Errandonnee 2021: Errand 4 & Ride Spot for MLK Jr. Outdoor Learning Trail

Errandonnee is a challenge where you have 12 days to complete 12 errands by bicycle or on foot. This page is part of a series of my entries for the 2021 challenge.

You can read more about Errandonnee here.

For my fourth errand, I explored our new MLK Jr. Outdoor Learning Trail, a series of historic markers along the Dragonfly Trail Network in Columbus, GA. Each of the markers recalls the civil rights movement as it happened in Columbus.

When I read the markers, I was struck by how ordinary some of the locations appeared in contrast with their dramatic history. No one would ever realize the rich stories contained in these nondescript buildings if they only drove past by car. It’s a reminder that history is perpetually unfolding all around us. It’s not only captured in majestic monuments, but also in dentists’ offices and child day-cares.

This ride would easily fit in the “history lesson” category, but I went with “discovery” since the route was completely new to me.

I was pleased to find that the trail was a joy to ride on, but I was also disappointed that it wasn’t complete yet. I had embarked planning to visit all eleven historic markers and only was able to reach five. The remaining six that make up the “MLK Jr. Outdoor Learning Trail” are beyond where the physical trail ends. I explored a bit further on foot, but even the sidewalk there had crumbled and washed away. Considering that this area has multiple lanes of dangerous car traffic, I cannot recommend for anyone to try visiting all of markers at once.

Mismatched expectations aside, the ride itself was a pleasure. I look forward to seeing how the trail network continues to develop.

Finally, to make this a real errand, opposed to a recreational ride, I charted it on Ride Spot. This is my first time using that app, so I hope I did everything correctly!

Date

May 11, 2021

Category

Discovery

Total mileage

19.71