We've got a new-ish bike path in Mladost. Watch out world, we're moving on up!!

It "opened" this past spring. I use "opened" because I am not really sure if there's a better verb for the establishment of the new bike path in Mladost beside some combination of the verbs it was built/poured/established this past spring.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="New Bike Path"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="New Bike Path" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581946/"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6198/6092581946_29027c47a1_b.jpg" alt="New Bike Path" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

Now for those of you who don't live in Sofia, I should make this clear: Sofia is <em>not</em> a bike friendly place. It's not even a pedestrian friendly place. As best as I can make out, cars rule the roads. The bigger the better and it's your job if you're not in the biggest car to get out of its way.

So the new bike path is a sight to be seen and a welcome addition to the Mladosts.

The bike lane is dyed red asphalt and it's been delineated with cobble stones and then there's regular old black asphalt for everyone else.  I don't own a bike. And I wont be buying one any time soon but I'm down with the bike path.<!--more-->

What's great about the bike path? First of all, I've seen so many more people riding their bikes in the last two weeks than ever before. Second with the inception of the bike path the sidewalk became much, much nicer to walk on. The asphalt is even and currently in great shape as opposed to much of the asphalt and concrete-tiles that line the sidewalks in Mladost.

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="614" caption="New Mladost Bike Path"]<a class="tt-flickr tt-flickr-Large" title="New Mladost Bike Path" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/6092581076/"><img src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6182/6092581076_e6aae2118b_b.jpg" alt="New Mladost Bike Path" width="614" height="410" /></a>[/caption]

I've been inspired by the bike path. Every morning over the past two weeks I've been out taking a serious lap through the Mladosts. I've been doing it for health, for peace of mind and simply because I can. It's actually pleasant to walk along the bike path in Mladost. Mostly, I don't have to worry about uneven sidewalks which makes me a happy camper.

The bike path though is clearly a new thing for people. I've noticed that lots of people choose to walk on it even if they could walk next to it and plenty of moms push their baby-filled strollers on it. The result is that bikes often have to weave around pedestrians. This is something that might annoy me if I was a biking but to date I've never heard a biker use a bell or yell at anyone in their way. That's pretty cool.

The one thing I've noticed?

No matter what time I am out and walking I never see anyone else walking or running for health/exercise even though the road conditions make it seemingly the perfect place for it. Sure there are lots of people out and walking--walking to the bus stop, meandering to the grocery store or pushing a stroller in two inch heals but no one else seems to be enjoying a morning walk. Well, maybe the moms are but how they can enjoy a walk in heels is beyond me and many of them seem more concerned with their cigarettes than anything else.

So that's that. We've got a new bike path and I like it. I like it so much, I want more of it. Bike paths make good sense for everyone