I went on a bike mission around Greensboro. I made my list, mounted my bike and headed out for the afternoon.
Stop 1: Recycles Bike Shop, Spring Garden Street. I went there with the express purpose of getting a basket for my bicycle so as to ease the transport of groceries and/or books (and in preparation for my trip to the farmers’ market later on in the week). The guys at this shop are very helpful and even tightened my gears for me. I admired the art on the arm of the guy helping me.
Stop 2: Greensboro Central Library, N. Church Street: My goal there was to find “Driving Over Lemons” by Chris Steward. This book is rather like “A year in Provence”, the book from which the movie “A good year” is based except instead of France as a setting, it takes place in the Alpujarra Region in Spain. I read this book before leaving for Andalusia and decided I wanted to revisit it. When I asked the librarian if they had it in stock, the library security guard said something ironic like, “we don’t have books here”. Ah ha ha. They did indeed have it and soon I plan to re-read anecdotes about “Papas a lo pobre”.
Stop 3: On South Elm Street past the cafes and clubs there is a strip of odd-ball shops; some sell art and glass beads and there is a series of “antique” stores, one so chock-full of stuff, it is literally floor to ceiling and jammed into the display window. I was more curious about the corner grocery. Old men sit around at the shop’s storefront and smoke cigars. I entered the establishment and immediately noticed the shelf lined with cans of beef stew, peas, and corn. I quickly assed that I would not be buying my groceries here but the man behind the counter offered me a fresh cucumber (obviously homegrown) for 35 cents; how could I refuse? I also bought two seed packets, one of forget-me-nots and a wild flower mix- two for the price of one. The gentleman warned me that they were annuals and that it was too late in the season (hence the sale) but wished me luck. I may return for more cucumbers.
Stop 4: Food Lion, Florida and Chapman Streets- the least interesting of my destinations, I was in need of various spices; namely cinnamon and cumin which I got from the Latino food section. The trip there was the most “exciting”… I plan to avoid Lee Street in the future… My favorite part is when people expect me to get on the sidewalk; Clearly riding on uneven and unpredictable pavement that conveniently has telephone poles and pedestrians as obstacles is preferable. What do they teach in Drivers’ ed? Cars are supposed to yield to cyclists and share the road…Anyway, aside from the moments of incorrigible driver ignorance, my bike excursion was a success and merits repetition.
