Cycled the Shars Bluff Trail, a rail trail that provides great views of the Mississippi. Spotted a recently reintroduced herd of bison resting in the prairie land of Spring Lake Park Reserve. Afterwards, treats at a Dairy Queen. An excellent morning out!
Category: Move
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Today: lovely spring day at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum in Chaska, MN, with friends. We walked a scenic three-mile loop, chatting so much that pictures completely slipped my mind. Finally, at the end of the walk, I snapped this quick photo of tulips—they were still putting on a good show. Note to self: return for…… Continue reading Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
Almost Post-Blossom
Cycled in search of remaining blossoms. Tried to resist using my once-a-year lexicon including ephemeral, fleeting, and transient.
Pit Stop at Cossetta’s
It had been raining overnight, but it stopped just in time to hop on a train to Fort Snelling and meet up with a friend. We then cycled a loop via downtown St. Paul, taking in each side of the Mississippi. In St. Paul, we refueled at the legendary Cossetta’s, with its extensive selection of…… Continue reading Pit Stop at Cossetta’s
Motivated by Fish Tacos
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.
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.