Phlashback

I'm a bit late on this post. It used to be when I went away for a few days, I'd come back and everything would be right back to normal. Owning a house and having a family has changed that, and sometimes catching up takes days, or even weeks.

Anywho, hectic schedule aside, I did still want to make some time to write a little more about my experience in Philly last month, even if it took me several weeks to get it done. See, I'd decided to take a trip there in August for several reasons, the main one being the Naked Bike Ride. I also really, really missed my city and I really, really needed some time to myself, and some time to visit friends.

I rolled in on a Friday morning after splitting the drive overnight. I parked my car in South Philly, where it would stay until Sunday afternoon:

As you can see, it was gray and overcast, and at times the weather did turn rainy and misty. It didn't really matter, because I wasn't going to NOT ride a bike in Philly. After stopping at my macrobiotic counselor for a sorely needed health consultation, I headed out for some errands and explorations. It's interesting to see how the city changes just a little bit each time I return. For starters, there's now a two-way buffered bike lane on South 11th St, which is a street I used to use daily for commuting:

It's an improvement, for sure, but as is usually the case in Philly, these projects get segmented and interrupted. Turn around 180º from this exact spot and the scene looks much different:

There's also the inherent flaw that cars will undoubtedly back too far into the bike lane, but other than that U-Haul truck up there, I didn't see too many problems with this on that particular day. Anyway, I ventured on and headed west to stop by a "new" microbrewery in Point Breeze:

Despite the ladder, the place was open. It's not really a new brewery, but rather a satellite location of Dock Street Brewing, which is actually Philadelphia's first craft brewery (their home base is currently in West Philly). I'm happy to report that the beer is still quite tasty and photogenic. It also pairs well with a book:

After enjoying that and a light lunch, I continued on toward Center City for some additional errands. Sadly, I happened upon this building being torn down:

It's tough to see in the view above, but there was a mural bearing the phrase "Philly the Bern" on the side of the building. Here's how it (and my bike) looked in 2016:

It's sad because that particular moment was part of a really memorable bike ride with some really wonderful people. It's also sad because I really dislike when art of any form is demolished, and I really hate it when old buildings are torn down rather than rehabilitated (I understand that sometimes there are safety issues, but still). I mean, some buildings have been around for more than 200 years, like this rather famous one I passed by during my gallivanting: 

If you are unfamiliar, that building is Independence Hall, which is currently undergoing some rehabilitation work of its own (not pictured). Of the many things I miss about Philly, riding past insanely old buildings and pieces of American history on a daily basis are some of those things I took for granted and now would give anything to have back. They are truly magical. But this isn't supposed to be a sad post, so we'll move on.

I stopped for a beer in Old City in mid-afternoon (no pictures, it was kinda unremarkable) when I received a call from my buddy Dan, who was graciously putting me up for the weekend. He needed some beer and other adult beverages for the weekend and asked if I could pick them up on my way back to South Philly. Of course I agreed. Not wanting to move my car, I did a couple runs on the bike. It looked a little ridiculous at times, but it got the job done:

I then biked to dinner in Bella Vista with my old bosses from the Strengthening Health Institute before biking back to South Philly for karaoke at the end of the night. It was quite a full day, and most of it was connected via bicycle.

All of those little trips added up to nearly 20 miles of biking, which wasn't unusual for me in my Philly days, but certainly isn't common in my suburban life. I tacked on another 17 the next day (including the Naked Bike Ride), and for a brief 48 hours, I felt completely at peace with the universe...because I was doing everything via bicycle once again.

I mentioned in a recent post that I've been doing a pretty good job of keeping cycling included as part of my daily routine. For the most part, I haven't had to force rides into this routine of late, but there have been a few. When I lived in Philly, I never had that problem. I know that's one of the reasons I miss her so much, and why I really, really needed to visit again last month. She just makes biking so much easier, despite what the detractors (myself included) have said.

So until next ride, I'll miss you, old friend...