Minnehaha Dry Falls

I had a Guest Rider today. We rode off in the direction of Minneapolis.

The University footballers were home again this Saturday. There was a bit of hubbub after last week's game from some citizens of Saint Anthony Park who complained that they could hear the game public address announcer even though they were in their back yards over a mile from the stadium. This strikes me as just another example of no matter what you do somebody is going to be unhappy.

But we rode down towards the stadium today while the game was in progress to try to gauge the effect. It was start of the second quarter when we left the house so we were approaching the stadium at about half time. We were very disappointed as we hoped to hear SOMETHING but we got to only about a block from the stadium before we could hear anything. The something that we finally did hear was the marching band's halftime performance which is something that ordinarily you would expect to be able to hear from a considerable distance. It was all very disappointing. This is probably another example of no matter what you do somebody is going to be unhappy.

We crossed the river at Franklin Avenue and followed the River Road out towards Minnehaha Park. The bike path is still in disarray north of Lake Street. Further there is curb construction at the River Road entrance to the Midtown Greenway multiple use trail which meant that everyone entering or leaving the path at that point had to dismount and carry their bicycles. Progress on the path HAS been made south of Lake Street as there was new pavement along there all the way out to the Park. There are still barriers up proclaiming the "Sidewalk" to be closed. Some people were riding on it anyway. This is probably another example of blah, blah, blah, blah, blah etc. etc. OK, I'm tired of that, I promise not to do it again.

If you ride to a specific destination enough times you will get to view the destination in all of its various countenances. Today Minnehaha Falls was dry.I am guessing they closed off the dam again. The end of the construction season rapidly approaches and the project down in the creek gorge is likely at a stage where the absence of water in the creek improves the quality of the work they are able to do. We were standing there when a lady with a camera was going around asking people where the Falls were and then asking where they were when they were there. This is probably another example of no matter what you do somebody is going to be unhappy. I know, I promised, but it was too good an opportunity to pass up.

On the way home we passed under the bridge at Dead Man's Curve and paused on the north side to get this photo of progress.That looks like the superstructure of the new bridge resting on pilings next to the old bridge. Two cranes and lots of other construction fun toys are present as well, I may have to ride over there and get a more detailed construction timetable as it is starting to look like some of this might be pretty interesting and possibly even fun to watch.