Sunday, April 26, 2020

Barron County Explore - KLR/Himalayan

We've both been looking forward to it all week and knowing that we'd be challenged at lunchtime, plans were made for a stop at Cafe' Le' Coop.  A GPS Route was made with allowances for the season, the weather, the riders, interests...and so on.  One Finely Tuned Ride is what we had!

Here's what we did...


Where we did it....the Red lines mine, brother Kevin and I shared the Yellow.


Early this AM, Freshly Ground readied....


Then out to the garden to harvest some Garlic Chives....thought they'd go great in our sandwiches and a few were sprinkled in our soup.


We met in Osceola....



We worked our way over to Amery.  In the olden days we would have stopped for a breakfast Ice Cream Cone at Ellie's but alas.....tis only a fading memory.

I showed brother where the Cattail Trailhead is.  We stopped to stretch our legs and then jumped on the trail for its first mile or so before getting back on the farm roads.



A Ditch Inspection Site...no morel sightings to report.


Pioneer Park in Prairie Farm, an old favorite with the family....many picnics and stops here over lots of years.  Those sunny picnic tables looked like an ideal place to luncheon.




 Soup, Subs, Fresh Ground and dessert....



Stopped at the old Logan Cemetery to visit our Great Great Grandparent's grave.



We saw a lot but missed so much.  I'm going back....again.



Mask Update!!

Production has continued over the last few days....Peg's order of elastic finally arrived.


These ready to ship.  I thought the beeping this morning was the first truck backing up to the loading dock but it turns out that it was the microwave.  Peg's mom our first customer....she did Will Call.


In Process.....


Our Quality Control head of....


Monday, April 20, 2020

More Spring 2020


We'll enjoy the unobtrusive openness....


Our new 5 inches on Easter is only very reluctantly going away.


Did a Coffee Hike Saturday morning....




These Burr Oaks are prominent in our neighborhood, many of them gnarly old and huge.


I'm getting fairly good at it....


Someone's home....



Another big one....


Many bluebird boxes and I'm both seeing and hearing pairs.


There's always one, isn't there??


Late morning I was out...Plainview for some gas, a leg stretch and some water.


It had been a very long time since I'd visited Crystal Spring.  In fact, the last time was on another Yamaha.  Had thought about climbing the Elba Fire Tower but the parking lot there, just like all of our parks, was at or beyond capacity.  Minnesota is trying to practice Stay At Home but recreation is encouraged and apparently the masses are following through.




I know for a fact that a TW200 has crossed the South Fork of the Whitewater River in this very location.


I'll have to wash it again....


Weaver Bottoms, or more accurately, Beaver Bottoms.



This crocus wasn't quite ready to stand so I gave it just a tiny bit of assistance.


Some late afternoon oatmeal....


The woods in this deep ravine lovely today.


A spring-time babbling brook.


Saturday evening we had some returning visitors as close company, a house warming of sorts?


Peg reminded me that it's likely been this time of year when we've seen up to 20 sitting on our barn, preening, wings spread.  Now that the barn is gone, they do what they can on the old grainery.  I never saw more than 5 on the roof at one time.




Looks that only a mother...... well you know.  But when they soar I think they're taunting me with what they can do that I can't.  There's absolute beauty in their flight.



Something hopefully a little brighter!


Another late morning hike, this time Freshly Ground, eggs and pepperoni.




A nice and cozy 32 miles on the Elite this afternoon.  Amazing how much fun a 1985 250cc scooter can be!


One of our infamous paved County roads Pavement Ending.....


and the transition to gravel.


Another nice stretch of gravel....the Elite is doing VERY well on these roads.


It's Spring, please don't miss it.  If at all possible, find a way to safely enjoy it!!