Weird.
Apples
It seems the apples have come a bit earlier this year. On Friday, Liza and I are going to ride the apple circuit and collect from my favorite mostly-public-space fruit trees.
It would be cool to have an interactive map that shows where the good mostly-public fruit is around town. The way it would have to work would be to have a map that is not visible until a user provides at least one good source for fruit. The hard part is verifying the source of fruit a user submits. There's a scale issue there.
In any case, there are hundreds of apple trees that are fit for picking in this area. Any cyclist that keeps an eye out is sure to see many apple trees. What I've found in the last couple years are two or three great apple trees: crisp, sweet, non-mealy, not wormy. The money trees are pear (I know of one that is mostly public and many that are private) and apricot (same deal there). Plums are interesting, but not money.
So, we'll pick on Friday and on Saturday, we'll make apple sauce and apple butter. You can throw any old apple into sauce or butter as long as you lean towards the green/tart for the majority.
Iron Bridge
My favorite project looks to be complete next Summer. It's the key piece of the East Sprague\Chief Gary connection and will make getting to the new Pedals2People space (1802 E Sprague) way easier from downtown.
From our esteemed bike/ped coordinator, Grant Wencel:
"The funding we received from the WA State Recreation and Conservation Office includes design and construction.($530,000). The detailed design work will begin this fall/winter by outside consultants, with construction planned for 2010."
Congratulations on being noted! I'm enjoying my visit to your blog, and I enjoyed reading about your apples! There is an old apple tree near the path that I run, and I always stop and get a couple of apples to eat while I run. The apples are small but good!
ReplyDeleteNow if only Erie street could get paved there would be an easy, out of the way to get to the South Hill from the trail.
ReplyDeleteLuke: for paved, Helena is an easy shot. It's wide and provides timed lights at Sprague and Trent. Once the Iron Bridge is complete, Helena seems like best paved option. Part of Erie may get paved for the MLK/Riverside Extension too.
ReplyDeleteHi, just called over to congratulate you on becoming a Blog of Note!
ReplyDeleteWe have loads of apple trees where I live in England, and this has been a really good year for them. I usually pick some to keep for over the Winter, or make cider out of what is left!
Pop over and visit me sometime1
еуе
ReplyDeleteVery nice blog... Congrats..
ReplyDeleteWell done with great quality content.. Good luck!!!
Dealz
http://yougetfreetraffic.blogspot.com/
Somone is ahead of you in mapping fruit trees. . .but they're in Seattle, http://www.cityfruit.org/
ReplyDeleteI think you could post Spokane trees though. . .
-Max
Congratulations! Now a lot of other people know what a great job you do with your blog, John. Plus, they get to watch Spokane's cycling scene expand before their very eyes.
ReplyDeleteWhen I was a student in Scotland I used to pass by some apples tress at the edge of the road. I always stopped for a snack and the rode forward for Cummingston cliffs - for climbing. :-)
ReplyDeleteNice to be on blog of note. You do have an interesting blog.
ReplyDeleteSo good to read about Spokane. I go there for one week a month to spend time with my granddaughter. Although, my blog features houses from North Vancouver, B.C., Canada, when I am in Spokane I will be writing about a some of your historic and distinctive buildings. I'll watch for you on your bike.
ReplyDeleteI love how you actually said "on being noted" as opposed to "I'm a blog of note"- You have a good blog, you deserve it!
ReplyDeleteAshley Kay
lillawyer.blogspot.com
Love your blog. I ride my bike to work and home. Live in the city though )-: so no apples just cars lol
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on getting so many hits! Your dad has a cute little apple tree that has a ton of fruit on it!
ReplyDelete~ Cozette : )
nice shot!
ReplyDeleteps you're invited to comment on my post too =)
cool blog
ReplyDeleteVery cool blog! What kind of bike do you ride? I'm looking to upgrade mine in the near future and have been pointed towards a few of the old trusty brands (Gary Fisher, Cannondale) but would like an opinion from someone who seems to really know what they're doing. :)
ReplyDeleteNice blog
ReplyDelete