Portals open

I read in the paper today that the average first day with a temperature of 80 is May 5. The weather writer went on to proclaim that this puts us right about on schedule.

Not the way I figure it, it doesn't. It puts us five days later than average. But at least ONLY five. It was more than 80 when I rode and I guess it is about 85 now.

New for today: Complete summer costume, short sleeves, shorts, no base layer of any kind, no warmers of any kind, no jacket, no fingers in the gloves. Complete summer costume.

And sunscreen. With no jacket or sleeves I realized that epidermis was actually going to be exposed to the sun. I knew where to find it, I store my sunscreen with my bicycle gear (of course).

The wind was brisk from the SE so I wanted to head over towards the river. I haven't been through the University-Raymond intersection since the flat tire so I was hoping for the best. And, voila, the utility work is all done, the pavement crossing the intersection has been restored at full width, the portal is open.

At least it is open from a Raymond Avenue point of view, actually half of University is still torn up and they are using the west bound lanes to move traffic in both directions. It wasn't going that smoothly when I was there in early afternoon, I can only guess at the chaos when all the cars in the world arrive there at rush hour.

Once past the erstwhile bottleneck I headed down towards the river. It was sunny when I started out and it is mostly sunny now but during the time I was riding there was a long stretch when it felt very prospective for showers. It was warm enough, but the overcast deepened and the fresh breeze felt like rain.

So I wanted to get to someplace I haven't been and get back home. I headed over towards the Falls. I wanted to wait for the sun to come out but decided to take a photograph while I waited.I am disappointed to have missed the ice formations over there but I was not disappointed by the Falls.

Wireless got a really, really sterling video over there on Sunday with her new phone. I had a new phone with me but felt more comfortable trying for a video with my newly trustworthy pocket camera. The sky was making me nervous so I went ahead with the video despite not ever seeing the sun.

I think hers is better but I still like mine. I very much like the sound.

The spray rising from the rocks at the bottom of the Falls felt too much like sprinkles for me and I was convinced to head for home. It always felt threatening until the last couple of miles. I ended up with a couple of miles more than standard length ride which fulfills my goal of a once weekly longer ride.

It seems that summer is going to happen after all. Now if the county can just get around to sweeping Hamline Avenue (and Lexington) (and Cleveland) (and County Road B). The road construction portal has reopened but the street sweeper roadblocks are still up.