bikes 'n' books

 Continuing on the southern version of the Interurban trail, meeting few other travelers, though still a lot less fun in the rain, I then turn off and head into the town of Auburn suddenly looking so much more swanky and nouveau riche than I ever remember -- though a weird conjunction of working class and elegance like the gigantic crow sculpture eating french fries outside the library!: & inside the Auburn Library (#24!) here's Shawn and Steven and especially Jonna...cool wall art too & flamboyant curlicues coming off the ceiling But so, I was counting on sun or at least only clouds so I quit for the day -- not gonna make it halfway through the KCLS countdown -- and find it pretty difficult enough to negotiate through town with all the sidewalks and roads blocked off for construction etc. to transit station and hey!, here's a big plush metro bus going downtown with hardly anyone on it, and then good ol' #5 leaving downtown soon after I arrive...can u believe it? Of

 Now a section I have a bit of trepidation over: crossing east over 99, I-5 and probably some other giant highways -- I've got a few busy roads with narrow shoulders to negotiate but fortunately they're somewhat steep downhill so I get through them quickly and unscathed. And, NO, u won't find me waiting on my bike in bustling car turn lanes like I'm 'equal to the auto', oh no: I use the crosswalks, where I get to hear all the varieties of voices announcing when I can cross, etc.... But, wait, what's this? Although I had diligently checked and rechecked all the weather apps numerous times leading up to today and had been promised no precipitation, it IS beginning to spit down on me -- NO FAIR! My routes comparatively flat and now I discover actual bike trails -- though crumbling and broken up with foliage growing through it all now, but a lot less fun in the drizzle, sigh.... But now the southernmost library of KCLS, cozy & tiny, right on border of Pierce

 Second library in the same city -- and reachable through an odd BPA trail under constant buzzing power lines But here now is one of our biggest libraries, FW Regional & here's Michelle inside! Proclaiming the soon-to-open Makerspace even Nice art in the kids area too

& now the dang google maps tells me to continue on hectic, busy (albeit historical) Highway 99 so this I do, continuing to be hopeful that there are wide sidewalks with no one walking on them! But just the sound of the rushing roaring traffic is enough to wear one down...! But finally through some back roads, here I come up on 320th! Though so long ago it's been nicely remodeled since I was last here....and buttons even making up some wall art

 Day begins with regular ride through cemetery (to cross Aurora to Northgate) -- rather full light rail, riding all the way to the end....Pretty straightforward ride due south (though some big busy roads) to... Woodmont! Don't think I'd ever been here before either....and not only an interesting wall hanging inside: but also Jackie & Monique too, yay! {Viva the reunions!}

 & now I had just heard that Burien is closed due to another fire which is just as well since I am taking too long and realizing most these libraries close at 5 today and then I take a wrong turn and am pummeled by the traffic and the conjoining freeways until I about-face and, ahhh, DO find the bucolic Green River trail almost serene and calming (& all alone too!) Unfortunately I don't stay on this long enough (worried about an incredibly steep hill further south) so get off the trail and join back in the tumult and probably an equally steep hill up Orillia Road (wondering to myself just what I am doing with all this idle pedaling!)-- which all turns out to be quite a big detour just to continue further south and west but finally over 99 again and down a quite precipitous road to Des Moines But, jeepers, Romy is also on vacation so pity we couldn't re-connect -- just a fine marine mural inside & boy oh boy is it a long wait for a quirky little bus back to the south

 Finally I get some downhill -- almost too steep descending (!) -- over the freeway again, and then past the nearly endless parade of Big Box department stores of Southcenter, so huge I park my bike anywhere and then attempt to walk through this truly alien indoor environment, artificial and assaulted by different muzak 'tunes' (?) blasting out of each store but there finally is the library!: Met by a way too nonchalant Denene but I always liked the international signs inside at least!:

 Though it looks so short a distance on the map, the hills keep ascending and I trudge up & up finally making it to another former worksite, Valley View!: & who is here but ol' chums Julie & Nick, yay!:

 Now into uncharted territory again, down steep forsaken valleys (discovering that, hey, I-5 must have been carved out in such a rift in a way) and as I go over the freeway on a super downhill slant I luckily pull onto the tiny bridge curb because just then 3 huge semis roar past me on the narrow road... Equally steep uphills following and onto Tukwila international boulevard to.....Tukwila, naturally But, dang, Faruk is on vacation so no reunion there, just some funky light fixtures as well as an amazingly international shared restaurant space next door with food from Kenya, Cambodia & Afghanistan (yum!)

 1 'hack'/ solution for my over-ambitious bike challenge that I just figured out is to begin my next big bike trip from where I finished on a previous day instead of biking from my home each time...so today I began by biking to Northgate -- my favorite route crossing Aurora via local cemetery, where today I surprised a lost coyote!: then over the freeway bridge (which I had 'christened' months ago, being the first ever to bike over it long before it officially opened!) & jump on light rail to downtown, then only had to wait about 14 seconds for the subdued but bouncy 101 to Renton where I caught up with Anna quickly again: & then up the too-steep hill to old stomping grounds, Skyway! & who is inside today but Ursula & Fred!: though tragically I failed to check on the status of my own "novel" and if it still occupies a secret part of the shelves here (!), though I DID get to re-connect with Skyway's main coffee guru, unofficial mayor and all

 & now lots more downhill racing, though still no good bike lanes -- good thing no one walks anymore cuz the sidewalks, broken as they are, are my only recourse to travel by bike down here! -- and it's getting close to rush hour too, geez, BUT now there it is, my final stop for the day....RENTON!: & ok, so it's one of the most special libraries anywhere as it's built over a river and everything but by now I couldn't even bother to walk any further to frame the perfect shot! Besides there were all the staff to reconnect with!: YES, Vicki & Leah & Anna & Anne! Especially Anna! & that's it for today -- but I have to show off my proud steed that is taking me everywhere (35ish miles today?), all tricked out with cellphone holder, horn and mirror etc provided by wonderful Skyway staff gift certificates when I left... & now it's getting quite cold again, and dang, do the nearly 2-hour bus rides home really have to have all the windows open a

 Now the wide sidewalks end (right as I am 'welcomed' to Renton) and yet the scary traffic paralleling me continues -- I've got my new mirror on my bike but that just shows me how close the cars are zipping by.... a makeshift sidewalk resumes but now uneven and cracked and broken glass strewn and I want to check google maps: "No, I wanted the bike route to my next library not how I would drive there!" but I guess there's no difference in this part of the county, alas -- at least it's not too far and Voila! Renton Highlands!: & David & Nathan & Meghan too! But only time for one snapshot inside of 1 of many iconic paintings/pictures:

& now over busier roads -- not always with good bike lanes -- but plenty of ups and downs, finally making it to Newcastle  (too tired to frame the picture well!) but there's Noele! & Fred too! and even Jennifer in the backroom! Reunion time!, sorry if I didn't get more photos....at least there's a dangly mural inside:

 So, just as steep downhill off of Mercer Island, through Shorewood apartments (first place I lived out here when my parents moved from Detroit when I was two about a thousand years ago..!) and then east via secret magic slough, just parallel to I-90 but one would never know about it except on a bike!: then belatedly remembering as I used to cruise downhill coming west from Issaquah on occasion that I would never want to go the opposite way but now here I am: big eastward uphills paralleling lots of whizzing cars and concrete but now google maps has me even go south off the road on a cedar bark trail through some big woods, emerging who knows where -- more uphills, the back way in a neighborhood never seen but voila, and aha, of course I know bucolic Newport Way!: & Rochelle inside (who I have to remind that we both started at KCLS the same week, 26+ years ago -- even taken out to a bar for a meal by bygone cool teen librarian head way back then!) as well as joking Jeani who asked

 So, the day started promising, down familiar Greenwood & Fremont, around Lake Union on the impossible-to-spell-or-pronounce Cheshiahud loop, through downtown and International district, up to the great vantage point overlooking Lake Washington and even the Cascades and puffy clouds: & even the I-90 bridge was fine except for the everpresent noisy traffic rushing towards me -- and then quite the climb up to Mercer Island library -- & I must interject here that their garbage truck drivers don't even have to leave their seats as they have robot arms to lift the garbage bins!! -- seemingly on top of that isle, now hidden behind ample foliage Pretty cool skateboard advertising the kids section inside too Joe inside nearly as cool, or unfazed/nonplussed at least....but nice big bunnies outside too (like a real one I surprised not too far away from here...!)

 Now onto the granddaddy of all the KCLS libraries -- found via a new-to-me "Eastrail", unpaved but pretty scenic and level and quite rural and scenic looking.... And then, though back in the hubbub on outskirts of Bellevue with numerous cars whizzing by me, and struggling to pedal up yet another hill, there suddenly were two deer munching on trees not 10 feet away from me -- we were all 3 surprised & startled! But it had been another long bike trip -- only took me like an hour and 3/4s to get home via our 'wonderful' buses -- I was tired and forgot to even take any other pix except for the outside license plate wall when I first arrived (I particularly like the "Lunatic Musical Nullify" string...!)

On paper, or at least a map, it looks so straightforward winding around the lake but there were lots of busy windy roads to get to Kirkland  Cdn't find buddy Andy inside but there were lots of attractive objects to photograph inside, like a ceiling sculpture that looked like a bunch of blue records! & impressive abstract paintings on the high wall: and even a fanciful mural extending all over the children's area: But so here I had to take a break, grab an ice cream and take in the view of {seemingly far off} Seattle: as well as of close-ups of stones on the waterfront: