Friendly Wave

Air brakes hissed at me, but the brakeman gave me a friendly wave as I walked along an unofficial path across the river from our home.

Tail Races

Walked under Stone Arch Bridge on my way to meet friends for a walk. Paused to look at the remains of mill tail races (water channels). Three rusty upright girders once supported a railroad trestle. The blue Endless Bridge cantilevers out of the Guthrie Theater.

Grain Belt Beer Sign

Walked past the historical (1941) Grain Belt Beer sign on the banks of the Mississippi across from downtown Minneapolis. Los Angeles has the Hollywood sign; we have this.

Fluid Dynamics Laboratory

Visited the University of Minnesota’s St. Anthony Falls Laboratory, across the river from our home. It specializes in fluid dynamics of air, water, etc. Its lower levels are carved out of rock, allowing experiments to take advantage of the difference in height of the Mississippi.

A Quiet Place

Cycled past this modest building. It houses one of the quietest places on Earth, an anechoic chamber. Notable recordings when it was a studio include: the first digitally mastered album (St. Paul Chamber Orchestra on 3M equipment) and parts of Bob Dylan’s Blood on the Tracks.

Urban Rail Trail

Cycled past lakes, a creek, and a river, but the ride would not be complete without some urban rail trail.