Exploring Indianapolis

Photo by Nicky

- Mom!
Downtown Indianapolis
is great!

That's what Nicky says.

She is going to school
downtown
at IUPUI

which we pronounce
oo-ee-poo-ee

...for some odd reason.

Now I haven't been
daunted
from biking
the Hilly Hundred.

And the RAIN ride -

162 miles in one day -

has not daunted me.

Biking across the US of A
wasn't too daunting.

Photo by Nicky

somehow,
however,
downtown
daunts.

Photo by Nicky

But Nicky has inspired me
with her beautiful photos
of our mutual city.

So off I go
this brisk
November day.

I'd cobbled
together a route
from several
Mapmyfitness routes.

Let's see if it works.

Leaving Brixton
I pass my first Christmas
decorations.

Isn't it too early?

Cumberland Road
is familiar
territory.

Look at the beautiful winterberries!

I tried planting them once.

Only the females bear fruit.

But they need a male around
to make them "fruitful"

Who knew plants
had sex?

Lovely home.

Pond

Fountain.

The black swan
chases me away.

Now I enter
uncharted territory.

Never been here before.

Following Fall Creek down
to city center.

It makes sense.

Indy was founded
where Fall Creek
met the White River.

Full of fish and game
it was then.

Not so now.

Don't know where I am.

Looks like a bad
part
of town.

Keystone Towers.

Once lauded as a crown jewel
for Indianapolis.

It now sits empty.

Broken glass windows.

Bankrupt.

And what am I doing here?

Well, look!

A bike lane!

It goes west.

Looks good to me.

Lake Maxinhall?

In the middle of Indy?

Never heard of it.

Interesting houses, though.

Just steps from
Keystone Towers
this area looks
revitalized.









Where am I now?

This danged map
doesn't have
enough street names!

Wait!

This neighborhood
looks familiar...

There's my brother Nic's house!

But no one's home.

:(

Around the corner
and I find Butler!

This is where
Al went to college
her first year.

She loved
that
old bulldog.

And now through the gates
into the
Indianapolis Museum of Art.

Lovely trees...

...make you want
to climb them!

Outdoor sculptures
of children reading...

Mothers dancing...

...and men collapsing.

What does it say
about our culture
how we depict people
in our art?

I have to stop
in the museum
to ask for directions.

Wow!

The lobby
is strung
with miles and miles
of colorful string!

Photographers - so serious -
circle the string
trying to capture
the 3D swirl of color.

My favorite view?

Lying flat on the floor
looking straight up.

OK.
I got my directions.

Go left at the
Robert Indiana
sculpture.

Left again...

...and down the road marked
Authorized Vehicles Only.

Isn't this scary?

Under the stone bridge...

Over the red bridge...

...and I'm on
the canal path!

A few more miles...

and I can see
the skyline ahead!

I'm going
to make it!

I hope Nicky is there!

Cross the bridge
over the White River...

And look at all the cranes!

It reminds me
of Jasper-Polaski!

(see previous blog).

There's her apartment building.

Twenty seven miles
into the heart of Indy!

Nicky is home,
but she's busy
writing papers.

Her new bike, Grape,
stands in the corner.

It's okay, Nicky.

You go back to work.

I'll just spin down the block
for a Diet Coke
and head back home.

So I can follow
the joggers...

...or follow
the Segways...

...watch Jeremy
take the jump!

Hey, Nicky.

You were right.

This is pretty cool down here!

Photo by Nicky

You'll have to
invite me down
and show me around
sometime.

But now I need to head back

...and hurry.

Blue skies?

Not for long.

The suns sets early now.

Gotta stop to watch
the heron
on the White River...

...and give directions
to the visitors
from Colorado.

Can't stop
to feed the ducks...

I'm surprised
how quickly
I get back
to the red bridge.

Over the canal
to the IMA...

Under
the stone bridge
again...

Cruisin' now...

I've got a tailwind.

Past CTS...

...the colorful
sidewalks
of Butler...

sun

sinking

down

Turn North
on the Monon trail
for a faster
way home.

Cool murals...

I'll have to
look at them
next time.

Lights on
in the
Monon tunnel.

10 miles to go.

Dusk falls...

Christmas lights.

5 miles...

Night falls.

Traffic lights.

This is too dangerous.

I call Tom for help.

Good thing.

Cause then
I get
a flat tire.

He takes me home
to candlelight....

...a Colts game...

...and the story
of his exciting day
at PetSmart.

(maybe I'll tell you
about that later.)

And maybe later

I'll return to visit Nicky

so she can show me...

...around her town.

Photo by Nicky