Ride 17 - Flamingos

Birds fly on one of Madison's largest murals. 7/6/24 dwm

I saw some real big birds on my ride yesterday. Across a bike path and train tracks from the Kohl Center a new apartment building is under construction.

It may already have a name but it's likely to be called the bird house or flamingo, for the large birds shown along the length of the building.

According to a local TV news story about the art installation, the paintings include 15 flamingos spanning 300-feet. There's another building on the other side, so it seems likely this will become one of Madison's favorite spots to take a selfie.

The ride covered familiar territory with a slight adjustment. After I turned on the southwest commuter trail headed downtown, I saw an unleashed dog a block away. It didn't appear to be creating a problem but I chose to take a detour, heading east then taking Seminole Highway and Monroe Street to where I got back on the path.

Flamingos in repose. 7/6/24 dwm

 Saturday was the second nice day of the four-day holiday weekend that alternated with rain, so there were lots of walkers, runners, and cyclists enjoying summer weather.

 The southwest commuter trail winds through the isthmus to John Nolen Drive where it crosses the busy street where it runs into the Capital City trail which you can take around the north side of Lake Monona or south where the path winds through green space and park land.

 For a couple extra miles I took the Lower Yahara River trail through a state park and across a long boardwalk into McFarland where I reversed course to head home.

 It was nice getting two rides in over the Fourth (ride 16 is mentioned in The Week that Was - July 6). This ride was 35 miles with a 15.4 average speed. The year's total is 662.

 Photo below looks east to Washington Street. 7/6/2024 dwm