#PutMiamiOntheMap at #50WestBrewing

I had another cool adventure this weekend with Velo Junkie and my Gunnar. My alma mater, Miami University, had an event at several locations around the city, north, south, east, and west, called Put Miami on the Map. Not to be confused with the University of Miami in Florida. (Miami, Oxford opened its doors to students in 1824. UofM didn’t open till more than 100 years later.) The party on the east side was at a brewery. So, even though we live on the west side of Cincinnati, we decided it would be more fun to ride to the east side.

It was about a twenty mile ride to 50 West Brewing and the Reluctant Cyclist started out true to her name. We have a 6% (+/-) grade right out of the gate. I never do well on hills until my lungs and heart get together and figure out a rhythm they can both be happy with. On top of that, my front wheel was slightly out of true and had a little bit of a wobble. Of course I blamed my discontent and discomfort on the Gunnar, and Velo patiently waited for me to stop grumbling.

Once we crested the hill it was smooth sailing, except it got too hot, my seat was too low, we had to ride through Bengal’s football traffic, yada, yada, yada. Velo really is a saint to put up with me at times.

About halfway there we stopped so I could get my Coca-Cola to keep my sugar levels from crashing and I became as wobbly as my front wheel. The heat and humidity were making us both sweat Lunken Airport, Cincinnati’s first commercial air field. A few commercial flights still leave out of Lunken but it is mostly used by private jet and small craft owners. Lunken is short for Lunkenheimer, a once prominent family in Cincinnati, but we can save that story for a history lesson later. I’ve included a picture    of their house in Cincinnati for reference, but I won’t be riding a bike there any time soon. It sits at the top of one of Cincinnati’s best known hills, Mt. Adams. Just outside of Eden Park.

profusely, so we were losing valuable electrolytes by the minute. This was right before entering the bike-way through

Back to the ride, after the airport it was on through Fairfax to Mariemont, home of 50 West Brewing.  #50westbrewing

By the time we got to the Brewery the temperature had reached about 85⁰F and the humidity about 95%. A cold beer was the perfect reward for the early afternoon ride. I had a Lemon Bus Drop, a pale ale with just a hint of citrus.

50 West is known for its Micro Bus named Penny Lane, which unfortunately caught fire and has been retired to the back of the building. 

The new micro bus is named Eleanor Rigby, but she was busy and not available for viewing. I guess we will have to make another trip to the brewery for her debut. There was, however, a busload of people on a brewery tour across the city. I may have to look that up sometime.

I was excited to get the chance to hand out my new business cards for “The Reluctant Cyclist” to  

some new friends. I was sitting with several other Miami Alumni and found out that most of them had also graduated from the Farmer School of Business, some from the same program as me. Go Hawks!.

#FarmerSchoolofBusiness

50 West is a common destination for cyclists on the east side of Cincinnati and we ran into a group of ladies riding from Milford enjoying the summer Saturday with a beer. More new friends, some friendly cyclist banter, a picture or two and we were off headed back to the west side.

Again, just as when we started out, there was a steep hill almost immediately after leaving the brewery parking lot. This time the two pale ales made me forget about the wobble, it was extremely slight anyway. The Reluctant Cyclist was in a favorable mood, the ride was half over, and we were headed home