Mutual of Omaha's Wild Minneapolis

I was trying to think of a title for this post. Do I focus on something scatalogical? What about a urinary tie in? Let's just go with nature; it is safe territory. 

Then I thought, "Can I mimic Marlin Perkins' voice or tone?" "Like an exploratory ant returning to the hill, Maggie wove her way home on her bike." Mhm. No. So, I'll just tell it like it was.

Friday was my Dad's birthday - our first without him - which resulted in my taking the day off work and spending a lot of time outside with a damp face. When I thought about going out in the morning, I channeled the way he used to growl/snarl at us when we were annoying teenagers and command us to go on nature hikes, "You're gonna go, and you're gonna have fun!" 

Fort Snelling State Park is still largely
covered in mud from the recent floods.
In a comic way, I slipped on what was seemingly
dry sand but was very squishy mud as I tried
to look down the Minnesota River.

The confluence of the Minnesota River (R) and
the Mississippi River (L). Since Friday, leaves
have come out on the trees.

All of Pike Island looked
like a lunar landscape, but with the
addition of barren trees.

I was really worried about this super skinny deer,
who was not at all scared of people.

The Mississippi side of the
island apparently is popular with
beavers, I thought. And then
I saw one swimming... (below).

 

When looking for a makeshift bathroom
spot, in a park with no foliage, I saw that
there are green little shoots finding their way
out of the mud. And I found a snail shell,
recently deposited, about 75 yards over
from the riverbank and at least
10 feet above the water.

On Sunday, like last week's mid-week ride, I wove around the city, avoiding people but trying to ride on decent roads without too many stops. I went west this time, and rode to the Bloomington Ferry Bridge, which was closed for much of the past two+ years due to flooding. It wasn't closed on Sunday, but there were a lot of people walking and riding in the park/on the trail. So, I nodded hello to the river, turned around, and found a new way back home through Bloomington. 

By the B in West Bloomington, I rode around an office park looking for a spot for a quick pit stop. The options were limited since bushes still are lacking leaves, but then I found this spot with three clustered evergreens that had a nice opening right in the middle of them. I walked in and thought how it was the perfect, sheltered bathroom spot and then realized that I narrowly missed stepping on a big pile of coyote scat. It appears he found some tasty rabbits to eat. I then figured maybe I should take better stock of my surroundings before blindly walking into a spot and dropping my drawers, but I was the only animal in there at the time. 

I understand why bathrooms are closed to the public right now, but I think instead of closing restrooms, they should just put tons of soap and hand sanitizer (that people can't steal) in them and make the doors push out so that you don't have to touch a knob after washing your hands, so that people who are trying to stay active and socially distant can actually get away from the super crowded areas near their houses and get cleaned up. I guess they'd need to add automatic faucets for sinks in bathrooms. Okay, I don't know the answers to these problems. I just know that it is going to require some creativity and determination to recreate the three BikeMS rides I plan to do in May, June, and July.  

Today, I skipped going for a ride and watched the rabbits in my yard decide who they wanted to have as their partners for repopulating my neighborhood. They were so focused on the task at hand that they were really emboldened and/or stupid. A hawk or an owl would have had an easy dinner, if it had cruised down my street. Watching deer, beavers, and rabbits, inspecting scat under random evergreens, and slip-sliding through mud isn't going to get me ready for doing those bike rides, but it made me think of my Dad and ultimately was good for my mental state, which can't be discounted, I guess.

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

I am for the art of underwear and the art of taxicabs*

*Claes Oldenburg

Friday night, while devouring some tasty pizza, I mapped out a bike route for Saturday. It was a little ambitious considering I haven't ridden much this year yet, but I figured (correctly) that this route would allow me to be pretty socially distant and that I could carry the water I'd need. And, given that businesses and park facilities are shuttered, I figured (also correctly) that this route might offer me a couple of discreet spots - if needed - to go to the bathroom. 

I rode to Grey Cloud Island, which is south of St. Paul, and west of Cottage Grove. To get there, I rode past Kaposia. And, on the way home, I rode past Battle Creek. In the early 1800s, Dakota people had to leave Battle Creek, moved to Kaposia, and then had to relocate to Grey Cloud Island. When I ride in those areas, I spend a lot of time trying to envision what the landscape was like two hundred years ago.

Between Kaposia and the 494 bridge, I came across the old Armour meat company's main gates, which are standing alone in a field. Well, not entirely alone. I also found a pair of underwear.

Years ago, I shared a photo that my friend Matt
took of me, climbing the metal ladder
on the right gate.

I'm not quit sure how a pair of
underwear gets lost in a field.
It didn't look like anyone had been
sheltering in the gate buildings.

I shared this info years ago, but I still can't get my head around the fact that in 1919, at the meatpacking plant at this site, they processed 700 hogs, 180 cattle, and 1,000 calves and sheep EACH HOUR during an 8-hour shift. There were 21 railroad spur lines serving the site. Maybe someone shed their underwear because they were so flabbergasted by these facts!

One thing I don't understand is why the metal gates, inside the brick gate buildings, are padlocked shut, when you can just walk around the building freely. The locks aren't ancient. Is it just to keep people from playing with the metal gates?

When I stopped at Grey Cloud Island, I watched a few different eagles swooping over the water on either side of the bridge, looking for lunch. It was sunny and peaceful.

You all helped me get this jersey!
It was the swag for doing the San Fran
ride last September. Because you donated
>$7K last year, they waived all my fees
for that ride.

It was a more crowded around Battle Creek than normal - the weather was nice and people are in the parks. I was able to pretty much avoid people. Riding through downtown St. Paul was even more ghost town-ish than usual.

When I was nearing the Capitol and was stopped at a stoplight, from nowhere a guy on an electric bike snuck up on me and stuck his face right next to mine and exhaled, cackled, and then rode ahead. When the light turned green, he started following me, and circling back and forth, taunting me and sticking out his tongue. It was the only time I've been super creeped out on a bike ride - and it was in the middle of the afternoon. I was able to maneuver to where there were some people on the Capitol grounds and zig zag around between sculptures, so he ended up not being able to follow me. I took back streets to connect to where I needed to be, which is kind of challenging in that area because it is where a few different highways come together, so there aren't a lot of options for roads to ride on. 

I was mad. Partly because he could have gotten me sick; mostly because he made me feel somewhat vulnerable and because he ruined what really was a perfect bike ride. 

Today I avoided that kind of poop by instead taking 5 hours to cleaning up an inordinate amount of mouse poop (and other dirt) in our garage, throw away dumb things the mice destroyed (a blanket, some owner's manuals), and to purge some junk from the garage that we don't need. In the process, I got a mouse skeleton stuck in the shop vac tube and had to get creative to dislodge it. 

It was not quite as pretty as this, but between the bits of remaining fur, you could see pretty much all the bones. In other circumstances, I would have been more interested. I was struck by how long the tail was.

I got cleaned up for our team meeting tonight via Zoom to talk about how the MS Society is switching the BikeMS rides to "virtual rides." It was great to see some of my teammates.

I decided that I will still ride the same distances as originally planned (40 miles ~5/17, 150 miles ~6/13-14, and 300 miles in the last week of July). But if the weather is crummy, I'm reserving my right to shift the days on which I ride by a bit, especially since I will need to make up my own routes and may be limited in terms of social distancing, refreshments, and restroom options. I have shifted my fundraising goal down to $3,000 from $5,000. It will be quite a challenge to hit that level this year, but I'll try! http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/GoMaggieGo. 

Not at all a shriek

Haiku is not a shriek, a howl, a sigh, or a yawn; rather, it is the deep breath of life.

― Santōka Taneda

Every year I try

to relay beauty I see 

when on my bike seat.

A warm day to bike -

picking a desolate route;

wisely avoid floods.

East side of St. Paul

then Minnesota River.

Dog on a man's boat. 

Hunger and mild day

provide opportunities 

to attack nut bowl.

Sciuridae neighbors

wish they had been offered this 

in fraternal love.

Next day: Easter storm. 

Looking for friends, finding some.

Relish gifts, life's snow.

Monday: please no more - 

No more snow, no more cold wind.

Bloody Maria.

Missing my family:

Duo to message two moms.

But makes my Sis laugh.

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

Updates coming soon - 

riding virtually this year.

MS still exists.

Cold and distant, but with a warm heart

Last Friday, I looked out of the window during the middle of my work day and saw that it was snowing.

My patio table was a blank slate, calling to be
messed up.

There weren't as many people out when I went for my post-work walk, so I got to enjoy some of the scenery.

Minnehaha Creek flowing east, just before it
enters Lake Hiawatha

Little ice drops hanging from the tree
like little crystal earrings.

Despite my good mood, sense of wonder, and big winter coat, I still had quite a chill.

This time of year it is harder to predict exactly
when my fingers will go white. 

I just realized those sentence sound like I'm writing a children's book or something. That was unintentional, but I'm not going to go back and edit them because it makes me laugh. 

Anyhow, thankfully, Saturday was warmer. Dan and I drove to a nature park that wasn't too crowded. We went separate ways so he could explore on his own and so that I could do a bouncy, fast-paced walk that one might call running. I call it "trying to move but not slipping on wet leaves or mud."

I found this little loop off the main trail that no one
was on, so I ran through this loop twice. I liked the
angles of these trees.

I also took a couple of minutes to listen to the frogs. This is springtime in Minnesota, in one soundbite.

All the parks around here, regardless of jurisdiction, have been posting social distancing signs. For the most part, people are doing a really good job of following the guidelines. A few people seem a little clueless, but I don't think they are intending to be unaware.

And some of the roads near lakes and rivers have been closed to car traffic to allow walkers, runners, and cyclists to space out a bit. I really appreciate this move by Minneapolis and St. Paul. I feel so fortunate to be in a state that is thinking through so many social distancing issues and doing all they can to keep people safe.

Given the changed guidance about masks, I pulled out my sewing machine and made a variety of masks. I think I made 15 total. I used whatever I had on hand so some had weird ribbons (the most colorful version is not pictured here), some had elastic, and some used those things you pull on to tighten the masks without having to mess with tying bows behind your head. I put six in the mail today, dropped one off on my neighbor's desk, kept two for me and two for Dan, and delivered four to my friend Marcy's house via bike yesterday. So, yeah, 15! I broke a sewing machine needle in the process, which I think is fairly impressive, considering that I was sewing cotton.

I'm modeling elastic ear straps (L) and ribbon
ties (R). I made that big green one for Dan to cover his beard. 

The wind was a little chilly yesterday so I didn't ride as far as I could have, but I wanted to go further than my roundabout way to Marcy's and straight home. I decided to try some new roads and rode to my brother Matt's house. I texted him to summon him outside and got to say hi to him and his big, big sweetheart dogs. My sister-in-law came out too, but I missed getting a photo of her. 

Arthur (L) is tolerating this. Ginny (R) actually
likes it. Or so it seemed.

The great part about riding to their house is that I got a really nice tailwind all the way home from their house, which made me feel like I'm in better shape than I am. But the best part about riding to their house is that I got to have some human, face-to-face contact (albeit from a distance) as an added bonus to seeing Marcy, which warmed me up nicely despite the chill. 

Time to get Creative

It has been a few weeks since I've ridden my bike. I had a cold (I really think it was just a cold) and didn't want to push it, plus the weather was not all that cooperative. Then there is the dilemma - where to ride to keep a distance from walkers, runners, and cyclists? I am comfortable riding on roads, but some of my usual ways to connect different routes involve hopping on a path for a short stretch.

So, Monday, when I stood 6 feet away from other customers waiting their turn to get groceries I thought about good streets to ride after work.

The co-op was doing a really good job of controlling
the number of people inside, keeping things disinfected,
and keeping people apart. Really thoughtful approach.

Monday's super creative ride

So, after work, I decided to ride up and down two main roads - with great wide bike lanes to and from downtown, after making a 20-minute stop to say hi to my friends Alison and Ed and their kids, who were out in their yard enjoying the weather. For one brief second, Ed and I were within 6 feet of each other when he handed me a homemade cookie. My route was kind of boring and involved a fair number of stoplights but I rode as fast as I could either way and that was kind of fun because in some stretches I was keeping pace with the cars.

I got home and cooled off after my exertion by inspecting the yard for my daily check on what is popping up out of the ground.

I love the weirdness of chives being one of the first
things to pop up each year. I think I only use about
2 TBS of chives per year, but the plant is cool.

I thought on this ride on Monday, and when in the backyard, about the BikeMS rides. I can't imagine that any of them really will be happening this year. They've only cancelled some so far. As I wore my nice shirt I got from the MS Society for being a top fundraiser last year, I thought that even if the rides are cancelled, I might try to do the distance on my own (and whatever fundraising I can: http://main.nationalmssociety.org/goto/GoMaggieGo), provided that I'm healthy. I might have to break it up differently though due to a lack of places where I can use a bathroom and replenish my snacks.

Photogenic. Ha.

Last night I rode and it was more challenging. I think I need to ride in the middle of the day or when it is dark out to avoid people. There were a couple of places where I rode on a path to connect parts of my route and it was hairy. Too many people walking. Kudos to them for keeping a distance from each other and me as much as possible, but that means that people are spilling onto the bike paths from the pedestrian paths and more people than normal are out walking with earbuds in and don't hear me calling to tell them I'm approaching. On the way home, I avoided this but then ended up doing about a quarter of a mile on what could have been a pretty dangerous stretch of road, I realized as soon as I was at the point of no return on that route choice.

The hills look dramatic, until you look at the scale.
Always read the scale, my friends.

I road to the east side of St. Paul and up to Mounds Park. I'm out of shape. This ride made me tired and hungry! Normally it would not be so challenging. 

Star: the cathedral; M: downtown Mpls;
Circle: the capitol

 I leave you with an unmarred view. There is another part of the park with some pretty great views of St. Paul, but I like this angle because you can see Minneapolis, too. I once rode up here in the fall at dusk and it was one of the prettiest sights I've seen.