Take The Long Way Home

I have a few pounds I need to lose so I'm taking longer routes to and from work. A benefit of that is the change of scenery.

Work on the Iron Bridge is in progress and is supposed to be completed in August.

I was riding north on Cincinnati and saw something unusual. I sped up to catch up with this young man. Why? Because I carry a camera just for occasions like this. He sat backwards on his bike and rode for blocks. Pretty impressive.

Why Use Your Brain?

Maybe you've heard about the Texas Republican Party Platform (PDF) which contains this gem of a plank:

Knowledge-Based Education – We oppose the teaching of Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS) (values clarification), critical thinking skills and similar programs that are simply a relabeling of Outcome-Based Education (OBE) (mastery learning) which focus on behavior modification and have the purpose of challenging the student’s fixed beliefs and undermining parental authority.

And if you want to see what happens when you don't use critical thinking skills just read the rest of the platform. Privatize Social Security, get rid of the minimum wage, no to the United Nations Agenda 21, no homosexuality, no sex education beyond abstinence, and support Israel because of God's biblical promise to bless those who bless Israel and curse those who curse it.

A Youthful Celebration

The young couple pictured above celebrated their 32nd wedding anniversary last night. The evening began with an excellent dinner and bottle of wine at Scratch followed by a leisurely walk through Riverfront Park.

They ended up at Gibliano Brothers Dueling Piano Bar & Music House where they may have imbibed, danced, and sang.

The young man may have participated in a music trivia contest, running up to the stage, blurting out the correct answer and returning to his young bride with his energy gummy bear prize. What young man wouldn't go to such lengths for his bride? Surprisingly, the many other young people in the place were not that familiar with the older songs. Who doesn't know Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata?

Pay no attention to any stories, rumors, or other innuendo that may imply, insinuate, or assert the young man's involvement in playing the cowbell while the "brothers" played The Rolling Stones' Brown Sugar. Such calumny will not be dignified with a response.

Hey, Babe!

She wouldn't even look my way.

Children Of The Sun Trail

With the latest part of the North-South Corridor now open I got on my bike ride this morning to check out how the Children of the Sun Trail was coming along since the last time I looked.  

The access point on Farwell Road is still closed but since there's room for a bike, I figured it applied to motorized traffic. Well, that was my planned excuse if anyone said anything.

There's a new access point in Mead at the intersection of Wilson and Chatham. (Chatham becomes 1st as you go east.) This is great because it provides kids in this area with a safe, walkable and bikeable route Farwell Elementary and Northwood Middle Schools.

Further south on the trail, there used to be a horrendous 90-degree turn in which both sides went downhill to the turn. That is now gone and the trail is going to cross a bridge over a new onramp. The path going left takes you down to the remains of Parksmith Road which is now a construction zone. Nobody there showed any concern about an old man on a road bike passing through.

I took an alternate route to get on the southern end of the trail, and passed by Bill Sanders' old place. His sculptures still stand watch.

Here's the opposite view of the new bridge which is off in the distance.

From the construction north of Fairview and then going south past Gerlach it's pretty clear until you get on Freya. The path has been rerouted again but apparently blocked by Republican construction workers.

Going through the Nope blocks you come to another new bridge. It's not ready for traffic yet.

Taking Freya down to just before the roundabout, I had to go through more construction to come around to the other end of the new bridge. Instead of trying to go farther south, I headed back up Market to Parksmith where I got back on the trail.

During my ride I came across six other cyclists who were checking the trail out. This guy and his wife (I assume) were crossing Highway 2. Yes, we are on the wrong side of the Road Closed signs.

The new part north of Farwell and Northwood has been completed and looks pretty good.

Once the trail is completed, it looks like it will be pretty nice. There's connectivity for the schools and the kids in Shady Slope and Mead. And there's connectivity to the stores and businesses at Wandermere. For now the jury is out on the southern end.

I've Been Warned

WE THE FBI HAVE WARRANT TO ARREST YOU GET BACK TO US FOR YOUR OWN GOOD

Yes, I received an email with an AOL address in the From box saying it's from the FBI's Anti-Terrorism and Monetary Crimes Division stating:

We have warned you so many times and you have decided to ignore our e-mails or because you believe we have not been instructed to get you arrested, and today if you fail to respond back to us with the payment then, we would first send a letter to the mayor of the city where you reside and direct them to close your bank account until you have been jailed and all your properties will be confiscated by the fbi. We would also send a letter to the company/agency that you are working for so that they could get you fired until we are through with our investigations because a suspect is not suppose to be working for the government or any private organization.

And if I send some guy in Nigeria $98, my name will be cleared. If not:

Note/ all the crimes agencies have been contacted on this regards and we shall trace and arrest you if you disregard this instructions. You are given a grace today to make the payment for the document after which your failure to do that will attract a maximum arrest and finally you will be appearing in court for act of terrorism, money laundering and drug trafficking charges, so be warned not to try any thing funny because you are been watched.

Gee, I was hoping to try something funny but I don't want Mayor Condon, the mayor of the nearest city to where I reside, to call my bank and close my account until I've been jailed and all my properties confiscated by the fbi.