Each week, I enjoy a walk or a cycle ride with a friend. This week we started at a street lined with twenty-four architectural sculptures on plinths. We had passed the end of this street many times, but had no idea these sculptures existed. Then we went on a hunt for some of the buildings depicted…… Continue reading Marcy-Holmes Neighborhood: Architectural Sculptures and Actual Buildings
Category: Urban Hike and Bike
An Indoor 9-Mile Urban Hike
A fierce rainstorm had hit California. People had died, a reservoir was bursting at the seams, evacuations had been ordered in several counties. The storm weakened as it crossed the Rockies on its way to Minneapolis and points east. On Monday, Presidents’ Day, the storm finally hit Minneapolis, dropping 0.6 inches of rain. This…… Continue reading An Indoor 9-Mile Urban Hike
My America
Today I waited at Cedar Riverside light rail station for a friend. We were going to walk and chat about our memories of the area. He, and his father before him, had attended the nearby Augsburg College. [See his blog post.] 100 years ago, the Cedar Riverside area of Minneapolis was the first American home…… Continue reading My America
A Carny’s Final Journey
If I die in a distant place, my instructions are simple. No coffin, no embalming, just have me cremated then shipped back in a generic box to Minneapolis. That’s it: one final flight to MSP, then scatter my ashes somewhere. Lakewood Cemetery would be a fine place for The Scattering. It’s beautifully maintained by a…… Continue reading A Carny’s Final Journey
Trek to Tiny Tim’s Tomb
In 1968 Tiny Tim released his first album, God Bless Tiny Tim, and his falsetto Tiptoe Through the Tulips became a worldwide phenomenon. In 1996 he had a heart attack on stage at the Minneapolis Women’s Club, and was pronounced dead at the nearby Hennepin County Medical Center. It seemed strangely appropriate to start my hike to Tiny…… Continue reading Trek to Tiny Tim’s Tomb
Trek to Tiny Tim’s Tomb
Posted Trek to Tiny Tim’s Tomb.
My Shortest Urban Hike Ever
Around the turn of the nineteenth century, movers and shakers built some standout homes on Lowry Hill, Minneapolis. Last week I decided to get to know part of the neighborhood a little better. I’d had surgery the previous week, and the chosen day promised to be the hottest in four years. This would be my shortest urban hike,…… Continue reading My Shortest Urban Hike Ever
Urban Bike: Purple Rain Tour
As I get older, I find it’s best to focus on one task at a time. In fact, a task can become so engrossing it pushes out thoughts of everything else. Some would call this a deficiency of aging, I call it an advantage. Last Wednesday, it was time for a bike ride with purpose.…… Continue reading Urban Bike: Purple Rain Tour
Urban Hike: Early Nordeast Houses
If I didn’t know better I would walk right past this unassuming house. It looks to be about the right size and style for Nordeast (Northeast Minneapolis), and it’s in a typical neighborhood.A typical Nordeast neighborhood has a bunch of churches and bars. There’s five churches within a couple blocks of this house, and plenty…… Continue reading Urban Hike: Early Nordeast Houses
Urban Hike and Bike: All Over the Nordeast Map
Nordeast (Northeast Minneapolis) encapsulates much of the early working class history of Minneapolis, but it gets short shrift in guide books.Recently I’ve been exploring Nordeast, trying to decode it’s history and culture. Later in this post I’ll introduce some tools I’ve developed, including an interactive map and a feature to customize and print Nordeast guides.But…… Continue reading Urban Hike and Bike: All Over the Nordeast Map