May Bike Ride #2: Parkwood Baptist Church

I forgot to bring my camera on today's bike ride, so unfortunately, there will be no pictures of my ride.

We rode to Parkwood Baptist Church this afternoon because I had to attend a committee meeting, and Rob had the car and was at work. I didn't feel like taking the bus (because to get to Parkwood, it takes 90 minutes to get there, via DATA route 16 and DATA route 7), so we got ready to bike there.

Here is the route we took, well, almost...I always have to modify the bike route that Google Maps gives me, and sometimes I can't modify it to the exact route I took. Like this time, the route is making me go further down Hwy 54, and turn right on Blanchard, then Euclid, and then Revere Rd...but that's ridiculous! Why on earth would a cyclist take that route? Why not just turn onto Revere straight off of Hwy 54?

It was an okay ride. I enjoyed the first portion of the ride - right around the time I got onto Barbee Rd, I started to enjoy it a little less. There was a lot of traffic and Barbee Rd has some portions with a bike lane or wide shoulders, but other parts of it are narrow and not exactly bike friendly.

When I was waiting at the stoplight to turn left onto Hwy 54 from Barbee Rd, I was being ogled at by a car full of men. Ugh. Then, just a little ways down on Hwy 54, I was passed by a car with a woman who looked at me like I was crazy. Her mouth was drooped open and her eyebrows were furrowed and forehead wrinkled, as though she was thinking, "what...is that woman crazy? Riding on Highway 54 with a baby in a bike trailer?"

Not crazy, I promise! Just doing my part to make healthier choices for myself, our family and our environment! I enjoyed being one less car today. Note: I must order a One Less Car jersey for myself and a t-shirt for Eliza. I'm sure I can find something on the internets. Yup, like this:

For Eliza to wear. For me to wear.

The t-shirt is cute and not too expensive. But $80 for that jersey? Man, I'm a cheapskate when it comes to jerseys! I guess it's because I get such a good deal on jerseys through Rob's work. Hmmm, maybe I'll have Rob call that company and see if we can get a pro deal price. :)-

It took us about 1 hour and 15 minutes to ride to the church. Eliza was happy to get inside of the church into the nice, air conditioned meeting room. I gave her some juice-water to drink from her insulated sippy cup, and she nibbled on some Goldfish crackers while we joined in on the meeting. About a half hour later, Rob met me at the church meeting. He took Eliza to a separate room and played with her until my meeting was over. At that point, it was 7:30pm and it was election day - and I hadn't yet voted! Rob hadn't either! But Eliza really, really needed to eat dinner and she had just created a big mess in her diaper, so I decided to just let Rob go vote and I'd stay behind to clean up and feed Eliza.

So, in the end, I didn't end up voting, but Rob did, and Eliza's needs for dinner and clean up were met, so all in all, it was a successful evening. And then we all hopped in the car and drove home together in the air-conditioned car!