Driver 11-24-15

Yes, I am talking about the Bike Ride for our Tuesday Group on this somewhat cold day. We woke up in P-Town with frost on the windshield and all over our bikes which I loaded on Monday evening (not a good idea). It was around 32 degrees and in Franklin it was only about 27 degrees. The idea was to meet in Driver, a community in the city of Suffolk, at Beech Grove United Methodist Church. People started arriving around 8:20 and the leader didn’t get there until 8:35, it must have been the cold weather that got them going so early. With everyone there, which was 19; we circled up and I gave the Safety Talk and let everyone know the route we would be biking on this, which turned out to be a beautiful day. We started our 20 mile Bike Ride headed to Sleep Hole Park, with Bill B, Bill R, Ken, Jim, Marti & Ellis, Sandra, Laura & Mark, J. P., Diane, Dottie, Steve, Carl, Bob S, Jane & John and Margaret and Bruce. The park was the closest bathroom and we didn’t waste a lot of time getting there, for some had driven a long way with their morning coffee. Here we also checked out the new Kayak Launch still under construction and talked about having a paddle one day across the Nansemond River, paddling to Lone Star Lake Park, where we could have lunch and paddle back making a nice Tuesday Trip.

Biking out of the park we headed west and into two of the neighborhoods with beautiful homes and with great views of the river from the high banks that are plentiful in this area. From there we biked to the Kings Highway where a few years ago the King’s Bridge came crashing down never to be rebuilt again, somewhat like Humpty Dumpty. Coming to the end of the road we made our way out to the river hoping to see some of the bridge, but all had been removed years earlier. Leaving there we headed back to Driver and for the reason we biked this area in the first place, the 2.3 mile Bike Trail which was opened only a few months ago. No one seem disappointed as we biked to the small bridge crossing over Bennett’s Creek and stopped for a few pictures. This trail will continue in both direction and someday go from Downtown Suffolk all the way to Virginia Beach. With biking through 3 more communities and back to Driver on the Bike trail we finished our 20 miles and it was time for lunch. We caravaned in a long line of 12 vehicles down to KOI SUSHI & HIBACHI CHINESE RESTAURANT where all 17 enjoyed a good meal. Around 2:15 we said our goodbyes’ and headed home to be ready again for another Tuesday Group Outing. Thanks to everyone that biked today on this beautiful day. Bruce Julian November 24, 2015

View Bill B's great Pictures: https://picasaweb.google.com/117475145040031402609/TuesDriverBike20MilesNov242015Bruce?authkey=Gv1sRgCMy-oe68reOnew&feat=email

View Jim A's great pictures too: https://jimarendphotography.smugmug.com/Sports/Tuesday-Group-Biking/20151124-Drive-Pedal/i-VVzj56S/A