You know times are changing when you find yourself in a line of smoothly flowing traffic – of bicycles.  A line of only three, but still:  All were pedaling along in well practiced morning commute fashion, and not on a bike path, painted lane, or one of Providence’s less than totally helpful new Bike Routes.  They had converged on a zigzag route from the upper Hope Street area to downtown that neatly avoids traffic, minimizes hills, and is as short as any alternative.  Brewster St. > Summit Ave. > Ivy > Forest > Camp > Brown > Halsey > Congdon or Pratt.

The new signs denoting “Bike Route Downtown” as well as google maps (walking or by car) would have directed them straight down Hope to Angell, along with hundreds of cars and buses, and up past the charming Ladd Observatory which happens to be the highest elevation for miles around.

I like to see people thinking for themselves.  They might even have figured it out by looking at a plain old map.