travel by bike

remember our derby wall?

i got up the courage and erased it last night

it was so pretty, it hurt a bit

but it was time for something new

i haven't really put anything else up

but i did write up this quote from ernest hemingway

it is by riding a bicycle

that you learn the contours of a country best,

since you have to sweat

up the hills

and coast down them -

thus

you remember them as they actually are

i'm hoping to get bill to draw me a bicycle with an overflowing basket full of flowers


and incorporate the quote somehow since

it really stirred something up inside me

as bill and i have been trying to find more reasons to bike lately

this past weekend we rode from the waterfront out to shawnee park

i've never been to the west end of louisville

seriously - never.

i've been to a thrift store in portland, but that was it

and as we rode along the river and then up through portland and into the west end

it was gorgeous.

the news makes the west end sound like the south end of chicago

but there were tree lined walks

the most unique old homes lining the wide parkway

this is where people call home

and it felt more personal and vulnerable to travel by bike than to pass through in a car

i saw neighbors congratulating each other on a new car (a 97 impala - but man, he was proud), kids walking to the park, a guy listening to some jazz music on a sunday afternoon

it's hard to explain how much fun it is traveling slowly on our cruiser bikes - barely averaging 9 minutes per mile

but it lights this fire in me  - to want to tour and commute by bike

side by side with bill

sometimes one leading the other to our destination

stopping for water

catching an unexpected festival or food truck

and truly getting to know our neighbors and hills.

bourbon weekend

anyone off today?

back to work for me!

and wouldn't you know it - it's supposed to be in the 50's today

all weekend  it was in the 20's and 30's

but that didn't stop me from getting my runs in

the pain is starting to ease in my shins - i feel like i've worked through some of the initial pain, and when my new shoes are delivered tomorrow i'm going to be more than ready to take them on a longer run!  and by longer...i mean like 2 miles instead of 1

and even though the temps were freezing this weekend, bill and i couldn't help ourselves

we didn't travel too far - just a big loop through two neighborhoods

the weather, originally, was supposed to be warmer - and i had big plans for us to bike it to the donut shop

but it was FREEZING riding downhill

and we have yet to get helmets - which is next on our list of items to purchase along with locks.

i can't wait for spring...

the rest of our weekend looked like this

 blankey +laptop = HEAT!

mario cart and batman legos game

woodford thinking deep thoughts

woodford taking a stand

actually, just demanding belly rubs

oh, and, we celebrated maker's mark's decision NOT to dilute it's bourbon

we're obviously woodford fans - but love maker's price point and value :)

what's your favorite bourbon?  and if maker's mark did dilute their bourbon just a tiny bit, would you have still bought it?

if you have today off - please take a nap for me - this coffee isn't working this morning.

let's bike

there has been a lot of chatter between bill and i

and in my own head of wanting to move

the need for new scenery

the want for a more walkable end of town

bill and i had so much fun in key west

where these bikes were our main transportation for a week

it was nice.

i had forgotten how relaxing it is to take your time pedaling to get somewhere

bill and i even own a pair of really nice bikes

but we hardly ever get them out

we're pretty limited to where we can ride and feel comfortable riding.

basically...in the neighborhood and to our local biker bar...

and the chatter that's been ongoing summed up is basically:

"i really wish we lived somewhere where we could ride our bikes to most places"
"we'd get much more use out of these bikes if we didn't live so far out"
 "wouldn't it be nice to just ride around for an afternoon, shop, eat, and pedal some more?"
"i wish louisville was more bike friendly"

and after spending saturday afternoon with my sister in law it kind of hit me...or rather, she just said what i had been neglecting to realize

she too, had been dreaming of moving, but then decided to focus on where her family is at and all the positives that surround them and what NOT moving meant to her family (no mortgage, retirement planning)

and i agreed with her at the moment

but not until sunday afternoon did i realize that i could be happy where i'm at too

sunday, bill and i got in some accidental exercise

we were headed toward the waterfront when bill suggested we visit the big four bridge which had just opened friday

the "bridge to nowhere" which had kind of been an eyesore downtown

had finally completed construction to become a pedestrian and bike friendly bridge

you can read about the bridge's history and re-planning here

when we got there, there were several people out enjoying the warmer-ish weather

and everyone was out to make the trek across

needless to say i was impressed and instantly sad we didn't have our bikes

i knew the waterfront had done a lot of work to make downtown a fun, bike and pedestrian family atmosphere

but until i stepped on the bridge and realized we could actually, safely ride around downtown, hop on the big four and head over in to jeffersonville, indiana to ride as well - it hadn't really sank in

now, granted, we still have to pack up our bikes and drive downtown

which

still sucks

BUT, i had also neglected to realize other louisville planning projects

one of which is happening less than a mile from my door.

the louisville loop - a 100 mile trail system that will encircle the city and link new parks with existing parks, neighborhoods, transportation alternatives, and recreation opportunities (the big four bridge is located on the northern portion of the loop)

will be adding a new park which will grant access to the loop less than a mile down the road from me.

now, riding a bike from my house to downtown via the loop may not be feasible most weekends, but the fact bill and i will have the opportunity to walk or ride less than a mile to a park and also walk or ride part of the loop makes me very excited.

it also opens up the ability to ride along the loop to restaurants and shopping

sadly, my local park (which apparently will include a dog park, after reading the website!) won't be completed until 2014-2015

BUT, going back to my conversation with my SIL, i had been focusing on the negatives of where i live and everything i wished my community offered - without even realizing my community is in the process of changing

everything i want is actually happening right outside my door, but for the past few months i had neglected to realize this.  and my want and need for instant gratification took over.

after our walk sunday, i resolved to be happy here and look on the bright side. 

it also made me happy to think about, when we are ready to move out of the condo, i would hope our proximity to a park and access to the louisville loop will only help our property value :)

this spring i am going to make a very strong effort to enjoy my city more and bill and i both are going to get more use out of our bikes.

and like anything else i decide to resolve to do - it comes with a price tag

we decided if we're going to bike more, we need to invest in some safety features for our bikes as well as a bike rack for the edge.

and so it begins :)

i hope you had some accidental exercise this weekend, enjoyed your city, or, if you were snowed in, got to enjoy your family and friends.