I assume the rest day assumption was based on the extremely ugly conditions this late afternoon as much as it was based on yesterday's major exertion. And it was ugly today. The temperature was in the 90s and the dew point in the 60s. This translates into hot and humid.
But out I went. Heading out into a strong headwind with conditions like today is very hard work. But I set off spinning a smallish gear in the small ring, just trying to work the tightness out of my legs. I rode absolutely as far I thought I could and then turned back. Well, starting out like that at 5pm leads to three things when the turn is made. First, I now had a tail wind. Who doesn't love a tailwind? Second, the tightness did depart and my legs started to feel good. And third, it started to cool off a little. It was not that bad. Even so, intervention by the rain gods would not be looked upon with extreme disfavor. After all, a day off restores freshness and strength and who doesn't love feeling fresh and strong?
This is a picture of the Governor's Mansion. No, you say? You have seen the Governor's Mansion on Summit. OK, but this is a house built in 1888 by Andrew McGill, the tenth governor of Minnesota just after he was elected Governor. My regular southern route takes me past this house and its neighbor, built the next year by businessman Joseph Moore, on Scudder Street in Saint Anthony Park.
These two sit atop a hill with their backs turned to Langford Park. Langford Park, like many small parks in Saint Paul was a low area and mostly swampy at time of settlement. It was drained and filled and turned into a park at about the time these houses were built.
The houses are towered Victorians designed by the same architect and were nearly identical when built. The McGill house lost its porches and other decorative touches in a 1930s remodeling. The Moore house retains the original exterior features.
3 comments:
Nice old houses. They sure knew how to build them in those days. The new gov. doesn't live in the Summit Avenue mansion anyhow. I think he's an Eagan kind of guy.
Nice long ride yesterday, too. It kind of makes me yearn for the TRAM. Not.
People who remove porches when remodeling old homes are vermin.
Nice headline.
BB
Lovely old houses. The Moore house has quite a bit more charm. The architect was right, the 1930's remodellers, wrong.
Good recovery ride story, too. Who doesn't love a tailwind? SS
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