Turnaround

As late as 10am this morning I wasn't even considering the possibility of a ride.  But the sun came out and the sun in May is a powerful force.  TOPWLH was departing for some pagan event but she proclaimed as she went out the door that she was looking forward to the ride report.

I started to think about it and discovered that something called the inter tubes has temperature forecasts more up to date than the at least 12 hours old newspaper forecast that I had been relying on.  This inter tubes deal said 60s.  Well, I definitely have gear for that.

And the niceness of the day convinced me to go ahead and pretend that my fitness level is appropriate to May instead of its actual end of March level and to take the big northern ride.

Sunday out there at the lakes IS going to be a problem when the weather improves.  The path is now a path, and today they were enough pedestrians present to make it pretty clear that the path is to narrow for bicycles to share with pedestrians.  And since pedestrians are moving more slowly and therefore have right of way (also they are unpowered and bicycles are under at least some power) bicycles aren't going to be able to go there .

Today was OK, it is still cool enough to keep the numbers down.

Here is a look back at the new parking area at the lower end of Lake Vadnais.  That shoreline on the right was formerly dominated by several huge old cottonwood trees.

 That business over closest to the lake is the new path, the wide enough to be of actual use bit where I was standing is the road, cars can still come in this far to the parking lot there at the end.

Road ends there, only path for the rest of the way through not only Vadnais but the next lake north as well (Sucker).

I stopped at County Cycles, still expecting that one of these weekend days when I am there is going to be the day when bicycles are FLYING out the door.

Today wasn't the day, inventory is still plentiful.

This one isn't actually for sale, it doesn't have the necessary safey equipment to allow it to be sold under state statutes governing bicycles and safety equipment.  Just off the top of MY head, no reflectors, no brakes.

Scott and I had a discussion of what accessory is needed to make this into just exactly THE right bicycle.  I thought hydraulic brakes which would make the bicycle much closer to street legal and eligible for sale.  Scott suggested that they could convert it to fixed gear and then they wouldn't need brakes.  His suggestion was aero bars.

Scott wins.

They used to have a guy working there who could actually ride that thing, now it is only a prop, a mere pawn in game of life.