On the Road Again

I took the day off and spent a good part of the day riding my bicycle.

But I had the stop Bicycle Cafe at Lawther and Northwest HWY and have second breakfast and some coffee

Then I worked my way to the Park Lane DART rail station and rode it up to the Parker Rd station in Plano

Once there I rode over 75 and found the Chisholm Trail  and took it up to the Bluebonnet Trail

Somebody forgot to mark the southbound Preston Ridge Bike trail  but I figured it by following the power lines

Central Expressway and the trail

Then Cottonwood Trail and onward to White Rock Trail

I was pla.nning to take it all the way to Downtown Dallas but I guess I need to work up to since the heat took it out of me and I just headed home

The Path Taken After Work

I ended up skipping class to ride my bike. I went up White Rock Trail and then onto part of The Cottonwood Trail that eventually goes to Richardson. It took a lot out of me but I finally got to see the trail thread through the north Dallas High 5 traffic ramps.

Along the way I snapped a few photos and while preparing them to post I accidentally saved two with the wrong orientation and felt they looked way better than the intended view.

The one below threw me when I first looked at it since I couldn't figure out what was wrong. I honestly didn't know what these things floating in the air were. Of course I had the water reflection at top and the sky on the bottom... I wish I had thought of that myself.

Another Morning Bike Ride

Taking a break to enjoy the moon and the coming sun

View From a Bridge

White Rock Lake 6:35 AM

Yet Another New Day

I missed the last two mornings but here is today's White Rock Lake Morning picture

And the below is just a picture I found on the camera

Another Morning and Another Bike Ride

Day 2 of my impromptu exercise regimen and here are some of the sights from today's ride

And now a short Video

Morning Glory

In my attempt to be less of a a plump middle aged man who is easily winded, I got out of bed and rode a leisurely ride around the lake.

Run Rabbit Run

I am testing my old Video Camera (Sony DCR-HC40) that is around 6 years old, so I took it with me on my ride around the lake after work today. Previously I had problem with the automatic exposure but today it worked out OK. It is just that any less than 1080p seems so 20th Century.

But this camera has a much better lens I think and the stabilization if good compared to my Sony "bloggie"

Tuesday at White Rock Lake

My first exercise in a month and a half.

It felt Ok. I am may go to Aikido tomorrow.

A Sunday Morning Bicycle Ride

I managed a ride on the Dallas Santa Fe Trail this morning. It takes you from White Rock Lake to just outside of Downtown Dallas. A nice and easy ride of maybe 5 miles from the White Rock Spillway to to Downtown. You end up in in an odd part of town for a cyclist and I suppose if I knew downtown or Deep Ellum better I would have know what to do it looks like the trail definitely ends with no expectation of further development, even though the trail itself is very well constructed.

As an aside it is cool to see the remains of the original Dallas Santa Fe Rail Line at the end of the bike trail pavement.

After Work Bike Ride

Unfortunately I couldn't make Aikido class tonight and it was very pleasant cool evening in Dallas and with the time change I took advantage of the daylight after work and I managed to get in a bicycle ride in at White Rock lake. It has been a few months since I've ridden and it was nice to get out.





All in all a nice ride

Originally I was going to take a few days off to visit relative in Houston but more local familial demands made me cancel that, BUT since I had already asked for the days off I have tried to squeeze in some fun time between those trip canceling obligations. I had two goals, read Wise Blood and ride my bicycle. Check and Check!

Here is the situation...you ate your lunch of a simple green salad with some marinated mozzarella balls thrown in plus you have the day off and have 3 beers to wash it down...THEN you think, “Hey, I should go for a bike ride!!”

So you take off and ride on the White Rock Lake trail from the lake north towards LBJ
(aka 635). On your way you realize you REALLY should have used the toilet at home, but with few options you look for relief. Do you use the freshly installed port-A potties for tomorrows charity run, or the long establish restrooms at the park? Here is the comparison.



I think it shows what kind of person you are from which choice you make.

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Yesterday I went south from White Rock Rail station and today I went north. Yesterday I was on a bike trail that was newer and when through the older parts of a large city and today I went the other direction through what is now urban but once was SUB-urban. The result is the view today was just as level but way more boring and frankly a little more messy.



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But it all ended up with a half way point coffee break at central and Forest Lane

On The Trail Again

To avoid a complete mental breakdown I took off work today with the primary goal of riding my bicycle. Of course I didn't get away as early as planned but I rode via White Rock Lake Trail to White Rock Light Rail Station.






I tried to lug my bike in the first rail car and the driver opened up enough to tell me I was doing something wrong and all I got out of him was that I should move down. So I entered through the next door down and only later realized he was telling me to go to the middle car that has no steps and two measly bike hooks.

But I finally made it to Mockingbird Station



And took a short break at a convenient Starbucks for coffee


And then on my way to Katy Trail


And I unexpectedly found my way...


AND a police escort


There were plenty of places to stop and look...




And took a detour to Reverchon Park






Which led to the path on Turtle Creek





The path back through Reverchon Park has some interesting underpasses



..that are cleverly decorated...



FYI, those are not nooses hanging down, they are some sort of twisted steel cable.




Katy trail ends at American Airlines Center


and Victory Park, which is neither a park nor a victory



Then onto downtown Dallas



And a short stop for a photo of the art museum







and catch the train at one of the downtown stations



Where I finally found right place but disobeyed the instructions on which wheel to hang by



And back by White Rock Lake, watch out for the broken railing