Columbus Corners: My favorite place to be in and around Columbus, Ohio #CbusCorners

My favorite place in Columbus, Ohio is to be outside on my bike cycling through some of the best parts of the city. Columbus offers cyclists some gorgeous and safe options to navigate the city.

First a bit about myself.. I ride a Trek 5200 that I have been riding for over 10 years. I have participated in the Great Ohio Bicycle Adventure for nine years, which is a 300-mile bike tour around Ohio with 3,000 other cyclists. On GOBA, I traveled through towns including Mt.Vernon, Lancaster, Athens, Marietta, New Philadelphia, Bowling Green and Newark. Although I do not routinely participate in many organized bike tours anymore, cycling is still a very important part of my life.

My interest in cycling extends beyond the physical training aspect and into the culture of bicycling. I have always been interested in the bike messenger service and the subculture that the messengers belong to. I even thought about being a bike messenger for a few years after graduating from college. I think that messengers are part of a unique group that comes to know the ins and outs of their cities. Every city has its own, unique identity, which represents and influences the personalities of the messengers. Travis Hugh Culley, a bike messenger from Chicago, once said, “Who I am is a parallel pursuit, a city and a man.”

A successful bike messenger, or cyclist, must keep a rhythm and a cool temper. Finding the rhythm of the city requires time, patience, and spirit and is unique to each cyclist. Keeping a cool temper means finding inner strength and order and not becoming lost in the chaotic city. These skills allow the cyclist to reach their destination successfully, while dealing with anything that the city may throw at her without letting it interrupt the rhythm.

After many years of cycling, I think that I have found my rhythm in my city, Columbus, Ohio. I know which roads are the best to ride on, which roads to avoid, where there is construction or detours, where the angry dog lives, which corners to take slowly, where the bike paths are and where to go when I run into a dead end.

One of my favorite corners of Columbus is one of my regular bike routes (I build this map with an online tool called MapMyRide - it is shareable!):

#CbusCorners

This project brought to you by the Columbus Social Media Cafe

Sunday Afternoon Biking

Tuesday morning bike ride

Distance: 13
Avg MPG: 16
Route: Davidson
Time: 50 mins

No crossing.. here or anywhere

UA seems like a well-planned community, right? The houses are neatly arranged, the streets look nice, there are trees everywhere, people are friendly.

Well when it comes organizing and executing their road construction/patching/re-paving efforts UA has failed! There has been road construction "happening" on Fishinger Rd since early June. It is July 10th! And they seem to be working backwards. First two lanes were closed and the crew seemed to be patching the trouble areas. Then there was no action. Then the cones were all taken down. THEN on Monday they tore up the whole road completely, even the spots they had been patching the past month, and are laying fresh tar (or asphalt or whatever). This is just getting ridiculous!

So what does this have to do with cycling?!

This morning I head across Fishinger on Kioka towards McCoy (a road that was re-surfaced in less than a week, nicely done there UA) and on towards the Olentangy bike path. An hour later when I return the same route the trucks have just passed putting down the fresh black stuff. There is a useless cop sitting at my intersection doing nothing to help except throw his arms around at other cars. "Well balls" I think to myself. I do not want to ride across this stuff because I may sink in and it will stick to my tires and possibly ruin them. Also I do not think I can ride across without being signed and/or yelled at by the copper. So I head north to try to pass the trucks and cross in a spot they have not paved yet. Before long I end up at Mountview, a bit farther north than I had aimed but those roads wind too much, and cross without much trouble. I can't go down Edgevale because there is, and has been for a long time now but this one looked serious, a road close sign up. So I turn down Bristol following the detour sign. Before long I come to another freshly paved road. "What The Fuck" I think to myself! Now I just want to get home and am feeling defeated. Luckily a kinder man who must work for the city drove up behind me and told me the surface was probably dry enough to ride over. Although I was a bit hesitant b/c of the tar sticking to tires concern, I was tired and really wanting to ride the 0.2 miles to my house in the most straight line possible.

Today I got home without destroying my tires. What will tomorrow bring?!

It's my birthday!

Started the day off right with a bike ride. It is getting summer hot lately and I am missing the spring. Still trying not to turn on the AC. My bike ride was relaxing. Only one annoying minivan. Really ready for the Fishinger construction to be over. I stick it to the man by riding on the wrong side of the cones.

Time: 1:25
Miles: 21.6
Avg: 17 mph
Route: Rings Road

Expansion is cramping my miles

I haven't been a Columbus resident for terribly long and have only been cycling around these parts for about two years. But even in that short time I have seen Columbus suburbs expanding more than I think is necessary. Hilliard and Dublin are the areas I cycle through mostly and the new condo complexes and office buildings and shopping centers and gas stations seem a bit overkill. Hayden Run Road used to eventually turn into a nice country road. There were still what were once new condos but once you got past those it was nice and quiet. Then good ol' Lifestyle Communities started a new condo project over a year ago and it looks like hell! The fake ponds are neon green and the traffic is unnecessary. Then the extra road work and gas stations that get put in to accommodate the extra houses are even more of a headache. I really do not think that Columbus is expanding much at all and definitely not enough to warrant this many new houses. Rings Road is another.. So sad!

This expansion is sad because it is ruining nice country roads and land and it is also taking away valuable cycling routes. So all those people who get fussy when they see a cyclist in front of them should remember, we were here first!

Time: 1:15
Miles: 21.6
Avg: 17.8 mph
Route: Rings Road

Treks Rule!

I love my bike a lot but this is just about the sexiest thing ever!


mmm mmm mmm

If I only had an extra $3600!

This is the:

Trek Madone 5.2 Pro

Frame	OCLV Black Carbon
Fork	Bontrager Race X Lite, carbon w/E2 aluminum steerer
Wheels	Bontrager Race Lite
Crank	Shimano Ultegra SL 53/39
Rear Derailleur	Shimano Ultegra SL
Sizes	50, 52, 54, 56, 58, 60, 62cm
Color	Carrera Blue