Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Jacket weather

Of all things that could delay a ride in late June, today's ride didn't happen until it got warm enough to ride.  50s overnight, heavy cloud cover today, temperatures were very slow to rise to anything resembling comfortable.  As for myself, my ride began with one turn around the cul de sac and a return to the house for my jacket.  I had a GRider with me today and she resolutely set off in her red sleeveless.  After 0.42 miles we had to turn back.

Hey, she got a lot farther from the house than I did.

But even with the cloud cover there was never a hint of precipitation so we had a pretty nice ride.  She is gradually stretching out and after one or two more she will be ready for the 10 lake tour.

It occurred to me recently that this season's postings have a shortage of corn reports.  The reason for this is that there haven't been any corn reports.  Today even GRider mentioned whilst we were out.  At first I didn't think so.  Did I mention the heavy cloud cover?  But eventually it brightened up and the sun started to find a few holes.  This was enough to make this photo possible.
Even considering late planting on the heels of another horrendous spring I believe the corn looks pretty good. That's way more than knee high with 9 days to go until the 4th of July.

Note that she has zip off sleeves on the jacket she was wearing and during our FIFA mandated rest stop at Lake Emily she zipped them off.

Pour moi, it was full sleeves for the full ride.

As all bicyclists know and as we occasionally remind each other I am not dressing to keep her warm and she is not dressing to keep me warm.

Here's today's flood picture.
You may think it looks dry there and you would be correct.

Here's the deal, the Saint Paul city traffic impound lot is located down on the flats on the West Side.  I read in the newspaper that they were going to have to move it because any sort of significant flood (and this one IS significant, 7th highest crest on record) would inundate the lot and further damage the impounded vehicles.  Geez, just imagine the litigation that that would produce!  Here is where the impound lot is going to be until the Mississippi recedes, one of the completely fenced parking lots at the Fairgrounds.

There were tow trucks coming and going, a police presence, and a trailer set up at the gate where I am sure they would accept cash for reclaiming the piece of junk you left on the street somewhere until the city towed it away.

Boy oh boy, that's going to be expensive.

That same newspaper this morning also reported that the city and state have declared flood emergencies partly so they can initiate accounting procedures to identify costs accrued which are a result of the flood.  Later they will seek federal flood emergency designation which if received will allow city and state to request federal assistance (in this instance, as in many, assistance means "money") for flood related activities.

It was quite a scene, tow trucks of various sizes and shapes including one which had a flat bed carrying a vehicle and a tow bar behind bringing another, a twofer tow truck.

Boy oh boy, that's going to be expensive.

2 comments:

Santini said...

Sounds expensive.

We're still/again socked in with fog. So dismal here, with the 4th of July looming.

I love my jacket with the sleeves that zip off.

Mrs Smith said...

Me, too. It was perfect this afternoon as the sun came out a little and it warmed up.
Nice ride (only my 4th, I think, but finally 20 miles). I look forward to the lake tour.