Sunday, June 26, 2016

An Un Rally Weekend

No Brand or Location Rallies this weekend, a break from my almost every weekend away for some event or other.

Saturday morning another visit to Diamond's finally, the weather fine, the turnout as well.  It was British Bike Day, there were a fair number and at last count before I left, roughly 30 bikes.....and I didn't even ride mine.  Rick had mentioned that he had an old Windstar fairing and wondered if I wanted it.  Though not sure why, I did so I drove over for the carrying capacity rather than ride.










Feeling only slightly guilty about not really getting an early start to any of my rides yet this season, today I did my best to break that streak.  Official sunrise for us was 5:26AM and I was out the driveway before that.

I stopped in Lake City (home of Water Skiing) to get a shot of the many flags lining the banks of Lake Pepin.  This weekend is WaterSki Days....parade, carnival, beer tent, WaterSki Show, etc.  Peg and Lauren are there as I write watching the on-water antics.


Yesterday's temps in the 90's led to overnight fog in the valleys and there was an abundance.


Between Minnesota City and Winona along the MRT (Mississippi River Trail Bikeway)


I could and maybe should have labeled today's Post "Wildlife Day".  A pair of Sandhill Crane's with a pair of offspring, legs much less long, something I've not ever seen before.  Firstly, a pair of spotted fawns with their mother, then later a trio of spotted fawns, all on the road as I rounded a curve.  Do they have triplets??  Finally, another lone and much smaller spotted fawn all alone on a canopied narrow road.  3 times I came upon woodchucks sunning themselves in the road and each time, they stood their ground, got back on their little haunches and were ready to defend against my 19" front wheel, teeth barred.

Hemlock Road south of Eau Claire....


I wasn't seeking gravel today but it found me nonetheless.....


I started with no plan (almost forget how to do it that way) so all day I just wandered, then it dawned on me that I was making a counterclockwise loop.  Before I knew it, I was on Double O and that of course meant that I had to turn onto Route 66. 



I stopped for lunch in Mondovi at Double D's, my burger excellent.  I shall return.  Out of Mondovi I fell back into routine, up County TT, stopped at the small cemetery on the corner, the one with the excellent view overlooking the alley and then headed up School Road to find some shade.



Eventually to the church at County D/F where I made another shade and cold drink stop.  Last night I stuck two water bottles in the freezer and today carried them in my small flexible cooler.  Was that ever a good idea!!

There I noticed this street sign......"Cheesehead Whey" (Mike, where's that photo I took???)


Down County D to County I, then Rall Bluff and down into the river valley on Mike Varenick Road.  An ice cream stop in Nelson for a scoop of Rum Cherry and the back way, up on the blufftop into Lake City.

A very, very fine ride day on the Breva, 235 easy miles.


8 comments:

  1. My life is very un-Doug like :)

    I should make more of an effort to get out and ride. I have at least three offers to take up for guided rides of our new surroundings. I need to pull the trigger on those.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. David, I think you used the key word and that is "effort." I can remember and know that your urban location makes the effort necessary to get out and go much greater. You'll encounter more traffic in the first 10 minutes than I saw all day yesterday.

      When Peg and I moved to the L.A. suburbs, we thought we knew what urban was. Riding in southern CA definitely required more effort than I normally expend these days.

      Still, when you can, I hope you do....safely!

      Delete
  2. Replies
    1. Brandy, thanks. There were many potential shots and I stopped for a few of them, often not quite quick enough to take advantage of rapidly changing conditions. I did have time but didn't really want to make the morning ride a "fog photograph" event.

      Delete
  3. .. " street " sign..? mo' like dirt road sign.. wonder where " chessehead whey " goes... ? :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A long driveway that I chose to isolate with careful shooting angles.

      Delete