Midtown by B Cycle

 Again, I am running behind on my posts.   This trip actually happened Monday, October 17.

I took the Park & Ride bus up Louisiana and got off around the Pierce Elevated.   YMCA let me use the restroom.    Hey, I'm almost 70, I don't pass up many opportunities.  My first intended stop was behind Randalls, but was out of service, so it good that I started at YMCA.   Then I started meandering around Midtown, defined, apparently, by B Cycle, as East of Spur 527, South of Pierce Elevated, West of 288, and North of 59, except for Peggy Park, which became my bridge to Texas Southern University.  Was that sentence too long for you?

I read the Historical Marker in the middle of Midtown.    Way back when, the state fairgrounds were here, with a baseball park and a racetrack, at the edge of the prairie that marked the end of Houston!   I enjoy the murals that have been constructed all over town.   I very much like the idea that most of them remain undisturbed by vandalism.

Houston Community College has their main campus here in Midtown, near the old Sears building, which is now The Ion

Columbia Tap Trail is one of my favorite Hike and Bike trails.   It goes from the soccer stadium, through TSU (my destination) across Brays Bayou, and ends at Dixie Road where a short ride will put you on the east edge of Hermann Park, and the Bill Coates Bridge.   This is one of Houston's Rails to Trails.   Years ago the railroad ran from about downtown, to West Columbia, on the Brazos.  "Tap" is a railroad term meaning the line was usually owned by the industries (sugar and cotton) that it served, and letting these industries tap into the main trunk line.   I enjoy rails to trails because of the lack of hills for my 70 year old knees. 

Had to take my picture because this station ate my bike!  Mary, at B Cycle will give you credit for out of service stations, if you show were actually there.  No need to notarize and certify.

Texas Southern University is a beautiful campus, fairly compact, and with five bike stations.   You can be at University of Houston in about 5 minutes, and at Hermann Park in about 15.   But TSU seems to be a much slower pace than UH, and also is not near as crowded.

Hermann Park has wonderful bike trails, Bill Coats Bridge, and the kiddy railroad.   It tried to rain pretty much all day, which kept the crowds away.   

Rice University is full of the super intelligent students, although they didn't LOOK any smarter than me.  Maybe one of them knows what this sculpture represents!

I finished up and went back by Memorial Hermann to catch the Park & Ride.   One of my fellow commuters had his bicycle, and I watched him load it in the compartment under the bus.   I had tried this last week, and maybe I read the instructions too carefully, because this guy literally threw his bike onto the rack and then slammed the rack shut!   And it fit!

We are getting very close to the 153rd B Cycle Station!

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