Why I Live Here...

Madison, WI, with its hundreds of miles of bike trails, is my home town. I was born there, I lived there for most of the 80s and I have many family members in the area. While I hope to retire there and fully utilize the network of bike trails, for now, I am living in Manitowoc. Mariners Trail is the only dedicated bike trail and its 5.5 miles along the shore of Lake Michigan provides a beautiful route to ride.

Yesterday, I decided to bike to the first outdoor farmers market of the season. As I was getting ready to go, I remembered that the trail cleanup was happening. I biked the five miles to the trail and went to volunteer to help. By the time I arrived, the registration tent was already removed and the trail was almost all done. I biked past a few families still helping and thanked them for their work.

I suspected I'd run into my friend Judy somewhere on the trail since it was a beautiful Saturday in May. I had some of my cards with me on my bike and when I saw Judy volunteering at her flowerbed along the trail, I stopped to chat. I gave her the cards for her to use and sell. Judy and I worked on the board of Mariners Trail for years and I consider her to be the ambassador and historian of the trail. My next destination was the farmers market. The location of the market in Manitowoc is two blocks from the lake and along the Manitowoc River, across from the U.S.S. Cobia, a World War II submarine. While sometimes the lake breezes can be chilling, today was lovely. I ran into Tony, who headed the city Sustainability Committee when I was on it years ago. He commented how the first market of the season was like coming out of hibernation. I agreed. And while I usually shy away from crowds, I like the market for its community.

I am reminded when communities had vibrant city centers, serving as the hub of connections for those who lived around it. I chatted briefly with Ann and Dan, friends I've known for decades. I bought some micro greens from a new vendor who came up from near Sheboygan.

For several years, I volunteered at the market. Sherrie is a dear friend and was the market coordinator. Since I am an early morning person, the market was my type of gig! I had a key to the shed and my friend Vince and I would get there before 6 a.m. to put out the signs and sweep up puddles if it had rained. I was committed to getting to know the people who grew my food. Howard grew my potatoes, Elroy provided apples, Mrs. Her had a variety, and Skip had

beautiful plants. I'd help some people set up their tents, move tables or unload their vehicles. Today, I spoke with Amber, the market coordinator. We are connected online but hadn't seen each other since the fall. Amber leads Grow It Forward and continues to grow the market. She has such vision and is passionate about sustainable, local, quality food. I let her know that I'd like to juggle vegetables at the market when I am around in late summer.

As I was preparing to hop on my bike to head home, I heard my name being called. A dear friend, Rich, was walking across the parking lot with his dog. For 20 years, Rich ran the Culture Cafe. He roasted his own beans and provided vegetarian food, something of an anomaly in Manitowoc. I worked for him at the farmers market for a year or two, selling his coffee and my cards. His cafe was the first place where I was a regular. He trusted me with a key and the alarm code and if he was running late, I could let myself in and play the piano until he got there. From our brief conversation, I learned that Rich is helping out at the new Waterfront Wine Bar along the river. I look forward to an iced Americano at some date in the future!

My Saturday morning ride was 23.5 miles on my bike, with long pauses of community. When I arrived home, I did a walkabout in my yard. I was thrilled that my spring flowers, including dandelions, are blooming, my friend Tammy's

hive is active, and I had seven deer in the woods around my property. Can you spot the one deer in the woods in the photo below? After a stressful week at work, having a half day to get lost in both nature and community was the recipe for revitalization for me. I am reminded of a line from Field of Dreams: "Is this heaven? No, it's Iowa." While my community is neither of those things, it is special.