One of the advantages of being a senior is that the consequences of being arrested are far less severe than they were when I was young. I no longer have an employer to fire me, and I can comfortably afford a lawyer or a fine. Besides, I look harmless. With that in mind, I secured my bicycle and clambered up a railroad embankment. I carefully crossed two live tracks to get a closer look at a dozen vintage coaches, including these from the North Pole Express. And nobody stopped me.
Category: Impression
Graveyard grazing
Yesterday at the National Cemetery, I was impressed by the work it must take to keep the grass short around tens of thousands of grave markers. This morning, across the road from the school where I volunteer, I spotted these deer, grazing in the oldest cemetery in Minneapolis, the Pioneers and Soldiers Memorial Cemetery. Some of those headstones mark the graves of Civil War soldiers.
Urban safari
On today’s cycle ride with a friend, we were glad to see these Nordeast beauties are still in residence, nicely complementing the carved giraffe we found last week. Next, I need to investigate if a zebra, clearly visible on Google Street View, is still hanging out in the yard of a south Minneapolis home.
Well, that impressed me
On my cycle ride, I had to stop and admire the ingenuity. My youngest nephew could’ve climbed up there, not that I’m saying he would.
A [Insert Collective Noun] of Biffies
At my age, who could ask for more? On my cycle ride, this biffy convention caught my attention. For the rest of the ride, I tried to think up a collective noun for such a group. A relief of biffies? A widdle? A pod (“pees in a pod”)? Nah.
Retro Building, Retro Recording Format
Spotted this unusual industrial building on my random cycle ride. The curved brick corners suggest that it was built in the 1930s. The name of a company founded in 1931 was displayed above the entrance. Today’s occupant, Noiseland Industries, supplies millions of vinyl records every year, custom-manufactured by a partner in France.
Filling in Time at the House of Balls
Wandered around the outside of the House of Balls behind Cedar Riverside LRT Station, a good place to kill a few minutes with a friend before his train arrived. The artist who works here specializes in found objects.
Finding the Buddha
While cycling along a North Minneapolis residential street, I came across a stupa (the bulbous white structure) and the sitting Buddha in the yard of a house. Elsewhere there were dozens of lotus sculptures and prayer flags. Via Google I learned this is a monastery.
A Cardboard Kingdom
On my cycle ride, came upon a cardboard village and castle. A camp counselor explained this was part of a summer camp, and the kids were on the other side of a hill practicing sword fighting. Later, one team will storm the castle while another team defends it.
The Mystery of Traxs Studios
I’ve cycled past Traxs Studios in a residential neighborhood many times. Today, I stopped and Googled it. It has no Internet presence and just a handful of mentions with no further explanation. Click through to see what I saw when I peered through a door.