Spotted this on our Sunday walk: A tram had just dropped off a wedding party for photos on the Stone Arch Bridge, apparently leaving behind some expired wedding guests. I started imagining ways of incorporating this into the wedding vows: “Till death do us part. All we are is confetti in the wind, ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”
Category: Move
By popular demand: repeat runways ride
From the vantage point I discovered at the airport last week, watched planes take off, including this A320. My friend didn’t know about this part of the airport, which is surrounded by runways and reached via tunnels, so we made it our cycle ride today.
De-beeping a tracker for a bicycle
Wearing a cut-resistant glove, forced open a tracker to remove its speaker (the tiny white and gold circle). The speaker’s beeping is an anti-stalking feature, but I don’t want a bike thief to know they’re being tracked. My plan is to hide the tracker in a cavity behind the reflector, but it doesn’t quite fit. The reflector vendor is going to 3D-print a case with a slightly wider cavity that will fit.
Surrounded by runways
Today was my annual ‘Cycle to the Airport’ day. I rode through tunnels under runways to a viewpoint surrounded by four runways, where I watched planes take off and land on parallel runways. I just missed the departing Tokyo flight, which was probably for the best, as I would have only imagined myself on it.
Trails and treats
Riding with a friend, we biked a route that included two new trail sections along the Mississippi River, one passing under a freight rail bridge and another beneath a busy road. We stopped at the new Aki’s BreadHaus and WunderBar, enjoying delicious pastries that brought back childhood memories for my friend. We continued our trip carrying freshly baked baguettes for later.
Bicycle for an upright citizen
After 30 years, Dwight was ready for a new bike, one with a more upright posture that eases the pressure on his wrists. Today he picked it up and brought it into our home to fiddle with the attachments and admire his purchase. It’ll soon be relegated to a rack in the basement garage. And no, it’s not electric.
Not-so-dangerous adventures: going boldly through a portal
Cycled a short loop up one side of the Mississippi and down the other. At Ole Olson Park, I rode a new section of trail that’s opening soon. Extensive regrading has carved out a gradual slope under a somewhat dilapidated but still operating freight rail bridge. (Yes, I’ve sometimes crossed the river on that bridge.) A permanent steel framework over the trail looks strong enough to protect trail users if the bridge falls apart.
Testing campus doors
A steamy bike ride with a friend took us to three St. Paul college campuses. As is our tradition, we occasionally tested doors. At St. Thomas, we got into the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas, shown here. The doors to the Weyerhaeuser Chapel at Macalester were firmly closed, though students could tap in. At St. Catherine’s O’Shaughnessy (arts theater), we could only reach the lobby before hitting locked doors.
Did I just glimpse the future?
Spotted this in our neighborhood this morning: low-carbon transit. It looks like a great way for students to earn cash competing against short-distance rideshares while staying fit. And, for now, it’s immune to the onslaught of AI. Given our extensive bicycle infrastructure, I could easily imagine this being faster than a car during busy times.
Cycle ride to Forgotten Star Brewery
Cycled upriver to Forgotten Star Brewery where we availed ourselves of a $10 burger and beer special. During WW2 the building was part of a large naval weapons factory and received awards for being one of the two most efficient and excellent factories in the country during that time. The delicious burgers (on brioche buns, no less) were made in the truck on the right.