Bike Leans - A Mindful Bridge

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Hint: If you are ever riding your bike and feel like you need a break, stopping and taking a photo of your bike leaning on something is a good way to get that much-needed respite. That’s what I do, I take pictures of my bike leaning on stuff. This one might not seem like much, at first. My mountain bike, Agent Orange, on a bridge over Interstate 25 in Denver; a bunch of vehicular traffic roaring by underneath. But in this case, it’s the bridge itself that is the best part of the “stuff.” This bridge is called A Mindful Bridge and safely connects pedestrians and cyclists from a Light Rail/Bus transfer station to the neighborhood across the Interstate. And artists Jim Hirschfield and Sonya Ishii have turned a simple pedestrian bridge into a piece of public art. 296 eight-inch discs line the pathway, with a quarter of them containing quotes from famous people about walking, cycling, and general mindfulness - the goal being “to create a visually captivating piece that makes crossing the freeway a thoughtful experience.” I live just over a mile from A Mindful Bridge, so I use it frequently. I took this photo probably in 2023. As you can see, there is still some snow on the ground from a storm. (You’ll also notice the inevitable graffiti tagging, which makes me wonder if that might be why they left ¾ of the discs blank - maybe in anticipation.) For some weird reason, I used to think this was called “Freedom Bridge;” then I could have sworn I saw it called “Friendship Bridge.” But “A Mindful Bridge” it is. And on a good day, with the traffic speeding safely underneath, it’s a good place to just live in the moment. Link is to a two-minute video highlighting the bridge: