Posted The Mystery of the Unexpected Train Station. In April 2026, while hiking the Rob Roy Way in Scotland, we unexpectedly came across a former train station. What was that all about?
Category: Living
The Mystery of the Unexpected Train Station
In April 2026, Dwight, two friends from the UK, and I backpacked Scotland’s Rob Roy Way. We had divided the trek into eight one-day sections, but one leg proved about five miles longer than we thought prudent. To manage the distance, we lopped off those extra miles by taking a country bus from Strathyre, where we had stayed overnight, to Lochearnhead on Loch Earn. There, we planned to pick up the trail again…
The best-laid plans…
Once in a blue moon, we feel a bit lazy and pick up a rotisserie chicken for dinner. Today was meant to be that day: I was busy volunteering, and Dwight spent much of his day horizontal, recovering from the same cold I’ve just managed to shake. Ultimately, it wasn’t meant to be. The rotisserie shelves were empty, and when I asked, there was none ready in the back. It was time for Plan B: cooking from scratch.
Short-sleeved sunny cycle
Met a friend at the U, surrounded by sports stadiums. The weather was perfect for a ride to and around St. Paul’s Lake Como, followed by a cuppa from Dock & Paddle beside the lake.
Pre-flight check
Pumped up the tires and took myself out for a test drive. I performed well enough, though I’ll definitely be needing a nap this afternoon. All things considered, I’m ready to cycle to points east with my friend tomorrow.
A little under the freeway
Our colds persist. Going a little stir-crazy, I went for a walk, starting with this tunnel under the interstate near our home, dense with metaphors. Later, at a new bookshop, a barista with the snuffles brewed me a welcome Americano.
Kindle above the couch
Day 3 nursing a cold: at least it’s not COVID. It’s a good day to lie on the couch and read Clouds Above the Hill, set in Meiji-era Japan. There’s an entire museum in Matsuyama devoted to this book; I’ve actually visited it, though only because it was designed by architect Tadao Ando and features a lovely cafe. At the time, the significance of the story was lost on me, but today I can escape my cold and lose myself in the history.
Local farmers¹ vs. a tacky billionaire²
Picked up a bunch of ramps for a stir-fry from our local farmers market¹. The ramp season in Minnesota is remarkably short, lasting only about three weeks. Sadly, it’s still too early in the season for local cruciferous vegetables, so I reluctantly walked over to Whole Foods² where I found some healthy-looking dino kale from Michigan and red chard from California.
Welcoming immigrants since 1914
Walked over to Franklin Library, one of Minneapolis’s first Carnegie libraries, for my weekly tutoring session with an adult learner. Four years ago, the county library board cut funding for a walk-in center at that same library where I used to volunteer. This service had supported various waves of immigrants for over a century, and by working with my student, I tell myself I’m nodding to that 100-year tradition.
Protests work in Minneapolis
Pleased to learn this morning that the Minneapolis School Board had reversed its decision to lay off 50% of adult education ELL teachers. I’ve protested outside a board meeting and written to every member; hundreds of others did the same and more. Now I can continue assisting in the classroom, including a new course today, Introduction to Interpreting.