Jackrabbit Saturday

I was sitting around late this morning watching our beloved football Gophers tussling with the previously unknown Jackrabbits (the game came on TV at 11am). The day had dawned still looking pretty wet and I was pretty much resigned to no ride today either. But the talking heads at the football game put up a weather graphic and proceeded to discuss the game time weather. The temperature was 44 with a WNW wind at 12-14 mph. The lead announcer pronounced this to be cold and windy.

Well!

I knew that the cited temperature was above average for this date and 12-14 mph doesn't seem that windy to me. I started looking out the window.

The overcast was heavy and the trees were moving around a bit but the pavement was mostly dry in the cul de sac. Off I went.

The November question is always "Where you warm enough?" Having already dressed successfully for temperatures lower than today's I had a good idea what to do. At this point you put on every single thing that you have put on before. It was grey, very grey, but I was warm enough.

The wind was described as WNW but it might have even been a couple more points west than that, it was almost a pure west wind. The thing about a west wind is that it doesn't hurt you going north, it doesn't help you going south. Most of my rides are predominantly north or predominantly south. In view of the nominal N is the WNW I headed north. I didn't want to get too far away from home and hearth with that temperature, it seemed as if the Shoreview water tower loop was the called for route.

It was grey, very, very grey but even so on the way out I discerned two nice photo opportunities. The first came near Lake Judy in Shoreview when the sun suddenly burst through the overcast for the first time. The change in lighting immediately created lots of interesting shadows. I stopped almost instantly and reached for my camera only to discover that I had forgotten to put it in my pocket. I was cameraless. It hurt to have been so thoughtless but it didn't hurt that much as the photo opportunity was extremely brief and I probably would have missed it anyway.

A couple of minutes later I was stunned by a view of the Shoreview water tower that appeared over the left side of my handlebars. I immediately pulled to the side of the street and reached for my camera. Only to discover that I STILL cameraless.

OK, we'll wait a minute while all of you slap your foreheads. DOH! I already slapped mine.

I thought about stopping one other time on the way home but didn't. I went directly home. The Shoreview water tower loop is a loop, not a complete ride. Straight home from the water tower got me home at about the 16.5 mile mark of my ride. Fairly obviously, if a person intends to average 25 miles per ride the best route to that average is to always ride at least 25 miles. 16.5 wasn't going to do it. I went in the house, retrieved my camera and set off on a 9.5 mile loop.

It is a bit early but I wasn't that surprised to come upon this Christmas display.OK, Christmas, but I just don't get the turkey. Please note that the sun is OUT. Those are shadows, people.

A 9.5 mile loop gave me time to visit the Fairgrounds. The Fairgrounds is south but as previously noted, it was a west wind, north and south were not extremely relevant today. In a major upset the sun was becoming dominant in the sky. I decided to get a photo of a major Fairgrounds icon with enough blue to fashion a pair of pants for a Dutchman in the background. This photo was taken from near the cattle barn.I like it, part of the grey overcast is still visible on camera right. Lesser clouds are visible on camera left. Lots and lots of really nice blue sky framing the Space Needle. I like it.

Noon+2:45 EG44 CB42 WG50.

It was a nice ride. I knew before I started and know now that before the year is over I will ride in less favorable conditions. Today was above average temperature. Very soon riding is just not going to be possible. Especially considering the spectacular sun breaking through as I finished the ride I am very glad to have gotten out there. I would have been sorry if I missed this one.

This evening in Dublin at historic Croke Park, the Republic of Ireland and France began a two game home and home series to determine which of the two will qualify for the 2010 World Cup. France got the only goal to win 1-0 and enjoy an enormous advantage going to next Wednesday's game at Stade de France in suburban Paris.

Finally, thanks and chapeau to the Michigan chef who reminded us here of Uncle Gene's pizza. We passed on Davanni's delivery this evening and went with the home concocted.

Delicious.