From our home, we can see the Hennepin Island Hydroelectric Plant, opened in 1908 to power the streetcar system. In 2019, pretty much the same equipment powers 14,000 homes. Today we got to see the inside. Huge, blue conduits deliver Mississippi water to four turbines.
Category: Twin Cities
Vintage Beer Sign
On my cycle ride, the Hennepin Avenue bridge framed the Grain Belt Beer sign. The first bridge permanently spanning the Mississippi, anywhere, was opened here in 1855. The beer sign dates back to 1941.
Random Ride
Cycled around Nordeast Minneapolis, frequently changing direction on a whim.
Birders
Walked along a tributary of the Mississippi where my friends temporarily joined a group of birders. I learned this is the best time of the year to hear bird songs.
Cycling an Urban Railroad Trench
Cycled across South Minneapolis in a former railroad trench.
Kenilworth Trail
Pumped up the tires, and reacquainted ourselves with local trails: West River Parkway, North Cedar Lake, Kenilworth, Chain of Lakes, and Minnehaha Parkway. The Kenilworth Trail, shown here, will be narrower when light rail construction begins.
Old Man River
Old Man River drained the spring melt to the Gulf while we barbecued chicken and veggies.
A Former Bank
It was raining when I ran errands, so I walked the Minneapolis Skyway system. It took me through the dramatic lobby of the Westin Hotel. These stairs are a jewel, preserved from the time the building was a bank.
Dogwood Against Weathered Corrugated Iron
On my walk, dogwood popped against a backdrop of weathered corrugated iron siding.
Return of Winter
Winter returned as I walked home.