by Elly Blue
Minneapolis, Minn.: "Portland is just an avenue
in Minneapolis" -- or so says the sticker on the
rear rack of the bike I brought with me on our Dinner & Bikes tour. The
words are attributed to R.T. Rybak, mayor of Minneapolis, upon learning in 2010
that his city had stolen the crown of most bike friendly city in America from
my hometown, Portland.
There
is, in fact, a Portland Ave. in Minneapolis -- and it even has a bike lane,
albeit an awkward one. (Among other things, it's on the left side of the
street.) But I never understood the City of Lake's appeal to cyclists.
There
was a dreamlike quality to the whole ride. The paths were clearly marked, the
paint was new, signage was thoughtful and useful. I asked Kling if one could
get around everywhere without being on the road. "You can get between
parts of the city," she said.
A
few people on Nice Ride bike share bikes zoomed past. I was in awe. Kling
smiled. "I'm very happy with the progress this city is making," she said, "but
I can't say I'm satisfied."
There
were some spots that were less idyllic. In Minnehaha Falls, a gorgeous park, the
bike lane narrowed, the surface was older, the middle stripe disappeared. Pedestrians,
inexperienced riders, and wobbly kids strayed into our lane. Tourists tooted by
on four-seat, pedal-powered contraptions. It was the same old bike path experience
I learned to hate years ago.
 |
| photo by nicomachus |
similar posts:
No comments:
Post a Comment