On the way to Kansas. Just crossed into Iowa from Minnesota. Lots if rain!
Athena’s first road trip and she’s handling it like an old pro.
Visitors from Foreign Lands
So while I was out on my bike ride today, I took a route through Minnehaha Park, near the Falls. There is a small roundabout that has been there several years. I never give it a second thought anymore because it’s been there awhile and roundabouts are becoming more and more common.
There was a lot of car and bike traffic there today, however, and drivers using the roundabout also have to yield to bikes which cross the street just beyond the point where cars exit the circle. Well, there was a woman from out of state, which will remain nameless, *coughwisconsincough* who was, shall we say, having some difficulty. She had the right of way, but stopped before entering because she saw a car to her left about 15 feet from entering, but which wasn’t in the roundabout yet. She waited for that car to enter and pass her, which defeats the purpose of the roundabout, and was obviously flustered when people behind her honked. She finally went into the circle then exited, but encountered a bicyclist (me) who was in the crossing lane and to whom she needed to yield. She lurched to a stop, rolled down the window and yelled at me, “Damn Minnesotans and their fancy French intersections!” I think I looked stunned for a second, then got tickled and laughed. The look on her face told me she didn’t appreciate my reaction.
What a gorgeous day. Rather than going to the gym, I decided to walk around the neighborhood around my office. I actually do this often, but I’m usually so intent on something that I don’t look around and appreciate the interesting buildings. The first is the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, which is across a park from a couple of mansions of early Minneapolis families (the Pillsburys and Gales in the case of these photos), as well as the row houses of middle class folks of the 19th century.
After work, I took my first long bike ride of the season. 19.9 miles in an hour and 15 minutes. Not bad considering the number of people on the trails and the Midtown Greenway. I didn’t stop to take pictures, but sometimes, Minneapolis, you can take my breath away. So beautiful tonight.
Ahh Wednesday
Cool, damp evening, homemade burritos, a glass of red wine and Modern Family finale. The simple pleasures.
Travels with Athena
Joe and I are planning a couple of driving trips that will include Athena and will require a hotel stay here and there. Our first trip is this weekend to Leavenworth, Kansas. I’ve never looked for hotels that accept dogs. I am surprised and relieved that so many hotels accept pets. Whew! I thought we were going to have to put a baby bonnet on her and wheel her in in a baby carriage.
About that humidity…
Holy crap. I always forget how brutal exercise outside is that first warm day is when it’s also humid. It’s not awful — 70 degrees, 63 degree dewpoint, which will feel refreshing come August — but there is an acclimatizing period. The splits were good, but my breath was ragged and all the sweat. Dear God the sweat. I thought maybe today would be a nice 6-miler. Nope. Just four. Now I remember why I switch to biking in the summer.
Flashback Friday - the Rehoboth Beach Edition
When I lived in Washington, DC, my boss had a really nice beachhouse in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. It’s pretty much the closest Atlantic beach to DC. It was (and probably still is) like DC East in the summer.
In the early 80’s, he had the entire company down for a summer party. No idea why we all had to wear suits. I do not for the life of me remember the name of my co-worker, but I do remember having a great time. The evening (morning, really) ended up with several of us in the ocean and a nice little campfire in the dunes.
Random
I haven’t felt a lot like blogging since Indy. Everything’s going well and quite busy, but nothing that moved me to write until tonight. And tonight it’s all random crap:
1. Joe and I are re-watching the entire three season run of “Arrested Development”. I’m enjoying it even more this time around.
2. There is a house for sale that I bike by every day on my way to work. It’s an old four-square style house that for some reason I’ve begun to re-do in my mind every time I see it. It needs work, but it looks great in my mind’s eye as I renovate it. This is not normal behavior for me. We can barely keep our little 750 sq. ft. bungalow maintained and clean.
3. I just set the coffee maker to start brewing at 5:15 am tomorrow, as I have almost everyday for many years. Thinking about that fresh brewed goodness is the last thing I think about every night before falling asleep and the first thing I think about when I wake up.
4. I’ve noted this before, but I am so competitive when I’m riding my bike. I can’t let anyone pass me when I’m commuting in to work. The result of this is I am unnecessarily sweaty by the time I get to work. But no one passes me either, so there’s that.
5. I’m craving Brussels Sprouts. I think there are some tumblrs who are directly responsible for that with their food porn pictures of those delectable little treats.
Pretty wonderful day
I went to spin for the first time since Indy and the class rocked. It was speed play - which used to suck - but has become a favorite. Anaerobic at times and a great challenge for my legs.
I have very good friends in this particular class. My friend and instructor, Michelle, made a big deal out of my finishing the Mini and she dedicated one of the spin songs to me (Florence + the Machine’s “Shake it Up Shake it Off” in honor of my shaking the half marathon monkey off my back. Very sweet!
Just feeling very lucky and blessed to have a lot of wonderful, caring people in my life.
EDIT: one of the wonderful people I’ve had the pleasure to get to know a little, Keepgoinggreen, pointed out that in true nowforthefunpart fashion, I misheard the lyrics of the song: should be “shake it OUT”. Thanks, Rich!
