Tour de 'hood

**cosine** · August-02-09, 05:16 PM

Cousin Arthur and I are avid bicycle explorers of the Motor City. He has created a great website where he posts each tour's pictures and gives some interpretive commentary. Yesterday's tour was 38 miles from Grosse Pointe to West Warren to McGraw to Livernois to Rosa Parks and back to the Avalon Bakery on Cass and Willis. Check it out at http://tourdehood.wordpress.com/

**cloud_wall** · August-02-09, 05:48 PM

Great blog; thanks for posting. I've added it to the bookmarks.

gravitymachine · August-02-09, 07:15 PM

want to do a ride like that with about 1000 more people and police escort?

www.tour-de-troit.org

**RickBeall** · August-02-09, 08:45 PM

I just read the whole blog. Great! Saw some stuff I'll have to take my wife to, namely the Bead place and "Good Girls Go to Paris".

I can't believe you put your foot into the pothole up to your waist.

Love the ruins, love the offbeat beauty.

There is a real interesting story behind the Chinatown ruins. There used to be a lot of Chinese restuarants there. But the interesting fact is that Chinatown used to be somewhere else in Detroit, and the city moved it to the location you discovered, but ... moving a community is not easy and it never really caught on and it slowly died. Chungs was the last gasp.

**davewindsor** · August-03-09, 01:55 AM

Originally Posted by RickBeall

There is a real interesting story behind the Chinatown ruins. There used to be a lot of Chinese restuarants there. But the interesting fact is that Chinatown used to be somewhere else in Detroit, and the city moved it to the location you discovered, but ... moving a community is not easy and it never really caught on and it slowly died. Chungs was the last gasp.

The Chinatown/Chinatown ruins are where exactly? I typed "chinatown" into the website search and nothing came up.

**michiganmushrooms** · August-03-09, 08:21 AM

Awesome blog, keep up the good work!

**stromberg2** · August-03-09, 01:05 PM

The Chinatown/Chinatown ruins are where exactly? I typed "chinatown" into the website search and nothing came up.

Cass and Peterboro area.

Stromberg2

**RickBeall** · August-03-09, 06:11 PM

There is not much to see there. There used to be a pet shop on the corner, and the Gold Dollar was a few steps away.

**misterarthur** · August-04-09, 05:23 AM

Originally Posted by stromberg2

The Chinatown/Chinatown ruins are where exactly? I typed "chinatown" into the website search and nothing came up.

Cass and Peterboro area.

Stromberg2

Thanks, everyone for your comments. I'm glad you like the blog. The search box does work if you enter Chinatown, [[I just tried it) so I'm not sure, exactly what went wrong.

**6nois** · August-04-09, 10:00 AM

I wouldn't say there isn't anything to see in he old Chinatown two of my favorite stores are there Mantra Chinatown, and Showcase Collectables, as well as the beautiful Birdtown Community Garden.

**Danny** · August-04-09, 10:50 AM

I love it when you and buddy rode your bikes through the ghettos of Detroit. Now your see how institutionalized the inner city streets are.

**RickBeall** · August-04-09, 11:20 PM

Hi 6nois,
Thanks for setting me straight. I guess I drove by the area too fast [[on my way to somewhere else) Maybe you can tell us about the businesses? I might want to visit. This area is sort of behind the Detroit sympany Orchestra Hall. at Mack & Cass. There is a great bicycle shop just north of there on cass [[100 feet or so). They recondition old bicycles..

**misterarthur** · August-06-09, 06:50 PM

That bicycle shop on Cass is called The Hub. They also teach neighborhood kids how to maintain their own bicycles - and are always looking for volunteers.

p.s. I'll be updating the Tour De Hood this weekend, so check back for some updated photos and observations.

Arthur

**6nois** · August-07-09, 11:49 AM

Mantra specializes in mid century [[40's-80's) house hold items. Showcase is a bit more of a mixed bag, and includes all sorts of furniture and brick a brack. Both are great for unique items.

**eriedearie** · August-07-09, 02:38 PM

I liked the blog very much. I was glad to see you gave some time to Hoods.

A couple of years ago we broke down on the freeway due to my husband running over a flying tire [[BTW not the first time we've had an encounter with one of those). We ended up with two blowouts! We eventually were rescued by an amazing tow truck driver who worked for Troy's Towing and he took us to Hoods for replacement tires.

Those are a couple of the nicest guys you'd ever want to do business with. They were very reasonable in their prices and fixed us up right away. We were very pleased. Still have the tires too!

**misterarthur** · August-08-09, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by eriedearie

I liked the blog very much. I was glad to see you gave some time to Hoods.

A couple of years ago we broke down on the freeway due to my husband running over a flying tire [[BTW not the first time we've had an encounter with one of those). We ended up with two blowouts! We eventually were rescued by an amazing tow truck driver who worked for Troy's Towing and he took us to Hoods for replacement tires.

Those are a couple of the nicest guys you'd ever want to do business with. They were very reasonable in their prices and fixed us up right away. We were very pleased. Still have the tires too!

Nice to hear.

By the way, if anyone has a neighborhood they'd like me to check out, let me know!

**jbd441** · August-08-09, 10:09 PM

Misterarthur: Fantastic website and great comentary too. Excellent pictures of Detroit's downtown and neighborhoods. I understand you're a professional but if you're ever on the west coast of Florida check out the Legacy Trail. Not too long but there is some fantastic scenery. http://scg.co.sarasota.fl.us/rails-to-trails/

**rid0617** · August-09-09, 01:13 AM

Thank you for the link. Fantastic. Amazes me to this day how beautiful some of the building art is

**misterarthur** · August-09-09, 08:36 PM

I have a new [[long) post on the blog, if you're interested. http://bit.ly/USnJF Thanks for all your kind words.

**cosine** · August-20-09, 03:30 PM

Hey misterarthur, we need another post...when you comin' home?

**Be Kay** · August-20-09, 05:10 PM

Great pictures and awesome urban exploring by bike. Go bikes!

**skyl4rk** · August-20-09, 05:23 PM

This is amazing

Too bad about the rusty pole in the way.

**RickBeall** · August-20-09, 05:47 PM

Thanks to your tour I visited MBad's African Bead Museum. It was my wife's birthday and I bought her a beautiful bead necklace. I had a great discussion with MBad.