Exploring the CLE Bike Scene

New summer, new hobby.  Well actually it's more like an old hobby, rediscovered, paired with an even older bike fully clad with rust spots from when I left it outside my dorm one too many times during my college days.  Anyway, my love for biking was finally rekindled a few weeks ago when I realized that I could easily bike 3 miles in 10 minutes instead of running 3 miles of 25 minutes...which means I can explore more of the city on foot a.k.a. the best way!  It's also an ample cross-training opportunity, hellooooo beach bod!  So I've been cruising around town after work and on weekends, mostly to the obvious locations like Edgewater Park and other streets near the lake.  Despite their prime photography opportunities, the paths are definitely crowded.

So that's where I need help.  I'm desperate for new ideas and thought that there's gotta be at least a few of you out there that might have some off-the-beaten-path recommendations for me?  Off the beaten path meaning still asphalt because my ride through the muddy sand at Edgewater tonight was an epic fail!  Routes that are a little scenic are extra appreciated!

Belated Earth Day

So I know I'm a couple days late, but Happy Earth Day!  Better late than never right?  Since most of us seem to be chained to our 9-5 (or 6, or 7, or 8...), I thought of a great earth-friendly activity that you guys can do this weekend since you probably missed out on Wednesday.   Head on over to the Mellow Mushroom for a tasty lunch, and then hike it off in the Cleveland Metroparks Rocky River Reservation afterwards!  Well, okay, the Mellow Mushroom may not be the most organic, earth-friendly place in town.  BUT they do have a pretty earth-friendly name, tons of vegan and gluten free options AND extremely good pizza with some crazy flavor combinations.  Howie and I were being ourselves a.k.a. extremely indecisive when it comes to ordering food, and sprung for a half Red Skin Potato Pie (hello loaded baked potato pizza!) and half Kosmic Karma, which is topped with sundried tomatoes, pesto and feta cheese.  Not necessarily vouching that the two types went hand in hand in terms of pairing, but we did try both ends of the spectrum, right?  They were goooood!  And while you're there, definitely order a side Caesar salad as an appetizer- it was one of the best I've ever had...the homemade croutons were the bomb.  After we finished our leisurely lunch, we drove a mile or 2 down the road to the Cleveland Metroparks Rocky River Reservation to catch the first glimpse of green this spring.  If my estimations are correct, you might see some baby leaves on the trees this week because the buds were sprouting last weekend.  Summer's just around the corner!