Bike Commute

Ok - Yesterday I did some preliminary research on the possibility of a BIKE COMMUTE to school. I chose a route that goes straight up through Fairmount Park (One of the largest urban parks in the country) using Forbidden Drive. Though it's a gravel path with lots of rocks, which probably slows me down, it saves me a huge amount of stress not to be contending with car traffic for at least 2 and a half miles of the roughly 7 mile trip.

At the beginning of the trip, I foolishly neglected to note whether I was going upstream or down along the Wissahickon and I went about 2 miles in the wrong direction. I have used Forbidden drive many times and know many of the trails and entrances to the park. Therefore, I attribute this mistake, this failure to trust my instincts regarding some familiar landmarks, my failure to simply THINK for a moment about which side of the creek I was on, to an abiding bad sense of direction, a wacky, fragmented internal map, and my lack of confidence (That'll be 5 cents, please - Thank you, Lucy Van Pelt).

Finding myself under the Walnut Lane bridge instead of at the Andorra Natural Area (Hmm, I had a feeling I was going the wrong way) changed my trip plan a bit, but it gave me more time to enjoy the park.

I did turn around and go back up to Andorra, and then found a different way back out of the park. I took Rex avenue, which likely used to host horse-and-buggy and even model-T traffic, but that was before Forbidden Drive was forbidden.

Philadelphia actually has a number of abandoned streets (or sections of streets) that were left behind upon the building of bridges or highways or train tracks. I suspect it's the reason why many of our streets stop and then start again halfway across the city. It's fascinating to be walking in the middle of the woods and suddenly find a row of old Belgian block curbstones or, in one case, a fire-hydrant and an upside-down car. Yes, in the woods - right next to the fleeing red fox. But that's another story.

The Rex avenue route is one that I will never, ever take again toting a bike for these reasons:
A. In the park, Rex Avenue consists of the same old "cobbles" (though they're rougher than cobbles, really) that it had 150 years ago, except now they are separated and the soil around them has eroded somewhat. Imagine a half-mile of miniature tombstones.
B. It's a steep uphill, so, given all the rocks, I had to walk up it with my heavy steel bike.
C. It's kind of creepy back there, like a ghost-street!

A lovely walk, though. Really! And you might enjoy the downhill version if you like heavy impact.

So, I emerged from the park into the sunlit streets of Chestnut Hill once again, had a delightful time coasting down the roads, and was almost home when (I guess I just hadn't gotten enough yet) I decided to check out the trail that goes along the stream under the McCallum Street Bridge. It's a very cool bridge, rebuilt in 1984 or so, and you wouldn't think it's pretty until you're under it. The trail is inviting, but gets VERY narrow very quickly. It reminded me of my first mountain-bike treks through the Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge near Saginaw, MI. I need to thank my brother for convincing me that I don't need to trade in my fat tires for slick road tires just yet. Having a mountain bike made this final trail of the day an adventure instead of a nightmare!

I think I travelled maybe 10 miles during my 3 hours out, but, based on my time getting to the park, through the park, and the distance left to get to Miquon, I think biking to work will take me about 3 20-minute stretches - 1 hour. It's worth a try at least once or twice - I'd certainly get strong, but my wrists still feel a little hot today, a good reason to keep my options open, I think.