Friends,
Weather forecast has been really bad for the east coast, all media has been focusing on the impact this winter storm will have on areas from South Carolina to Massachusetts, specially Washington DC and NY as forecasts are throwing historical numbers on accumulated inches of snow.
Well, while the storm is still going on now in the area of NY, Washington and Boston, being specially hard as I write in the Big Apple city, the southern states have been left with a white layer that we don't usually see down here.
And being a biker, owner of a fat bike, this is like finding gold. I got all I have been dreaming for some months, something that I miss for some weeks last year when my fat bike project started.
I'm going to start explaining that, as I also like photography, so the first thing I did when the storm hit Greenville SC last Friday night was to drive my car to shot some pics on the most popular places we have around this city. From Main St, to Falls Park including some pics close to my house.
Augusta St
Main St
Michelin on Main ... well Michelin is not there any more
Ready River falls @ Falls Park
The Old Cigar Warehouse @ Main St ... the best building in Greenville SC.
But the storm didn't finish on Friday night, and kept going providing a nice Saturday morning. I wake up really early, and the first thing I did was to look through my window to look for how many inches we have ... and oh surprise, it was clearly a good 3 to 4 inches of nice white powder ... and this was not coming from Mexico :)
I got my Go Lean cereals and Cafe Latte to wake up my body, then dress up with my biking apparel. I got my winter Specialized tights, my Flanders Castelli wind base layer, Freedom Catalonia jersey and Capo Pursuit Thermal Jacket ... I thought it was enough, but Jonas was throwing cold air to the South, and so I also needed one of my winter skying jackets, so I decided for a Millet soft shell, Castelli winter socks and Bontrager RXL shoes were coming to the adventure too, despite the shoes are not the best option for a snowy day, since I live in South Carolina I don't have a real winter boot I can use in such conditions.
It was early Saturday morning, and Greenville SC had this picture we all love to see at least once a year, and even better when this happens on a weekend, where no work or schools are interrupted and we can enjoy the white element. Ready to ride, I think I was the only biker in the City ... well, maybe there was one or two more, but I never saw them. So I left home, to enjoy the next hours on a unusual environment for my fellow friends of SC.
Told my daughter to take a pic when I was leaving ... thanks !
Sun rising on the front porch :)
So I decided no need for weird routes looking for no traffic, the main areas of Greenville where my target, including some of the main busy streets ... for one day free of cars and people.
This is kinda of a big tree ... and just two blocks from my house
Ventana on her element
McDaniel Av, yes I respected the speed limit.
I continued towards the Swamp Rabbit trail, the access from McDaniel it was just some yards away from the previous picture, so I was expecting almost nobody to be there, and honestly, I found more tracks than I thought will be, but all them of avid runners.
Swamp Rabbit, note the runners track ... and no bikes :)
Some yards after that picture, you have to cross one metallic bridge, I like the place, but is not the best one for a pic, today it was different, as the white, black and silver tones were mixed on a perfect mix for a winter day.
Slippery metallic bridge by Church St, better on the bike than walking.
Calm corner this morning
It's a typical downtown ride, but a must stop place is around the bridge and falls @ Falls Park, just yards away, after some turns and a small ramps from here.
That's why you need the fat tires ...
Bridge and falls view from the south side of the park
Ready River falls ... mid downtown.
Here I am :)
And still here almost nobody other than the public workers trying to clean main roads and paths to avoid issues during the day. Not sure why, I was hoping nobody will be cleaning at least the park, big mistake, as is one of the main spots to visit in Greenville. From this point I went up and down main street, busy on any other day, almost desert this winter morning ... have to love to ride on this days, I will move to the north.
The Old Cigar Warehouse ... so nice
Happy rider on Main ST.
Main St., who said there was too much traffic?
So after some laps for for the most beautiful city you can visit in the South East of the US, I went back home, redoing some of my previous path to avoid dirt streets, being able to enjoy the 3 to 4 inches of new snow. I arrived to Cleveland park, closer to home but on a valley without any other escape than climb towards my home ... and it was nice, but it proved me an easy hill on normal conditions can turn in a Tour the France version with snow, as the bike is continuosly slowed down.
Cleveland Park, here I found tracks of another fat bike ...
Frozen water, not the best option :)
Stone Bridge close to Cleveland Park
On my way back home, I saw people walking or running, a lot of thumbs up for me when I was close to them, everybody was surprised about a guy on a bike on such a day. I even cross a couple that were asking me if the ttracks they saw on the park were mine...and of course they were.
From Greenville SC, on a white and snowy day, from a happy biker.
Javi Paricio
