… and I could not be happier!
The first image with my Fuji XT3 and the second with my Samsung Galaxy s21
Just a Hint of Fall …
Tag Archives: The New River
Former Railroad Trestle Bridge
The New River Trail is a 57 mile linear State Park in Virginia. Created from an abandoned railroad right of way, this bridge is one of 30 along the trail. I recently crossed this bridge on my fairly new gravel bicycle (not the one pictured in my header image) while training for an upcoming ride in October.
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After several false starts, I am determined to get back into blogging (I’ve certainly said that before!). After posting regularly for almost a decade, life, work, and caring for parents seemed to keep me from following through on my goal. Fingers crossed, this time I will succeed!
Life on the Bike started as a travel journal and a place to share photos from the road with friends and family. Sadly, there was a two year time span when I wasn’t able to ride either the motorcycle or the bicycle.
I had also not picked up my DSLR for a year! But two weeks ago, I took a photography class in DC and have been practicing / refreshing daily. When I started this blog back in 2012, I had little more than an eye and a “point and shoot”. I look back at those photos now, and see good intentions but not much more. Hopefully, I’ve improved since then!
I am going to commit to posting once weekly, most likely the same day that I post on Monochromia. If you are a fan of B&W Photography be sure to visit and see the work of some amazing photographers.
I look forward to catching up with the blogging community and friends who have been much more diligent than I in maintaining their blogs.
Our Version of a First Day Hike
First Day Hikes is an initiative of America’s State Parks, and hikes are offered, with waived entrance fees in state parks across the country. To be honest, I thought that this was just a Virginia thing, but all over the US folks are encouraged to “take a hike to inspire those New Year resolutions that are centered on getting or keeping fit”. Virginia has 41 State Parks, yet Greg and I have only visited 11. We have work to do!
We didn’t make it out to our local Claytor Lake State Park on New Years Day, but we did take our version of a First Day Hike. It was more an “Urban Walk” on Main Street and across Memorial Bridge over The New River but even still, it was great to be outside.
While I mourn for the Earth when it is 70°F in January, we definitely enjoyed the breeze as we walked over Memorial Bridge, enjoying the views.
Walking along Main Street offered views of historic architecture as well, while the clouds added much to the scenery.
Perhaps next year, we will do an official First Day Hike, but our Urban Walk was a great start to 2022.
Cheers!
New Year / New Blog Commitment
My very first blog post was in 2012 and I posted regularly until late in 2018 when somehow the fullness of life and work kept getting in the way. Back when I began, the goal was to “be able to look back on my life later and remember what a fabulous one it has been”, and by fabulous I mean truly fortunate. I intended to have Life on the Bike be a journal, of photos and words.
Each year, I create a desk calendar for family, friends, and personal use, and when exchanging the 2021 calendar for 2022, I noted one thing for sure. While my eye may be the same, my technical capability has markedly improved. Even still, it was fun to go back and view the years through my lens, and that is what I want this space to be. A record of travel and personal growth. Thoughts, introspection, and life’s journey. In order to make that happen, I need to commit to blogging more regularly!
Since 2012, I have published 738 posts, yet this past year I posted just 24 times, only 3.2% of the total posts. What should my commitment be? Weekly? Two Times Monthly? Only when I travel? How do you all commit yourself to documenting your lives?
In the meantime, from my hometown to yours, Welcome to 2022! May it be a healthier, more hopeful year for all of us!
ReNew the New
Choices
It’s been 5 years since I started my WordPress journey, and what an incredible 5 yrs it has been.
Somehow, through all that has happened, a motorcycle wreck, running for political office, opening a business / closing a business / opening another business, and many other things, both positive and challenging, I have managed to post, to respond to comments, and to visit and comment on your posts.
Lately though, I have just not been able to keep up. Perhaps it’s the new job. Maybe it’s the hours spent in civic engagement, and the resistance. Whatever the reason, I’ve just not been able to respond to your comments on my posts. I have, however, made a commitment to visiting and commenting on your posts.
Know that I love and read each and every comment, but if I don’t respond in kind it is because for the time being, I’ll be spending my WordPress time visiting and commenting on your posts. I’ll still be posting though, and hope to have a lighter schedule sometime down the road.
You have become dear friends, and my life is better for it.
♥️
Morning on the River
Just a couple hours on the water.
That’s all it takes to make me breath deeply and smile big. It’s similar to how I feel on the bike.
Karen encouraged me to set aside the chores for the morning and get out on the river.
We are so fortunate to live on the New River, and can be on the water within 20 minutes of leaving our homes. The New River is 360 mi (515 km) long and flows through the states of North Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia.
The part that runs through my little city has just a few Class 1 rapids, but it is often as smooth as glass, offering stunning reflections.
We saw lots of Great Blue Herons, and the fish were jumping right up out of the water.
The roots of this tree reveal evidence of the rise and fall of the water.
When floating this part of the river, you pass under 3 bridges. The modern day train trestle, the remains of the historic bridge, and in the distance, the new Memorial Bridge.
I’ve posted images of this trestle in the past. You may remember it.
Despite the risk, it’s hard not to pull out the camera when floating the river. I keep the camera in a Scuba bag so as to protect it in case the kayak tips over, but even still, I’m always taking a chance when pulling it out of the water safe bag.
It was a perfect morning, and I feel such gratitude for natural wonders and dear friends.
As you read this scheduled post I am enjoying the annual Girls of August (GOA) get together. You may remembering me telling you about the women that I attended graduate school with over 20 yrs ago. The Girls Of August have been spending the first week of August together for over 20 years, and it is one of the highlights of the year for all of us.
See you when I get back!
View From the River’s Edge
If it had been summer, I would have walked right into the river to better capture the late day sun adding light to the trees futher down the way. Even still, it was a lovely site to see from this park called Riverview.
What a perfect name.
Cycling the Riverway
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.
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.
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).
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!
One of our fundraising efforts was the brick Pathways Plaza. Several of my family members are remembered in brick, including my paternal grandparents.
Benches, situated along The Riverway, also provided fundraising opportunities.
The bikeway / walkway runs right along the New River, and is a favorite place for walkers, runners, cyclists, and dogs walking their humans.
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!
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 🙂
Around Radford
Saturday dawned with a list of errands that needed running, and despite the expectation of rain, I decided to ride the bike. It should surprise no one that I also made sure to find time to shoot some of the local scene.
I wish I could give you a little back story about this courtyard and the wall that surrounds it, but I have no history. The plan is to go to Facebook and see if some of the Radford locals can help me out. Many is the time that I have tried to capture a photo to reflect the wall’s uniqueness, and many times I have deleted those images. Not today!
It was quite overcast, but clouds always make for intriguing images.
The post processing here reflects the historic trestle over the New River, and a monochrome image will be posted on Monochromia sometime in the next few weeks.
In order to get these images, I had to stop the bike and walk over the bridge. Thankfully, this fencing only briefly obscures the view.
Some friends have purchased, and while still running the business, are renovating this 50 yr old Pizza House.
A quick stop at a friend’s home yielded these Rhododendron images. Such a gorgeous bud and bloom!
Every item on the To Do List was checked off, and I enjoyed a cool, slightly drizzly ride.
Satisfaction indeed!
Life on the Bike and other Fab Things 