by Patricia Paris
posted October 14, 2007
 Patricia Paris |
We walked for an hour and a half – that's roughly four miles round trip, considering we walked a little slower on the return. Please bear with me, if you will, on the rambling conversation that went somewhat like this:
"Can you believe this weather? It's just gorgeous! I've been waiting all summer for weather like this. You know, this pretty weather makes it easy to …"
"Coming up on your left!!"
We jumped to the right to avoid the bicyclist approaching from behind us.
"You okay?"
"Yeah."
"I was saying this weather makes it easy to forget that….
"Coming up on your left!!"
We jumped to the right again to allow another bicycle to pass.
"Oh dear! Now where were we?"
"You were saying something about forgetting something…"
"Oh yeah! Right! I was saying that watching the sun dancing on the water and the rowers racing down the river makes it easy to forget, at least temporarily, that Chattanooga is located in the heart . . . .
"Coming up behind you!"
Looking up and around, I panicked and hit the grass. At about the same time the sounds of my heart beating began to override the outdoor sounds around me.
"Jeeze! There were three of them from behind…."
"…and two more coming from the other direction! I was worried there for a minute."
"All we could do was hit the grass!"
"…or be mowed down."
"Now, where were we?"
"I was saying…it's easy to forget that Chattanooga is in the heart of a fierce drought that's taking a dreadful toll on much of the Southeast."
"You're right. But we'll notice it in the lack of pretty colors this fall. Did you read that there is concern that Atlanta could possibly run out of…."
Ziiiiiiiiiiiing!
"Mercy! He didn't say a word….just whizzed right on by…"
"….water."
"Water? What about water?"
"I was saying…I read this morning that Atlanta is concerned about exhausting its water supply. They're draining Lake Lanier dry decades earlier than forecast."
"They'd better not try to tap into the Tennessee River. That's our supply!"
"You should see the U.S. drought map….Chattanooga's in the center – not on the edge. Not much chance of a stray cloud wandering our way."
"Kinda scary, isn't it? Watch out. Here comes another one."
"Try to stay as close to the right edge as you can, and I'll walk here in the middle…."
"I think the bikes have taken over the Riverwalk. What do you think?"
"Well, YEAH! If today's any indication….it's really getting ba….."
"Move over! Here comes more!"
"Gracious! What was he pulling? What WAS that thing?"
"Hmmm….not sure….but it was on wheels and covered with canvas."
"I think it was a pop-up camper."
"Whatever it was, it was too wide to be on this sidewalk, that's for sure. The nerve!"
"Have tent, will travel."
"You'd think the city would have had the foresight to incorporate a bike path into the plans for the Riverwalk….you know, a nice path running alongside the sidewalk so children could run and skip without being endangered and walkers could enjoy a leisurely stroll without fear."
"You'd think! But, instead, they gave the bikers…
"Coming up!"
"… the RIGHT to ride their bikes on the sidewalk. That's how they solved it."
"By endangering the walkers?"
"Sure! Rights are cheap. They can hand out 'rights' all day long. They're a lot cheaper than designing and building a designated bike path."
"And then, too, there's certain element out there who always jumps to exorcise their 'rights', even when they know it isn't always the smartest thing to do…and they are putting themselves or others in danger."
"…and because they've been given the 'right', they can get real horsey about it. I know, I know. You see a lot of that."
"Maybe it was an oversight."
"I doubt it. It's called RiverWALK….NOT RiverRIDE!! You'd think someone would have realized the need for a bike path!"
"Well…..that's true, I guess. I admit it makes me edgy….all those bikes flying up behind me. Most of the bikers announce their approach, but some just whiz on by. And those times when they're coming from both directions ….well, that scares the heck out of me. You can't enjoy your walk for dodging the bikes….and especially having to watch your back. One wrong move and you're…"
"Coming up on your left!"
"…mincemeat! See what I mean?"
"Somebody's going to get hurt ...it's just a matter of time."
"It's the same way on the public streets. I see bikes causing traffic to back up and drivers swerving to miss them. Last week I followed a biker around the S-curves. There was a long line of us backed up. Common sense should dictate that the S-curves are not safe for bike riding."
Arriving back at the art district, we saw seven or eight bikers clustered on the sidewalk near the coffee shop. We circled around them by stepping off the curb and walking out in the street.
"You can't relax for one minute out there with all those…."
"Amen to that. They're everywhere. And you can't even carry on a …"
"Coming up behind you!"
"…decent conversation!"
"You want to go inside and cool down over a glass of tea?"
"No, thanks! My nerves are too jangled. I just want to go back to work. I can have tea there."
"Okay then. It was good to see you again. (hug hug) 'Enjoyed it!' "
"Yeah….me, too. It was great."
Copyright 2007 Patricia Paris
Contact: patriciaparis@gmail.com
Patricia Paris is an author/columnist from Chattanooga. Member: Tennessee Mountain Writers, International Women Writers Association, Tennessee Writers Alliance, Chattanooga Writers Guild
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