Well it’s in the history books now as the warmest March that we’ve ever had in this area. I have never been out on my bikes as enjoyably during the month of March as I have this year. Goodness, I already have tan-lines on my legs and arms!! The weather has since moderated to a much more normal pattern both thermally and precipitationally (hey! If I typed it, it must be a word.).
These little fellas often pop up this time of the year so we weren’t too awfully impressed…
…but then one afternoon before starting my night shift as I was sitting on a bench outside the Chemical Plant I had quite a shock when glancing up at the sky I spied this….
Spring had definitely arrived in Rochester!! The arrival of Spring demands that I reacquaint myself with my three good friends and it sorta seemed to me that they were thrilled to be out in the fresh air and sunshine again (not that they spoke to me or anything crazy like that).
By the middle of the month the temperatures were hitting 70+ degrees and the sun was shining brightly and my riding grew from simply commuting back and forth to work to include several leisure rides around the immediate area. I took the Tour Easy out on one such ride on Sunday the 18th.
The trails and streets were populated by happy people jogging, biking, walking dogs, or just strolling about. It was quite a thrill for the entire area. The river was alive and teaming with activity too. Watching these critters never ceases to provide me with hours of peaceful enjoyment…
Back in ‘the day’ my neighborhood was very busy with rail traffic with rail lines on both sides of the Genesee River. Most of those old rail lines have long since been abandoned and some have been re-purposed for recreational use such as MUP’s. The Hojack Line ran along the east bank of the river and is tentatively slated to be built into an MUP. It’s visible to the sharp eyed folks and it can be seen across the river in this picture.
I understand that it’s a bit rough but passable on a rugged enough bike. Gyro and I intend to hit it sometime this season.
Here’s a picture of the old NYC passenger station in Charlotte. It almost became a restaurant recently but there were insurance issues with CSX and the rail line that runs along side of it. It would be necessary for patrons to walk across the tracks between the parking lot and the building, so it still sits empty. I’ve also include a picture of a plaque that explains a bit of the history around the station along with an old faded photo showing just how busy the area was.
more on next post...