b'Matters heart of thematter Thingsthat Matter Since 1990 My Daily EscapeFeaturing Local People, Places and Enjoying the scenery from my bikePUBLISHER BY ELLEN DONKER& EDITOR IN CHIEFEllen DonkerASSOCIATEEDITORCheryl SilverADVERTISING CONSULTANTSRene ConlonH. Leslie GilmanCOPY EDITORSNick Humez D uring these last handful of months(Note to self: Tuesday is recycling day in Maplewood.)Co-Tia SwansonCONTRIBUTORSLinda Beck, Sara Courtney, manyofushavetakenupnewThe trick about riding around here is figuring out how to Malia Rulon Herman, Donny Levit, Georgia Madiba, hobbies or revived old interests toventure to other neighborhoods on lesser traveled roads with-Helene McKelvey-McLaughlin, keep these brains of ours engagedout having to scale too many hills. Would I love to get lost on Kristen Ryan (maybe distracted) while we hunkerthe many beautiful side streets of Newstead? Absolutely, but down at home. Ive tried a few my- as a Maplewoodian Id never make it above Wyoming Road. self, usually recruiting my daughter,Instead I tend to venture up Parker Avenue with Madeline, as my partner in discovery. Together weve nur- lumbia High School on my left and pedal up that long tured sourdough starter and nailed killer recipes for wafflesgradual hill. Of course, the first few times I thought my and naan. Weve also made some macram plant hangersheart would explode but it was worth the effort to be able for my ever-expanding plant collection.to ride around all the quaint streets above Prospect Street. Since Madeline is the crafty one of us, I suggested sheAnd of course, for every uphill theres a downhill.make a macram wall hanging using the wooden handleDuring the past two months Ive expanded my territory from a pickaxe that her brother Christian destroyed wag- some, biking around Montrose and the long straight streets ing war against the beech suckers along our driveway. Isouth of Springfield Avenue. On Sundays, Brookside Drive thought itd look lovely above her bed. is closed to traffic from Glen Road to South Orange Avenue I was hoping Madeline would also join me in rediscover- and although it features a long, winding hill, its worth hav-Please address all correspondence to: ing our bikes so we could join all of the other cyclists thating a two mile stretch with no traffic. By now, Ive learned Visual Impact Advertising, Inc. now pedal past our house. With six bikes in various states ofwhich streets to avoidthose with too much patched pave-P.O Box 198 disrepair, I figured if ever there was a time to get them fixed,ment, gravel and sloped shoulders. If the DPW wants to Maplewood, NJ 07040 it was now. Traffic was low and the weather was perfect. Iknow what streets to fix, Ive got a list.973-763-4900 texted Bill Quick of Borderline Bikes and by the next day heI do yearn for more bucolic places to ride where I dont mattersmagazine.comhad pulled up to my curb and fixed each one.have to pause every 500 feet for a stop sign or constantly info@mattersmagazine.com When it was time to take my first ride on my newlyscan for cars. But that requires that I either put my bike in Matters Magazine is owned and publishedrepaired wheels, Madeline didnt see the thrill of it. Off Ithe car or map out a route westward. On a recent walk, my by Visual Impact Advertising, Inc., P.O.went by myself and that has been the start of a wonderfulfriend Diana told me that her husband had just taken a 37-Box 198 Maplewood, NJ 07040. Mattersescape for about an hour four or five mornings a week.mile ride out to Jockey Hollow. Im not sure I will get seri-Magazine is free, with editions direct mailed seven times a year to the residents of Maple- Since my bad knees sidelined my running about a decadeous enough with biking to travel that far afield. That would wood and South Orange and distributed toago I had never found anything that could really get myrequire more planning, more time, more courage and some businesses and surrounding communitiesheart going without further shredding my knees.new bike shortsthe kind with pads.totaling 16,000. Subscriptions are available to non-residents for $30 (U.S.) $40 (Foreign)Ill admit I was nervous about getting back on my bikeIn the meantime, my present routine is serving me well. annually. No part of the publication may be not so much the riding part, but being out amid the traf- Mykneesfeelbetter,myuphillpedalingislesslabored reprinted or otherwise reproduced without writtenpermissionfromVisualImpactfic. I am not alone. Ive asked several friends to join me andand Im getting out of the house. Madeline still hasnt rid-Advertising, Inc. they all cite the same concern. At the start, I had to prac- den with me but she and I CIRCULATION VERIFIED BY tice turning my head to scan for cars without taking thecompletedthewallhang-U.S. POSTAL RECEIPTS. whole bike in the same direction, and reacquaint myselfing. We hung it above her READ & RECYCLE with signaling turns. I also learned to steer around sunkenbedanditdoes,indeed, sewer grates, fallen branches, parked cars and garbage cans.look lovely. 10/ matters magazine / school 2020'