It was the day for the annual cycle to Reservoir Woods Park, where a 30-million-gallon water tank that supplies St. Paul stands atop a hill. My friend rarely misses a chance to cycle through a cemetery, and today was no exception. Here we’re looking out over the Hmong section of Roselawn Cemetery.
Category: St. Paul
Where industry meets art
Got a preview of Chroma Zone Mural & Art Festival later this month in an industrial area of St. Paul. Over the years, more than 80 murals have been painted on industrial buildings in the neighborhood, and it’s surprisingly free of graffiti. This year’s festival includes this new mural, “Pitzik’ Q’ij: Court of the Sun” by local artist Cadex Herrera. His mural depicting George Floyd against a massive sunflower is recognized worldwide.
Testing campus doors
A steamy bike ride with a friend took us to three St. Paul college campuses. As is our tradition, we occasionally tested doors. At St. Thomas, we got into the Chapel of St. Thomas Aquinas, shown here. The doors to the Weyerhaeuser Chapel at Macalester were firmly closed, though students could tap in. At St. Catherine’s O’Shaughnessy (arts theater), we could only reach the lobby before hitting locked doors.
Beyond the forecast: pedaling the Mississippi
Despite an iffy weather forecast, a friend and I set out on a bike ride from near where the Minnesota and Mississippi rivers meet. Our route took us downriver, past St. Paul and three miles beyond to our turnaround. The journey included fanciful Mexican animal sculptures at Raspberry Island, a pleasant coffee shop (despite being out of pastries), and a paddlewheeler with a functioning sternwheel. And, it didn’t rain.
First encounter with an 88-foot loon
Rode the LRT to St. Paul’s Midway neighborhood, then walked to get a haircut. Along the way, encountered a loon (our state bird) with an 88-foot wingspan in front of the Minnesota United soccer stadium. This was unexpected. I learned it was designed by an artist from Scotland, a country devoid of loons.
St. Paul Day Out
Took the light rail to the Thomas Dale neighborhood of St. Paul to meet friends at this unassuming Vietnamese bakery. Chatted over coffee and the best almond croissants. Afterward, I explored random streets in the neighborhood by bike, passing the Capitol before heading to downtown St. Paul and catching the train back to Minneapolis.
Concrete Calm
Cycled through this calm place on my random steamy ride. Industrial areas like this one in St. Paul are best explored on weekends, away from the hustle of weekday truck traffic.
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
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
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