EG:86 CB:79 WG:86

Our start was a little bit earlier and it was not as monstrous a day. It was really only about a slightly too humid otherwise pretty average day for early August. As usual the cattle barn reading is the closest to reported temperatures.

We are still circumnavigating Falcon Heights. It has been swept by now and I have ridden through parts including the critical Garden Avenue route east of Snelling. That part is passable. However the sweeping was slipshod and only the lanes on the street where car tires go are really clear. The sides of the street are full of gravel. Further, when we swung over to Crawford for the crossing of Snelling I ran through a spot of tar which made what is by several orders of magnitude the largest tar spot yet on my front tire. I have a spotted tire, think really large spot, going around and around in front of me. It is hypnotic.

We rode out to the Shoreview water tower where I got this photo of TOPWLH with Island Lake as a backdrop, Victoria Avenue on her left.Right across the street is a mini strip mall which is gradually withering away in the modern economy. At its peak it had about seven tenants but it is now down to two. Second in from one end is a dog-grooming business. Second in from the other end is a beauty salon, a people grooming business if you will. The salon has two signs posted at the curb in front of the salon. These are temporary signs, on metal bases, the kind that need to be rolled out when the business is open and put away when the business is closed. The two signs proclaim "Salon Parking Only" to a very nearly completely empty parking lot.