Maiden Voyage
Though its been raining all weekend I had a chance this morning to take the bike out for a test run and to promote the local economy through a series of stops for food and beverage.
First I traveled across the brand new 14th Street bridge to the Silver Skillet to have a breakfast of hamburger steak and eggs with a side of raisin toast. I had been here before but not alone so this time I got to sit at the bar. That is something of an experience if you care at all about sanitation. I’m not that worried about it myself but I found it interesting that the rolls are handled by the same hand that was just used to clean the counter top and that the world’s oldest working waitress wheezes out orders to the cook and then rearranges food on the plate. Meanwhile customers walk through the chaotic kitchen to go to the restroom. Its like a Waffle House that hasn’t yet been discovered by health code enforcement. On the other hand, they make a great breakfast and they have a bunch of humorous signs and pictures on the wall including a calender of asses (the equine sort) with a picture of a model ass wearing a construction hat on the cover. Another shows an ass between two cars and says “Park Your Ass Here” and nearby are cartoons making fun of Hillary Clinton, a retouched photo of Michael Vick being chased by a dog (“Payback is hell”), and a map of the male and female brain. You come here more for the atmosphere than the sanitation. Or for the free WiFi.
Afterwards I rode around the neighborhoods near Tech, over to Atlantic Station, and back around to Piedmont visiting all the little side roads I never have time to explore. After some hours I decided to ride to lunch. The obvious choice is The Vortex in Midtown.
You can see they’ve painted it to match the bike. I always read Creative Loafing or whatever that other one is called when I have lunch at The Vortex. That’s where I found this ad:
Maybe this is where I can get my Doberman. By now it was raining again so after lunch I rode across the street to the sanctuary of Starbucks.
The bike looked on while I enjoyed a delicious mocha. It was still raining out when I was done so I headed home. The bike did great although the brakes do get squeaky in the rain. I thought they’d have more stopping power in general but compared to the motorcycle’s dual front discs they barely seem effective. Maybe that should be on the upgrade list. In the meantime I’ll continue marauding the sidewalks, annoying pedestrians, and lunging into traffic at dangerously high speeds with limited braking. Ah the freedom of the cyclist…
