11 SEP 05: THE TOUGH GET GOING
Downtown Columbus was no place for wimps Saturday night. It was "Bikes on Broadway" night - and apparently that "In Motion X" thing with bicycles was kicked up a few horsepower from last September....
Broadway was filled with motorcycles between 10th and 12th Streets. Riders filled the sidewalk tables - so when I came upon them while jogging, I quickly added up the situation and jogged on to First Avenue. The risk of getting tripped, slugged or caught on metal spikes was too high.
(When I first came upon the motorcycles, I didn't know what was going on. Were bikers along the Gulf Coast staging a "Ride AWAY from the Beach?" Or is this what a poker run is going to become, with gas prices near three dollars a gallon?)
With all the motorcycles on Broadway, perhaps it was best that the Columbus Symphony Orchestra did NOT have a concert at the RiverCenter Saturday night. Some of those bikes can roar loud enough to drown out the most securely closed rooms....
But then again, the Phenix City Amphitheater had a Saturday night concert. I didn't notice any motorcyclists there, but "Rock 103" had a van along Dillingham Street. Many concertgoers probably were disappointed to find the staff was NOT giving away "John Boy and Billy" barbecue sauce.
Normally I wouldn't have come upon all those motorcycles -- but Saturday night was no ordinary night for me. I'm thrilled to report I jogged about 3.85 miles nonstop! The total might have been higher, but thankfully no one came out of the unlit sections of the course and tried to mug me.
The course for my longest run in several years began from home, and went north on the Riverwalk from Golden Park to the Trade Center. Along the way, the Mega Millions billboard at the Oglethorpe Bridge showed the jackpot is up to $200 million. Let's face it: hurricane survivors are in no mood to gamble right now.
A Columbus Police "mini-cruiser" followed me from the Trade Center to Ninth Street and Bay Avenue. Really now, officer - I don't run THAT fast, to violate speeding rules....
(By turning my way, the police officer missed a group of skateboarders only a few yards north on the Riverwalk. That statue of Christopher Columbus must be the most used artwork in town.)
I crossed the Dillingham Street Bridge, but had to go on to Broad Street and wait a few seconds for a traffic light. I jog in place and wait for the light to change - which I think puts me in a minority among Columbus residents: a responsible pedestrian.
A block back from Broad Street took me to the Phenix City Riverwalk, and I went the distance to 14th Street. That includes the newly-dedicated section - and I didn't notice any plaques praising Sonny Coulter or Mayor Jeff Hardin for it.
The 14th Street bridge required jogging with care, as it's not lit at all. A couple of people were sitting on the sidewalk and chatting, along where a street used to be. As dark as it was, maybe they were waiting for a parade - of drug dealers.
I turned left at the east end of the 14th Street bridge, and jogged down the next section of the Columbus Riverwalk. There's talk of joining together the main walk downtown with the section which begins at TSYS. The less sweat falling near the River Club, the better....
At first I'd planned to turn around at the railroad bridge near 16th Street - but then I decided to jog on, even though hardly anything was lit on the walkway north of there. I suppose I risked encountering criminals. But then again, they might have been more likely to be around the Bikes on Broadway, blending in.
No one was on the "TSYS Trek" part of the Riverwalk at all, and the winding path took me to First Avenue near 18th. I turned around there, not wanting to linger - because sometimes beggars seem to smell my presence from a block away.
A round-trip on the TSYS Trek back to 14th Street ended my wonderful non-stop run. I lost track of my distance, or I might have pressed on for a four-miler. The barbecue smell from Country's on Broadway wasn't noticeable at all, to distract me.
BLOG UPDATE: The Georgia Legislature gave final approval Saturday to a suspension of fuel taxes for 30 days. Let's all mark our calendars now for September 29 and 30 -- the days to avoid gas stations, as people rush to fill their tanks again before taxes come back.
Spot gas shortages remain, even with the fuel tax suspension. I walked to Spectrum on Fourth Street for breakfast Saturday morning, and almost all the pumps were dry. Maybe all the Alabama drivers couldn't believe that posted price of $2.88 a gallon.
OVERHEARD OVER HERE: Two men were talking at church this weekend, about the post-hurricane unrest in New Orleans:
"The stealing of alcohol -- I don't mind that, because if they don't have food, at least they have something to sustain themselves."
"Yeah, but in that hot heat? It might kill them...."
"I wouldn't mind that, either."
By the way, it was strange NOT to hear Louisiana State's football game on WWL from New Orleans Saturday night. The station is presenting non-stop disaster coverage until further notice -- and if the Saints don't play any home games, that might last until January.
Now for more peaceful items from the last few days....
+ My pastor spoke at church about "the rule of decay" - and spent a significant amount of time talking about the life of Brigette Bardot, the "sex kitten" with the "pouty lips." Presumably his wife in the audience didn't mind this....
+ The Junior League held its annual Attic Sale at the Columbus Civic Center. Members decided to donate leftover clothing to hurricane survivors in Mobile. So does this mean the people at the Benning Park shelter don't need any clothes? Then why are churches still giving them some?
+ Wynnton Elementary School held a weekend open house for the general public. Some people stopped to examine the school's 160 years of history -- probably more people than the ones who wanted to check the "adequate yearly progress" report.
+ The Columbus RiverCenter announced its new marketing director is Darlene Hughes Kittrell, who leaves WRBL after 15 years. We're glad to see she's finally joined a top-ranking organization.
+ Back at WRBL, Candace Cook revealed during the Saturday night news she spent a year as a college mascot. We can understand why Cook didn't make a career of this. She has too many good hair days, to risk ruining them in a hot suit.
+ Instant Message to the business with a sign along Veterans Parkway reading: "Fresh Vegetables Butcher Shop." Isn't this taking the vegetarian craze a bit too far? I mean, how tough are these vegetables you're chopping?
SCHEDULED MONDAY: Updates on the latest man to sell things at my door.... and the latest exchange of words around these parts.... along with that LaughLine Flashback we promised you (we're having trouble finding what we want)....
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