The Ceres Path

It was just a thought. “Will you stop at the bike shop if there's a park space out in front?”, I asked Yasmin. We had just finished a wonderful lunch of veggie pie and chips at “The Veggie Bar” located in Fitzroy, a suburb south of Coburg North, a bit closer to the CBD (Central Business District or downtown Melbourne). Not only was there a park space, but EVERY park space was free in front! In we went, and after a few wheeling dealings, I became the new owner of a Cannondale hybrid bicycle.

I had wanted to get a bike since coming to Australia. I know that sharing the road is an unresolved conflict even here in friendly Oz. In fact, there was a recent news report of a cyclist being punched in the face by a driver after an exchange of temperaments. While this was disturbing, but did not squelch my enthusiasm. Many people use their bikes to commute to work, exercise, run errands, or just to enjoy the day here in Melbourne. I was looking forward to the same.

The weather has been supportive of my desire to cycle around the area. Even the temperatures have remained mild these past few mornings despite misty rains and gray, cloudy skies. Some mornings we wait for the sun to appear before venturing out on our bikes, but this morning we have been bound by a time constraint. We are going to Ceres, an environment park, south of Coburg North. At Ceres, one can purchase native plants at their nursery, a latte at their organic café, tune up your bike (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), buy fresh organic fruit and veggies (Wednesday and Saturday markets), and learn how to build more environmentally friendly buildings.

Today we wanted to peruse the Ceres market while getting in our daily bike ride. On Saturdays, the market closes at 1pm, so we ventured out before blue skies. We traveled via the Merri Creek Trail. I think of it like a commuter path for bikes. But if one takes a moment to look, really look, at what is going on around the path, one may be surprised.

Here's what I saw:

Winding paths running tandem with the Merri Creek...suspension bridges and high tension wires....backyards and high rise apartments....football ovals and velodromes...dog walkers and pram pushers...plastic bottles floating down the creek next to a perfect white lily...community gardens and mosques....sculptures and graffiti.

After a successful shopping trip, and a lovely and nourishing lunch at the Ceres café, we pedaled home, stopping momentarily to take photos of all the beauty. Thanks to my brother, Tom, I am now the proud owner of a new Panasonic Digital camera, with lots of mega pixels, and a fabulous lens. I trust my photos do Oz justice. I will let you be the judge. I hope you enjoy my musings on this gray, misty Saturday in Oz. It's good to be back.