Martha has a wonderful blog. It is called
Living Among Tourists. I highly recommend it. Recently, she made a
challenge. She challenged us to photograph our usual ride, "the one that most
illustrates the path most taken-the drudge, the glory, whatever it is
that you see all the time on your way to work or play."
It seems apparent from reading and looking at the postings of others who have taken up the challenge, I originally misread the assignment. I thought she was asking for one picture that somehow summed up my daily commute. After all, in her post proposing the challenge she only had one photo.
As I had first read the challenge, it proposed a daunting task. How could one view sum up my daily commute? There is so much. Could I really refine my daily ride down to its essence? I decided to try.
 |
| There are the tree lined residential streets I ride down. |
 |
| There are the shells of homes once glorious. |
 |
| There are the marvelous planned green spaces, and... |
 |
| There are the not planned green spaces I've heard called "urban prairie", where housing stock has been torn down leaving a forlorn emptiness. |
 |
| I ride by strip malls and empty storefronts. |
 |
| I even spend some time on a remnant of the "Mother Road", Route 66. |
|
But, if I had to choose one photo to sum up my commute it would be of a group of trees I ride by in Tower Grove Park.
 |
| These trees are twisted and bent. They have been broken, but still stand. Their beauty isn't in their perfection, but in their simply being there. |
By the way, my most direct route contains twenty-four stop signs and twenty-three stoplights, but seldom do I take the most direct route. Most days there are more. My chosen route is not a hurry up and get there sort of affair.
Nearly everyday I notice something I've not seen before. Each and every day I ride I am grateful to be able to simply be there...here and now.
Keith,
ReplyDeleteHow cool is that - Route 66!! On my bucket list mate!
Love those trees - lovely bit of photography. Are they twisted from tornados?
Geoff,
DeleteI don't know how the trees got the way they are, but I suspect tornadoes are not the culprit. That said, I suspect high winds, lightning, and/or that's just the way they grow. I do know I love looking at them.
Route 66 took a couple of different routes through the City depending on where it crossed the Mississippi. It certainly is a mythic road. There is some effort going into preserving the old road, but how do you preserve what was next to the road? A highway is its own ecosystem. I suspect that part of the road is gone, but I delight in riding on the "old road" any chance I get.
Thanks for stopping by. I've been delighted to see you blogging again. I missed your wit and wisdom.
~Keith
Wonderful post, Keith. I originally thought of having people post only one photo. It would be more of a challenge that way. And I knew there would be bits no one really wanted to show, like my ride past the ugly grocery store, but maybe someone would like to see the ugly grocery store. My ride isn't that long, 6 miles and mostly just what my one photo shows: orchards and woods. And an ugly grocery store. So, I got away with only one photo.
ReplyDeleteI'm so, so glad no one followed my example!
I'd take the long way, too, if I lived where you do. Thanks for taking the challenge! That was fun!
Martha,
DeleteMy commute is somewhere between twenty to twenty-five miles round trip. Sometimes the evening ride can boost the total up over thirty, but seldom does that happen. After all, I have a cat to get home and feed. There is lots of character, memory, and scars on many of the street I navigate. It is wonderful.
Thanks for stretching me again.
~Keith
Keith, despite the abundance of stop lights and stop signs you seem to have a very enjoyable ride. Plus Route 66.
ReplyDeleteI also had a hard time picking the right photo for the challenge. There is so much going on on my route, that one pic can hardly represent it.
Well done!
Sonja,
DeleteUrban environments are so rich in activity. I love riding through the neighborhoods. I have a number of folks who wave to me as I pass the bus stops. It surprises me how a small cc scooter spawns community.
The stoplights and stop signs actually slow the traffic. I originally chose my route when I was riding a 50cc scooter. I've kept on riding the route just because it continues to hold my interest.
Thanks for sharing,
~Keith
24 stops and 23 lights and that is the direct route? Yikes. Remind me never to complain about driving through campus again.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like quite a nice drive though, and I can see why the tree picture sums it up. Very nice.
Brandy,
ReplyDeleteActually there are more direct routes, but they involve the Interstates or stop and go traffic. All the stop signs and stoplights tend to keep traffic down. It feels safer that way. I guess I should have said: The most direct route I take :)
Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
~Keith
keith:
ReplyDeleteour City is against cars. they love bikes and rapid transit. They have conspired to make us miss every stop light in every direction to stop traffic from flowing. it is their message for us to get out of our cars. We have no direct routes to anywhere, just lots of signal lights so when we have a few straight stretches, the traffic goes wild and speeds up . . .
I hardly notice any cars on your commute. We drove some of Route 66 in Arizona; Williams, Seligman and Oatman. It would be nice to ride a bike/scooter the whole way, one day . . .
bob
Riding the Wet Coast
My Flickr // My YouTube
bob,
DeleteI suppose one of the few advantages of living in a City not as vibrant as it once was is traffic also isn't what it once was. I purposely take streets less traveled. It just seems safer...and, more interesting.
~k
Keith-
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your ride! Thanks for posting!
Deb
Deb,
DeleteI'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for visiting.
~k
Dear Keith:
ReplyDeleteI'd say your commute takes in a great cross-section of the US today, with neighborhoods fighting to retain their character, and some just fighting to maintain a toe-hold. I like your selection of the copse of trees for the shot that sums up your run. Sensitive men are aware of trees. I envy you your ride to work as the doctor has restricted me from riding for another 5 months. Though I have decided to begin planning my list of perfect rides, for my triumphant return.
Fondest regards,
Jack/reep
Twisted Roads
Jack,
DeleteI agree with your comment about my riding through a living metaphor for much of America's cities. I do not take this opportunity lightly. I am very grateful.
About your not riding, I can only say that I, too, look forward to your triumphant return. But, I suspect not as much as you do. Get healthy my blogging friend.
~Keith