The Go-Go Years
Today’s picnic lunch, hiking an Olle Course.
Onigiri: rice, filled with pickled mustard greens, wrapped in nori (seaweed).
Egg sandwich, tuna sandwich.
Caramel custard.
Pocari Sweat.
Less than US$5 from one of Japan’s more than 50,000 wonderful konbini (convenience stores).
Sendai, about 200 miles northeast of Tokyo, is my base for the next few days. From Sendai, rode a bullet train for 13 minutes, then rural trains to reach trails for some fall color hiking. The rural train line is in this photo.
Cycled to the highest point in Minneapolis, Deming Heights Park. At one point we dismounted and pushed.
Stopped at Bordertown Coffee to warm up from a chilly cycle ride with a friend. In the colder months, there’s often a fire going, but apparently today wasn’t cold enough.
In glorious fall weather, cycled across the Gateway Trail Iron Bridge, one of the few remaining wrought iron bridges in Minnesota. Built in 1873, this is its third location. A sign warns the maximum load is 250 bicycles (presumably with riders).
Watched regional jets take off from runway 12L while, simultaneously, mainline jets used runway 12R on the other side of the terminal. My annual ride to MSP.
Japan has four main islands: Honshu is the most populous, followed by Kyushu, Hokkaido, and Shikoku. Hiking doesn’t need to have purpose apart from the obvious act of putting one foot in front of the other while staying upright. Sometimes, though, I like to have a theme underpinning a hike. Here’s a hiking theme for…… Continue reading A Hiking Theme for Each of Japan’s Main Islands
Our cycle route to Hastings included Spring Lake Regional Park. As expected, the trees were starting to turn, but a surprise was the amount and variety of prairie flowers. My friend’s wife met us in Hastings so we could drive back to a light rail station.
Hints of fall on our Sunday morning walk.
Explored St. Paul’s Highland Park neighborhood. Found some gems: the former Hollyhocks Club, a 1930’s-era gangsters’ hangout; impressive landscaping and construction at the former Ford Plant; the 1871 Mattocks School, a one-room schoolhouse, now a Spanish immersion classroom.
