Friday, November 21, 2008

State Government Lunch Ride

Friday, lunch time... sandwich? Nah, hit the dirt. A windy day in the low 40s with flurries blowing was perfect for a quick lunchtime spin on the Monocog fixie. I can leave my office at the J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center and connect the four state campuses of JIRDC, Broughton Hospital, the North Carolina School for the Deaf, and Western Piedmont Community College.

The four campuses in Morganton occupy some of the most beautiful land in Burke County. The rolling pastures were once farmed to feed the residents of Broughton and NCSD. This picture was shot from the back of the Jim Richardson campus of WPCC looking over the NCSD campus toward the Linville Gorge.

The pastures in between the campuses are connected by double-track. Although not technical, the scenic paths serve up some short, steep climbs for a good, short workout. This tractor path leads up to the fields behind Broughton's old livestock stables.

Hay bales in the fields behind Broughton. A careful look at the horizon behind the hay will reveal the cupola of the Avery building of Broughton Hospital. Broughton opened in 1883 as the first of the four facilities to occupy this land, and the Avery building is on the National Register of Historic Places.

"She thinks my Redline Monocog Flite 29er Fixie's sexy..."

Division WW treats anxiety-based gram-counting disorders. The patients live on wards CF, Al, and Ti. My friend KJ has been involuntarily treated so many times he gets his meds for free, but he refuses to take them.

Double-track on the Broughton campus.

The old railroad grade between NCSD and Broughton. Trains used this spur to deliver coal to power the two campuses.

A short quad-buster behind the North Carolina School for the Deaf. NCSD was established in 1894 and boasts examples of some of the same historic architecture as Broughton.

A tractor path connecting the campuses of NCSD and WPCC.

Road connecting the back part of WPCC with the new Jim Richardson campus of WPCC.

A gravel path behind the horse pastures of the Exceptional Equestrians stables at JIRDC. The J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center was founded in 1963 and built on former farmland of Broughton.

Hey, a hard ride deserves a little siesta afterward! Your tax dollars at work...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Nice write-up, makes me want to move to motown. Glad to see you use your tire wisely. Later on
Johnny