Sugar Buzz

Saw Kelsey, Bryson and Taylor on Saturday. They were doing Halloween a little early. Elijah came by Penny's tonight for a little trick-or-treating. Both times I had my camera with me, but forgot to take any pictures. Old! Trust me, though, there were no cuter looking goblins out tonight. Lots of fun seeing the grandkids zoomin' all over the place, and that was before they ate any candy.
Got my ride in before the zombies started to appear. 21/16.9

Sunday Morning

Amy and I reconvened and made our way to Wayzata and then around Lake Minnetonka for a Sunday recovery ride. The effort was worthy of late October. Good conversation, nice route, great friend...perfect Sunday morning. 45/?? (forgot to zero out)

Nice Colors Around Lake Of The Isles

Werewolf In Minneapolis

Alive

Layers were thicker as proof of life emanated from between my lips on a nearly November morning. The sun, as it usually does this time of year, was deceiving us. Six wheels turned to two at the 15 mile mark, and so my solo Saturday sojourn had begun.
Spaces widened as the black ribbon shrunk before the spinning wheel, with carbon dutifully falling in line. Fresh, real air fueling lungs, muscles willing, heart accepting the burden, eyes taking in the immediate frontal onslaught, and peripherally the expanse that was to be shortly left behind. The senses were assimilating the cold on bare skin, the intrusion of earth and its open wounds left by farmers blades. I was no longer a part, but had become one with. 78/18.7

Friday Night Pics

No ride just pics.

Starting Out With A Little Harmony
Nice Pace Line

Reflecting

Primping

Heading Back To Shore

It's All About The Miles

Picked up a pair of Capo Peloton Bib Tights last night. Tried them out today. Nice and toasty.
Felt good on the bike. 300 miles and I've got my 10,000. Tonight 25/17.4

More Color

Along the creek there seems to a resurgence of color, but it's really only along the creek, most everywhere else the leaves are down.
Nice ride tonight. 21/16.8

Second Wave

Penny and I got over and watched the Bulldogs beat the Blackhawks in their first playoff game tonight. Eighteen to six was the final score.
Grandpa won't be watchin' the championship game on Saturday at 11.

The fall colors seemed to resurrect on tonight's ride. 21/16.4
Minnehaha Creek

Just...

Doing my Monday thaaang. 21/16.1

My city is looking good tonight.
From Lake Harriet
From Parade Stadium

Perspective is pretty fascinating. The buildings in these two photos haven't moved, but from my camera's different vantage points, they look to be in completely different places in relation to each other.

Good

Sunday morning Roads were wet. Anthony and Amy were there for the recovery attempt. Pretty simple approach; ride slow and avoid hills. We did summit Christmas Lake, but in our small chain rings. Purgatory - we just took our time...well Anthony put a little kick into it at the end, and, like always, I got in trouble. 45/17.1
I had a nice weekend. Lots of time with Penny, rides with Amy and friends, Elijah this afternoon...Pretty Damn Good!

Outstanding

I wasn't even wishing for 75 degrees. The sun, no wind, and 50 degree temps were ideal. I think I even prefer this. Easily one of the best rides of the season.
Amy, Steven and Steve showed up at Punch, and we just rode. No intent to break any land speed records we were just enjoying a perfect fall day. Quiet roads, with the sound of a leaf blower now and then breaking the silence. Not a whole lot of chatter, I figured everyone was just enthralled with the simple beauty found on a rural bike ride.
In no time at all we were at Hanover waiting at a stop light. Except for Steve's nature break, that was the first time we'd put a foot down, and our Sidis wouldn't touch asphalt again until we refueled in Delano (45 miles). Lime Gatorade and a Rice Krispie treat for me. Amy was all over the Cheesy Crackers. Sitting at Holiday the sun felt good on our backs as we downed our mid-ride nourishment. A nap would have come quite easily. But back on the steeds, following a white line, on a black ribbon, along the Crow River, then through greying, yellow and brown farm fields far past their plump green summer days.
County Road 6 was voted on and approved by Amy as the route home. It gave us the chance to get on Watertown Road and pass by the naked lady, then ease our way just north of Lake Minnetonka back to Wayzata.
Home was close and in younger days my legs would've been asking for more miles. At least today they weren't complaining, just merely content. For me, today's effort seemed much easier than the 80/19.6 results my computer showed.

Friday Off The Bike

Beautiful day, but work kept me busy with little time for a ride. There's only one day where I'd allow that to happen, and it's Friday, my day of rest.

The Sun Showed Up For My Ride Tonight. Sweet!

21/17.2

Slow

Rides continue to slow. Temps are slowly falling. It's that slow slide into winter. 21/16.0

Worst And Best

In the midst of tragedy I saw beauty, humility, love and courage. Yesterday a cycling friend was diagnosed with Lymphoma. I saw her and her husband today. They'll beat it.
Ride was cool and windy. 21/16.3

Persepective

Sometimes we want the end so fast...just can't wait until it's over, but then all of a sudden we want just a few more seconds, hours, days, years. Got reminded about that today.
Good typical ride. Little windy, but I'm not complaining. Not today anyways. 21/16.4

Shorter Otherwise The Same

We even think alike. Didn't have to say much to shorten things up today. Neither of us were interested in fighting that wind a second day in a row. Yesterday's effort, even though it ended easy, was still lurking in our quads today.
A quick stop in Wayzata, for a nature break. Came out of Caribou and wound up seeing several friends. I'm amazed and very appreciative of all the people I've met over the years I've been cycling. It's a family, a sisterhood and brotherhood. We know what it means to get buzzed, to fight a headwind, to grind up an 8 percent-er, to hear the hum, to see the eagle, to find a new route, to crest first or win the city limit sign. It is how we breathe. 44/17.0

Fall Riding

"Well, that was unpleasant" were the first words I spoke to Amy in about 10 miles. We'd just arrived on the outskirts of Delano, after riding 35 miles straight on into a 15 to 20 mile an hour west wind. She seemed irritatingly happy. "Oh that wasn't so bad", was her response.
Since the wind remains unseen it was a beautiful fall day. Some trees still have leaves, but most are on the ground now. Blue sky, manicured golden farm fields, wind chopped lakes and asphalt roads that rolled between red barns, grey silos, orange dotted pumpkin patches and jacketed horses were what we saw, from our bikes.
A quick stop and a reluctant ride resumption in Delano got us heading back home, this time with smiles on both of our faces as the 20 mile an hour wind was now at our backs. Faster than the dancing leaves we arrived home surprised with how little effort and how much less time our trek back from Delano had taken than to. A delightful fall ride, at least the second half of it, and, of course, riding with Amy...nothing better. 74/18.1

Friday Night Pics

No ride just pics.

Isles

Pink Clouds

A Downward Trend

After this date last year, there were no days where the temp went above 70 degrees until April 13th this year. Well, that's a little depressing.
On a more uplifting theme; sun popped out just as I started my ride tonight, and I was on a road bike. 21/16.4

Prepared

Rained all day, and unlike Monday I was ready for it. Woke up Evil and its full fenders from its summer slumber. Covered the old hairy legs with black Lycra and donned my rain jacket. Had the trails all to myself. A very nice ride in the rain. 21/15.5

Lake Nokomis

Coolin' Down

A rain free ride tonight. Looks like some more wet and cool is on the way. Ahhhh, it was to good to last. 21/16.8
Well the Richfield Bulldogs undefeated streak ended tonight at the hands (paws) of the Richfield Wolves. It was 0-0 at the half, a defensive struggle, for sure. The Bulldogs scored first in the 2nd half, but a 60 yard Wolf TD run, and an interception that was run back for another Wolf touchdown was too much for the Bulldogs to overcome. Bulldogs are still in the playoffs.

Wet Monday

So it hasn't rained since the 1st of September. It's not raining when I start my ride, then pours midway through my ride, and stops when I get home. Mondays! 21/15.9
I did get this cool shot, from my balcony, of the sun shine coming out below the clouds and hitting the fall colored trees.

Ride, Friend and Family

Just Amy and me today, which is perfect. We ride so well together knowing what to expect from each other. It's very simple for me, I just do what I'm told.
Up to Wayzata and then down Fox Rd. Very beautiful. The fall colors are past peak, but there is still plenty of gold, dark red and brown. Temps amazing with it getting to 80 degrees again. And, oh yeah, nary a breeze.
Got out of the rut on the way home, and tried some different roads. It is now referred to as the "pretty route".
A small chain ring hill just north of Lake of The Isles (Amy wasn't smiling and claims I had evil intentions), then around the lake, onto the greenway and home. Couple of really good friends on their bikes today...can't be beat. 54/16.9
Britney and Nate had all the family over for a cook out tonight. I made some potato salad and chocolate chip cookies. I got to see all the grandlumps and find out that number 6 is on the way. OK, now I feel old.

Taylor Proving She's Tougher Than Grandpa With Her Broken Ankle Bryson Trying Not To Get His Picture Taken
Kelsey WIth Auntie J's Glasses and Purse

Elijah Wearing The News of The Day

More Summer In October

7th day in a row of temps at 80 or above. More than acceptable. Got out with the usual suspects, Amy, Steven, Mike and Paula.
Wind was a little obnoxious, but when we got to Mayer...YEAH BABY! 27,28 and 29mph on the old hairy computer. Downed some lime Gatorade and a Rice Krispie treat in Delano, before we had to start fighting a pretty stiff crosswind and those DElightful rollers out of the Crow River valley.
There's still some color out there, lots of brown and gold. The wind is taking the leaves down now. We rode through a lot of them as we made our way to Mayer on the Dakota Trail. Even had to make a couple of stops to de-tangle sticks and twigs from spokes. Also had to deal with two flats. But good friends, good cyclists, nice temps, and plenty of color....yep another really nice ride. 80/19.0
Today's Crew
Got Over To Lake of The Isles This Evening For A Little Quality Time With My Camera

Nothing Like A Rut

40 mile an hour winds and it being Friday kept me off the bike. I just didn't feel like riding backwards. Broke the 9000 mile mark, for the year, this week. Goal for the year is 10,000. Looks like that won't be a problem. Probably will get close to 11,000. That'll be 6 years straight of 10,000 miles or more.

More Warmth

Temps in the 80's again today. Looks like the leaves have peaked. 21/16.9
My Granddaughter Taylor is trying to take my family record, of the most broken bones, away from me. I've just recently made it into double digits. She's a very determined almost two year old, with 4 broken bones now. She's a lot tougher than her grandpa though.
Photo by Kim Russell

Fall Nicer Than Summer

Another glorious day. Temp broke a 100+ year record. 88 today.
My ride? At 15 miles I put the fast goodlookin' bike in the small chain ring, and it stayed there until I got home - another day - another bonk. 24/15.0

It Was A Nail Biter

A summer night in October. Temps in the 80's, golden leaves....speechlessly beautiful. 23/17.0

The undefeated Richfield Bulldogs took on the Greyhounds tonight. The only loss for the Greyhounds was from the Bulldogs, and the Greyhounds were out for revenge. When Penny and I got there the Bulldogs were 3 points behind, but the bulldogs were the only team to score from then on, and are now 5 and 0, handing the Greyhounds their second loss of the season.

Colorful

The sun sure is in a hurry lately to set. Gold seemed to be the dominant color of tonight's ride, as the long late light shown through all the yellow of fall's leaves. 25/16.3
The Mississippi From The Lake Street Bridge (looking south)
Calm Isles

Indian Summer

One of those days where I had on too little at the start and too much at the end of the ride, but oh, was it beautiful. 50/16.5
I've been bonking often lately. I fuel up pretty good on Friday night, and replenish on Saturday, but it doesn't get me through Sunday. Another good bonk today, found me in Wayzata scarfing down lemon poppy seed bread and a hot chocolate, which got me home. I lost 5 pounds in September, and still have a bit to go, so the bonking will have to continue.
Just a gorgeous fall day, but, despite the predictions of a great fall show, I am finding the colors a bit muted.

Elijah And I Exploring Along The Mississippi This Afternoon.