Once per year we try to go and visit the Colts Disciples when there is a home football game. This group has been tailgating since the Colts first came to Indianapolis. We didn't have tickets to the game, so after tailgating we took a ride on the Pleasant Run Trail to see what the new additions are. This is a trail that they have been working on extending East to connect with the Pennsy Trail. Ride Facts Date: Sunday, September 27, 2026 Route: Indianapolis roundtrip, with the Colts Disciples tailgate, White River State Park, the Cultural Trail, Pleasant Run Trail, and Irvington. Distance: 20.27 miles from the recorded GPS track. Time: 10:19 am–6:34 pm EDT; 8 hr 15 min elapsed, including stops—not moving time. Trail notes: After the tailgate, we rode the Pleasant Run Trail to look at the additions toward the Pennsy Trail, as described in our day notes. Food and drink: The tailgate included beer and food for the band after its performance. A Little Colts History The Colts relocated from Baltimore to Indianapolis on March 29, 1984. The team’s first Indianapolis home was the Hoosier Dome, later called the RCA Dome. Lucas Oil Stadium opened in 2008, replacing the dome as the Colts’ home; its retractable roof allows games to be played indoors or under an open sky. Sources: Indianapolis Colts, “1980s” team history (https://www.colts.com/team/history/1980s); StadiumDB, “Lucas Oil Stadium” (https://stadiumdb.com/stadiums/usa/lucas_oil_stadium) and “RCA Dome” (https://stadiumdb.com/historical/usa/rca_dome). The Day in Photos and Videos You can see the Stadium in the distance there. We found our way to where the Colts Disciples gather to tailgate. It is right in the parking lot for the Indians baseball stadium. All of a sudden a bunch of bag pipers came by Here is a video of the bagpipers They had a long session. Then pretty soon they stopped and got beer and food for their efforts. A kilted pipe and drum band performs among Colts fans at the tailgate. On this day they had a cancer awareness group there with a booth setup. Some ex-pro football players were there in support. Several people spoke about various important topics. This is a video of the Colt's Diciples saying their motto What is great is that these guys have special trailers so they can store their tailgate setups. The game started and we took off for a ride. As you can see it was a very nice day. This is the Eiteljorg museum that is part of a whole complex of attractions that are collectively known as White River State Park. Check out www.whiteriverstatepark.com for more info. On the right is the NCAA national headquarters. This is our normal break spot. Eric is pretending to take a nap for the picture. Nobody is ever at this spot, but it offers a great view of the Indianapolis. One more shot of this awesome spot. This is a very odd spot in the trail. The official bike trail gets taken over by valet parking for mega cars. Hope we don't scratch one. The Cultural trail ties all of downtown Indianapolis together. Riding beneath the overhead structure along a covered city passage. They created this nice path as a connector between trails. Notice the nice separation they gave the bikers? Now we are on an older trail called the Pleasant Run Trail. This is very typical of the Pleasant Run Trail, it is not a rail-to-trail. The Government did a good job with all of the bridges needed for the trail. We made it to Irvington, which is very well known for decorating for Halloween.

After a nice visit and lunch with family we decided to go on a bike ride and make the most of this cool but sunny day. We parked near the Fountain Square neighborhood and took the Cultural Trail south until we joined up with the Pleasant Run Trail. We followed that west into Irvington where we continued on the Pennsy Trail until the approaching sunset made us turn back. We returned to Fountain Square and enjoyed a Thai curry dinner at Siam Square, one of our favorite restaurants. Ride facts Date: Sunday, October 18, 2026 Route: Fountain Square → Indianapolis Cultural Trail → Pleasant Run Trail → Irvington → Pennsy Trail, returning to Fountain Square. Distance: 22.4 miles (GPS track: 22.43 miles). Time: 4:50 pm–7:31 pm EDT. Trail notes: An out-and-back ride linking city trails, neighborhood streets and a former railroad corridor. Highlights: Cool sunshine, the heron sculpture, Irvington’s Halloween decorations and fall color along the trail. Food / after-ride stop: Thai coconut curry dinner at Siam Square in Fountain Square. Trail background Pleasant Run Trail The Pleasant Run Trail follows Pleasant Run through Indianapolis, linking neighborhoods and green spaces. It provides a connection between Garfield Park and the Irvington area, making it a useful part of a longer city ride. Pennsy Trail and railroad heritage The Pennsy Trail takes its name from the Pennsylvania Railroad and follows part of its former rail corridor. What once carried trains now offers a paved route for walking and cycling, with the Indianapolis section passing through Irvington. The railroad heritage is a big part of what makes this more than just a path across town. Trail background sources: https://www.traillink.com/trail/pleasant-run-trail/ and https://www.traillink.com/trail/pennsy-trail/ Photo log We got to see the new apartment of our niece and her fiancé before going out for lunch with them and several other family members. On the Pleasant Run Trail we both love this metalwork sculpture. It's a heron with a fish in its mouth. A tree-lined bridge along the Pleasant Run Trail. An interesting old bridge with low clearance - the sidewalk/bike trail dips down under the bridge for more clearance for pedestrians and cyclists. There were lots more interesting Halloween house decorations since our last ride through Irvington. Cara found this one particularly funny. More Halloween decorations along our ride through Irvington. Starting out on the Pennsy Trail in Irvington. The Pennsy Trail passing through Irvington neighborhoods. Further west the trail passes by several old, now defunct shopping malls. Why do people like throwing their shoes up onto power lines? Our break spot which was directly over an interstate. We stopped beside a trail history marker and a bench. A closer look at the trail history marker. Fall color frames the trail as it crosses a small bridge. The trail leads into a tunnel beneath the road. Our dinner of a Thai coconut curry at Siam Square - this one had a spicy peanut sauce that's really good.

More and more, weddings are no longer a single day - they are turning into wedding weekends, and this one was no exception. There were welcome drinks Friday night, then the wedding and reception on Saturday, plus a casual brunchy Sunday Funday! Our friend, Jane, and her fiancé, David, had their lovely wedding weekend at a gorgeous venue called Emerson House in LaPorte in northern Indiana. Wedding Weekend Facts Dates: Friday, October 2 through Sunday, October 4, 2026. Venue: Emerson House in LaPorte, northern Indiana. Weekend: Welcome drinks on Friday, the wedding and reception on Saturday, and a casual hangout day on Sunday. The Weekend in Photos The wedding day was a little chilly, but thankfully bright and sunny. It was a lovely outdoor wedding ceremony. Guests could sign a photo frame, and the wedding party and ceremony info were printed on both sides of a cute fan (or sun shade as they functioned on this day). Wedding guests gather outside among the trees in the late-afternoon sunshine. After the ceremony Jane was ready to party. Hahaha, we totally did not notice our friend, JoEllen, photobombing us. We did manage to get a good one of just the two of us. The beautiful fall colors wedding cake. Here's a better view of the grounds at Emerson House. Emerson House itself - so pretty! First dance of the bride and groom. A dance and kiss beneath the flowers and string lights at the wedding reception. Photo booth results of Cara and friend, Cheryl. Cheryl was holding a raven, and Cara was working with a black iridescent unicorn skull. A different kind of peace frog outside Emerson House.

Monday, September 28, 2026 It was a picture perfect day and we explored the Muncie, Indiana trail system. We parked in Gaston, Indiana and rode the Cardinal Greenway to Muncie. The trail is washed out west of Muncie due to recent flooding. The Cardinal Greenway is touted as Indiana’s longest rail trail. The main greenway runs about 62 miles from Marion through Muncie to Richmond, with a road section from Gaston to Jonesboro that adds roughly another 15 miles, so our Gaston-to-Muncie day was one slice of a much bigger trail system. The best parts were the long green stretches, the many little bridges around Muncie, and having such an easy path to follow. The memorable wrinkle was the washout west of Muncie, which turned the day into a little bit of trail exploring instead of just a straight out-and-back. Ride facts Date: Monday, September 28, 2026 Route: Gaston to Muncie on the Cardinal Greenway, with a washout west of Muncie. Distance: 34.64 miles. Time window: 3:23 pm to 8:45 pm Trail note: Cardinal Greenways describes this as Indiana’s longest rail trail, running from Marion through Muncie to Richmond. Photo log We parked at the beginning of this section of the Cardinal Greenway in Gaston, Indiana. The trail is nice with lots of benches and informational placards. The trail mixed between these kinds of views and forest canopy. The trees are just starting to turn. You can see how nice a day it was. The temps were in the mid-70s. The trail had sections of gravel. We didn't remember that from 2 years ago when we last did this trail. They built this to stop cars from driving on the trail. Lots of fences and little details were put into this trail. It is very nice. There are several parking lots to allow for easy trail access. They claim that this is Indiana's longest trail, but it has a huge discontinuity between where we parked in Gaston and the northern section of the trail which starts in Gas City. It is several miles of road travel in between. More and more we see painted rocks along Indiana's bike trails. There were a lot of forested sections on the trail. You can see leaves on the ground, but you have to look hard to see the start of the color change. Lots of trail info along the way. The folks that do the Cardinal Greenway are very organized. As you get into Muncie the Cardinal Greenway links up with the extensive Muncie trail system that meanders along the river. You know the bridge is old when it is riveted together :) This is a picture of the White River, which hit an all-time high only a month ago. In the distance is the old train station. Now we ended up getting to the part that got washed out. They are working on fixing it. It is a very scenic trail We saw a lot of wildlife. A heron patiently waiting for dinner to swim by. There is a lot of art along the way. I really don't know what the purpose of this is. Typical scenery. The trail followed the river throughout Muncie. All of that dirt on the right was deposited by the huge flood that occurred a month ago. That is a better view of the dirt deposited by the flood. Coming up to another place we had to turn back. This was the end of the line in one direction due to trail closures. The trail does go across this bridge, but it was closed this day. This is a trail intersection. This section is right in Muncie. It looked like a bunch of really old historic homes that are very near the river. This is Minnetrista, a popular Art museum in Muncie. This is the grounds of Minnetrista. Ball State University is a pretty big University that is right in Muncie. We couldn't figure out if this little spillway was natural or manmade. We came across a cool little park. More random art at the end of the line in the other direction. We turned back and headed to dinner. Dinner Time! After the ride It ended up being a very Indiana kind of ride: flat, green, friendly, and just eventful enough to make us remember the day when we look back through the photos.

Tuesday, September 29, 2026 It was one of the most beautiful days ever. Eric, Cara, Mark, and Mike went on a bike ride to go and see how things were going in Irvington. Irvington is a part of Indianapolis that is known for the love of Halloween. Irvington is a historic neighborhood on the east side of Indianapolis, not a separate city with its own government. It was named after Washington Irving, and the Irvington Historic District is a 545-acre National Register district — which helps explain why a simple bike ride there can feel like rolling through an older, more character-filled part of the city. It is also one of the Indianapolis neighborhoods most associated with Halloween, so late September was perfect timing. Yards were already decorated, the weather was blue-skied and in the mid-70s, and the ride turned into a relaxed loop through bike lanes, trail improvements, Irvington, dinner, and one long straight rail-trail on the way back. Ride facts Date: Tuesday, September 29, 2026 Route: Indianapolis ride with Eric, Cara, Mark, and Mike, including Irvington and north-side rail-trail riding. Distance: 26.14 miles. Time window: 2:39 pm to 7:45 pm Food stop: Red Lion Grog House — Cara had a walnut salad and Eric had the breaded tenderloin. Photo log Indianapolis has lots of bike trails and in addition they have a huge network of curbed bike lanes. Indianapolis is one of the best biking cities in the world. Lots of yards had already been decorated. Blue skies all day. Temps were in the mid 70s. They are improving this section of the trail. We ended up eating at Red Lion Grog House. Cara got a walnut salad. Eric got the breaded tenderloin. This is one of Indianapolis's rails-to-trails. This one goes 70-plus miles and is straight as an arrow. The trail is perfect because the trains already had lots of bridges. After the ride This was the kind of Indianapolis day that makes the city easy to like on a bike: real bike infrastructure, neighborhood personality, friends along for the ride, dinner in Irvington, and then a straight rail-trail run back as the evening settled in.

It was a lovely day for a big ride, so we linked together several Indianapolis trails for a 50.6-mile outing. From our friends’ house, we took the Fall Creek Greenway to the White River Trail and followed the river toward downtown. Ride facts Date: Sunday, September 20, 2026 Route: Indianapolis to Brownsburg, IN and back Trails: Fall Creek Trail, White River Trail, B&O Trail, Cultural Trail, Monon Trail Distance: 50.6 miles Picnic by the White River We stopped for a picnic lunch overlooking the White River and downtown Indy. Along the way, we passed the old baseball stadium that has been converted into apartments. Then we headed west on the Michigan Street bike path to pick up the B&O Trail. West to Brownsburg We followed the B&O Trail west through neighborhoods, tunnels and bridge crossings, all the way to its end past Brownsburg. We photographed a colorful rock snake that people were encouraged to add to, and stopped at the B&O Trail Outdoor Railroad Museum. Dinner and the ride home On the return, we passed back through Speedway and headed downtown for dinner at Sushi Boss. From there, we followed the Cultural Trail to connect with the Monon Trail north, then the Fall Creek Trail back to our friends’ house. Linking all those trails together made it a full day rather than just an out-and-back on one path. A railroad route finding a new life The B&O name keeps the old railroad story visible along a route now used for recreation and getting between communities. The B&O Trail Association describes its mission as connecting communities while preserving a passage to their history. In 2026 it celebrated the long-awaited trail connection between Brownsburg and Speedway—a useful reminder that these trails are built a section at a time, often through years of local effort. A pause at the outdoor railroad museum Our stop at the outdoor railroad museum brought that railroad connection into focus. Instead of just rolling through, we could pause with the displays and think about the line’s earlier purpose. It was one of those small discoveries that gave the day its own character. Along the ride The Fall Creek Trail Nearing the intersection with the White River Trail The White River trail follows the river into downtown Indianapolis. We passed the old baseball stadium that has been turned into apartments. Our snacky picnic lunch overlooking the White River and downtown Indy. This is where the Michigan Street bike lane ends and the B&O Trail begins. The trail goes through quiet neighborhoods west of downtown. We didn't capture the head, but all these colored rocks are a rock snake, and people are encouraged to add to it. Tunnel under the interstate - one of several tunnels under roads. The current end of the trail west of Brownsburg. B&O Trail Outdoor Railroad Museum We often stop at a bench by this bridge because it's pretty and relaxing. Passing back through Speedway, the heart of the Indy 500 racing scene. The nicely separated Michigan Street bike path. Passing over the Canal in downtown Indy.

We were in northern Indiana Amish country to visit a client, so we took the opportunity to spend some time on the Pumpkin Vine Trail. We parked in Shipshewana and set off toward Middlebury and Goshen, turning a work-related visit into a 43.4-mile out-and-back ride. Ride facts Date: Monday, September 14, 2026 Route: Shipshewana to Middlebury to Goshen and back Trails: Pumpkin Vine Bike Trail (aka Pumpkinvine Nature Trail) and Maple City Greenway Distance: 43.4 miles From Shipshewana to Goshen The day took us past open fields, shaded stretches, bridges and places to pause. We photographed the Quilt Gardens and passed through Middlebury, and along the way we noticed plenty of benches for anyone wanting a break. A little farther than planned In Goshen, we did not initially realize the Pumpkinvine Trail had ended. We kept going on the Maple City Greenway for a bit before figuring it out. A pretty spot by the river gave us a place to pause and turn around before retracing our route to Shipshewana. From railroad corridor to a trail through three towns The Pumpkinvine follows an old railroad corridor, but today its connections are about bicycles, walking, and small-town stops. It links Goshen, Middlebury, and Shipshewana, giving this ride a rhythm of countryside followed by another place to pause. The towns along the way Goshen brings a historic downtown with shops, arts, and places to eat. Middlebury sits at the heart of the trail, with parks and easy stops for ice cream or a drink. Shipshewana adds its Amish-country setting, bakeries, and handcrafted goods. That mix is what made this feel like more than a ride from one end of a trail to the other. Along the ride We parked near the start of the trail in Shipshewana and saw several accessing the trail from here. Shipshewana Historical Society is located on one side of the parking lot. The actual start of the Pumpkin Vine Bike Trail in Shipshewana. Pumpkin Vine Bike Trail or Pumpkinvine Nature Trail - what's in a name? The largely Amish community of Shipshewana is full of nicely manicured lawns and houses. Several sections had a nice canopy of trees like this. Love the interesting wood patterns in this bridge over a creek. Quilt Gardens Passing through Middlebury There were many spots with benches for taking a break. A cute photo opp for this relatively new trail. In Goshen we didn't realize the Pumpkinvine Trail had come to an end, so we continued on Maple City Greenway trail for a bit before realizing it. A pretty spot by a river where we paused and turned back. More interesting bridges

The morning started cool and sunny, which was exactly what we needed for a long ride from Buffalo up to Niagara Falls with our friend Brian. The first miles were pleasant neighborhood riding before we picked up the Shoreline Trail and started following the water north. It was a full-day ride in the best way: snack stops, lunch, Niagara power facts, a conversation with a Niagara Power employee, helping another cyclist with a pump, and then several hours exploring the Falls after we locked up the bikes and put them on charge. After Goat Island, Terrapin Point, and the new Cataract Overlook, we still had to ride back to Buffalo. The ride home was smooth, and we made it all the way to Nietzsche's in Allentown to listen to The Steam Donkeys before finishing with Greek food from Vasilis Express. Ride facts Date: Tuesday, September 8, 2026 Route: Buffalo to Niagara Falls and back, finishing in Allentown. Distance: 54.3 miles. Time window: 10:24 am to 9:36 pm Trail/source: Shoreline Trail / Niagara River waterfront riding, with neighborhood connectors and Niagara Falls State Park walking. Towns/turnaround: Buffalo, Tonawanda/North Tonawanda area, Niagara Falls State Park, then back to Buffalo. After-ride stop: Nietzsche's in Allentown for The Steam Donkeys, then Greek food from Vasilis Express. Photo log We couldn't have picked a nicer day for this long ride, and it's a pleasant trip through the neighborhood streets to pick up the Shoreline Trail. We pass lots of beautiful old buildings like this church. Onto the Shoreline Trail now, which goes through quite diverse areas on the way to Niagara Falls. The Shoreline Trail was easy to follow here, with the river on one side and the road above us. A smooth path right along the water as we kept heading north. One of our little snack and rest stops along the river with Brian. Going through the town of Tonawanda now... Long straight trail sections like this made the ride feel easy. The trail stayed close to the water through Tonawanda. A short, quiet road section before picking the trail back up. A greener section of trail as we worked north. Gratwick Riverside Park, where there are free concerts during the summer. A relatively new, separated path section, nicely away from traffic. The section through the neighborhood streets of LaSalle is nicely labeled and quiet. The trail passes these two tall buildings that house floodgates that can be deployed to close the giant water-intake tunnels underneath them. Back on the trail we encountered a cyclist in need of a pump, and we had one, so we stopped to help him get aired up. He was super thankful. A calm pond stop before the Niagara Falls scenery really started. The water started getting faster as we got closer to the Falls. Following the path beside the rushing water near Niagara Falls. Our first big view of the Falls and the mist. The Falls were already impressive from across the river. Looking down at the Cave of the Winds Looking down into the gorge and the Cave of the Winds area. The mist and rainbow made this one of the best views of the day. This was the hero view: mist, rainbow, balloon above, and the Maid of the Mist below. Our electric bikes by the Nikola Tesla statue - we think he would be thrilled by them! The Nikola Tesla statue felt like the right place to park the e-bikes for a minute. Another wide view over the Falls, with rainbow and balloon. Eric took a photo of Cara taking one of many pictures for our new website that helps people plan trips to the U.S. side of Niagara Falls. That site is https://USNiagaraFalls.com This is one of the photos Cara was taking - the Maid of the Mist boat on the way to the Falls. Terrapin Point Walking the overlook path above the Falls. This is the new Cataract Staircase and Overlook. It used to be called the Crow's Nest and was only accessible by taking the Observation Tower elevator. The new Cataract Staircase and Overlook puts you right beside the water. Up close to the wall of water and mist at Niagara Falls. You can feel the power from the falls, and sometimes the mist as well. A quick Falls selfie before starting the ride back. The Observation Tower with the elevator going up. Starting the ride back to Buffalo so we could hopefully get back in time to see a band. Heading back along the water as evening started to settle in. The trail was peaceful by the river on the way back. Sunset through the bridges in Buffalo on the ride back. I guess we were too busy enjoying the band to take photos or videos of them, but this is right outside Nietzsche's — a must-visit music bar in Allentown. After the ride By the end we were satisfyingly tired, but it felt worth every mile. This was not just a ride to a famous place — it was a whole Buffalo-to-Niagara day, with trails, water, people, music, and food all stitched together.

We did a loop ride from the heart of Buffalo up to Tonawanda and back, and it ended up being one of those days where the scenery kept changing just enough to make the miles feel interesting. We wound through parks, came across a Japanese garden, picked up the Tonawanda rail-trail, and then spent a good stretch around the Erie Canal and the riverfront. The ride had a little bit of everything: pretty trail sections, a short road connector, boats along the water, canal history, a bike-only bridge, art along the trail, and a final stop for dinner. It felt like a very Buffalo-and-Tonawanda kind of ride — part park ride, part canal-town ride, and part Niagara River waterfront ride. Ride facts Date: Sunday, September 6, 2026 Location: Buffalo and Tonawanda, New York Ride distance: 24.22 miles Time window: 4:09 pm to 8:24 pm Route: a Buffalo-to-Tonawanda loop using connected parks, the Tonawanda rail-trail corridor, Erie Canal/Empire State Trail pieces, and Niagara River waterfront trail riding. A little history and trail context The Erie Canal connection The Erie Canal is the reason this part of western New York has so much transportation history packed into it. Buffalo became the western gateway of the canal system, and Tonawanda grew around the canal and river traffic that moved people, freight, grain, lumber, and manufactured goods across New York. Riding through this area, the canal does not feel like a museum piece — it still shapes the towns, the waterfront paths, and the way the old industrial and village centers line up along the water. Tonawanda and the riverfront Tonawanda sits where canal, creek, and river geography all come together, so the waterfront has always been more than just scenery. It was a practical working edge: boats, bridges, docks, warehouses, and rail connections all mattered. That is why little details along the ride — old bridge remains, canal streets, boat traffic, and riverfront paths — make the area feel layered instead of like a generic suburban trail. The Niagara River trail feel The Niagara River section gave the ride its open-water character. After the canal and rail-trail pieces, the route stretched along the river, with long views, boats, and a much more relaxed waterfront feeling. That contrast is what made the loop work so well: it was not just one trail surface or one type of scenery all day. What trails we used From the GPS track and the photo notes, this ride appears to have stitched together several connected pieces rather than one single named trail. The core pattern was Buffalo parks and connectors, the Tonawanda Rails-to-Trails corridor, Erie Canal/Empire State Trail-style canal segments around Tonawanda, and Niagara River waterfront trail riding for the return/river portion. The result was a practical 24.22-mile loop instead of a simple out-and-back. Photo log It was a lot of different scenery as we wound through some parks. This was the Japanese garden that we encountered. This is the start of the Tonawanda rail-trail, and it was very pretty. Once we left the trail, there was a really short road section. The Empire State Trail goes all the way to Albany and is a couple of hundred miles long. Lots of boats on the riverfront. This was part of the Erie Canal This is a bike only bridge. The entrance to Canal Street in Tonawanda along the Erie Canal. On the right is what remains of a bridge that would pivot to allow boats to pass. The trail is this nice all throughout Tonawanda. It was a beautiful day. A good stretch of the route where the trail kept feeling easy and connected. More riverfront riding as the loop carried us back toward Buffalo. This part of the trail was along the Niagara River the whole way. Lots of little art pieces along the trail. We ate a yummy dinner at Taqueria Ranchos La Delicias, located on the Shoreline Trail. After the ride It was a good loop because it never stayed the same for too long. We started with parks and neighborhood riding, worked our way into canal and rail-trail scenery, followed the Niagara River, and ended the day with dinner — exactly the kind of bike day that makes a place easier to remember.

We biked around Buffalo, then parked our bikes and toured the Canalside area, looking at the old battleships, submarines, aircraft, and other World War 2 displays along the waterfront. After that we kept riding the Shoreline Trail over to the Outer Harbor area and finished the evening chasing the sunset by the water. Buffalo is a fun, easily bikeable city. In addition to the great dedicated bike trails, there are bike lanes all over the city, the side streets have a lot of four-way stops, and the traffic feels light enough that we can actually look around instead of just survive the ride. Ride facts Date: Saturday, September 5, 2026 Location: Buffalo, New York Ride distance: 13.86 miles Time window: 4:55 to 9:03 pm Route feel: city bike lanes, Canalside, the Buffalo waterfront, riverside paths, and sunset riding. Photo log There are a lot of bike lanes in Buffalo. The side streets are all 4 way stops. This was our turn - interesting architecture everywhere. There are loads of murals on the buildings. Buffalo is a highly bikeable city. Not only do they have a lot of lanes, but the traffic is very low. Downtown Buffalo still shows off those older buildings and ornate details as you ride through the city. The picture doesn't show it, but the building is very ornate. You can tell that Buffalo was built up in a different era, and during that time the details were important. Another easy stretch through the city streets on the way toward the waterfront. This is where the Canal started and now it is a park. They were having an event on this day called 716 Celebrates: Stars, Stripes, and Signers. This was a VIP area for the day's event. You can pay and tour the boats. There were a lot of tour boats going up and down the river. This one was a floating tiki hut. On the left is a 100+ year old fireboat that is still in active use. The odd shaped rigging caught our eye! Here is a better shot of the fireboat There were a lot of jets and helicopters arranged as art. Here is a picture of the replica canal boat. This is the start of the Erie Canal. Then we biked on a riverside path to catch the sunset. Pictures never do the sunset justice. What I saw seemed different. A quiet sunset stop along the water before we kept riding. The last color of the day over the river. Looking back across the water as the evening settled in. The sunset kept changing colors over the water. Then the sunset was over so we biked on. A typical scene from the trail They elevated their Interstate way above the city Back on the waterfront trail with the old grain elevators in the distance. After the ride It was one of those rides where the city changed character a few times: downtown streets, canal history, old ships, river paths, and then a wide sunset over the water. Buffalo gave us a very full bike day.

Sunday, August 30, 2026 It was a very nice Sunday afternoon so we decided to go on a bike ride with friends. We packed a lunch and went on a circular ride up the Nickel Plate Trail to Fishers, over to Carmel, then back to Broad Ripple. Ride facts Distance: 32.57 miles, starting in Indianapolis, heading up the Nickel Plate Trail toward Fishers, looping through Carmel, and returning to Broad Ripple. Route: Broad Ripple / Indianapolis → Nickel Plate Trail → Fishers → Carmel → Broad Ripple. Photo log This is the start of the the ride on the trail. This is the Nickel Plate Trail which used to be a railroad track a few years ago. The trail is almost completed now. This is still a working cement business that the trail passes. They had to divide themselves in half to accommodate the trail. Obviously the trail is smooth and nice. It is brand new. This section just got completed last year. There are a few road crossings, but there are buttons to press to conjure up a traffic light. This is the problem part! The trail at this point goes under an interstate that is under construction. So, the detour is long and there is Indy's largest collection of malls and shops to navigate. Everybody saw this deer by the side of the trail. This long collection of painted rocks is a rock snake. Ride notes The trail was smooth and new through the completed sections, with a few road crossings controlled by push-button lights. The rough part was the construction detour under the interstate, where the trail dumps into a busy mall-and-shopping area before the route settles back down.

Central Indiana experienced heavy rains during the week we house-sat in Indianapolis. The news was saying it was a 1,000-year flood event. We knew the banks of the White River were likely to be overtopped in a couple of areas, so on the first day we could we biked to the Broad Ripple and Rocky Ripple areas to check out the state of things. In our 17.4-mile bike ride we saw the flood gates closed, levee protection, sandbagging, and a huge neighborhood response during the forecasted crest. The back yard of this house by the river, outside the flood gates in Broad Ripple, had become part of the river. You can see the top of their submerged air conditioner. The pool floats seemed ironic floating in the flood waters. Further illustration that this is supposed to be a driveway, not river access. They closed the gate on the Canal so that it was isolated from the White River flood event. These are part of the gate system that is a second line of defense if the levee along the White River in Rocky Ripple fails. All of the white things in the image are sandbags - the levee was getting overtopped in areas and crews capped it with sandbags. This was during the forecasted crest of the White River. The upper end of the projection was 1.5 feet higher, which would have been catastrophic. The volunteer crews were going around with trucks and fortifying the low points in the levee. These were the cars parked outside from all of the citizens who went to sandbag the levee in Rocky Ripple. Thanks, in part, to the sandbagging efforts of the local residents, Rocky Ripple was spared. Ravenswood, another precarious neighborhood in the White River floodplain, was not so lucky. Many other parts of central Indiana were also heavily impacted by flooding.