Memorial Day Weekend - 2017

A very nice 4-day weekend for me and I'm actually quite satisfied with all time spent.

Friday evening I got together with mom and her Assisted Living neighbors at the Veteran's Memorial Flag Service in Red Wing's Baypoint Park.  It was an impressive and touching ceremony to all whom have served with flags being carried for each and every name that was called out.  The lovely evening, the boat traffic only yards away made it all a pleasant and rewarding event to share with mom and our neighbors.

Saturday was a blast up to Diamond's to join a quieter coffee group for coffee; the holiday weekend seemed to keep attendance a bit down. Some shopping, a visit to mom's house and a stop to see dad's sister in the nursing home still got me home before lunchtime.

The 'Guzzi was right in front and that made the selection choice an easier one.

These following 3 photos I saw as some kind of theme, what kind I'm not sure but I can tell you that they all appeared within less than 5 distance/minutes of one another; the first 2 obviously known to area riders on one of our very common County Roads.  It looks as though the Water Park setting has been there for a time but Saturday was the first time that I happened to notice it......the park itself isn't really that prominent so the fact that I missed it on past rides isn't really a surprise.  A U-turn was involved in that capture.

This Old and New source of water access caught my eye.....

 Where I'm going....the Chippewa River Valley in the distance.

Saturday morning was crispy clear.....and windy.

I met my brother in Prescott for a planned loop Route to the north, arriving early enough for a short cup.

Where we eventually went.....

We stopped at Doc's in Balsam Lake for lunch; the establishment was choice #2 based on my plan for the day but after our meal there, that mistake won't be made again.  In fact, a lunch run Directly to Doc's is in order and should happen soon.

The lovely and fast flowing St. Croix River.....another river serving as border between Minnesota and Wisconsin.

We separated just north of St. Croix Falls......

I stopped here in town at the Saint Croix National Scenic Riverway Visitor Center and you might note that the skies weren't all crystal clear blue.

In the map above of the day's GPS Track, you can see that I doubled back to the west on my way home and it was because of another one of these very large dark grey spots in the sky, only that one was between Red Wing and myself.  With careful planning and a jog to the west, I was able to almost completely avoid serious wetness, at least from the sky.  I did ride on roads that were too-bright-sunny but seriously full of road spray.  I left Dresser on County MM going right past the annual mudfest at the Trollhaugen Ski area.

No question about it, I made a mistake not pulling the camera out to take a few shots of the going's-on but it looked like I was mere minutes from a downpour and I'd just put the camera in a safe dry place.  I was busy seriously watching the road as I went through various places where their outfits had made road crossings.  If you think you've seen mud/dirt pulled onto pavement from farm equipment, you've seen nothing like the stuff I rode through Saturday......there was pavement underneath there somewhere, I'm quite sure of it!

No question, this weekend's rain will get that all nicely taken care of......:)

So, my original plan was to head directly home because there were things that needed tending but then those evil looking clouds had me making adjustments and once the adjustments started, I was realizing that the tending at home could wait.  After all, I did have another day to spread that load out over.  We'd ridden right past the Bass Lake Cheese Factory on the way up and hadn't stopped.  I've never been inside so it seemed only right and proper to remedy that mistake.  Some Caraway Jack and Onion Garlic were placed deep into the tank bag.

Somehow, no idea how or even why, I wound up in Bay City at Flat Pennies.

Today (Monday) was all about weather going black and blue.  The 'black' was often suddenly and sometimes even almost overwhelmingly wet, the blue might be brilliant, the total opposite of what had been very dark only minutes before.  I had hoped that during the day to be out on at least a couple of the other machines.

A couple of weeks ago I bought the MN Motorcycle Annual permit and decided this morning to make use of it in our nearby Frontenac State Park.  When I parked the bike we were in a cloud and a quick shower but a big patch of blue sky was coming our way.

Good.......

 Better......

 Best.....

Instead of looking down on the lake from the bluff, here we are right next to the water, about 500 ft. less of elevation.

I dropped the old Honda off at the garage, satisfied that it is ready for this weekend's Hiawatha BMW Rally.  The Royal Enfield was backed out (it's so much fun doing that.....!) and off we went for a different loop, this time towards Red Wing.

The site of the Vet's Ceremony that mom and I attended Friday evening....each flag with a name.

 The Eisenhower Bridge was dedicated by the President when I was 5 years old and one of my former workmates was there as a National Guardsman performing security duty for the ceremony.  This bridge's replacement is underway now.

Hope that your Memorial Day weekend was a great one and that you found some time to remember.