Biking the Monon Trail

What a joy to ride the Monon Trail!





I needed a break.

I'd been putting in the miles.

Cranking away the pedals for centuries.

But now was the time to remember how much fun biking can be.




I usually avoid the Monon trail.

Popular with rollerbladers, strollers and dog walkers, it can be hazardous for the serious bike rider.

But what fun to watch the world whir by.

Nicely shaded on this hot summer day....

...we have the signature red bridges carry us over the rivers.

In a world driven by rapid commerce, the tunnels of the Monon lead to a more civilized world....

...of bird song and smiling faces.

For those who thirst, there is water...

....for us and our best friends.

For those who hunger, there is food fresh from the neighboring farms...

..and brambles promising blackberries.

For those who tire, a spot to rest.

And to feed the soul, there is art...

Art to touch at the School for the Blind...

And art in the process of creation as we whirl by on our wheels.

Sometimes one must stop to talk with the artists.

And being a lone biker I welcome the rare day when I take time to stop and chat with people on the trails.

What vision!

To take this abandoned railroad bed and turn it into a treasure for the city.

We still dream of a trail like this for New Castle.

The trail attracts business and pleasure.

Where once there was litter and darkness, there is community.

And who enjoys the trails?

In famously overweight Indianapolis, I see active people on the Monon trail.
Does the trail help people get fit?
Or do the fit people seek out the trail?

I would say the trail appeals to certain people...

I saw a commotion ahead of me on the path.
An older lady biker had crashed.
She was lying flat across the trail with people huddled around her to help.

A young lady jogger was holding a cloth to the lady's face - blood spattered.

A male biker kneeled next to them ready to help.

A teen boy was moving her bike to the side of the roadway.

I stopped to see if I could help..

"You're in good hands," comforted the lady jogger - "I'm a physical therapist at the nearby clinic."
And the biker guy added - "and I'm a surgeon at St Vincents"

I shrugged...
"I'm a pathologist. You don't need me!"
and I biked away.




But what a joy to bike in a place like this - where people stop to help...

...and where biking can be so much fun!