bikes 'n' books

 Yes, now actually enter into a really lovely wide unpopulated lane surrounded by trees and even Wilderness Lake, er. I mean Lake Wilderness... Heck, there's even an arboretum out here! But coming off of this and pedaling down the final forgotten road to Black Diamond, it finally had to happen, right?!: my back tire suddenly went flat as can be, dang. The good news is that I am only 3/10th of a mile from Black Diamond The bad news is that this must be one of the only libraries without a bus stop nearby, shucks... Staff are even more discouraging but I get on a computer and DO discover bus service not so far away... snap a photo inside  & am off -- unfortunately I immediately head off in the wrong direction and walk a mile or 2 before realizing it, turn around and, yes, of course: the big roads and buses are where I had originally come from, right?! So, my only injury so far on this far flung journey is a blistered toe from all the walking, not biking... Thankfully, the infreque

 After a bit more mad urban driving, finally -- with portions of Wax Road -- find a quieter serene one lane country avenue to bike along, ahhh -- and Maple Valley itself keeps to this bucolic theme surrounded by a big Evergreen forest, yes! But still not finding any staff I know or remember -- ah, meetings and absences! -- and the inside of this branch has nearly nothing to recommend it... That's ok, we're entering the quieter areas of the county finally...!

 This time drive to Kent station, pull out my bike and start the long slow slog up Kent-Kangley road -- a small or no shoulder and one could  ride on the sidewalks but those dips for all the driveways can be a killer after awhile.... But there finally is Covington -- arriving before they're even open for business for once...: Staff inside are about as excited about my journey as if I told them I had a new pencil, oh well.... Time to head off for Maple Valley....

 So, ok, it's flat and kinda scenic & away from cars  but it's still about another 9 miles and I think I have to catch this bus back from Carnation soon or wait for another hour & a half at least (my now common tale trying to return from these far-flung regions of the county) so I'm pedaling hard and fast even as I vaguely recall that I went on a walking blind date along this dusty path a number of years back -- who was that girl that I only remember was quite short & worked in a Leavenworth bookstore...?! Oh well, cycle cycle, shucks, I'm not gonna make that bus, so it goes....(the whole day's ride set up in order to get done fairly early to make it to a jazz show that evening)..... Flat & steady & frankly, a little dull, but here comes Carnation!: Rebuilt since the centuries ago when I was last here but at least still preserving the Native American art a little bit inside with even a goofy beaver!: & so I get my clams & chips down the s

 From the pleasantest ride through woods and isolated trails I now rode along an increasingly narrow shoulder trying to make myself skinnier as SO many cars and trucks and all kept rushing by, many not edging from their lane....man, I had been thinking this should be ok cuz who ever goes to Duvall anyway..??! But no, there are nearly no quiet country lanes left and everyone is going everywhere all the time now and so I pedaled along on edge both physically and mentally (& metaphorically!) -- now finally I see the first buildings of Duvall up ahead but now the shoulder completely disappears and I even pause waiting for a break in traffic and then try racing along....but, oh no, here comes a giant truck behind me...! Fortunately he doesn't try passing me and my scared tired legs get me to the last bridge before town...But this bridge is as slender as can be with a tiny thin raised walkway on each side that I try still biking on, almost rolling off more than once (into traffic, y

 From RR I quickly enter onto just about the best bike riding route ever: a serene, heavily forested wilderness -- unpaved but nicely tamped dirt and no one except horse turds to avoid...! Only too short but then emerges onto the also newly discovered Tolt Pipeline trail with none but occasional walkers joining me... & parts very steep but fortunately going down for me -- this is looking back at what I raced down!: Then back on busy Avondale and finally rewarded -- way off the beaten track with Woodinville!: & such a nice outside playground play area that I didn't even take any photos inside (though I did get to see Pam!) -- but how can you beat wine barrels & xylophones?! Or the most artistic admonition to whisper (which I only just now realized how appropriate for a library..!):

 Ok, so we're doing things a little different this time: actually loaded my trusty bike into my car (gasp!) & drove to Redmond (the light rail/bus commuting can take too long!) where I saw the welcome: "Redmond: Bicycle capitol of the Northwest" which seemed like a good sign....! Park in empty library parking lot (since these branches don't open until 1pm, geez!) and set off:  so, they brag about being the capital so I guess that means wide shoulders for bikes but the roads are certainly not empty and I quickly start ascending on a "Novelty Hill road" which has very little having anything to do with novelty, bah! Then, there finally, the branch that isn't a branch: Redmond Ridge: No staff here but you just need to type in your library card number to get into the building -- and I even thought that maybe it wouldn't let me in unless I had a hold waiting so I dutifully placed a hold on a special CD and here it is: (a jazz CD which includes a song t

 Now some incredibly steep downhill riding alongside the biggest, most threatening big rigs & semis -- I've really entered the heart of industrial Puget Sound now -- lucky the sidewalks still accommodate and funny to hear the voice on the Kent crosswalk announcements sound like a brusque impatient male (!) -- then re-find the Interurban trail and immediately feel so much better surrounded by green foliage and bird songs...ahh! & not too long ahead, there's Kent! Had long thought that Kent has the toughest, most challenging cross-section of patrons of all KCLS libraries and my opinion was not so dissuaded by who I espied here this day (both inside and outside the branch) Met one lovely library staffer Talei (?) but when I found out her name was Fijian immediately greeted her with "Bula! Ni sambula!" but hardly got an acknowledgement that I had gotten the language right....& other staff I knew were once again all in meetings, ah well.... Some nice baubles ha

 A none too scenic ride now right into Kent -- though I like how that ol' adage: "What goes up, must come down" nicely applies to bike riding too! -- to the remarkably awkwardly named Kent Panther Lake library, on the edge of a puny strip mall but amazingly picturesque somehow too!: However, sadly, somehow someone had driven into the side of this building even as it is quite a ways off the main road, but the result is it won't reopen until December...????? Reallllly??? December? of which century..?!

 Locked into my regular bike to Northgate for the "1 line" now -- and down to Stadium station for Renton bus -- man, it's fast but so rough bouncing along, feel lucky my bike didn't bounce off! And now quickly depart from Renton and discover the lovely bucolic Cedar River trail! Lovely but all too short as I was paralleling a barreling-fast road and soon had to climb the all-too-long & steep & noisy 140th up up up to Fairwood (wondering why so many of these libraries seem to be built on the top of hills, nay, mountains?!! & inside there's Diana, and Bernadette and even Denene again! And Peter too (who apparently bikes up this hill no problem on a regular basis). But, hey everyone's busy in meetings and I hardly even get a hello -- oh well, these poor workers (!!)  Curious big painting too

 What goes up must go down: WHEEEE! (think i may have attained 40 mph, whew!) then back along Lake Sammamish, and into Redmond (remembering the couple nights spent here with Bernice just for kicks riding bikes etc. at height of pandemic) Curiously several historical pix inside depict ancient bike rides plus some big hairy sculptures & that's my 30th library down! 20 more to go.....pant, pant -- thence just an express bus back to U. district (at first by myself) where I meet Anastasia for a nice dinner!

 More new roads to discover, first through Issaquah, and wait, what's this? (shd I sue them for copyright infringement of MY radio show name -- 'course, heh: they've probably had the name longer than me -- ok, never mind...!) & first along the lovely shores of Lake Sammamish (almost circumnavigating whole lake on this day's ride) but turning off and up, Up, UP -- man, it had looked like a near vertical climb on google maps but I couldn't believe it but no, here it is in the flesh, whew -- nothing so lovely either just a narrow so-steep bike lane next to a too-busy road.... but have NEVER ascended up to these rarified heights to see this community before, hmmm, nice! & inside when I asked what iconic photo cd represent the library, staff pointed out the view of Seattle from the back window!:

 Now a bunch of sneaky backroads through parks and dirt paths even to downtown Issaquah branch -- so I forgot to take a photo outside, so sue me or better yet enjoy the much superior photo from KCLS website!: & more familiar cohorts inside like Sandy & Chris & Melissa & a raven, nevermore or not:

 Now comes a longer stint, curling around Lake Sammamish, and the rare times I had biked home from work in Issaquah I had not realized how much uphill it was -- easier in this eastward direction, even over big bad I-90 too & now down, down, down into the ol' familiar {10 years of work worth} Service Center, almost like a reunion..! Cuz I mean, there's Jan & Samantha & Zack & Katie & Jim & Heather & Vivian & even Kate & Christine, who creatively thought to get my pic with passport in front of the whole daunting county map!: & then I even got to go downstairs for not just 1 special service center stamp but three {KCLS & PROF & CS! (thanks Shannon!) & then there was Nancy too, and yes, don't worry: I AM now checking out special items at most the branches I am visiting...! Like music CDs for my radio show even! ["Puget Soundz" on KBFG-FM, check it out!] Too bad others like Wendy & Susy were not around, oh well...

 Did not get wet by a lake but should have been forewarned by the "Hills" in next stop though not too bad and actually pretty surprised to find that I had never been to this library (up on the 2nd floor!) before & there's Diane and Larence & even a glass slipper!

 Once again a pedal thru local cemetery to Northgate to jump on local light rail to "University of Washington" this time (not "U. district" which is one stop too early, not "University [street]" which is downtown, not "Stadium" though it IS right next to U Dub's stadium: could Metro have been more confusing for a newcomer?!!), and then promptly here comes the 271 (crowded!) bus to Bellevue transit station....just a few blocks from our grand bellwether/Bellevue branch...briefest stop then off for more uncharted territories including a nice trail paralleling the northern side of busy westbound 520 & then more lonely sidewalks --- also really feeling the true topography everywhere as each hill kills -- to Xroads/Crossroads in the mall!: Passport stamped and colorful laminated blog address passed along, one internal display & we're off....