Hamilton County Opens New Section of Monon

What's arguably Indy's favorite multipurpose trail can now take cyclists (and hardy runners) almost all the way across Hamilton County as well as between Mass Ave and SoBro. On Wednesday,  county officials cut the ribbon on a newly-paved section some three miles long, giving users access to an off-street trail that now reaches all the way to the outskirts of Sheridan, nearly at the Hamilton-Boone County line.

A Modest Proposal: Bike-Friendliness in Indy

Carmel's a "bicycle-friendly community."

If you climb on your two-wheeler and pedal north on Indy's Monon Trail, you may have noticed that slightly past 96th Street as you enter Carmel, there's a smallish blue and white sign. It says, "Bicycle Friendly Community," and it was awarded by The League of American Bicyclists. If, however, you turn around at the nicely appointed trailhead between 96th and I-465 and head back south, you won't see such a sign as you enter Indianapolis.

It's a Cap! It's a Headband! It's a Balaclava! It's... It's a Buff!

Buff UV Protection Headband

Me and my buff

A gazillion years ago when I worked in surgery, one of the OR techs made himself a new "hat" every day from a length of orthopedic stocking. Never figured out how he did that - until I got a Buff UV Headband in the colorful Osaka print.

"What's a Buff?" you ask. Well maybe a better question would be, "What isn't a Buff?" It looks like a simple cloth tube maybe twenty inches long and five inches in diameter; but it's so much more. The lightweight Coolmax® Extreme fabric with its wild print can be twisted and scrunched into a headband, neckerchief, cap, foulard, do rag, pirate hat, hat liner, face mask, balaclava, hood... a version of just about any kind of soft headgear you've ever seen or heard of. And since it's made with Coolmax, it wicks away moisture to keep your head cool in hot weather and dry in damp weather. The knit on the UV Buff is tight enough to block 95% of UV rays, yet it's so stretchy it fits almost any head in almost any orientation. It's also treated with Polygiene® active odor control if you don't like your headgear getting stinky.