Friday, May 18, 2012

Summertime In SoBro, 2012 Edition, Vol. II

The Monon Trail north of 54th Street is a pleasant, leafy green tunnel. Shady and with pavement better than any street for miles around. Fairly well-used this time of year, too. As I was putting the camera away from this shot, I got buzzed by a pack of lycra-clad puffing road bike riders.

Once into Broad Ripple proper, the trail crosses the canal. On the right of this picture is the Canal Bistro, where we've had a couple blogmeets. Directly ahead is the bridge from which the hippie plummeted.

Plump's Last Shot doesn't open 'til noon, and I was about fifteen minutes early, so I pedaled around and noticed the "OPEN" sign was lit at Fire By The Monon. Always scouting for new blogmeet locations, I figured I'd give it a try.

The special for the day was a grilled Reuben. Delish. That's homemade corned beef and a scratch dressing that was sort of a mustard/chili-infused Thousand Island sort of thing. Whatever, it was great. I used it on the sandwich and what was left over got slurped up with fries. Washed it all down with a Sun King Chaka Belgian amber ale. I've run into the guys from Sun King Brewery at MCF&G before.

After lunch, a stop at the local Kroger. That basket on the back of the Broad Ripple SUV pops off its bicycle Picatinny rail with the click of a button and can be carried into the store for your shopping. Also, it gives Chewie the Purse Wookie a good view.

19 comments:

  1. Love Fire by the Monon. Found them last fall when I was looking for somewhere for my anniversary lunch.

    Need to go back soon. Picked up the deck of restaurant coupons last time we were there.

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  2. Some pretty smart writing here. Followed you here via a comment left at Improved Clinch. You share my sentiment for bikes, and plates of food. Probably more. Stop by my place sometime, if you care to.

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  3. That's a pretty area. I'll have to visit that part of the country some day.

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  4. "The Monon Trail" - tell me again why I shouldn't think gee, a leafier version of Gunsite's famous "Wash". I think I'd have my condition code a bit closer to Orange than Yellow...

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  5. Great pics ! Food looks yummy !

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  6. Great post!
    We have a great rail/trail-Jax-Baldwin here in Florida. There's a dirt trail for the horses.
    You have the nicest restaurants in your posts. I'm always getting hungry reading your blog; or wanting to buy another sidearm.
    Thanks.

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  7. Al T.,

    ""The Monon Trail" - tell me again why I shouldn't think gee, a leafier version of Gunsite's famous "Wash". I think I'd have my condition code a bit closer to Orange than Yellow..."

    There have been a couple-three daylight muggings on that stretch of the Monon in the last four years. Thanks to the strengthened preemption law that passed last year, I can have my trusty heater handy. :)

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  8. That's a really good idea, that bike basket.

    Hmm. Since I already have a Zionsville SUV, I think I might need to make a new, pedal-ier Zionsville SUV...

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  9. Oh, man...

    Tam, you need to check <a href="http://orbis.stanford.edu/#>this</a> out, if you haven't already. It got noticed on io9, so it's kinda snowed under by traffic, but...still, a person could lose weeks in that site...

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  10. In a Triton Brewery glass = Awesome!

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  11. What are those small things in the background? They rather resemble soviet style "reduced expectations" shopping carts for shopping at GUM.

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  12. Actually, I prefer the little double-decker shopping carts. Unless I'm picking up something bulky like paper towels or cat litter, they're a lot easier to maneuver around the store, especially a bitty little store like the Broad Ripple Kroger which tries to cram an entire modern supermarket into a '50s vintage grocery store building.

    When you're buying groceries for two adults for three or four days and not a family of five for two weeks, those bitty little biplane carts are perfect. :)

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  13. The most telling thing about them? Where regular grocery carts have a folding kiddie seat, they have a purse/iPad-sized ledge with a cup holder.

    I have not experimented to see if it's the right size for a highball glass yet.

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  14. Where did you get your bike basket? That's pretty cool.

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  15. It's a Bontrager "BackRack and the associated rear basket.

    The cool thing is that the mounting system lets you swap it out for a trunk bag or panniers or whatever with the push of a button.

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  16. I like the kitty-toy on your keychain. Almost looks like paracord, which would be double-win, of course.

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  17. It is 550 cord, wrapped around the chewy nougat center of a .750" steel ball. ;)

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  18. RKN,

    "Some pretty smart writing here. Followed you here via a comment left at Improved Clinch. You share my sentiment for bikes, and plates of food. Probably more. Stop by my place sometime, if you care to. "

    Thank you! I'll be happy to. :)

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