East Side of Houston

 Let me start by asking a favor.   I know you are out there because my stats say I'm getting hits, but part of this Social Media bit is being "Social".   There is a place at the bottom of each post for you to comment.   Did this post trigger a memory?  Can you add to what I wrote?    My writing is almost exclusively about my observations,  I would appreciate a little background.    I'm not asking everyone to comment just to be commenting, but maybe we can get a conversation going about some of the hidden sights of our home city.  Apparently you can be anonymous, one of my commenters used that tag.

Wednesday, I met up with Myles, a B Cycle tech, for a group ride.   It was just the two of us all over downtown..   The liberating part of traveling with a "group" was that I was not constantly checking the App, or a frayed piece of paper in my pocket, in order to hit all the stations.   I just went with the flow.  I don't always need to be in charge, heck, I don't always want to BE in charge!   Downtown  has the greatest concentration of bike stations in this game.

This Tour De Bicycle treasure hunt, or as I call it, "FROGGER",  has helped me to find some very useful bike routes that are not always visible on Google and iMaps.  The B Cycle app is pretty good about this, but you may have to manipulate "zoom" for full effect.  Lamar St will take you acroos downtown, and Austin and LaBranch will take you, safely, from downtown, to Hermann Park.   Then there is Polk and the Harrisburg trail that neatly links Greater Eastside with Downtown.   I am told that the term for the bumps that separate bike routes from the cars are called "armadillos".   There is one on Cullen that has been pushed to the side, that I have an urge to take home as a souvenir., but it's a bit big for the bike basket.

Wednesday, after riding downtown, I started visiting stations in midtown, but got sidetracked  to Third Ward, which actually pulled me further from my planned "exit" bus stop than I wanted.

Emancipation Park is a very serene and beautiful place.  Across the street is Navy Seafood.   I wanted something light, so I went in.   Typical local fast food seafood, countless combinations of shrimp, fish and oysters, but I chose the fish sandwich.   As I waited for my meal, I was overhearing the two elderly locals, and it was interesting.    The first guy would mention a college football player, the other would off what he knew, and then it was his turn to offer a name.   Many of the players are long-gone, but it was interesting to hear.    When my sandwich was ready, it consisted of no less than three pieces of breaded catfish between two slices of bread, with lettuce.   Very tasty, and it was obviously fried in clean oil.

Down the street are the Project Row Houses, an art project in the Third Ward.   These old homes have been fixed up and offer art from various Southern artists.   Not my cup of tea, you understand, but nicely done.   The lady in the office offered information folders to help explain the whole thing.   She mentioned a bakery in the block, so I trundled over for one of the better, if more expensive, brownies that I have ever eaten.   I asked for ice water and she sent me next door to Doshi House, a delightful little coffee shop that I wish were closer to my neighborhood.   Friendly atmosphere, and young people staring at laptops.

Greater East End covers a lot of territory, and some very different neighborhoods.   I think I have hit stations on four different visits, and still missed one!    I was trying to take my Austin siblings on a 20 mile ride, and wanted to show them some of the places on the home tour this weekend, and between bringing out my paper directions, checking the App, and keeping the five of us together, I totally missed Telephone and Eddington, and we crossed Telephone several times.   Every time we did, one of my sibs had to reference the song "Telephone Road".

Church of the Redeemer, now 45 units of affordable housing.

Magnolia station, part of an art project.   Don't know if it's the art, or the fact sister Kristen took the picture, but this is a good shot!

Three of my siblings (Lauren doesn't ride) and a bro-in-law, came to Houston specifically to ride with me to the ship channel.  I guess they don't have one in Austin.    We started at MacGregor Park and rode down Brays Bayou, a very pleasant, and good trail.   We took a break at Forest Park/Lawndale, to visit the graves of our grandparents, then headed for the ship channel.   We watched pelicans doing what they do, crossed the mouth of Brays on Harrisburg Road, and took a short side trip to a spot where we could gaze at no less than three large ocean-going vessels.    Next time I need to bring trash bags and my grabber, the clutter detracted from the tourism.

I had scouted out a Salvadoran restaurant at Canal and 76th street, because we like different.   The papusas were worth the trip.    I always say a place is authentic if I am the only gringo in the place, and having Allison able to translate just added to the experience.   Yes, they speak English there, but we enjoyed the Spanish.

Want to increase your enjoyment?   Think about organizing a B Cycle tour of your own, either right now, or for next year.   If your ask nicely, B Cycle might even be able to drop enough bikes at your start point to ensure everyone has a ride.   If you ride for so much a a weekend, it would definitely behoove (spellcheck liked it) you to download the app and sign up for a month.   I have the key fob that comes with the annual membership; between it, the App, and an occasional call to Daisy at the service desk, I can do all the riding I can handle.

I am heading into the final turn.   Most of my remaining neighborhoods straddle, or are close to Metro Redline.   I will finish this wonderful experience next week, assuming my left knee quits complaining.  Knees can be so whiney!   Just because I am making it carry 70 more pounds than it is rated for, it thinks it can express itself EVERY time I sit or stand!