Access interdite redux

Ono Joe, dem is trucks.

Very nice day today, several degrees warmer, more consistent sunshine, less wind.  The wind direction again encouraged me to think Vadnais and I set off.

I knew about the loose gravel over at my usual Lexington Avenue crossing so as I rode I formulated a route which would take me out to the lakes without going through that choke point.  The core of the plan called for me to get farther east earlier in the ride, crossing Lexington several miles south of the trouble spot and then proceeding up Victoria and diverting to Lake Owasso Boulevard.  The plan was to enter Lake Vadnais from the bottom end instead of the almost always entry point at the top of the lake and then to ride the rest of the way in reverse of the usual route.

I had planned my work and I was working my plan when completely without any warning I came upon this halfway up the west side of Lake Owasso.

It wasn't even at an intersection.  The lake is off to the right at this point.

I turned back.

And found the street I wanted to take me back over to Victoria.  It wasn't far but it turned out to be a testy little uphill bit to get out of the neighborhood and back onto the main street.

I altered my plan, now considering a straight north run on Victoria and back onto the usual lake tour route.  This didn't work out real well either though as every side street I came to had loose gravel and at every one the gravel and oil were spread completely across the shoulder and out into the traffic lane.

Fortunately traffic was light and I was able to take the lane without peril to ride as best I could around each of those hazards.

And then I came upon this.

*sigh*  But it wasn't a huge wait, probably only about 40 railroad cars or so.

The way things were going I diverted from the plan B and decided to just go to Grass Lake.  For that I turn right just after crossing those railroad tracks.  Finally things seemed to be going my way as that stretch of road runs alongside the track and therefore has almost no cross streets, no loose gravel.  I reached the start of the path and came upon this.

Road closed wasn't news to me, I knew about the flood down at the other end.  But I didn't particularly want to ride through anyway.  I just wanted to ride in and out so I rode around the blockade and continued on down.

There is a reason I have added that Grass Lake path to my list of acceptable routes ever since the path was paved.  It's really pretty.

And down at the end, just as advertised, still closed.

Big white bird for scale.

After a bit another big white bird flew from my left over to the one sitting there and grunted out some sort of warning and they both flew away.

Very weird bird call those things make.

So I got back out of there and started for home.

I was riding back towards the area near the railroad crossing.  Every street I crossed seemed to have loose gravel.  It appears that Shoreview has graveled up the entire south end of the city.  I was hoping for the best but eventually what HAD to happen happended.  I was trapped.  I came to an intersection and the road ahead was graveled.  The cross street was graveled in both directions.  Trapped.

I did what I believe any self respecting road cyclist would do in that situation.

I rode on the sidewalk.

It was only for a block and eventually I managed to get away from all of that by riding the Island Lake path back over to Lexington.

So I am forced to declare Shoreview closed.  This forces me now to completely reconsider how it is I am going to get miles to the north when wind conditions dictate that I go that way.

It's a problem but in the big picture a minor problem.

Very nice day today and in the end a very nice ride, no jacket required.