Get Your Kicks On (Bicycle) Route 66

Get your kicks on Route 66.

Now you can follow the "advice" of Bobby Troup and the Nat King Cole Trio on your bike.

Well, sort of. The legendary highway--often cited as the inspiration for the American "road trip"--took drivers from Chicago to Santa Monica, California.  Established in 1926, it was largely replaced by the Interstate system and was officially removed from the US Highway system in 1985.

Photo by Frederic J. Brown, from Getty Images

Now a bicycle trail that mostly follows the last part of the system--from the California-Arizona border to Santa Monica--has opened.  It's one of 18 new routes that have been added to the US Bicycle Route System.  You can now get your "kicks" on 2903 miles of this system, with more under development. The goal is to link the bicycle routes in a system spanning the nation.

Hopefully, we'll be able to get our "kicks" on bike routes all over the country soon!

Sneaking Ahead Of Fred

 

I will try to sneak in another ride this morning, as I did yesterday.

Although I knew a storm was coming, that wasn’t the reason why I limited yesterday’s ride to Fort Totten and the North Shore of Queens (with a yogurt stop at Kesso’s).  I had an appointment with my opthamologist in the afternoon, and I knew he was going to dilate my pupils. So, my vision would be blurred for a while and I’d be very tired.  Marlee took advantage of the latter and curled up on me after I fell asleep!

The first wave of the storm struck some time after midnight.  The sky is overcast and the air thick with humidity, but the wind and rain have stopped, for a while anyway.  I don’t mind riding in the rain, especially on a day as warm as today (two of my bikes have fenders, after all) but I draw the line at torrential downpours!

The storm pushing its way through this neighborhood is called Fred. That should be food for thought for anyone who’s derisively used that name in reference to someone who isn’t twiddling $400 pedals on a $12,000 carbon bike while clad in Lycra kit.  

Fred will pass, and Freds will pass them!

Shepherding His Father To The Statue Of Liberty

 What did you convince your parents to do when you were 9 years old?

Whatever it was, it probably can't hold a candle to what Shepherd Colver got his dad to do--with him. (With a name like "Shepherd," what do you expect from such a kid?)  The Washington State native managed to influence his father, James, to go on a bike ride with him.

But it wasn't just a ride around the park.  You see, Shepherd and James have just completed a tour that culminated with a trip to the Statue of Liberty. 

Visiting the Lady of New York Harbor was Shepherd's overriding dream.  When they finally arrived--after pedaling 3300 over 18 weeks--in New York City and took the ferry to the island, Shepherd offered this assessment:  "It was definitely worth it,"  he declared.  "It's pretty cool."

Shepherd Colver (r) and his father James look toward the Statue of Liberty from Battery Park, New York City (Photo from CBS News)

A CBS reporter asked whether his legs hurt at the end of a ride.  "Not as bad as my dad's do when were done," he said, laughing. James described the trip as "a wonderful bonding experience" and believes "I invested my time as a dad really well here."

That investment didn't include only this year's ride.  Two years ago, they started their journey but had to bail when Shepherd, then 7 years old, kept on getting headaches.  He was diagnosed with diabetes.  This year, though, neither he nor his father would allow it, or anything else to deter them.

James and Shepherd Colver.  Family handout.

Now he's reunited with his mother, who now has a son who's done something not many other kids his age can claim.  That just might be enough to convince her to increase his allowance!