Lost Lake! On my bicycle.
I had no dreams of being a latter day Coronado when I set out to do shopping at a local market accessed by the trail, yet there I was, on my Cannondale H600, discovering a pond for water retention I never knew existed I don’t think many people know it is there, and it sure is not much to look at, just grass, a couple of scraggy trees, and some water. I suppose if you work at the nearby Wendy’s or Discount Tire you may have seen it. But the casual passerby would not see it from the car window speeding by on Main Street to the I-55 Interchange. And it is just as hard to see from the parking lot of the nearby Constitution Trail Centre.
I did find the lake to be a favorite of some area waterfowl, most notably Canadian Geese and Mallard Ducks. But other than the sometimes dirt covered trail, there were no facilities or benches or much of anything else around there, just a man made pond to retain water runoff from the parking lots nearby. There isn’t really a connection to the parking lots from the trail, but the trail circles the lake and then returns you from whence you came, the Constitution trail about a half-mile or so distant. But it is a nice connector to this area, so long as you do not mind walking your bike a short ways to get to the grocery store or theater or fast food.
There are a lot of places that I have discovered anew via bicycle. It is amazing what you can see without the speed of the automobile to blind you to the little out of the way places. These places may not warrant a stop in the headlong rush of the automobile, but the bicycle is a gentler guide. Its’ personality leads you to stop more often, due to the need for rest, and the ease of stepping from the bike directly to your destination. I went to the shopping center for some groceries, and was able to park directly next to the door. I got my groceries, and carried them from the cart area at the front of the store maybe 40 feet to my conveyance, while auto drivers had to walk a great deal farther.
I find the bicycle a lot more natural as a conveyance for these little trips to market and the like. It has a natural convenience and sensibility, the right tool for the job. And six bikes or so will fit in the space required by 1 car. And after the last winter, I think we can all agree that our weather and climate may benefit from a bit less carbon and methane in the atmosphere. And, biking to do your errands and get your groceries actually burns calories and promotes fitness. Commuting to work always seems to get you a better parking space if you are on a bicycle. And you can always supplement with public transit, as many bus systems offer a way to carry your bicycle. So get out there and discover the lost parts of your world by bicycle this spring!
Cyclingeezer 