Tripp Fenderson

I made a great mistake today. I wasn’t feeling well and as a result, didn’t pay attention to what I was doing when going home.

Waiting for the bus, I sleepily looked down 9th and Broad, saw “EXPRESS” on the marquee of the oncoming GRTC bus, and thought to myself, “That’s me. The Parham Express. Bus #27.”

I hopped on, swiped my Go-Card, and got comfortable for the relaxing ride home. I even nodded off for a bit.

One little problem.

I don’t ride #27. I ride #26.

When I woke up, I realized that I was on Staples Mill Road and not going in the direction of where my car was parked. Upon arrival at the Glenside Park ‘N Ride, I calculated that I was only a few miles from home—not a bad walk and with a Dunkin Donuts right next to the Park ‘N Ride, I could grab some hot coffee before hoofing it.

My mistake turned into a 3-mile opportunity to look more closely at what’s happening on Staples Mill Road. The old brick homes, the businesses, and of course, the odd stares coming from drivers (like myself) who normally never see pedestrians walking on that road.

A simple change in pace forced me to see 6 places I’d not seen before and would like to visit soon:

* a Latino market
* an antique store
* an Indian grocery
* a Thai restaurant
* a little patch of woods with some very old bamboo
* a small park with a bronze statue near the Henrico Government center

I also learned that while the sidewalks on Staples Mill Road are excellent, the ones on Parham are brief and far between and not for lack of demand. The paths I walked on were so deep in some places they were like cattle tracks.

All in all a good walk—although I must admit, the best part of it was seeing my wife pull up beside me on Parham Road to take me the rest of the way home.

Thanks Anitra.