Bike Ride 3, Strange Stories from Childhood

I went on my third bike ride on July 19th , and had a blast.  I only did 2.26 miles (3.64 km) because my padded bike capris haven't arrived yet and my unmentionable bits have only just healed from the last bike ride.  This ride was just the right length to feel good and get home before things went...south, lol. I also called my local bike shop, Velorution, and asked if they had a gel saddle cover.  They didn't have one that would fit my Townie saddle but said they could order one, so I had them order one for me.  They also told me my free water bottle holder is in and that I could come and get it at any time, which is great.

 The photos above and below were taken at the end of Cumberland, a tiny side street where, years ago, when my best friend and I were small children, we saw a bridge leading to a field of flowers.  It was beautiful, and we wanted to cross over the bridge but decided to go get her Mom to show her, because her Mom loved flowers.  We went to get her Mom, who insisted that there were no bridges or fields of flowers, but she followed us back anyway.  The bridge was gone.  We never found it again.  Every once in awhile I go back to see if it has reappeared.  I noticed they have a mound of dirt there; I wonder what they're building?  Maybe a bridge, lol?

 The photo below shows just a curb and a street with an empty lot at the end.  There used to be a ramshackle wooden house...more like a cabin, where the overgrown area is. A single man lived in the house and all of the neighbourhood kids were suspicious of him; I don't know why.  One day, when I was about 10, some of the neighborhood kids came to tell my friends and I that the guy had killed a kid and they had proof; a little withered hand on the ground next to the curb.  We didn't believe them and they dared us to go look at it, so we hopped on our bikes and went to go see it.  There really was a little hand, a dark colored withered little hand with what looked like fingers and a thumb.  It was way too small to belong to a child but everyone insisted that it was a kid's hand.  My friend and I went to tell her big brother, Mike, and he also agreed it was a hand.  Now, looking back, I bet it was a raccoon paw.  Their little paws look just like little hands.

It's amazing what memories bike riding brings back.

 The picture below shows my friend Stella's childhood home, from the side.  I told her I'd get a better shot from the front next time; she hasn't lived here since just after highschool.

 Someone pinned this red thing to a pole. It looks like the tail to a  Hallowe'en Devil costume, if you click on the photo to enlarge it.  From a distance, it looks like an arrow.

 My friend Donna lived in one of the brick houses on the left hand side of this street.  I can't remember which one.

 Someone graffiti-ed this house all along one side, and also the garage.  Almost right across the street, there is a brick house that is surrounded with gorgeous flowers and a huge statue.  It is very incongruous. 

 The above photo does do the flowers around this house justice, they are absolutely out of this world.  Just after I snapped this photo, the lady of the house came out and smiled at me when I praised her flowers.  I asked if the ones either side of the garage were rose trees, but she said no, they were special flowers from Italy.  I should have asked her permission to get a close up shot; they were incredible.  We chatted for a bit and then I went on my way.

 More shots of my beautiful Townie Electra, now sporting a brand new hand crocheted front basket.The basket was very convenient; I left my water bottle in the basket and it was very convenient to just grab it when I wanted it.  Last time I put it in my bike purse, which i have on the other side of the handle bars, facing me. It's nice too but has a zipper which makes it a pain for water.  It's great for my camera, money, keys, etc., though.  I really love having so much carrying capacity on my bike.

 I love this shot of my bike, with the pretty blue flowers.