Beelzebub in the Buff with a Bulbous Helmet

Well, that was a splendid week. On Tuesday, I had tons of fun at a horrible game, including chortling at the phrase "Beelzebub in the buff" instead of "Lucifer in the flesh."

Cardinals vs. Cubs. The Cubs won definitively.

 I stayed at the Moonrise Hotel in St. Louis. All the pictures in the rooms were moon-themed. This one was creeping me out. Why is the moon holding a small child from its mouth?

I got back late Weds after a delightful dinner with my aunt and uncle in St. Louis, had great commuting weather on Thursday, and went to a WNBA game Friday night.

On Saturday, Dan and I went to Dave's Brewfarm in Wisconsin and had a gourmet BYO dinner while drinking some beer out in the country.

They have a barebones taproom
that sometimes is open. Dave and his wife
serve the beer.

 

When in Rome....

We got to watch a crazy storm pass over the farm
from the comfort of our beer-drinkin' seats.

Only three of us made the team ride to Stillwater on Sunday, but we were looking good in our matching jerseys, or as one guy (facetiously?) called them, "our uniforms." This ended up being a 76-mile ride for me, since I rode to and from the start of the ride.

Maggie, Keisha, Matt

While we were on the Brown's Creek Trail back from Stillwater, I tried to take pictures to show how pretty the trail is. Tried.

Don't eff with me.
p.s. Take note of the helmet.

Today, Matt very kindly invited me to join him on a ride with the Twin Cities Bicycling Club. The route was about 30 miles (a 52-mile ride for me, since I rode to/from the start), and I rode a bit faster than my normal pace which was good for me. I need to do that more often. The ride started/ended at County Cycles in Roseville, who very kindly grilled brats for the riders. I joined the club last night, not realizing it would get me a discount at the bike shop today, when I bought this new, crazy high-viz (vis?) helmet. I was looking for a white, less bulbous helmet that fit my head better. Not white, slightly less bulbous, totally fits my head!

Shirt from my sweet nephews.

 
I'm at 82% of my fundraising goal for the MS150. Fidel Castro said that he began a revolution with 82 men. http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MS150Maggie2016

River deep, mountain high

"I love my man like a schoolboy loves his pie." That's one of the lyrics in Louis Armstrong's (and others', I'm sure) St. Louis Blues. It's reminiscent of Tina Turner's River Deep, Mountain High: "I love you babe, like a schoolboy loves his bike."

Which does a schoolboy love more? Pie? His bike? If he rides his bike a lot, I bet he loves pie.

I digress. A lot, apparently.

Here I am in St. Louis, again, where they're adding a biking path along a portion of the Mississippi and I saw my first Missouri bike lane. They eat a lot of rich foods here, including pie, so a safer space to bike should be welcome.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MS150Maggie2016

On the Shores of Lake Pepin

Okay, I know that isn't the title of the Laura Ingalls Wilder book, especially since she was born about 7 miles east of Lake Pepin, but it just seemed correct in my brain today, as Matt and I did a mostly scenic 74-mile ride around the lake.

There was a bit of traffic approaching the very touristy Stockholm, Wisconsin, and again on Highway 61 (yes, those of you who aren't from MN, the Highway 61 memorialized by Dylan) between Wabasha and Red Wing, but the shoulders were pretty decent and we didn't encounter one jerky driver. At least not that I can remember.

We saw what had to be a record number of motorcycles, three dead deer, two dead raccoons and some other dead mammal, a few dead snakes, a few live eagles, and a snake swimming in the water.

I amused myself by taking photos of my mini nut roll (and then eating it) when Matt changed his flat tire near Nelson, WI in record time.

It was exciting to wear our new team jersey on this ride. I took two photos the other night when I picked them up, to show the front and the back of the jerseys.

This morning, when I got ready to ride, bed-head and all, I thought I should take some other photos of the jersey with my shorts, to show what it looks like more in its natural environment. I first took this photo and then remembered that teens have coached me on the art of the selfie and have told me that this is not an appropriate selfie angle. 

 So I took one from above. I think this isn't quite what they meant. But as a bonus, you can see how this angle accentuates my ankles when offset against my snowmobile-related mismatched calves/shins.

They're nice jerseys, aren't they? They have nice deep pockets.

Three weeks from now we'll be halfway done with the MS150. I'm really curious to find out what the weather will be like this year, now that we had a taste of summer.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MS150Maggie2016

Therapy

My job normally is great, but there are days that aren't great. Today was a funky day.

On the bright side, in the middle of all the hoo-ha (who-ha?) I had lunch with Tammy at a great tea house. (I edited her out of the photo since I didn't get her blog-posting approval.)

The bike ride home from work mostly got the funk out of my system, until a dang SUV slowed so that the passenger could share her views on my solid yield at the 4-way stop (the only car around was that one, and we were at the stop sign at the same time, coming from and heading in the same direction, so why the beef, lady?).

I picked myself some lovely favorite flowers from the garden while still wearing my helmet, and proceeded to too-quickly eat a yummy dinner prepped by the husb. Bueno.

I cannot wait to just ride my bike for two days straight in a few weeks. Bring it.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MS150Maggie2016

When all else fails, there's Kierkegaard

Kierkegaard said, "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards." As much as I look back at today, there are things I don't understand.

Oh, sure, I can surmise that the driver of the car that ran the red light this morning, after making sure the pedestrians and bikes had crossed safely, was dealing with a medical emergency (or just politely breaks laws).

And maybe the lady holding the baby in one arm and using the other to pull a push broom to remove the freshly mowed grass from her lawn lost her rake and felt compelled to remove the grass clippings, but didn't have the time or means to go get a rake.

Perhaps the reason why the bunnies in the yard approached me and the dog was because they are used to the dog being a lame rabbit chaser and were reckless tween bunnies.

But why did I ride my bike on 30-degree, windy Saturday and drive in to work and go shopping on 60-degree Sunday? Oh, sure, there are reasons, but do I truly understand them?

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MS150Maggie2016

The 600-chicken, 4800-banana peloton

Well, I've only ridden once since Saturday (but to make myself look better, I will let you know it was to and from a yoga class), mostly due to 50-degree rain apathy and not feeling stoked about dealing with my stupid white Raynaud's fingers.

This is from a recent 50-degree day.
Dumb, right?

But I do own gloves and rain gear, so I don't really have an excuse.

What have I been doing instead? Working a bit more than intended, planning the next MS team training ride, and learning a cool ceili at Irish dance class. 

(This is what we just learned. This is not me. I don't live in Russia. Also, I am not as perky. I am loving this dance, though, because it has patterns, which means my brain can understand it.)

Anyhow, in addition to that, I've been wasting time on the Internet, reading about Alfonsina Strada, who rode in the 1924 Giro d'Italia after registering under the more gender-ambiguous name of Alfonsin. Besides the fact that she was amazing (breaking gender stereotypes, riding in the most insane conditions on the most rudimentary of bikes), I was enthralled by this fact: the room and board provided to Giro riders that year included 600 chickens, 720 eggs, 4,800 bananas, 2,000 bottles of mineral water, and 750 kilograms of meat plus jams, cookies, apples, and oranges. I should sign up for the Giro!

Another thing I just read this morning was a great blog post by Emily Chappell, who I really admire. She discusses the "invisible peloton" - the reliance on strength of others who are not physically with you, but are with you in spirit during a particularly rough stretch.

My cousin Sam recently mentioned to me that his friend was diagnosed with MS. I asked him to let me know his friend's name. When I find myself having a tough time riding on day 4 of the MS TRAM in the wind, heat, and hills (and, last year, after multiple wasp stings), I recite to myself the names of the people my supporters and I know who have MS, to think of them, their stories, and to stay focused on the task at hand. 

Regardless of whether you're able to make a donation to support my fundraising efforts, I hope you will let me know the name of who I should add to my mental list of those for whom I ride.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MS150Maggie2016

Fulton Gran Windo

Today's 106-mile ride was the 3rd annual Gran Fondo put on by Fulton Brewery in conjunction with a block party (food trucks, live music) at the finish.

I'm going to lovingly refer to it as the Gran Windo in honor of the deceptively significant NW wind. (While we are talking about love, let me express some love for the drivers in Excelsior and Minnetonka who suggested, by yelling out their car windows, that we not ride on the road, among other things. Really helpful, guys.)

Highlights of the day:

- Better organized start and finish at Fulton, and at the adequately-Biffied minimalist rest stops.
- Taking the suggested detour to Paisley Park to pay respects to Prince. Tons of people there, still.
- Learning that I can refrain from totally freaking out when bunny guts shoot onto my legs when riding over roadkill.
- Sunshine and warmth.
- Spicy as hell tacos, fun-sized nut rolls, and almond butter in little pouches.
- Fun guys who sit down at a block party and offer you homemade pickled hops out of a quart-sized Bell jar.

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MS150Maggie2016

Single-born Twin?

The Twins are at 8 and 18 this season. One might say they are in a bit of a slump. Like me, and my blog creativity and/or dedication as of late.

Unlike the Twins, I made no trades this spring, nor do I have anyone on the DL. I suppose one could say my bullpen is lacking, despite a lot of peanuts and popcorn (although no dried-out cracker jacks).

Can she turn it around? Is this a sign of how things will be all season? Where do we need to be by the time of the all star break?

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/MS150Maggie2016