The Rain on My Parade

Okay, so I didn't actually have a parade scheduled for today (although I did see a Tilt-a-Whirl in Wisconsin, ready to be assembled for a Fourth of July event). However, you may remember my parting words at the end of my last blog post (and if you don't, seriously?? was it not memorable??): "I'll figure out something to do as a substitute and keep it interesting!"

I was talking about the fact that I can't do the Ride Across MN this year (a two-day ride, rather than the normal 5-day ride). Well, I recently figured out what my plan would be: three, 100-mile bike rides this summer. I don't think I've ever done more than two in one year. I haven't mentioned this plan to anyone, including, until about mile 50 today, the people I was riding with on what was intended to be Maggie's 2021 Century Ride #1.

I recently scheduled today as a day off work so that I could ride. I decided this weekend to ride 20 miles to the start of a Twin Cities Bicycling Club ride that was listed as a 63-mile ride, and then ride home afterwards. I was a little nervous about it because I hurt my hamstring running with the dog this weekend. But I got my bike all fixed up last week (new chain, new hub), and had the foresight to realize last night that Google Maps' idea of how to ride to the ride was not the best way for me to get there. The forecast called for some rain, but not until later in the day and with some not-too-crazy rainfall amounts.

This morning, I checked the weather over breakfast (more rain, more thunder, a bit sooner), and headed out on my bike at 7:10. I got to the Caribou Coffee in White Bear Lake at 8:40 - - 50 minutes before the group ride started and had a cookie, a beverage, and applied my sunscreen very diligently. I knew two of the ten other riders (all of whom are retired and expressed their condolences at the fact that I still work a full-time job). These retirees are no slouches. This was the fastest, hardest 62-mile ride I've ever done. It ended up being a mile shorter than advertised... because of a construction detour?

The 20-mile route from my house to the ride.

We weaved (wove?) our way east through little neighborhoods and farms, crossed into Wisconsin, stopped at the site of an old toll bridge (now causeway) on the St. Croix River, rode up the river to Houlton, and crossed back over to Stillwater, Minnesota on the "new" bridge - the bridge that is just a few years old. It was still hot, humid, and sunny and we were glad to have a shady trail leading out of Stillwater. Then, not too long after, there were ominous clouds to the north, but we were going west! and south! and fast!

Today's winding route from WBL into WI

The causeway is what appears on the left
of this old photo. It once was the base of
a toll bridge into Minnesota, that 
apparently was hard for old-timey cars to navigate.

The new bridge. So pretty. (From the Internet.)

So, against the advice of the other riders, to whom I had revealed my century ride plans by now, I was going to continue to ride home, since I'd be going southwest. Well.... we finished the group ride and it looked like crap everywhere and it started to drizzle. I thought if it just drizzled, I could do the 20 miles home, but there was lightning in the (not too far) distance. So, I accepted the offer of a ride home, in a car, much to my own chagrin and disappointment. Not 2 minutes after we left the parking lot, it POURED. Buckets and buckets of water, so much that you couldn't see more than about 15 feet ahead. I was so grateful to not be riding on the county highway I had planned to take back to Minneapolis, drenched and likely to get hit by a car with no area to seek shelter.

So, I didn't get 100 miles in, but I got in 82 fast and hilly miles. The farthest ride I've done in 2021. And I'll ride 30-45 miles tomorrow, which I think counts more than a 100-mile ride. I'll still aim to do two more this summer. And next time I'll take some photos with my own dang phone. 

https://mssociety.donordrive.com/participant/GoMaggieGo-2021 

A steamy bunch o' days!

For those of you who don't live in Minnesota and think it is perpetually -30 degrees (perhaps because I tell you every day of the winter how cold it is), it can get hot and steamy here. A streak like we've had this month is pretty unusual for June. We've had temps in the mid- to high-90s and high humidity pretty much every day for two weeks, except yesterday, when I think it only hit 87. 

Yesterday was, of course, this year's modified MS150 bike ride - a one-day 75-mile local loop rather than a 2-day 150-mile ride from Duluth to the Twin Cities. My former riding partner for nearly a decade, Matt, flew back from Seattle for the ride. I ended up getting in 150 miles over the three days of riding with him. When you ride with someone roughly 100 to 150 miles per week for nearly a decade, you get to know them. It sure was nice to catch up with my good friend as we pedaled around, stopping frequently to reapply sunscreen.

I skipped work for a bit Thurs morning so we could ride.

Which bottle had more in it,
and would accompany me on the ride?

Me, at the end of the MS150. I realized,
when putting my bike in the car,
that I had no photos of me from the day.

I get weird heat rash sometimes.
Thankfully it feels nothing like a sunburn.

Yesterday's route.
I have never ridden in Blaine before.
It was a nice route,
with some familiar territory on the east side.

Before Matt came to town, I realized that I needed to ride more regularly, find new routes, challenge myself, and meet new people. So, for the last month or so, I've been riding with both the Major Taylor Bicycling Club and the Twin Cities Bicycling Club when I haven't been spending time with our crazy canine, Haley, or running errands by bike.

My last longer solo ride, in May - Grey Cloud Island.
I rode here so much last year, the group rides are
a nice change of pace.

Scenic rest stop at Grey Cloud Island in May. Ha. I was
wearing a buff. It wasn't boiling out then!

On a TCBC ride, I wore my capri rain pants and somehow
rubbed off a little circle of skin on each knee.

I also had a flat tire on that rainy TCBC ride, and
ended up replacing the rear tire a few days later.

The Major Taylor ride where I didn't get caught in
a freak thunderstorm riding to the start of the ride.

In May, I had a good streak going of getting Haley to
Fort Snelling State Park for an early morning or late afternoon hike.

My S-I-L gave Haley a little pool. She's been
taking advantage of it on these hot days,
and isn't as scared of the water since we
went camping and my younger sister and I
tried to teach Haley how to swim.

She did well on her first camping trip, although
she must be tied up/leashed at every moment.

Amusing myself in the pharmacy drive-thru
on my bike, waiting to refill prescriptions
when on a circuit of errands around the city/'burbs.
Hot night!

So, I now have two of the three 2021 BikeMS rides under my imaginary belt. Imaginary because I don't usually wear a belt when biking, except that one year when I was in really good shape. (I currently am... squishy.) I realized on the errand day, when I went to pick up my MS150 registration packet, that I had forgotten to move funds from one bike ride to another to cover the minimum fundraising amount. I ended up just paying the minimum amount for the MS150, so that I could stay close to hitting my goal for the Ride Across Minnesota in July. That strategy paid off - - people kindly donated this weekend and I have hit my July goal (it is a little lower than normal this year because things are still a little weird, so of course donations are still accepted).

Anyhow, it turns out that I sadly can't do the Ride Across Minnesota (which has been cut from a 5-day to a 2-day ride this year) in late July because I need to attend a memorial service out of town. I'll figure out something to do as a substitute and keep it interesting!

https://mssociety.donordrive.com/participant/GoMaggieGo-2021