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A Lovely Distraction

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Good Morning, or Evening, as the case may be! Before I prepare to head off for a day on the motorcycle, I wanted to share this post from my dear friend Karen, over at The Unassuming Hiker.  Karen has started a Hiking Club for Women, and she planned a Saturday hike for those who can’t make it during the week.  We spent a wonderful day at Carvins Cove.  Check out her post for more info!

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theunassuminghiker's avatarThe Unassuming Hiker

A week from now it will be over, but I know it is going to be an amazing weekend watching my only child get married.  Today, I surrounded myself with good friends for a much needed distraction and to help me celebrate the week before the big day.

It started with a hike (surprise, surprise) to a place I had not been before, Carvin’s Cove.

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Hiking with the wedding photographer guaranteed a couple of good pictures!

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We got an early start and the weather was perfect.  Did not see any bears even though there had been a 500 pound black bear in the parking lot last weekend.  A bear that was not afraid of people.  As we arrived we were told that we had just missed seeing the bear by about 30 minutes.  We were fascinated by this until we heard the same story upon our return and realized they…

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Greenville, SC and The Swamp Rabbit

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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.

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The Swamp Rabbit runs right through downtown Greenville and over The Liberty Bridge.

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“At 345 feet long, 12 feet wide and 8 inches thick, the concrete reinforced deck is supported by a single suspension cable”.

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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.

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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.

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The Wyche Pavilion was built in 1904, and when sold, became the first factory for the production of Duke’s mayonnaise.

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I loved the mix of old and new,

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but mostly, I loved the commitment to appropriate growth, history, and nature that city leaders had.

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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!

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On the Road Again

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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.

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Ride on Through

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My contribution to Monochromia this week

LB's avatarMonochromia

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This tunnel is part of my city’s bikeway / walkway system, and offers a safe passageway under Main Street for cyclists and walkers.

For more on The Riverway, please visit Life on the Bike and Other Fab Things.

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Stand Up

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Amidst the sadness, the anger, and all of the awful wrongs in this world, there is still beauty to be found … in nature, in good people doing great things, and in the heroes who stand up and do what is right.

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Thanks to the two heroes in California for STANDING UP!

We must all STAND UP!  I’m too angry about the injustice to write more right now, nor am I eloquent enough to do so ever.  But I will keep standing up and trying to do right.

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Cycling the Riverway

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If you’ve followed along over the past (almost) four years, you know that I am devoted to my motorcycle.  Some of my favorite moments are spent exploring the countryside on my HD Softail Slim.

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What you may not know is that before I fell in love with my motorized bike, I was a regular cyclist.  No, not one of those athletes that you see riding the roads in their colorful jerseys, but I’d ride 10 – 12 miles in the mornings before work, and would take an 18- 20 mile ride almost every weekend.

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Sadly, over the past 7-8 yrs, I’ve averaged just 8 miles per year as an organizer of, and participant in, the Ride of Silence.

The motorcycle definitely rules my heart!

In my determination to rekindle my love with the bicycle, and to get in better shape, I was up and out early yesterday, cycling The Riverway (all images were captured with my cell phone).

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The Riverway is Radford’s bikeway / walkway system.  18 years ago, a group of citizens worked to secure federal and state grant funding, which when matched by Radford’s local government, led to the development of our wonderful bikeway.  As a founding member of Pathways for Radford, it is still a thrill for me to ride on the Riverway, and to see what the City of Radford, and the Citizens of Radford accomplished together!

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One of our fundraising efforts was the brick Pathways Plaza.  Several of my family members are remembered in brick, including my paternal grandparents.

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Benches, situated along The Riverway, also provided fundraising opportunities.

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The bikeway / walkway runs right along the New River, and is a favorite place for walkers, runners, cyclists, and dogs walking their humans.

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The Riverway runs right under Main Street through this tunnel.  The approach to the Tunnel on either end is preceeded by a climb, so  the tunnel provides a chance to catch a breath!

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While I am just getting back on the bicycle, it already feels great, and I am committed to improving my health by riding at least once weekly.  I figure if I get up early enough, I’ll find time to ride both bikes each weekend 🙂

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Promises, Promises

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The promise that sunshine and summer will arrive: Done

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The promise of a short but oh so sweet 75 mile motorcycle ride to soak in that sun, and this view: Done!

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The promise of getting back on the bicycle and completing 22 miles (after not having ridden more than 8 in years): Done!

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The promise of a meaningful Memorial Day Service: Done!

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The promise to visit all of you: Unfulfilled … Yet!

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The Fullness of May is over, and it’s time to play catch up!  I promise 🙂

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We Remember

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Memorial Day is the most solemn American holiday.

Originally called Decoration Day, it is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service to the United States of America, and this year is the 150th Anniversary.

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It is an honor to serve on the committe that plans Radford’s Annual Memorial Day Service.  A couple of the veterans on the committee arrive at the park the night before Memorial Day each year to set up the Field of Crosses, and to hang the flags that represent each branch of the Armed Forces.

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I stopped by this evening, to deliver some home baked cookies, and spend a little time with these devoted vets.

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Armed with only my cell phone, I tried to capture the scene.  It was slightly cool, with a gentle breeze, a truly beautiful evening, and I couldn’t help but think of the soldiers, sailors, airmen/women, and marines who are in harms way every day.

One of the vets on the committee made this memorial, and it remains in his front yard year round.

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As we celebrate the holiday weekend, let’s all take just a few moments to remember the reason for this day.

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As noted in my previous post, the month of May is a time of significant civic obligation. I’ll be back to visiting all of you soon!

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The Fullness of May

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The month of May is always full … of flowers, and rain, and a lift in the step of folks who have been longing for warmer weather.

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  For me, it is also filled with planning and implementing the Ride of Silence and the Annual Memorial Day Service.

It is such an honor to work alongside others in remembrance of those who have died in the service of the US, or on our public roads.

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Despite the full schedule, there is still time for book group.  I read late into the night on Wednesday in order to be prepared for our Thursday discussion.  We met on the new porch, surrounded by flowers made even more beautiful by the late day sun.

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Have you read “How to Tell Toledo From the Night Sky” by Lydia Netzer?

Life is ever full … of friends, of flowers, of books, and service, and I am thankful.

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Ride of Silence 2016

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The first Ride of Silence (ROS) took place in 2003 in Dallas, TX, after endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was killed by the mirror of a passing school bus.  Out of that tragedy grew an annual international event where cyclists worldwide participate in a silent slow-paced ride in honor of those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways.
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We have been holding a Ride of Silence event in my community since the death of our friend Fess Green 9 years ago, and I’ve written about it twice.  The posts here and here offer more history and photos about the ROS.

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Cyclists take to the road at 7pm their local time, and this year there were 416 Registered Events, from all 50 states, all 7 continents, and 38 countries. The Ride of Silence – NRV is one small part of that massive international ride.  It’s incredible to know that thousands of people the world over, are riding at the same time, for the same cause.

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Our small locality has had as many as 100 cyclists, of all ages, turn out to ride.  This year the cold temperatures and drizzling rain kept some folks at home.  The 35-40 riders who showed up despite the weather were safely escorted through the ride route by officers from the Radford City Police Department.  We are fortunate to have the support of the local government and police department year after year.

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We ride in silence, at a slow, reflective pace and whether on bright, sunny evenings, or when it is chilly and damp, it truly is a powerful experience.

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 I’m thankful to have a passionate group of people on the planning committee who believe in the mission of this organization, and work together every year to make the event happen.

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The Ride of Silence organization exists:

To HONOR those who have been injured or killed

To RAISE AWARENESS that we are here

To ask that we all SHARE THE ROAD

http://www.rideofsilence.org/