The opening of Sea Salt at Minnehaha Park for the season motivated me to cycle a loop that included Hiawatha LRT Trail, Midtown Greenway, Chain of Lakes, Minnehaha Creek, Minnehaha Park, and West River Parkway. The cooked-to-order fish tacos were undiminished and a bargain at $8.
Category: Move
Temple Plumbing 2024
On my Shikoku 88 temple visits, I have a tradition of photographing the temizuya (purification stations). Here’s the crop from my most recent trip to Japan.
Last Ride Before Repairs
During my bike ride, paused on the Stone Arch Bridge to take in this much-photographed view. Starting Monday, the bridge will undergo maintenance and repairs for the next two years, with half the bridge closed at a time.
Back on Track
The halfway point on the first cycle ride of the year with a friend was the remains of a bridge serving as sculpture. For all of last year, a series of connected medical problems, now mainly resolved, kept my friend from cycling. Being able to plan our next ride for next Tuesday is something neither of us takes for granted.
A Quiet Trail With a Tiny Shrine
Completed my temple and shrine quota for this trip with a visit to Kamakura, Japan’s capital from 1185 to 1333. On a hike along a fine trail in the hills above the city, I stumbled upon this tiny cave shrine. The few other hikers I encountered, nearly all Japanese and mostly older than me, seemed unfazed by the trail’s more technical sections.
Cycling the Tedori River
Cycled the Hakusan-Tedori River Route, a rail trail near Kanazawa where I’m staying. In this photo I’d been cycling towards the Northern Japan Alps for a couple hours; rice paddies flank the trail. I hadn’t realized there was a gradual incline most of the way, so the return trip was faster.
Friendly Offers on a Solo Island Hike
A ferry brought me to a small island where I followed OLLE trail markers—like these—along a route with varied terrain, going from sea level to the top of a small mountain. At the beginning, an old man suggested I rent a bicycle. Later, a car stopped next to me and the driver offered me a ride. In both cases, I thanked them then continued walking.
Quiet Hike/Hidden Treasures
Spent most of the day hiking an OLLE Course, a scenic hiking trail. Despite venturing out to a remote area, the route led me to the ruins of the most massive castle I’ve ever seen, and a large, 800-year-old cliff carving of a Buddha. But most of all, I simply enjoyed exploring the quiet trails of the beautiful Kyushu countryside.
Rainforest Loop
Today’s adventure was a delightful loop hike through the jungly/rainforest hills above Honolulu. The trail, accessible by bus, combined the Kanealole, Makiki Valley, and Maunalaha Trails for a complete escape from the city.
Hiking a Volcanic Crater
Rode public transit one hour out of Honolulu to Koko Crater Botanical Garden where we hiked a trail surrounded by desert plants nestled within a caldera.