Today’s walk was through an odd mix of light industrial, commercial and residential along and behind Winchester Road.  The commercial strip stood out; this stretch of Winchester is generally gritty, the kind of place you go to shop for a greasy part in your car,  not where you would go to find a trendy boutique.  The specific section I walked along featured two nightclubs, two “gentleman’s” clubs and a KFC.  The opposite side of the street has some intriguing businesses that look like the kind of nondescript places where people who know something shop for…vintage pinball machines?  I have to remember to take a closer look at those shops when I return to walk through the area on the south side of the street.

Another feature of this area is a named alley. (I love these.  Who wouldn’t want to have an alley named after them?)  But of course, street names have stories and you can learn from this Herald-Leader column that there was a La Flame nightclub along Winchester from the late 1950’s.

This area is surely more interesting at night; I wonder where everyone must park.  Transit in this area is evidently a challenge.  A bicyclist was using the marked bike lane, but minutes later, two vehicles parked in the bike lane so their owners could grab lunch.  Despite the steady number of pedestrians, it’s clear cars own this stretch just out of the sheer number of auto-oriented businesses.

Side note for the geeky: the geographic center of the area I walked today is due south of the center of the area I walked on Day 34; both have the same longitude, to four decimal places!

What works: This short stretch of Winchester has some unique things.

What doesn’t: Parking needs compete with bike lanes.