Category: Twin Cities

Unexpected Art

A cycle ride with a friend included St. Paul’s Midway industrial district. We were surprised by the vibrant murals scattered throughout the district, including this one. The stylized butterfly behind the girl honors missing and murdered indigenous women. Later, I learned we had stumbled upon the Midway Chroma Zone where local and national street artists… Continue reading Unexpected Art

Bicycle Expressway

My bicycle route today included several miles of trail from St. Louis Park to Minneapolis that have recently opened after being closed for several years for light rail construction. The trail has been upgraded and now includes underpasses under roads and this structure that bridges the light rail tracks, a freight track, and a busy… Continue reading Bicycle Expressway

Visiting Minnesota

It was a perfect summer’s day for a long cycle ride with a friend visiting from the UK. Here we paused at Bde Maka Ska (Dakota for “White Earth Lake”), formerly named after a slave owner and slavery advocate who never visited Minnesota. Later we stopped for grilled cheese sandwiches (a favorite) at Longfellow’s named… Continue reading Visiting Minnesota

Pushing Our Limits

A friend and I made our annual expedition to Reservoir Woods and up to a 30-million gallon tank serving St. Paul. We cycled slowly up in low gear, realizing in coming years we’ll need to dismount and push. The humidity was high, so by the end of the ride we both felt we’d had a… Continue reading Pushing Our Limits

Portals to the Imagination

Spotted these tiny houses on Nicollet Island on our Sunday morning walk. The little door and windows on the left definitely look like a “mouse house” by local artist Mows. The house on the right is likely a mass-produced fairy house.

Exploring Minneapolis

The plan was to pedal with a friend visiting from the UK, but rain showers and lightning in the forecast threw a wrench in our gears. Instead, we opted for a long walk through Minneapolis. At the offices of Ryan Companies, an architecture, engineering, and construction firm, we reviewed this wooden model of Downtown.

Finding Inspo

Took in some of my favorite sights on a Nordeast Minneapolis bike ride. Between Bauhaus Brewery and the headquarters of modern furniture company Blu Dot, this silent gantry crane nods to the building’s industrial past. Last year this scene inspired me to create a LEGO gantry crane.

Pit Stop at Cossetta’s

It had been raining overnight, but it stopped just in time to hop on a train to Fort Snelling and meet up with a friend. We then cycled a loop via downtown St. Paul, taking in each side of the Mississippi. In St. Paul, we refueled at the legendary Cossetta’s, with its extensive selection of… Continue reading Pit Stop at Cossetta’s

Coming Soon: New Mouths to Feed

Across the river from our home there’s an eagle’s nest. It was empty last year but on our walk this morning we spotted an eagle’s head peeking out. Sometimes one of the eagles swoops right past our apartment at eye level.