"We're still in the garage"

Coordinating Friday afternoons with a family of four can be rather hard, especially when a thunderstorm intervenes in our best made plans.

I thought I might make it home dry skirting between the storm clouds.  But the sky opened up just before I reached our favorite summer restaurant, Sea Salt. I ducked under their roof alongside the mostly dry wedding party, the soaked teenagers, and the many others waiting for their prawns and Po' boys. With nothing better to do while waiting out the rain, I got a beer and chatted with some friends celebrating their 6th wedding anniversary. (I have been waiting for an excuse to stop here for a beer for years).  Faithfully, I texted my coordinates.

Andy: "Sea Salt refuge"
Hillary: "Reading books in the garage"

5 minutes later the truth comes out when Hillary calls.

H: "We're locked out.  I left my keys in the house in the quick hand-off of Henry from the babysitter to me. When are you going to get here? Are you having a beer?"
A: "Yes. I"ll be home in 20 minutes. I'm leaving now." [half a beer left]

25 minutes later I call.

A: "Almost home."
H: "We're still in the garage."

I bike up the alley and spy Henry toddling out from the open door of our garage then head back in. I creep up with the camera and find Hillary and the two boys still reading books. Good thing Hil had been to a book sale recently! We all made it inside before the worst of the storm hit.

Bike walk week with a little birder on a bike

Being three days into Bike Walk Week in the Twin Cities,  I was feeling bummed that my schedule had prevented me from biking yet this week. But at last yesterday morning I was able to bike with Theo to school and then to work.

It is such a treat to ride to school with Theo.  He is so excited about being able to ride his bike without training wheels  This morning's ride was through beds of fragrant, fallen catalpa flowers.  Later we collected a bike windshield-sized catalpa leaf that we propped up in his basket.  He thought that was funny. And he gained an impromptu show-and-tell item for school.

 

Note the binoculars ready for action...

Dad, look at the birds!  (They were starlings, but so cool nonetheless.)

Nice Ride MN at our favorite Local Eatery

 

 Bike Share is here in Minneapolis!  Here is a new Nice Ride station recently installed in front of the Birchwood Cafe.  

Date night on bikes

Hillary and I try to have a date night once or month of so.  On a recent Saturday night it was the typical handoff to the baby sitter and race out the the door whose timing rests on many ingredients including mild planning, luck, and I hope to think some parenting skill.   We usually take the bus on date night.  But for lack of at least one ingredient, we missed the bus.  Headed to the Guthrie Theater to see "M Butterfly",  we quickly realized we could ride our bikes.  What an excellent decision that was.  It was a beautiful night and our route was along the Mississippi River. 

Pedaling through the warm summer evening, wind in our hair,
We are pedaling faster, hoping to beat our missed bus,
Tent caterpillars descending from the trees above,
Cottonwood fluff ascending, wafting lazily on the summer breeze.

We pull up beside the Guthrie Theater and file in with hundreds to enjoy an excellent production of "M Butterfly."

Darkness has fallen, we pedal homewards discussing the play,
Sipping the cooling air with the wind in our hair.

What a date night!

The little commentator on two wheels

After Theo's last night of T-ball we couldn't resist the urge to bike a little further to Minnehaha Falls Park and have dinner at Sea Salt.  "Hey, Theo, do you want to go to Minnehaha Falls?"  "Yeah, there will be lots of cool bikes there!"

With Theo and Henry in the Roo and Theo's bike perched on top, we pedaled on over.  The falls were "turned on" as Theo put it, and flowing strongly.  He was psyched.  We bumped into Theo's best buddy from school - an added bonus.  The fish fry food was really good, and the beer too.  And the Sebastian Joe's ice cream was a treat for all.  The bike ride home capped the evening off.

Theo has quickly moved beyond training wheels and is really biking well.  After a half mile or so on the way home, he said, "I want to ride my bike".  He rode over a mile and half all the way home!  The commentary was particularly good (and loud, apologies to the neighbors): 

"Hey guys, you shouldn't go out in the street when you still have a child on the sidewalk."
"I'm going to catch you, Daddy!"
"Hey, look at the cool garden.  It has lots of plants.  That's another nice garden."
"Wow, look at that house.  It looks like a gingerbread house."
"Huh, what is this part of the neighborhood?  We haven't been here before.  Are you sure this is the way home, Mommy?"
"Whoa, look, a fire, let's go faster!"
"Oooh, it is spooky.  I think it is Halloween." (As it gets dark and we pass thick tree cover)

Ride Magic - My River Commute in 3 minutes of Video

There are some bike rides that you live for. There is one I live for every week, especially when it is a gorgeous Friday afternoon after a long week at work. After a week of riding (or busing) the direct 8.5 mile route from my home to work near downtown St. Paul, I crave the 15 mile route back home along the Mississippi River. It is the perfect way to decompress after a work week and bring in the weekend. Two weeks ago I shot some video and added Tom Paxton's "Ride my Bike" as the sound track. I hope you enjoy it!

The first 12 miles of my river route in video:

My river ride in words:
From the rush of cruising through downtown St. Paul and its mini-rush hour,
To the beginning of quiet as I pass through Harriet Island,
I pass under St. Paul's High Bridge,
Through the Mississippi River floodplain forest.
River sediment, once deep, now laces the trail,
Leading to a surprise - residual floodwater.
I wind through the cottonwoods of Lilydale and,
Gently climb back in time as I ascend the side of the river gorge.
I tunnel to emerge at the cacophony of Mendota Bridge traffic,
Passing over the center of the earth and under the center of the heavens,
And pausing for deer at Fort Snelling, I make a quick descent.
Whoa, the bloodroot is blooming, and Dutchman's breeches too,
Lingering for Minnehaha Falls Park scenes,
I wish I could have stopped for a beer and dinner at Sea Salt.
Thanks to my bike, the "Italian Stallion".




















A view down the Mississippi River with downtown St. Paul in the background. This is very near the Mississippi's confluence with the Minnesota River. I take this photo about a dozen times each year in an attempt to capture the changing seasons along the River. This one is from last October.

A Picnic in the Park for Day 19 of #30daysofbiking

The luscious spring weather begged for a picnic in the park. I hopped the bus home early, we loaded up the Kangaroo with bats, balls, and picnic food and headed to pick up Theo with Moxie running alongside. It felt like a summer day that you savor every moment of...but it was April 19th.


The Kangaroo is a fantastic mobile picnic unit. Just roll it to where you want to picnic and unload the balls and what not. Tie the dog to the frame and you are hands free.
Henry had a wonderful time chasing this ball around and pointing to the string of airplanes ascending.
When the 3.5 year old tires of riding his balance bike, just lay it across the top, and have them ride inside. What a beautiful evening it was for #30daysofbiking.