta posts, you’ll see that many of the photos show the green in the neighborhoods and right in the heart of the city as well.
Piedmont Park, whose mission is to “enhance and preserve Piedmont Park as a vital urban green space and as a cultural and recreational resource that enriches the quality of life for all Atlantans” is a 189 acre park located one mile from Downtown. The park has been evolving since 1822, and has gone “through several phases, first from a forest to a farm, then to a fairground and suburban park, and finally to the urban park that it is today”
As Andrew and I walked the trails, we remarked that it seemed similar to New York’s Central Park. In fact, “in the early 20th century, a redesign plan called the Olmsted plan, was begun by the sons of New York Central Park architect, Frederick Law Olmstead. The effort led to the addition of scenic paths in the park and the joining of the park with the Ansley park system”.
We walked along a few of the many walking / jogging pathways, but there are so many more things to do at Piedmont Park.
Green markets, special events, a community garden, sporting events, beekeeping, and a Dog Park offer something for everyone.
Now you see me …
Now you don’t!
Don’t forget to look up while you’re walking!
The Magnolia trees were huge and full of blossoms,
and the hydrangeas were lovely, too.
Speaking of Green and Alternative Transportation, Atlanta has a growing cycling community. As we pulled up to the traffic light after dinner late on Friday evening, we were stopped by the 4th Annual Moon Ride, a 6 mile night time ride through several intown neighborhoods. The event is “open to anyone who wants to hit the streets, whether you’ve got a street bike, a mountain bike, a wheel chair or a good ole cruiser”.
I wish I’d known about it ahead of time as I surely would have joined in. The photo quality is not great, but that might be because I was dancing to the music that was being broadcast from various golf carts.
Much to the embarrassment of my son, my dancing got the attention of the police officer monitoring the intersection, and she insisted on taking my photo.
What a hoot!
Of course, the whole reason I went to Atlanta was to visit my son, so I’m throwing in a few random shots of Andrew and his Atlanta family.
Mother and Son
Jon (how I messed up the settings on this easy shot, I will never know)
Wilson
Tela
Thanks for coming along with me on a fabulous trip to Atlanta! I hope you get to visit sometime. It’s a great city and I cannot wait to go back.
You all understand the challenge. You travel to a new city / country / place and arrive back home with a zillion photos to work through. It takes time, but it also offers the opportunity to remember the experience and relive the fun.
I was in Atlanta for just 48 hours, but oh my gosh, I had a blast! My son Andrew, who has only lived in Atlanta for 2 years, knows the city like someone who has lived there much longer, and he was an excellent tour guide around this diverse, exciting city. He took me to the Jackson Street Bridge, a local landmark known as THE place to get a shot of the cityscape.
With this post, and the two that follow, I’ll introduce you to the Atlanta that I experienced. The posts are longer than typical for me, but years from now I’ll look back and be able to remember everything.
While quite the tourist attraction, and evidently a bit controversial, the Atlanta Skyview allowed me to see Downtown from on high.
All images were taken through the glass of the gondola.
What fun it was to ride high above much of the city!
The Skyview towers over the 21 acre Centennial Olympic Park, created for the 1996 Olympic Games. Today the park performs a dual mission: it serves as Georgia’s lasting legacy of the Centennial Olympic Games and it anchors efforts to revitalize residential and commercial development in Georgia’s capital city of Atlanta.
We spent much of my visit in various parts of Midtown, which is the “second largest business district in the city, situated between the commercial and financial districts of Downtown to the south and Buckhead to the north. Midtown is known for it’s cultural attractions, architecture, and urban layout”.
We visited walkable, intown neighborhoods, each one unique with shops, restaurants, and public art.
Visit my post on Monochromia to learn more about Celebration by Gary Lee Price.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1971, the current Dekalb County Courhouse was completed in 1918. The four previous structures were destroyed by fire, war, and demolition.
I’m sorry to say that I did not document the name or purpose of this next building, but I loved the architecture.
Whether commisioned or not, public art is everywhere. On the sidewalk, seen during my morning walk,
and along the Beltline, the city’s bikeway / walkway system.
“The Beltline is transforming the city with a combination of rail, trail, greenspace, housing, and art. It will ultimately connect 45 intown neighborhoods”.
Public Art can be found in Piedmont Park,
in neighborhoods,
and sadly, along the streets.
If you’ve visited my blog in the past, you’ve learned about Ghost Bikes.
When taking shots from the Jackson Street Bridge, Andrew pointed out a sticker for Tiny Doors Atlanta, an Atlanta-based art project bringing “big wonder to tiny spaces. With the installation of a door, what was once a wall or the column of a bridge becomes an entrance to collective creativity and an invitation to whimsy”.
As we walked along the Beltline, Andrew pointed out this tiny door. How cool is that?
I was also enamored by the messages posted on various streetlamps. The words of Harry Crews, an American novelist, playwright, short story writer and essayist, are posted here.
“So far as I can see, nothing good in the world has ever been done by well-rounded people. The good work is done by people with jagged, broken edges, because those edges cut things and leave an imprint, a design”.
Next Post: Atlanta Cuisine and Cocktails
A road trip to Atlanta to see my son had been on the calendar for months, and I could not wait to get started.
I opted for the truck instead of the motorcycle because most of the 800 mile round trip would have been spent on the interstate. Truth be told, my son is always happier when I am not riding the bike anyway. Since I was leaving from the office at the end of the day, I decided to stop in Greenville, SC that first night.
Greenville is known for it’s urban revitalization. With a focus on public-private partnerships and investment in natural resources, the city is enjoying the success of a 30 yr endeavor.
I arrived in Greenville at 9:30 on Thursday evening, and as I always do when I travel, immediately went on the hunt for a local restaurant and a cold beer. Local Que was just the place, and I enjoyed a BBQ Quesadilla and this Quest Smoked Porter. Yum!
The next morning, I was up early to ride the Swamp Rabbit Trail, a 20 mile bicycle / pedestrian trail that follows along the Reedy River.
Amenities along the trail include lighting, picnic areas, benches, water fountains, restrooms, signage and bicycle racks. Views of the Reedy River are plentiful along the trail.
The Swamp Rabbit runs right through downtown Greenville and over The Liberty Bridge.
“At 345 feet long, 12 feet wide and 8 inches thick, the concrete reinforced deck is supported by a single suspension cable”.
As I stood there on the bridge, attempting to capture the beauty of Falls Park on an overly bright, sunny day, I could feel subtle movement beneath my feet.
Riding on, I passed this pre-civil war building. The shell that remains is used for weddings and other events.
6/20/2016 – I reached out to the Visitor’s Center for more information about this shell building and found out that it is the former Markley Carriage Factory Paint Shop. It was part of an historic industrial complex constructed between 1850 and 1914.
The Wyche Pavilion was built in 1904, and when sold, became the first factory for the production of Duke’s mayonnaise.
I loved the mix of old and new,
but mostly, I loved the commitment to appropriate growth, history, and nature that city leaders had.
After a 14.5 mile ride, it was time to shower and get back on the road for Atlanta.
If you are ever in the area, be sure to explore Greenville. My visit was short, but oh so nice, and I look forward to a return visit.
Next Post: Atlanta!
A three day trip to Atlanta to see my son, with a brief stop in Greenville, SC, yielded many photos and wonderful memories.
This image is of a pre-civil war era building in Greenville. Only the shell remains and it is used as an event space.
I’ll be back to tell you about it soon, and to catch up on all of your adventures.
This gorgeous meadow is in a place called Deerfield, Virginia. I’d never been here before and I was taken aback by the beauty. I cannot wait to return on the bike.
I’ve returned from a three day trip, for business and pleasure, to four different localities around Virginia. Visits with my parents, and with friends, were wonderful, and the day long meeting, productive.
I look forward to popping over to your place for a visit later in the week.
A visitor to my blog might wonder where the name Life on the Bike came from considering that I haven’t written much about riding lately. Between the campaign and starting a new business, my 2015 time on the bike was limited.
2016 will be different! And in fact it already is.
Last weekend, I took at 500 mile ride to Virginia’s capital city of Richmond to have a reunion with friends. It’s about 250 miles to get there and for efficiency in time, I took the interstate. Bikers can often be heard to say “it’s the journey, not the destination” and sometimes that is true. Every now and then though, time is of the essence, and the interstate is the way to go. I was just glad to be on the bike. It was a beautiful day and I was a happy woman.
A quick stop on Afton Mountain, Virginia’s main passage across the Blue Ridge, offered a break for water, a handful of almonds, and a beautiful view. Meanwhile, my roommates from Old Dominion University were waiting on me, so I was off and riding again in no time.
I met Jan and Angie 38 years ago, and we have maintained contact in one form or another ever since. Isn’t it amazing how friendships can endure the test of time?
Soon enough, we were sitting on the porch of this lovely Richmond home, reveling in the fact that even though it had been many years since all three of us had been together, we were completely at home with one another.
It was a very late night, filled with lots of talk, laughter, and wine and I was glad that we didn’t have to do any driving (or riding).
While opportunities for photography were limited, this curved brick wall caught my eye.
The next morning, we enjoyed a delicious, homemade brunch,
and of course, made time for pictures!
Back roads carried me home to Radford, and while I didn’t have much time to stop for photography, something about this salt and pepper shaker made me bring out the camera. You know me!
So, sometimes it is about the destination, happily so.
If you need me this weekend, just head out on the highway.
Hope the next few days offer you the chance to do something that brings you joy.
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 