A Favorite Spot for Breakfast

Paused for cooked-to-order breakfast sandwiches beside Lake Harriet. Nearby, mothers relaxed with their young kids, and a four-person book club sometimes discussed the book.

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.

Milwaukee Avenue Historical District

On my way to Coastal Seafoods for my 20% senior discount, paused to admire the lovely car-free Milwaukee Avenue Historical District. In the 1970s, the federal government planned to replace this neighborhood with apartment buildings, but clever local resistance forced the feds to back down.

Exploding Tonight

Watched crews setting up Aquatennial fireworks on Stone Arch Bridge today. This is one of the biggest fireworks shows in the country, expected to draw around 250,000 people to the riverfront tonight. We’ll watch from our balcony.

A Taste of History

Walked with a friend and gawked at one of the oldest (1905) school buildings in Minneapolis, now apartments. Recharged at Key West Bistro with, of course, key lime pie.

Air Quality

On our Sunday morning walk, the air quality seemed to be improving as we looked towards Downtown from Boom Island. Yesterday, we could smell, taste, and see the smoke pollution from the Canadian wildfires.

A Seat at Al’s Breakfast

With most university students gone for the summer, it was finally possible to quickly snag one of the 14 stools at 1950s-era Al’s Breakfast in Dinkytown. The corned beef hash with a fried egg on top in the narrowest restaurant in Minneapolis was sublime.

Tired Time Travelers

Problem: Working through a 14-hour time difference, and too lazy/tired to cook dinner. Solution: Walk across Washington Avenue to Maxwell’s.

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.