Last week’s down note for me was quickly turned over as I removed my cast Sunday night and started stretching my way back to riding again. Tonight’s ride was about old school bikes and old school fun. I broke out my recently restored Schwinn Traveler III and was excited to see who else and what else might join in on the fun theme tonight.

Val was not planning on it, but with much chiding she finally agreed join in with the group as we would be escorting two sisters from Hamtramck on the their first Bike Detroit ride. They were each sporting different versions of the 1960’s recently ‘Shang-Hide’ from Gramp and Grannies place! What we had standing in our midst, on all but deflated tires, was a Huffy 5 speed and 1old classic Schwinn in pea soup gold paint.

The ride was about our guests as we set out on a tour to show them all the things they wanted to see. The riverfront, the Dequindre cut, and a quick Pop-on- over, to see our Burly man friend/bar keep down at Andrew’s on the river. It was nice to ride with Val as she took the lead, we both had time to talk and to get to know each other further. My ankle was happy that the ride was a tour and reminded me once again in the morning, that we still had a journey to take…….

Bike Detroit! J. Meyers bike explorer.

I met the group down at Motor City around 5:00 p.m. as there could be no better a fitting place to begin. Sporting my new soft cast/surgical boot, hobbling in, this would be my first missed ride due to injury. There was/is no one better than Dan to lead a group through the city, in search of our own Brewing history.

Dan asked me to follow in the car and meet him/everyone there? I was not up for it and quickly said my goodbye and wished everyone a good journey. Dan commented later on how it had been fun, yet wished I was there, me too.

Bike Detroit! J. Meyers bike explorer.

Cooler temperatures and weird skys left me and Dan standing in the bottling room of MCB talking about our weeks and what we had been working on. We decided that with it being just us that we should keep it simple and head on down to the river and on over to Belle Isle for a good old fashion loop.
Stopping early on, just because, we made our way into ‘Andrews’ to see our good ole burly ABBA loving bartending friend. After a single round, High-life as it were, we were back up on our bikes, streaming on over to the Belle Isle bridge. Dan took the low road and I stayed up on the high side, peddling it with the sky, up over and down the bridge.

Once on the island we slowed down and talked some more, enjoying the glistening sun light and our fellow citizens out enjoying the beam as well. Cutting up the middle by the old Aquarium, we looped out towards the forest and back on to Outer Drive as we made our way back over the bridge.

We cut our way into and on through Easter Market and made our way back to the MCB parking lot. We said our goodbyes before we dismounted and both were off back to our homes and families in a blink of an eye.

Bike Detroit! J. Meyers bike explorer.

With all of the rain I knew today’s ride was going to be a bit swampy. I came ready for mud. Amber and James joined me and Dan as we decided to experience the Palmer Park Trails in spite of the rain, or mud for that matter.

We left around 6pm and headed straight up 2nd st through the Wayne State Campus, on by the Fisher Fwy. and then straight again all the way into the Park. Passing by the fountain, Dan took the lead and was off with his ass shooting flames, lit on fire! I was out earlier in the day trying to find the driest route but with Dan now taking the lead that good plan quickly turned into Mud. With the Virgin Watershed being compromised by the early city engineers, water tends to become trapped out in the forest as it waits to be lapped up by the towering Oaks and Beech.

The first swamp pit was brutal, my 6’5″, 270 frame lumbered on through, forcing me to stretch down deeper into my lungs, looking for the fuel to stoke the fire, so that the Pistons could make it on through the forest glue. In the background, sounding like a P.A. announcement, the gem of Amber all of a sudden found her voice! “Come On”, “Are You Kidding ME” could be heard all of the way through the forest. Up front swamping, leading the slow moving train, I found myself smiling and laughing pretty hard ;-). Welcome to the Detroit waiting to be re-discovered.

With sweat pouring down upon my face I de-mounted on a dry trail island mid way through, gasping for more breath needed to carry me on the rest of the way. As we emerged on the other side of ‘Two-Log-Bridge’ out on the Asphalt boundary trail, we all started to realize that somehow or another the Forest magically gave us new stockings to wear. All the way up to our knees no less and for some all the way up to our helmets! Dark Brown Speckled Body Suits man we styling.

From there we headed East onto Woodward and left for the ½ mile sprint up to the ‘Stone House’. Once there on the porch we all kind of had to smile/chuckle for we all had returned to younger inner child state. Come on and let’s face it, who doesn’t like to play in some mud and get some sort of dirty? While sharing we learned of the ‘Elevated’ porch and second floor which had a pool table and a cool atmosphere.

With just one refreshment on down we were off again to explore the historic Palmer Woods Subdivision. Winding/touring on through we came out across from the seven mile Palmer Park Entrance and hit the side walk down to the pool parking lot. Just for good measure we turned back in for one more swamp run. Amber’s voice was ringing the forest bell once again and as we made it back down via Third Ave. to the place we started, she finished by saying, “Now I am going to have to wash my bike”!

Bike Detroit! J. Meyers bike explorer.

Jen is back in shape, training for her first triathlon. We decided to ride down along memory lane and then join the group for another ride. In all honesty, it has been three and a half years since we have been able to ride like team members once again. 58 Minutes, with lights and stops, once out of the forest at Palmer; we pushed with mash potato wind in our face. Freedom-Fun.

Catching our breath as we walked in through Motor cities door, we soon meet Amber, Stacey, and James who were there for the first time joining the ride and group. Amber reminded us what tonight’s theme was about Dive Bars as Dan and yours truly have been caught up in our work, neither had checked. Two minutes of brainstorming and we were off over Canfield looking for the Buchanan trial for our chug on West, off to the once real village of “Springwells” for our first dive into a Dive.

At the corner of Springwells and Longwood we landed. Two pyramids of Pabst carried by three, ‘Owners’ assurances on bikes be safe, we headed back to the patio and horse shoe pits, adjacent to the party patio tucked out of site back into the rear. Pictures, smiles, and good conversation, we were back in the saddle again, less than 30 minutes, making our way down to yet another village, the village of ‘Del-Ray’, (The same historic Village that will be destroyed if the new bridge gets built).

Back up on top Springwells, we all switched back underneath the railroad tracks, picked up speed downhill with a sweeping wide left spilled onto Jefferson Ave. a fluid stream .50 mile push and onto the side door entry, up to the ‘Locals’ entrance of Kovac’s cir. 1896. Closed! We hope not for good, never filled, always empty with limited beer selection and always with Charley, the one local who always sat at the corner for years, dispensing good conversation, enjoying the night with ‘Ma Kovac” as we often referred.

The next bright Idea was Donavan’s, Shannon’s dive bar on the other side of the new pedestrian bridge? Great, onto Jefferson around the corner, through Clark Park and the May 5th celebration in Mexican town, we slowly swayed up and over the bridge feeling good to the pedestrian with the right of way. A quick left and we landed into Shannon’s parking lot as we greeted him well lounging in his patio chair dispensing law and order with respects to parking in his lot. Dan said Margaritas and the next thing appeared a random pile placed on tables before us. Greeeaaattttt as Tony the Tiger would say.

45 minutes later we went down to the river walk, on by the Icy-Joe and kind of made our way back slow. Glad we landed back at Motor City when we did. Jen made mentioned that “it is getting kind of late, we can catch a ride with Val”? It did not take long for me to say, sure.

Bike Detroit! J. Meyers bike explorer.

Hello to all! I wanted to start out by saying the past three rides have been major fun even knowing that there was not much turn out. Chris Frey and a few others came out to enjoy the rides which were for the most part explorative in nature. Today’s ride marks at least for me the real seasonal return of the Thursday Night rides as the group swelled to a total of 6 riders which include Jen and Val, making their warmer return out onto the Urban Trail.

Tonight’s ride was a first for me as well as I was afforded the opportunity to leave from our soon new office location on the East side and travel in via bike down the Goethe Trail as I made my way over to MCB. This street is the ultimate return path for it is like being in a pinball game. With the wind at my back, I flew and reacting low around corners having fun all the way over. With trail mapped out and map in hand, I wanted to check out the trail I was recommending the group take on its return ride as I would need to leave for a meeting at about midway.

Today’s Journey marked a classic return to the Tap Room Trail. A classic route, for sure one that we have taken and refined each season or year, always look forward to returning to the place that Dan met his true love Val. The way out was pretty much the same as we included the eastern most Park of the soon to be published Emerald Necklace trail, commonly known as ‘Algonquin Park’. We dipped in to show those who did not know that this was/is the best Park to put in your kayak or canoe out for a stint on the Detroit River!
With a quick glance at my phone, realizing the time I already knew had past, I had to leave the group there and zip over on Freud Street to make a mad dash right on up to our new office location so I could shower in the sink and change into better smelling and dry clothes.

I had received a report from Jen and Val both saying what a wonderful time they had as the gentlemen that accompanied the ladies would not let them pay one penny for anything! Jen even went as far as to say, “it was the best time she has had all year”! Thursday night rides rock.

Bike Detroit! J. Meyers bike explorer.

Today’s ride marks the return of the Sunday Mission Recon Ride for the 2011 season. My goal today was to travel all the way down to Riverview, MI., to join up with the family and Hitch a ride back home via Jen’s Car. The goal was to find/map out a way that brought me from Lathrup Village all the way down to my in-laws’ house, that kept me off all Major Roads as well as in-between Greenfield and Coolidge/Schafer Hwy. The Question was could it be done? With my latest Navigation App loaded up on my Blackberry, I thought today’s ride would be made up on the fly, so as to be influenced by the flow. I left that house at 1:00 on top of my trusted Mountain Bike once again; the temperature was 29 degrees as I took off to the South on into the Sun.

Church Street dead ends in to a closed street/grass trail as it makes it way on down to 8 mile. This route is one of my favorite off-road ways to get into the city. With the wind at my back I set the pumps free and started to pick up speed. Many times while I am out rolling through the city of Detroit, I spend the time thinking of heavenly things and always make time to reach up and out with the best thoughts and words I can muster. About a week earlier Jen and I talked at great length about the self-less trail and how maybe the goal is not to speak the magical/sacred words that would bind and force the classes and elementals into ones service? Maybe the best trail is one that they all would willingly join, of their own free will, if only asked to be invited; with certain heartfelt intent, grounded in what would be for the good of everyone, in attempts to bring the Kingdom down to our feet, to honor our divine father and mother? With Jens guidelines etched in my mind, and the first time since I began my study 5 years ago, I spoke aloud. Okay now back to the route…..
Traveling by Cooley High School, I was shocked and amazed that it had been closed down and had a big ole’ for lease/sale sign in front of it. For those of you who have never been by I beseech you to make a journey before it becomes yet another ruin. In my opinion this school is the finest piece of educational architecture the city has to offer to the viewing public. Many symbols abound the façade all that originally pointed to a higher intent can be found only if you get out of your car and onto pedestrian level. As I approached Michigan Avenue, I crossed over onto Schlaff and made my way into Prospect Park for a quick breather. Apart from the Freeways, Train Tracks also make it difficult to flow through the city on the path least traveled. So, as it were, I tracked on out to Greenfield and headed on down beneath the rail road bridge over head. On the way back up the hill two fine Arab-American(?), teenagers yelled with accented english form their car to “Get back on the F*****g sidewalk”! I thought that they should maybe brush up a little on the rights of cyclist on city streets and roads?

I stayed on Greenfield and crossed the Rouge on my way to Allen Road. Turning right I made my way through Melvindale and from there through Allen Park; pushing South all the way to Champaign which is where you can turn left and easily cross over I-75. From there I made my way to Abbot and on through Lincoln Park. With a slight swizzle to the right, then left, I continued down on Burns but made my way west just before Eureka Road onto Ford Line Road. I turned left again and made my way across Pennsylvania Ave. Finding Civic Park Drive, I slid down on the East side of the park and crossed over Sibley into my in-laws subdivision. I arrived at 3:00 p.m. sharp and with the some 32-34 miles behind me I thought I made good time.

Bike Detroit! J. Meyers bike explorer.

Today’s ride was joined by Dan, Derek, and Sarah from the group Fender Benders. It was Sarah’s first time out on one of our group rides as the divine feminine is always a welcome site and addition! We were honored that she made time in her busy schedule to join us. Dan and Derek had not ridden since December and would be well tested on our Journey today. As we assembled in the MCB parking lot, I had to ask the question once again, where are the helmets? Okay call me old school, jock, or dork but none the less proper form suggests that people wear helmets when they dance with cars and kerbs. They all looked style-ish but……? Derek found out later, what a strong wind can do when your hands are not on your handle bars. Front tire blown out, front rim bent into a kerb, maybe he was lucky or perhaps skate boarders no how to crash well? Needles to say a rescue ride was called and we joined up with him later…….

The journey was to the Stone House so we could sit on the front porch and bask in the rays of Raphael, (Archangel/Regent of our Neighboring Sun) as the warmth of the season had returned once again. For years I have asked others to write about their experience of the ride so that other types of people can see themselves in different words and take a chance on a journey with our group. Sarah was writing the whole way and made a recent post to her Fender Bender site. I asked her if it was okay if I posted what she wrote so that others who follow could see the journey through her eyes. She warmly agreed and now it is time for that cut and paste and for me to get out of the way:

Happy 2011! It’s still the start of a new year and something to be excited about. A time to feel optimistic (hopefully), moving forward with a refreshed visions into this New Year. We hope everyone ended 2010 with a greater sense ourselves and what we want for the future of our communities and ourselves, especially here in Detroit.

The next time you’re on a ride envision your bicycle as a vehicle of time travel. You are in the best position to see, feel, smell, touch and sense countless possibilities that await in an abandoned building, vacant lot, old fencing, community centers, churches, a mulberry tree and cracks in the sidewalk. Up close and personal. You may find yourself stopping to take a closer view or the taste the berries, that otherwise may have never existed to you in your car. You see now how a bicycle can alter ones reality: allowing us to become part of experiences that do not engage with us while traveling in an interior, protecting us from sometimes the very things we should be connecting to: Ourselves, Each Other and Nature.
Bike Detroit!

It was finally just like the old days with a slight twist. Today’s ride was hatched around 6:30 a.m. with a text sent to big Mike up in Rochester Hills. The plan was to just ride down and meet up with Mike’s wife and then head over to the St. Patty’s day parade in Cork town and then all return in the car, avoiding the NW wind. The next step was to see if Andrea was willing to not go to the office as originally planned but rather divert to the house, allowing for Jen to have a chance to join the old dogs in their trip on down. Andrea made the Day. First she said that she had to be somewhere by 4:00pm, but more about that later.

I drove out to pick up Mike from his house around 10:30 so that they would not have to coordinate a two car pickup. Anyway you dice it is 30 minutes up to his place from ours. I thought to myself, he had made this journey over 200 times over the past 6 years always willing to come down and work on the trails or take a ride. What a commitment that until this morning I had no real appreciation for.

We made it back to our place around 11:30 and I scrambled to get my gear on and check the tire pressures. Jen slipped outside with a weary smile to say hello and ask if she could help with anything. “just the water bottles” I said as I smiled at how dorky she looked wearing her winter boots along with her biking pants and gear. As I was putting my boots on, Andrea informed me that she would have to leave around 3:00 which was going to change our plan without me realizing it in that moment. A few minutes later and in a rush of action and excitement we were off.

Same group same fun! Pushing, talking catching up, the ebb and flow of three old friends doing what they loved had returned. I smiled all the way down to Palmer Park. Once there we dashed into the woods and made a turn off of the main asphalt trial and found ourselves back into the sacred forest once again.

Jen, hugging one of her big friends, a 225 year old virgin White Oak guarding one of the trail heads out at Palmer.

Big Mike checking his phone for the time to make sure we do not stay to long on the trail so we could meet his wife on time.

From there we rode on through to see if the report was true about people stealing pieces of the Historic Fountain’s balustrade? Unfortunately it was true. While the city contends with fighting with itself and against the self serving unions, the cost now is pieces of history are being scraped and stolen like SOME COPPER PLUMBING FROM AN ABONDONED HOME. This fact tugged at my heart strings as I know only too well that it would be another 30K added to any hopes of restoration.

As we jumped onto Third Avenue I had to ask myself when are we going to get it? When are the leaders going to provide an example for other people to aspire and follow? When will people care enough to change? A voice in my head went off and it was my friend Jon who asked again the question, “Are people inherently bad or good”? Today for the first time I had to agree that they were mostly bad.

We made it down to MCB with a few minutes to spare for out of respect for Mike’s wife, we did not want to be late. As we caught our breath, sitting at the counter, I had finally the chance to talk to Jen about what Andrea said about 3:00. She looked at me in typical fashion and asked me “when I was going to tell her about the change in plans”? What the heck I thought to myself, “when and in-between what breath”?

Needless to say, and much to our dismay, we told Mike and Lisa we were going to have to ride back so as to make the timing commitment with Andrea. Well with it being almost 2:00 and with the strong cold NW wind facing us, big Mike said, “Good Luck”. We saddled up and rode. I told Jen to stay tucked up in my draft bubble knowing full well that her legs alone would have a tough time with the 17 mile return journey that headed straight into the wind. Later that night I wished I would have never suggested it but what the hell there still are some heroes left and my wife believes me to be one of them.

We made a brief stop back in the trails at Palmer so that I could take off that second layer of biker pants. With that being done we rode by a cute couple that was out hiking taking pictures, with faces well lit with surprise and delight. The word seems to be getting out that the city has some wonderful natural spaces that are open to explore. The last few miles were tuff and I mean tuff. I had to slow down and get Jen back into the bubble. We made it back home at 3:06 and with Andrea’s van warm and running there was not much upset in her powerful eyes as we did our absolute best to honor her time and commitments.

Bike Detroit! J & J Meyers bike explorers