Came back from a walk with a friend to find my bike locked to a bunch of other bikes. Walked around, alarming small groups with my question: “Did you come here in a bike group?” Eventually, I struck lucky with a group having lunch at Sea Salt. The leader was suitably apologetic.
Category: Move
Shielding Cyclists from Traffic
Watched this protected bikeway being extended towards our home, still a few blocks away. I appreciate being physically separated from traffic. About 200 miles of on- and off-street bikeways make Minneapolis one of the most bikeable cities in the country.
The Weakest Link
My bike ride came to an abrupt halt when the rear derailleur locked up. A link in the chain had failed. Pushed my bike two miles to Freewheel Bike, near our home, where bike technician Martin replaced the chain on the spot in five minutes flat.
Riding Leafy Rail Trails
Rode trails from Stillwater back to Minneapolis. This leafy section, the Brown’s Creek State Trail, is a former rail trail that rises slowly from Stillwater to connect with the Gateway State Trail, another leafy rail trail, that took us towards St. Paul.
A Night in Stillwater
After dinner at Dock Cafe, looking out at the St. Croix River in Stillwater, we walked across the now pedestrianized lift bridge towards Wisconsin. Earlier, we checked in to Water Street Inn for the night, having cycled from our home along lovely trails.
Staring at a Bridge
Diagonal elements can be problematic in LEGO, so I’ve set myself the challenge of building a LEGO Technic model that includes a strong, minimal horizontal structure incorporating diagonal trusses. Today, on my cycle ride, I studied a 140-year-old bridge, looking for inspiration.
Art That Will Disappear
Cycled past art that will soon disappear from a trail beside the Mississippi.
Cloudburst
Sat in Lunds & Byerly’s, consuming a donut and coffee, and watched as a downpour drowned my bike. A few minutes earlier, the heavens had opened as I was locking up the bike, soaking me to the skin. Back home, a hot shower made everything OK.
Rainy Day in Osaka
Rain set in for much of the day, but we never had to put on rain jackets. We took a 15-minute bullet train to Osaka, where we walked a few miles through the city’s vast indoor spaces, both above and below ground. A side trip to the Cup Noodles Museum added variety.
Hiking Through a Sacred Forest
Took a local train to Kurama, a village on a mountain above Kyoto. Hiked a quiet trail up and over Mount Kurama, passing through a temple complex and past shrines and ancient trees. Rejoined the train line for the trip back to Kyoto.