Ellie's Grill & Coney

Mmmmm. Almost every Saturday morning my son and I (and sometimes my wife) will head on over to one of our favorite neighborhood diners for brunch. Ellie's is located right along Coolidge just North of 11 mile rd. on the West side. It's easily accessible by bike, and 99% of the time my son and I take the Kona Smoke with the Adam's Trail-a-Bike. Currently, there's really no place to lock a bike anywhere, but there's plenty of windows to keep an eye on your trusty steed. I often place a Kryptonite around the main frame and the rear tire. I figure if someone did try to ride off with the bike, I'll see them, and since the Kona weighs about 45 lbs they won't be getting to far before I pounce. I've attached a few pics to give you an idea of where you might be able to put your bike.

Ok, back to Ellie's. The food has that home cooked touch, and on certain days she serves Polish, Hungarian, and Macedonian foods. Those calories come in real handy for a days worth of running errands on a bike. Of course next to the food, Ellie's has great service. See you there!

Food: 4 Stars out of 5
Bike Access: 5 out of 5
Bike Security: 3 out of 5
Lock points: 1 out of 5
Atmosphere: 4 Stars out of 5
Service: 5 out of 5

Places to lock your bike: There's a telephone pole in the back lot that can accomodate maybe two bikes. That's about it.

Address: 2033 Coolidge Hwy, Berkley, MI, 48072
(248) 691-4441

Meet Dale: Our neighborhood used bicycle salesman and mechanic

Meet Dale. He lives about 4 blocks East from me. My son and I often pass by his house on Saturdays on our way to Ellie's Diner for Breakfast. Last Saturday, Noah and I decided to stop by and say hi, and to see how he was doing. He had a few bikes for sale, and was trying to get me interested in a handsome blue and white Nishiki. I would have bought it but it was too small. Still, I took it for a test ride, and had wonderful thoughts of turning it into a sharp looking fixie - my bad. I ended the ride by telling Dale that my wife would kill me if I brought home another bike. He laughed and said he understood.

Dale's been fixing bikes for nearly 30 yrs, so I'm sure he's seen it all. The used bikes are ones he's rebuilt. According to Dale, his friends often get them and drop them off for free for him to sell. Nice friends!

Welcome!

A suburb of Detroit, Michigan, Berkley is about 2.6 square miles with a well developed downtown area that sits in the middle. A city that has the potential to become one of the best cities for a cyclist to live in. Within walking and cycling distance we have a grocery store, pharmacies, fast food, family diners, a variety of ethnic restuarants, salons, hardware stores, parks, a library, a museum, unique storefronts, ice cream parlors, video rental stores, churches, daycares, bike shops....etc. What makes it welcoming for the cyclist is based on the fact that 90% of the roads are residential. In addition, Berkley is surrounded by other cities within a five mile radius that adds to the offerings - movie theatres, cafes, a zoo, more resturaunts, big box stores, recycling center, and night clubs. In addition to this, the major roads that intersect, and line our city are also part of major bus routes. For $1.50 (as of 7/4/08) you can hop on a bus with your bike(!) for a crosstown adventure.

This blog is a guide to cycling in and around the city of Berkley, Michigan. USA. A few things I plan on writing about...

1. Carrying things on your bike
2. Safety
3. Places to go to and things to see around town using your bike
4. Getting out further
5. Cycling maintenance
6. Types of bikes
7. Internet info on cycling
8. Looking good on your bike
9. Commuting to work, shopping, and anywhere else by bike
10. A road trip with your bike
11. LBS - Local Bike Shops around town
12. Winter Cycling in Berkley
13. ......

More pics of our quiet and beautiful city. Perfect for cyclists!