Scouting for Cycling

Spent a bit of the morning scouting out potential bicycle routes, now that the weather is turning cooler.  Between Google Maps and our own prowling of the neighborhood, we've figured out ways to get most everywhere we need to go without resorting to using a car or having to cycle on busy US 150.  It also gave us a nice long walk and let us keep tabs on the neighborhood.

Remember our "berry picking" post a few back?  Well, as predicted, the contractor of the new condos ripped the raspberries and grapes out, soon to be replaced, doubtless, with "landscaping" which will require constant mowing, slicing, dicing, blowing, mulching, grinding and assorted things involving the constant blue hazed buzz of 2 stroke motors.

sigh.

Here's the rather cool, heavily tagged, urine scented tunnel under the railroad tracks.

Not complaining, mind you.  It means there are a whole host of stores in easy bicycle range that we can get to without cycling in heavy traffic.

Even in the absence of bicycle lanes and paths in most of the US, using online mapping programs (especially Google, which gives you street view), some judicious exploration, and a bit of ingenuity, you can usually figure how to get to what you need on a quiet two wheels rather than an expensive four.  My goal, actually, is to get to a point that we can do without the car completely, just renting one occasionally when absolutely necessary.  In our case, with a paid for, older, very fuel efficient (okay, so we drive a Metro) car, its less a matter of cost than it is one of dealing with the hassle of owning a car just for a limited amount of use.

More shortly,
M

Floating Empire
Onboard Cooking
Life, Art, Water
Mungo's Forge