Contretemps
Date: Nov 14 Wed
Mileage: 33 (LHT)- 6m a.m/27m p.m.
November mileage: 190
Year to date: 2234
I've been trying to think of a witty title for today's commute, but in the end this one is apt. Today's ride was a continuation of yesterday's epic. Yesterday I lost my glasses (fell out of pocket not well zipped), so today i retraced my path in hopes of coming across said $300, 5-month old glasses. Piss! While ayer's route was one into the unknown, today's felt a bit more slog-like, but I thoroughly enjoyed up until the bitter end. And I took pics. I'll narrate the new Riverwalk/Levee Trail connector with images, and maybe throw in a few asides concerning my good fortune and there lack of it.
New markings on Algonquin under 264/Shawnee Expswy. This led me to initial look for other new work on the connector.
New off-street path on Bell's Lane. So pristine and devoid of glass and trash!
This little short portion proved interesting both yesterday and today. Ayer, I almost didn't find this. It sits somewhat behind an old switching station or something. B/c it's so new all the signage isn't complete. Once on it, though, it's a delightful little foray along the train tracks, but with woods full to the left. Oh, and hoy this is where i noticed my tire going soft! It was the first flat I've had in 2 years (commuting), resulting from a tiny piece of glass. I'm going to comment to Conti that it's bullshit to get a flat on their big, band super flat-protection tires with nothing more than a sliver. I change it with a fresh tube, and will have to patch the other as the new spare.
This is actually a pic of Rohm&Haas, but I'm standing in the entrance road of DuPont. My papaw (grandfather to you non-rural Kentuckians) worked here for years and years, my eldest uncle does not. It lies in an area of the 'Ville called "Rubbertown". What at one time was a boon of solid, well-paying blue-collar jobs now is a blight of modern enviroterrorism. There have been SO many articles of the health problems in Louisville's West End. That said, it paid my mom's bills and mine too when I stayed at their house from 1st-6th grade. The new path is a widened shoulder along Campground Rd. It's sort of a shitty stretch, but better than nothing. My uncle can perhaps commute from Southwestern Louisville to his job in "Rubbertown" b/c of the new connector, so I'm supportive rocks and all.
Once past 'Rubbertown', this is the first glimpse of a non-industrial river. I found this by following Lee's Lane past the bike path and to the river. It's obvious something else was there at some point, with it's previous roadbed. Gotta like the Fall color.
The Lee's Lane connector trail. I really like this pic, with the LG&E plant to the right, with its steam trailing in the wind, and the foliage to the left providing balance. I don't know if it's a "good pic", but I like it. And, yes, the winds from the west were quite pesky today. This is near where, on the return trip today, I learned that the bulb had burned out in the BM Lumotec. Oh mierda, miles and miles from home in impending darkness with no headlight. Not good.
"Tenedor". Or actually, bifurcacion. Yesterday I didn't know which to take, but I decided that the right seemed to go downhill towards the river, and I wanted to continue further along the path. (and non-Spanish people may miss the joke. Tenedor is a dinner fork, not a fork in the road. play on words. ja ja. geeky Spanish humor.)
This fuzzy pic doesn't do justice to my favorite new stretch of cyclingness. This section is found just off the levee trail. It's helped by the foliage. It's just a peaceful, pretty stretch of path.
The Bridge. Others locally have also commented on the quality of this puente. It traverses a bizarre large-looking drainage, with innumerable tree trunks. It's sort of in the middle of nowhere, but it's great.
Well, this is the 'Ville too. More southern industrial nightmare. This is the same LG&E plant on the southern side after the 'pretty stretch'. I sort of like this pic too, in all it's ick. The combo of the leaden skies, wires and smoke remind me of those Dickensian pics of England.
That's not a hill, per se. That's a mound of coal for the plant. At the base a most bizarre feature. Apparently it's the cemetary where the University organ/body donors are laid. Ayer, when I first saw the "hills" I thought it was across the river in Indiana. Little did I know.
The river view from Riverview Park. The hills are Indiana. I've heard there are some nice climbing hills, but I've never been over there to ride save a couple club rides a while ago.
More calamities. Ayer, this is where the wallet and ipod case fell out. I heard them and learned that I wasn't good and closed up. I held out much hope that I would find the glasses in the grass today, but to no avail. Big Bummer. I guess I'll get the adult bday+Xmas gift of more new glasses. Let's be clear that this episode- the glasses episode- is a huge learning experience. Back in June I had a perfectly nice pair of glasses. I lost my temper and broke them, so I paid good $$ for new ones. Now, with further responsibility issues- although more accidental- I've screwed another pair up. So that's $600 in 6 months, both situations being completely avoidable. Calm and controlling emotions. Responsible and taking care of appropriate task. Ugghh. Oh, and my front brake decided to magically rub here. the left arm wasn't releasing well. I think it was probably gunk built up on the rim, but this was my furthest point today.
Mileage: 33 (LHT)- 6m a.m/27m p.m.
November mileage: 190
Year to date: 2234
I've been trying to think of a witty title for today's commute, but in the end this one is apt. Today's ride was a continuation of yesterday's epic. Yesterday I lost my glasses (fell out of pocket not well zipped), so today i retraced my path in hopes of coming across said $300, 5-month old glasses. Piss! While ayer's route was one into the unknown, today's felt a bit more slog-like, but I thoroughly enjoyed up until the bitter end. And I took pics. I'll narrate the new Riverwalk/Levee Trail connector with images, and maybe throw in a few asides concerning my good fortune and there lack of it.
New markings on Algonquin under 264/Shawnee Expswy. This led me to initial look for other new work on the connector.
New off-street path on Bell's Lane. So pristine and devoid of glass and trash!
This little short portion proved interesting both yesterday and today. Ayer, I almost didn't find this. It sits somewhat behind an old switching station or something. B/c it's so new all the signage isn't complete. Once on it, though, it's a delightful little foray along the train tracks, but with woods full to the left. Oh, and hoy this is where i noticed my tire going soft! It was the first flat I've had in 2 years (commuting), resulting from a tiny piece of glass. I'm going to comment to Conti that it's bullshit to get a flat on their big, band super flat-protection tires with nothing more than a sliver. I change it with a fresh tube, and will have to patch the other as the new spare.
This is actually a pic of Rohm&Haas, but I'm standing in the entrance road of DuPont. My papaw (grandfather to you non-rural Kentuckians) worked here for years and years, my eldest uncle does not. It lies in an area of the 'Ville called "Rubbertown". What at one time was a boon of solid, well-paying blue-collar jobs now is a blight of modern enviroterrorism. There have been SO many articles of the health problems in Louisville's West End. That said, it paid my mom's bills and mine too when I stayed at their house from 1st-6th grade. The new path is a widened shoulder along Campground Rd. It's sort of a shitty stretch, but better than nothing. My uncle can perhaps commute from Southwestern Louisville to his job in "Rubbertown" b/c of the new connector, so I'm supportive rocks and all.
Once past 'Rubbertown', this is the first glimpse of a non-industrial river. I found this by following Lee's Lane past the bike path and to the river. It's obvious something else was there at some point, with it's previous roadbed. Gotta like the Fall color.
The Lee's Lane connector trail. I really like this pic, with the LG&E plant to the right, with its steam trailing in the wind, and the foliage to the left providing balance. I don't know if it's a "good pic", but I like it. And, yes, the winds from the west were quite pesky today. This is near where, on the return trip today, I learned that the bulb had burned out in the BM Lumotec. Oh mierda, miles and miles from home in impending darkness with no headlight. Not good.
"Tenedor". Or actually, bifurcacion. Yesterday I didn't know which to take, but I decided that the right seemed to go downhill towards the river, and I wanted to continue further along the path. (and non-Spanish people may miss the joke. Tenedor is a dinner fork, not a fork in the road. play on words. ja ja. geeky Spanish humor.)
This fuzzy pic doesn't do justice to my favorite new stretch of cyclingness. This section is found just off the levee trail. It's helped by the foliage. It's just a peaceful, pretty stretch of path.
The Bridge. Others locally have also commented on the quality of this puente. It traverses a bizarre large-looking drainage, with innumerable tree trunks. It's sort of in the middle of nowhere, but it's great.
Well, this is the 'Ville too. More southern industrial nightmare. This is the same LG&E plant on the southern side after the 'pretty stretch'. I sort of like this pic too, in all it's ick. The combo of the leaden skies, wires and smoke remind me of those Dickensian pics of England.
That's not a hill, per se. That's a mound of coal for the plant. At the base a most bizarre feature. Apparently it's the cemetary where the University organ/body donors are laid. Ayer, when I first saw the "hills" I thought it was across the river in Indiana. Little did I know.
The river view from Riverview Park. The hills are Indiana. I've heard there are some nice climbing hills, but I've never been over there to ride save a couple club rides a while ago.
More calamities. Ayer, this is where the wallet and ipod case fell out. I heard them and learned that I wasn't good and closed up. I held out much hope that I would find the glasses in the grass today, but to no avail. Big Bummer. I guess I'll get the adult bday+Xmas gift of more new glasses. Let's be clear that this episode- the glasses episode- is a huge learning experience. Back in June I had a perfectly nice pair of glasses. I lost my temper and broke them, so I paid good $$ for new ones. Now, with further responsibility issues- although more accidental- I've screwed another pair up. So that's $600 in 6 months, both situations being completely avoidable. Calm and controlling emotions. Responsible and taking care of appropriate task. Ugghh. Oh, and my front brake decided to magically rub here. the left arm wasn't releasing well. I think it was probably gunk built up on the rim, but this was my furthest point today.So the tally for 2 days is 86 miles, 1 $300 pairglasses lost, 1 flat, 1 wonky brake, 1 dead bulb (with no replacements), 1 pack Swisscake survival rolls, 1 bus ride home. And a whole lot of fun.
I think I'm getting my legs though. I find that I can still cruise a pretty good speed even when I'm tiring. No, not super speed, but functional speed.
And I finished the evening off with a bus ride home. Down in the West End at dark, tired, wet, and with no headlight, I gave in and availed myself of another of the 'Ville's offerings, buses with bike racks. So I paid my dollar and road across the county back to my neighborhood and to Wednesday night church, where I had spaghetti, salad and more than 1 piece of bread. Thusly quite the adventure. Damn those glasses though.
I think I'm getting my legs though. I find that I can still cruise a pretty good speed even when I'm tiring. No, not super speed, but functional speed.
And I finished the evening off with a bus ride home. Down in the West End at dark, tired, wet, and with no headlight, I gave in and availed myself of another of the 'Ville's offerings, buses with bike racks. So I paid my dollar and road across the county back to my neighborhood and to Wednesday night church, where I had spaghetti, salad and more than 1 piece of bread. Thusly quite the adventure. Damn those glasses though.
Comments
Nice photos though!