This morning I drove northwest of Nashville and then rode to Ashland City to check out the Cumberland River Bicentennial Trail. I’m having fun with the Hipstamatic iPhone app. :-)
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Riding Through Tennessee (via russroca)
Russ & Laura, the couple I mentioned 3 weeks ago, left Nashville this week. They made this beautiful video showcasing Tennessee, specifically the Nashville greenways in the first 40 seconds.
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KEEP IT COUNTRY
The area is serene.
The end of the road is a boat ramp.
Bells Bend is an isolated appendix of land West of Nashville where the Cumberland River curves back toward itself. It has no bridges accessing, only one road from the North. Even thought I still hurt from kickball, I planned last night to get up early and bike there as I had planned to do last weekend before we decided to go home home.
The 28.7 mile ride was awesome. Ashland City Highway has a huge, smooth shoulder to ride on. The road through Bells Bend is very quiet & narrow. I took in the cool breeze, tree-covered roads, and the flat land. I thought most of the ride would be flat since I was along the river but it turned out to be very hilly until I was at the southern end of of the bend. I was surprised to see houses built on extremely steep hills along my route.
On my way back home I stopped out a gas station that had rocking chairs on its huge porch. I nommed on a chocolate “energy” bar and listened to old men talk.
Other encounters…
- Four Dogs: Two were chained up. One was too prissy to chase me. The last ran towards the road (toward Ms. Priss) and retreated when he/she saw me.
- Three turtles crossing the road.
- A sign proclaiming to be Travis Tritt’s #1 Tennessee fan.
- A fish & pizza restaurant that no longer serves pizza.
- Ashland City Highway starts off narrow with a rumble strip starting at the white line. Riding on a rumble strip on a bicycle is a unique feeling.
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"I have worked in this building for 12 years and never seen a bicycle in it."
Fellow elevator rider in Palmer Plaza
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I took my first night ride with my Planet Bike Beamer 3 Headlight & Superflash Tail Light. I was very impressed with the output by both and had no worries about being seen. Casual riding at night is a lot of fun with empty roads. Now I’m ready to commute in the dark once the time changes in the Fall.
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View high resolution
Yesterday I participated in a fellowship ride for the residents of our lofts. We had at least 10 riders show up for the 15ish miles. It was great to meet neighbors, especially those that punish themselves on two wheels like myself.
I was nominated to lead the group by the organizer. I don’t think I was definitely not the most experienced and was most likely chosen because I could keep a pace everyone could ride to.
I hope these acquaintances turn into friends and riding partners.
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I have a 30 mile ride planned for tomorrow morning with the new clothes & accessories I bought this week. Shoes are next on my list to buy.
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©PathLessPedaled - Natchez Trace (by russroca.com)
I found Path Less Pedaled, a blog by photographer Russ Roca & art jewelry maker Laura Crawford. They have biked down the west coast, across the southwest, and up the Natchez Trace. They are in Nashville for a couple weeks and will be speaking in 10 days.
I spent at least an hour last night reading about their adventures. Their attitude, pace, and stories have made me curious in combing biking and camping. I don’t think I’ll be trekking across the country for an indefinite amount of time but it would be fun to bike home home.
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I should have woken up earlier than 9 and not sat around for an hour before I headed out on my bike. I could have beat the heat a little more and possibly experienced less traffic.
I planned out my route before I left and stuck to it pretty closely. I had to make a detour to avoid the fuzz blocking an intersection near TSU. I saw a lot of CMA Music Fest action downtown. I love the energy around the event but I can’t stand the people and sweaty armpits.
I’m going to buy a pair of cycling shorts and a jersey. My running tops work well but my long shorts aren’t enjoyable to ride with.
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I took a short ride this morning down to Belmont and back up 12th. It wasn’t too hot yet. The breeze helped too. I topped out at 27.9 mph through The Gluch which was fun.
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Lazy May
The distance I ran in May was down 44.3% from April. Cycling was down 79.5%. Spending three weekends at home home cut down on long bike rides. I don’t have a running excuse. I slept in too many mornings.
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Mayor Dean strikes a pose (by kinggreenbean)
I met the mayor Friday morning.
Theme: Linear by Peter Vidani
