Friday, April 30, 2010

Message from the slightly obsessed

It is the last day of the month. The last chance. On the last few days of the month, and particularly on the last day, there are always a few numbers out there, numbers that are not required, but numbers that I want to achieve.

It rained overnight and I had to wait until after noon for the streets to be dry. The sun was actually out when I began but it quickly disappeared as the predicted bad weather started to assert itself. At about 7 miles I felt a few sprinkles and beat it for home and was under the garage overhang at 10 miles, no rain yet.

The sun came out.

I convinced myself that the sprinkles I had felt were not really rain. They didn't feel like rain, they just felt more like some ambient moisture hanging around in the atmosphere as a result of some raining that was happening somewhere else.

I decided to defy the weather gods and headed back out.

At 12 miles it got iffy again for a bit but the sun emerged and by about 15 miles it was suddenly a full on really nice day even if a bit windy, strong from the southeast. It stayed really, really nice for most of the rest of the ride.

As I approached the final mileage total I hoped to achieve I gradually worked my way upwind, getting south and east for a bit of a tail wind to finish. I turned for home at 24 miles and noticed that a wall of extremely dark clouds had sneaked in behind me. But I had that tail wind and where I was the sun was still out.

As I made the final turn north for home at 25 miles the cloud bank obscured the sun but I was OK, reveling in the mostly south wind. At about 25.1 miles the front passed and just like that I found myself riding into a strong and distinctly chilly northwest wind. This time it was very apparent that the gods were serious about this bad weather deal. But only a mile, I made it under the garage overhang again without feeling a drop. TOPWLH came around the garage to greet me and we agreed that my timing was impeccable. It is NOW unrideable out there, too threatening.

During the really nice spell I rode to the Luther Theological Seminary. They have this really old church there, the Old Muskego Church.Fairly obviously this is not a stone church. I think that wood would be called rough sawn. But it is, for Minnesota, a really old church. They have this sign out by the parking lot describing the history of the church.That church is nowhere near as old as this one. This is the Eglise Saint-Louis des Invalides, also known as the Eglise du Dome. It was finished in 1679.The church is notable as the site of the tomb of Napoleon. Napoleon died in 1821 and was initially interred on Saint Helena. The king arranged for his remains to be brought to Paris in 1840. Eventually, in 1861 Napoleon was moved to the a tomb in the most prominent location under the dome.

The church is also the burial site for some of Napoleon's family as well as many French military heroes. Those buried there include Joseph Bonaparte, Napoleon's elder brother, Jérôme Bonaparte, Napoleon's youngest brother, Napoleon II, son of Napoleon, Claude Joseph Rouget de Lisle, an army captain, author of France's national anthem, La Marseillaise, and Ferdinand Foch, Marshal of France, Allied Supreme Commander in the First World War, as well as many others.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Today's minor setback

When I go out to the garage to get my bicycle for a ride I do so because I am ready to ride. Today I rode down the driveway for my customary couple of laps of the cul de sac. Shortly after hitting the street I says to myself, "Self, that feels like a flat tire." I have been worried about the tires that came with the new LOOK and today that worry was justified. I had only 636 miles on the new bike. That is much too early for a flat tire. I got it off, and in keeping with correct flat tire procedures, did a thorough examination of the tire to see if I could determine what had caused the flat. A complete inspection of the exterior convinced me that the tire is actually in OK condition and can go back on the bike. A complete examination of the intereior of the tire didn't turn up anything sharp so I repaired the tire and remounted it on the LOOK.

Well, it was a minor setback but it was also a revelation. The Vredestein (Vredestein is a Dutch company) tires and the Mavic rim combination of the new LOOK were like about 100 times easier to change than the Michelin tires Campagnolo rims combination that I have been palping (or is that curating? Only BikeSnobNYC knows for sure). Michelin on Campagnolo was an extremely tight fit and a major struggle to change, particularly with new tires.

Here is an illustration of the difference: The levers on the left are what most people find adequate for changing bicycle tires.I have had to use those heavy duty metal levers and that telescoping bead remover to get the tires off. Back on is even more of a struggle, I need that bead jack to lift the final bit of tire over the rim and back on. Today was much, much easier. If you can believe it, as the repair books describe and as I have definitely NOT been able to do, today I PUSHED THE LAST BIT OF BEAD OVER THE RIM WITH MY THUMBS!!!

I went out for a ride but by this time the weather was extremely threatening. I wanted to ride at least a few miles to confirm a successful tire repair so I started circling the neighborhood, staying close to home.

It didn't rain so I circled some more. I feel sheepish when I end up riding more than once on any particular street and I soon ran out of streets I could ride in section 16, my one mile square geographic home. Eventually I dared to expand my range to the section to the east, give me a second here, I am going to have to count this off in my head: 1,2 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 . . . ah, section 15. Section 15 is bordered by Snelling, County Road B, Lexington and Larpenteur. Eventually I was running a little low on streets in that area too so I headed off towards the west of the section south of 15 and then down into the one directly to my south: 17, 18, 19, 20 . . . section 21. That would be the west half of section 22 and all of section 21. Is this arcane knowledge ever, ever going to be of actual use to me again? Section 21 is bordered by Larpenteur, Snelling, Como and Cleveland. The area between Snelling and Hamline and between Como and Larpenteur is the west half of section 22.

Section 21 is occupied almost entirely but not quite totally by the Fairgrounds and the farm campus. I was riding through the Fairgrounds when I had one of those learning moments. When you learn something new you are supposed to reinforce the learning by repeating the new knowledge. Well, the car show and swap meet scheduled for this weekend at the Fair is going to charge admission. Since they don't have use of the full grounds they have rented a fence.While I was in section 15 I got a picture of today's old stone church, Roseville Lutheran. Grey looking day, isn't it.Roseville Lutheran is really old. It is so old that it is listed on the Roseville Heritage Trail as sponsored by the Roseville Historical Society. This church was kind enough during construction to include a corner stone with the date, I believe we can safely assume that this building was erected in 1948. That's really old for Roseville as 1948 is the year Roseville came into existence, incorporating the existing Rose Township into a village.

It is really old for Roseville but it isn't anywhere near as old as this one:
That's the Eglise de Notre Dame in Cunault. Cunault is a very tiny town in Western France, on the Loire river, near Nantes. The church dates from the 12th century. It includes that tower which is a surviving remnant of the former church on that site. The tower was built during the 11th century.

It was also a very grey day in Cunault the day this picture was day.

Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Smorgasbord

I read in the paper today that the family of Charles Schultz is regaining some of the rights to the comic strip characters created by Sparky. This is a good thing I suppose, although a 20 percent interest is something less than controlling. That suggests to me that the family won't have any retroactive claim to these things and they are going to stay here.Speaking of the Fairgrounds, it is a big, big weekend over there. The message boards are working overtime. Let's see:

Sahara Sands Arabian Horse Show at the Coliseum.

Something called the Living Green Expo at the Grandstand.

A Spring Extravaganza Car Show and Swap Meet on Machinery Hill.

The Saint Paul Craftstravanza at the Fine Arts Building.

And the Northland Toy, Doll and Advertising Show at the Progress Center.

I hope they all just get along. And all of that doesn't even consider what might be happening in this big tent.I first thought that maybe the circus was coming to town but then I realized that the circus just LEFT town. This thing is closest to the Grandstand of the above listed locations, it may well be part of the Living Green Expo.

Here's the stone church of the day, the Mount Olive Evangelical Lutheran Church, just off Como between Snelling and Hamline.Once again I don't have any information about how old it is but I bet it isn't as old as this one:That's the Cathedral at Olonne sur Mer (Wireless and TOPWLH for scale).I don't know positively how old that church is but I do know it is OLD. It might not be the first church on that site but as of 1042 l'église Saint Marie d'Olonne is mentioned in the records of the Benedictine Abbey of Saint Croix Talmond. The parish is ancient enough that Rabelais stayed in the convent for a long enough time that his works contain praise for the area's wine, hemp and land.

Isn't this fun?

Tuesday, April 27, 2010

Knee warmers

I have a link to Belgium Knee Warmers over there on the sidebar. I visit it only semi-regularly but during the bicycle season it is often well worth a visit. Here is the explanation given on the site for what is known as Belgium knee warmers. The twist is that Belgium knee warmers are no warmers at all, just an application of a layer of liniment or similar.

Given this dedication to bare legged riding it may come as a surprise that it is from BKW that I learned a rule that has served me extremely well. The rule is that one should keep one's legs covered when riding in springtime until the temperature rises to at least 20 degrees. Obviously that's 20 degrees Celsius, it is a rule from Belgium after all. 20 Celsius is equivalent to 68 Fahrenheit. The idea is that bicycling puts a lot of stress on the knee joint, a joint which does not have much flesh surrounding it to assist in keeping the joint warm. It is better to keep some covering until the air temperature is high enough to reduce the danger to these important joints. Each year I resist uncovering my legs until the temperature is at, or at least very near to 20 degrees Celsius.

Once having uncovered my legs it is a little difficult to cover them back up. It seems wrong somehow. Today, however, the threat of being cold seemed much more wrong. What I donned are technically leg warmers, but leg warmers are just knee warmers that extend all the way down to the ankle. Today felt quite cold.

But the sun was out and it was an extremely pretty day. I went for a bicycle ride. Among the things I wanted to accomplish today was a brush up on looking at old stone churches. The one that I found is the Church of Saint Andrew near Lake Como.It isn't really a very old church and it is brick, not stone. I couldn't find any information on line about how old the building is but I am pretty sure it isn't as old as this one.The Cathedral at Chartres, afternoon photo of the west portal. The west portal was built between 1145 and 1155. A fire in 1194 heavily damaged the rest of the church and it was reconstructed over the course of the next 100 years with assistance from le Roi and a prosperous merchant class. The first evidence of a Christian church on this site is when one was destroyed 743 by Hunald, Duke of Aquitaine after a quarrel with the sons of Charles Martel. There are hints that the spot may have been used as place of worship in times before historical records by Druids. The legend is that Druids gathered once a year at this spot around a well. A well said to be the Druid well is preserved in the lower level of the church, below the sanctuary. This is all relevant because there is a Church of Saint Andrew in Chartres, dating from the 12th century. The part extending over the Eure River was demolished in 1827 for safety reasons.Isn't this fun? Doesn't it make you want to examine some old stone churches?

In more mundane matters, I rode on towards home and passed this undecided lilac. I pictured it once last year but this year I have available hours during mid-day when the light is much better for photography. The branches with the white flowers are not a separate bush, they are branches that have been grafted onto the bush with purple flowers.It was cold today with a north wind. I ended up mostly riding east and west to avoid too much exposure to the wind. As a result I passed Lake Como a couple of times and eventually succumbed to the urge to include a lake photo.I have been expecting to see some activity in the corn field and today I was rewarded. I was hoping to see the planting but the piece of equipment I saw going into the field does not conform to my memory of what a corn planter looks like.Sure enough, when I walked into the field and examined the residue being left being left behind by that apparatus it was apparent that today's application is of fertilizer. I think the ground will soon be warm enough and the planting will begin.

Monday, April 26, 2010

A couple of days off freshens the legs

My condolences to everyone who had to try to get some miles in this weekend because they weren't going to have free time at noon on Monday. Free time at noon on Monday sure worked out for me though.

My fitness level is improving but really, a rest day is a good thing. A couple of rest days and I felt strong.

I was approaching the red white flowering crab tree combination in Shoreview that I have pictured previously. This time I noticed some red sticking out above the white. I wondered if perhaps there was another one of those amateur grafting projects going on. Upon closer inspection I discovered instead that apparently in all this time I have only ridden past those trees in the northerly direction during the bloom. Today I circled around and approached from the west. It turns out there are actually three trees on that corner, red white red again.And a light post interfering with the image.

I was riding past one of the schools on that route when I had a little catcher in the rye moment. I had ridden down a hill lined with flowering crab trees and turned around at the bottom because I thought the photo uphill would be an interesting perspective. I still think that but I also discovered that the inmates were out in the yard.I think they probably need more than that 20 minutes of recess they are probably getting. There is a lot of unharnessed energy on a playground right after lunch.

The temperature crawled above the average for the day while I was out. It was mostly cloudy but the sun peeked out often enough to probably qualify for partly sunny. I felt fresh. It was a good day to be out riding.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Active Living Bike Expo

It rained today so no bicycling. TOPWLH and I got some bicycle content by going over to the Fairgrounds for the Bike Expo. It wasn't very interesting and we were on the verge of leaving disappointed when we stumbled onto Bob Brown.

Bob Brown builds bicycles. TOPWLH asked if I meant he builds bicycles like I have built a bicycle. The answer is no, Bob is a mechanical engineer by training and a bike nut. He is also a certified machinist experienced in metalwork and joining. He builds bicycles from the beginning and has been doing so for 10 years. He starts with steel tubes and custom fabricates the frame to a buyer's specifications. He has a website with examples of his work and a blog, both of which are linked over there on my sidebar.

Bob had this one with him at the Expo, although while we were there the owner showed up and had to take it as he was leaving for a bike ride.Bob's bicycles are spectacular works of art and are high functioning machinery besides. As with any work of art, a real appreciation of the beauty is best gained by a view from up close so that you can perceive and appreciate the quality and workmanship evident in the finest of details.

Here is another example of his work, in a color approved by moohoo.In the end a productive day of bicycle related activity was had by all, or at least by me.

Friday, April 23, 2010

Warm enough, too windy

Instability of the sort ordinarily expected in spring may finally be making an appearance. It is going to rain here pretty soon, you can feel it in the air.

However, it isn't raining yet and I try to ride most every day that it doesn't rain. It was warm enough today, overcast and grey (which usually limits photo opportunities), and way too windy. It was NOT raining.

Here's something I had never seen before. It just goes to prove that if there is an economic niche that someone will come forward with goods or services to try to fill the niche.Who knew that you could rent a fence? Upon even slight reflection it makes perfect sense, but who knew? Certainly not me.

I have pictured this mini-park before at some time or another. It is a garden and a historical marker describing the ox cart trail that once existed there. I am pretty sure that the actual ox cart is new to this location, however.If you take a close look at that cart it seems to me to be pretty authentic, it even looks like someone may have been living in it. Recently.

It was coolish when I started and I had to stop along the way to adjust my costume. By pure happenstance the spot I selected was under this tree. I was standing there rolling my jacket so that it would fit into my jersey pocket when I noticed something unusual happening.You can't really see it in the photo but I was soon showered with white flower petals. This is an experience that I have had before but not one that I have every year. It just seems to me like such a nice gesture by the tree to drop those petals on me. It is an aromatic extravaganza.

Here is photographic proof that petals were being transferred from tree to pavement all around me.I rode on toward home, trying to get a bit farther east without sacrificing the distance I had already ridden south, hoping to retain my position against the strong southeast wind to make for a strong tail wind for the ride home. I ended up in the neighborhood east of Lake Como where I rode past the home of a guy I know from work just as he was pulling up in his truck.

What kind of guy purchases a mini-travel trailer in a color matching his truck?The same kind of guy who has a carved bear in his yard which may or may not be moving to Tennessee.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

An amicable encounter

There has been the usual springtime exchange of acrimonious letters to the editor from a pickup truck driver and an overwrought bicyclist in one of the local daily newspapers. I was reminded again today that virtually every motorist I encounter is courteous and mindful, sometimes overly mindful, of my safety. I was crossing the Hamline overpass over 36 heading north. The freeway entrance is on the far side of the overpass. The entrance requires a right turn and there is a right turn only lane. Because I am not going to turn and because I wish to be perceived as a vehicle, in situations of this sort I prefer not to ride near the curb in the turn lane. I am not going to turn. I ride in the farthest right lane which is going to go straight through. I try to ride as far to the right as is safe in that lane.

This situation doesn't come up very often but when it does I find myself in the position of having cars both to my left AND to my right. Today I missed the light and when I stopped (yes, I do obey traffic signals when other vehicles are present) I heard a voice speaking to me from the unexpected side, my right.

A man driving a van, who upon the brief glance I was able to take before the light changed appeared to be of the age group with nowhere to go and all day to get there (my peer group) had rolled his vehicle up next to me. He said, "You've got the right idea. I wish I was biking today."

So there you go, yet another friendly exchange between groups that some seem determined to portray as natural antagonists. While there are undoubtedly jerks on both sides of the divide, I find the huge vast majority of people operating motor vehicles to be extremely courteous.

The local media has also recently reported on a bear seen in a tree in a Twin Cities suburb. I have ridden by this fellow quite a few times but was inspired today to include a photo.Not quite as impressive as the cows or the white bear on Highway 61 (Polar Chevrolet) or the white bear at that Wireless likes in Musée d'Orsay. Probably also not quite as impressive as the bear in the tree in Blaine.

Riding nearly every day means that some days I do not feel particularly strong or fresh. On the other hand, I have found that fairly often on the day after a day when I don't have it that I feel just fine. Today I felt just fine. The winds were light and variable but seemed slightly north at the start so I rode again out towards Shoreview.

Here are four flowering crabs standing in a rectangle in an Arden Hills yard. Those who have ridden the northern routes with me or perhaps even those who have made some sort of misguided field trip may recognize them. They are at the top of the first half of the hill up from Lake Josephine.And those two trees that I pictured a couple of days ago have advanced far enough that I was again compelled to STOP for another angle.The white flower tree is still a tiny bit ahead of the red flower tree. These two may make yet another appearance if I happen to ride out that way when they are both in full bloom. It is one of my spring favorites, gorgeous and fragrant.

I altered the route a little and rode down through the Fairgrounds. Here is something I have never seen before. They have put up an auxiliary fence blocking off only a part of the grounds and are selling tickets. It is the Minnesota Horse Expo and it must be a really, really BIG horse show.At the other end of the Fairgrounds this weekend is something called the Active Living Bike Expo. According to the website this thing is an official kick off for the summer biking season. Someone should have told me this earlier and I could have saved myself this past month's often pretty hard work.

Here's something I found on Bike Snob NYC that I think is pretty amusing. The first time I watched the clip it included a 30 second McDonald's commercial and I apologize if you have to watch that. It wasn't there just now when I went to get the embed information.

"The show is called "Dhani Tackles the Globe," and the premise is that "NFL linebacker and travel enthusiast" Dhani Jones travels enthusiastically and partakes in local sports. In the season premiere, Jones goes to Italy and does the Gran Fondo del Monte Grappa.

It's pretty much what you'd expect: Jones goes to an Italian bike company and gets a fancy race bike; Jones eats pasta prepared by a sturdily-built Italian woman; Jones gets shelled in the first kilometer of climbing but manages to finish; Jones concludes that cycling is really hard and that Italy is awesome."

Two things, one it is a pretty nice bike and two I am going to agree with Dhani that cycling is really hard. I also think Italy is probably pretty awesome.

Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Stuff looks more photogenic when the photographer isn't chilled

The temperature was in the 70s when I got home from yesterday's ride. It was in the 50s when I set out today. Even though the temperature today appears to be struggling its way up to the average for this date those 15 plus degrees made today chilly. Note to file, that average for today is now 60, can you believe it?

With average temperatures and a clear and sunny day I guess the fair conclusion is that today is actually a pretty nice April day. The devil in this case is in the contrast. It felt cold and I not only had to again don all of the layers that I pulled off yesterday, I had to go to the drawer and pull out some stuff I put away last week with the hope that I wouldn't need it again.

Riding in the cold is hard work. Further when you ride most every day it is hard to be fresh and strong every time out. Today was cold and it was hard. As a result a bunch of things that yesterday would have looked like good opportunities for a picture today just couldn't get me interested.

But never fear, I specialize in flowering shrubs and here is a variety not previously pictured here.Also note that the flowering crab behind the shrub is about to join the show. Just for good measure, take a look at the blue of that sky.

It was a pretty nice April day.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Red barn

After yesterday's both ways into the wind ride I was extra vigilant today. The cable TV weatherscan station said winds light and variable one minute and actually claimed calm the next.

As is my custom I took a couple of turns around the cul de sac to feel the full 360 degree effect of any breezes. Not very much to my surprise, northwest was a clear winner. I set off towards the northern routes.

But what a beautiful, beautiful day it was out there. The winds were as advertised very light and to be fair varied a bit now and again over the course of the ride but not enough to be much of a hindrance or assistance. It was summer like conditions out on the bicycle. To this point in the year I have been wearing a light weight liner under my helmet, mostly to limit heat loss. Today at about mid-point in the ride I had to stop and remove the liner, mostly to facilitate cooling. It was summer like conditions.

I was just riding north intending to just let the bicycle take me where it might, thinking it might be a good day to deviate from the regular traveled routes. But I ride those routes because multiple repeats have shown me that those are the most comfortable and most entertaining routes to ride. Even so, no ride is EXACTLY the same as any other, today's ride led me into North Oaks and down the road to James J. Hill's red barn.On a horticultural note, I CAN successfully identify the yellow flowers in this photo. As for the buildings, well, barn is easy. Those brick buildings though? I am going to guess milk storage building and . . . and . . . pump house? More on horticulture in a bit.

First, today's bicycling note: I was riding down the hill off Victoria down to Snail Lake. This is a one long block descent of a steep hill. The street there has fog lines painted on each side, leaving plenty of room on paved shoulders for a bicyclist. Under normal conditions this hill is an exhilarating high speed coast. Today there is construction going on on that street. Cones have been placed on the bottom half of the hill limiting the road surface to just wide enough for two cars.

There is a four way stop at the top of the hill. I made the right turn onto the hill as a van coming from the opposite direction turned left. I looked over my shoulder to see what the woman driving the van intended to do. She was obviously disinclined to pass, apparently taking the pretty common Minnesota Nice approach that the bicyclist should go first.

Well, she was accommodating me, I wanted to try to return the courtesy. I swung out into the middle of the lane, the only safe place for a bicyclist to ride under these circumstances and started to pedal. I quickly spun out in the gear I was in and then went into the lowest tuck I can maintain, chin nearly on the bars and blasted off for the high speed coast.

The speed limit on that hill is 30mph, I assume that van observed the law. As for myself, my cyclocomputer reports that my top speed was 32.8mph.

That's not the fastest I have ever gone on a bicycle, but it is the fastest for a while. Exhilarating.

Today's zoology note: On the way home I spotted this specimen on the west half of Lake Vadnais. This is my first sighting of the year of the Great Blue in any place other than Florida.OK, horticulture time.

First, I concede. Daffodils it is. In my defense I never got really close to either planting and they looked like tulips to me.

And then, of course, there is the fact that there ARE yellow tulips.And orange ones. And some other completely unknown to me yellow stuff.

I wish I had thought of this before yesterday's post, but the truth is, I thought of it later. Still, I am not going to ruin a good story just for the sake of the truth.

As reported first by Newsweek, Minnesota's Governor has made a mighty flip flop on health care. Don't you think that viewed in this light the alliterative and suggestive "T-Paw has tulips too" is more interesting than the horticulturally correct "T-Paw has daffodils".

Anyway, that is now officially my story and I am sticking to it.

In any case, the flowering crabs are now demanding that we STOP and take a good look (and smell) as they are about to burst out into colorful glory.That's all I am going to have about tulips for this year (I think).

Monday, April 19, 2010

T-Paw has tulips too

Today I completed one of the standard length southern routes for the first time this year. There are two more or less standard routes over there, the one I did today was the Capitol loop. I was riding that direction because when I left the house the wind was coming from the southeast. When I got back to the house the wind was coming from the northwest. So THAT's the kind of day it was.

The Capitol loop takes me along the entire length of Summit Avenue. At one point I saw a flash of yellow so I stopped to check. The Governor's Mansion has yellow tulips in the front yard.Here's a look just at the flowers without fence gate or bicycle cluttering up the shot.Having confirmed yellow tulips at his place of residence I thought to check on his work place. Yup, yellow tulips there too.Those familiar with the Capitol grounds may be interested to know that I took this photo from that large state map inlaid into the World War II Memorial in front of the Veterans Service Building. I had both of my feet in Itasca County. The front wheel of my bicycle was in Koochiching. I didn't really check to be sure but I am going to guess rear wheel in Cass.

As long as I was in the neighborhood I rode over to see what the flower status was at another part of the Executive Branch. Silly me, I forgot the DNR doesn't do flowers, they do habitat.I ran into someone I know. In fact, you can see her in the photo, just behind the upper left corner of the sign.

I asked her if she thought I should visit the fourth floor. Tameko advised against such a move, saying that the place was a trap. I heeded her warning and instead rode on home.

INTO A HEAD WIND.

Sunday, April 18, 2010

Jewel of the northern rides

It is the third time I have ridden to Lake Vadnais this year. It was the first time I have ridden to Lake Vadnais this year when I was actually strong enough to do so.Let's see, the first time I rode out there I had to stop about two miles from home to marshal enough strength to make that final two miles without having to call home for a ride.

The second time, well, a selected family member may recall that it took me about 4 hours to get changed out of my bicycling clothes.

Today was better.

Today's quiz: Guess what? Guess where?TPWRWM on a regular basis will get this one easily.

The person who rides with me.

Today is Sunday. It is one of the first Sundays when it is warm enough to ride around with the car windows open and there were lots of people doing just that.

This pair of circumstances produced the first really good opportunity for young males riding shotgun in their friend's father's car to give shout outs to bicyclists. I am able to report that "Hey Lance" is still a popular shout out among this extremely witty population subgroup. I got two of them today.

Saturday, April 17, 2010

Tulip time

This seems early to me. I am afraid that when real Tulip Time comes that all there will be here is a stem festival. This first group is in Shoreview.That wire around the flowers didn't distract much from my viewing pleasure. I am guessing it is present because rabbits in Shoreview eat tulips if they are not dissuaded.

This group is in Roseville. They are in the yard with all the native flowers that I photograph later on in the year.The proprietor of the yard was out in the yard so I stopped and chatted him up a bit. I told him how much I like his yard. I think he was pleased to hear that someone enjoys the results of his labors.

The bicycling goes well. After several days featuring rides to the south I have ridden to the north the past two days. The change in the weather pattern has restored what is the prevailing wind here, a northwesterly flow. I bicycle a LOT, believe me, I KNOW what the most common wind direction is. The northerly routes are the most commonly ridden routes.

Today and yesterday I came to a couple of well known to me spots where the pavement tilts upwards. These are NOT hills, at least not when I am fit. But in the midst of my earlier season struggles they sure seemed like hills. The last two days I absolutely spanked both slight rises, even accelerating on the way over the top. Fitness is starting to return.

I stopped by County Cycles. I have a minor mechanical issue with the new bicycle which I do not perceive to be a problem but which I wanted to discuss with an actual bicycle mechanic. Also, I like going into the shop on the first Saturday in the spring when it is sunny and warm just to watch the show. There were more people in there today then come in during an entire week in January.

You know that the shop is your home shop when three of the people working greet you by name, your favorite brake mechanic comes over immediately to see what's up, and a fourth worker, one I do not know (yet) wanted to chat a bit about seeing me out riding on the Transitway on Thursday.

Scott says the derailer hanger IS bent but that if it shifts OK, which it does (which surprises Scott, he says it shouldn't) then it isn't a huge issue. Scott said the slight noise I am hearing is metal rubbing on metal. He said that he knows I ride a lot of miles but that I would have to ride, his words here, an INSANE amount to actually wear anything out. Still, a bent hanger needs to be monitored. That's what I thought, sometimes it is just best to get a professional opinion.

Friday, April 16, 2010

Care free

Just another day free from the care of doing my taxes.

My father recited this bit of doggerel fairly regularly when I was a young moohoo.

One evening in October, when I was one-third sober,
An' taking home a ‘load' with manly pride;
My poor feet began to stutter, so I lay down in the gutter,
And a pig came up an' lay down by my side;
Then we sang ‘It's all fair weather when good fellows get together,'
Till a lady passing by was heard to say:
‘You can tell a man who "boozes" by the company he chooses'
And the pig got up and slowly walked away.

I just today discovered that these are lyrics to a song written in 1933. Here is a 1934 recording by someone named Frank Crumit. I'll get back to this.

April returned again today. Average temperatures for these April days is a bit of a shock after so many days of averages fit for May. But it was a pretty day and I have the gear.

I have wanted this exact picture for a couple of years. It always seemed as though every time I was out there the shadows were wrong. It turns out that you have to go in the middle of the day in mid-April.Neighborhood watch note, edition 3: That neighborhood isn't doing very well. Despite the sign saying that criminals should beware, if the watching neighbors are the businesses in that strip mall, then there aren't very many people doing the watching. My recollection is that as recently as last year those store fronts were mostly occupied.

I got this picture of Lake Emily from the north end. This is another one of those opportunity moments. Later on in the year the sun angle makes photos from this end a matter of proper time of the day. The real problem though, is that later on when the foliage fills in you can barely see the lake from the road.I rode around on the other side of the lake to see what I could find. Here is another thing that I didn't know about. There is an abandoned structure out there in the middle of all that wildlife habitat which occupies nearly all of that quadrant of land except for the lake front. This too will become totally invisible once the trees and shrubs reach summer time fullness.I was turning around to ride away. There is a house directly across the street and I was surprised to see that this house appeared to have a full size deer statue in the back yard. I was interested enough to turn around again and go back to try to get another look. There was lots of stuff obstructing sight lines into the back yard but eventually I rolled up to the spot from which I could get a clear look.

And the deer lowered its head and slowly walked away.

Anyone seeking to understand this post should be informed that the queerest sight I ever did see was the night on the marge of Lake LaBarge they cremated Sam McGee.

Thursday, April 15, 2010

Target Field Station

TOPWLH wasn't available for the tax ritual until this morning. I got her to sign the returns and then hustled over to Kinko's (now known as Federal Express Office) for the copies. I was still able to make it to the Post Office before noon. The postal workers were on their best behavior and a couple of them even tittered politely when I exclaimed that I was filing taxes pretty early this year. I used to work with a guy who told me that each and every year he has to drive to the main post office just before midnight to file his taxes. I filed this year with over 12 hours to spare until the deadline, plenty early I think.

It may be an omen of some sort, with the taxes out of my life for another 360 days or so the sun suddenly broke through the overcast. Temperatures were once again much above average and the presence of a strong wind couldn't keep me from heading out.

A southwest wind led me over to the heart of the monster, downtown. I rode all the way up to this new deal. While I was framing the photo a roar of approval emanated from within the walls of the mostly publicly financed stadium. I have since heard that the local team won today's contest in a convincing manner.The white flowering shrubs come first. Then come the off white. Third up is apparently purple. Plus these have both leaves and blossoms. This bush is in Falcon Heights less than 2 miles from home. Looks like spring, doesn't it?I got a picture at two different locations and couldn't decide which I liked better. This one is in the Como neighborhood of Saint Paul. This yard is attractive throughout the growing season and I often pause here to admire the foliage. I took the suggestion of Variable Resister and went looking for a Smoke on the Water video. Through pure happenstance I suppose YouTube posted this video when I did a search for Smoke. This video is very, very 1968. Manzarek is playing two separate keyboards.

Krieger is brilliant, as he always is.

But in keeping with my preoccupation with flowers it occurs to me that Jim looks like some exotic hot house flower. I suspect he is on something, maybe multiple things, but his demeanor suggests to me that this is an organism which cannot possibly long survive in the real world.

And of course, he doesn't.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

60 percent chance

I had lots of work still to be done on the taxes but two days without bicycling loomed and the weather channels said only (only he says) a 60 percent chance of rain. I checked the radar and it looked to me like 100 percent chance for Minneapolis and the western suburbs as the system followed a northeasterly moving pattern. I convinced myself that 100 percent over there meant only about 20 percent over here and headed out to try to get in a few miles.

I hit the four edges of section 16 without ever getting outside of it. A section is a mile square so that translates to a minimum of 4 miles ridden. Never getting outside of the section adds the benefit of never ever being much over a mile from home.

At approximately the moment that 20 percent became 100 percent I pulled back into the overhang of my garage, thankful for having been so close when those first drops hit me. Here is a look at my driveway showing the first drops.Tertiary geologists and those following the earlier discussion on this blog might like to note that to this point my driveway displays very, very few signs of spall.

The expedition didn't really get to the level of what I usually expect in a bicycle ride and I am going to use the Michigan explanation that even though I left my house on my bicycle this doesn't really qualify as a "ride".

It eventually rained pretty hard for a while and then intermittently for the rest of the afternoon. I spent the rest of the afternoon working to finish the taxes. Hard. I would take a 40 mile bicycle ride any time. But they are done. I kind of like the way they came out, we cut it pretty close to the line this year. We went just slightly over the line and owe a $4 penalty to the state and a $21 penalty to the feds. However, we have the basis for, and I have requested, a waiver of the federal penalty. It feels about right to have not loaned any money to government this year.