A True SlowSpokes Ride

By Anndra Morgan

Running late to Bryan Park for the SlowSpokes ride, I gave Jodi a call to let her know.  She informed me that she was not going to make it. No problem, I thought, there has always been someone show up who knows the routes better than I do.

On the way to the park I planned my course of action.  If no one was there I would have my husband drop off my son and me and we will ride home. (I live in Ellettsville and I have yet to ride to Ellettsville from Bryan Park.)  If someone is there, we will ride the loop that takes us past the Speedway and on the Clear Creek Trail.

Well I get there and there is one gentleman waiting who just moved to Bloomington one week ago.  He knows where Wal-Mart and Bryan Park is.  He rides 5 days a week, 4000 miles a year.  Oh Boy, he is not going to be any help with getting through the subdivisions between Winslow and the Speedway!  I explained to him where we were going, let him know that I might get turned around a few times because I wasn’t sure of the route (he was fine with that), assured him that I would get him back to the park and off we went.

Along the way I shared information about the BBC and some of its rides.

All went well until we crossed Winslow.  In the subdivisions between Winslow and Rhorer Rd., we had to turn around several times because I just could not remember all the turns.  We went in a few circles and at one point we ended up back at Winslow a little to the west of where we started.  He assured me that was fine as long as I got him back to the park. (I was positive I could do that, it just might not be a BBC route)  Finally I made it to a familiar road and managed to make to Rhorer Rd.  We crossed Rhorer Rd. and I knew that we needed to go to the right, just didn’t remember when, and headed down a road that ended in a cul-de-sac.  Turn around again.  We finally made it to the Speedway and I was good to go after taking a few minutes to decide to turn right at the stop sign.  We continued on the rest of the route without any more wrong turns and I was able to give our guest a mini tour showing him a little of downtown via the B-Line trail.  I pointed out Bloomingfoods and the location of the Farmers Market and gave him advice on where to park.  We continued up 7th street through campus and stopped at Showalter Fountain. (I had to wake my foot up.)  Finally we headed back to Bryan Park via IU campus through the parking garage and arrived back at Bryan Park at 4pm.

According to his speedometer we had a true SlowSpokes ride of around 18 miles at about a average of 10mph.