April 6, 2009

Rain, snow, out of town travel, and a case of carpal tunnel syndrome (or something of that order) have kept me from my appointed rounds. I managed a few walks around town (Nokomis, Harriet, Crosby) and was happy to see some old friends (Bald Eagle, Crow, Mallard) and some new arrivals (loons, hooded and common Mergansers). Amazed to see a thin shelf of ice hanging on at Nokomis, then stunned to see an even thicker one covering perhaps 2/3 of Lake Harriet. Water is over the trails, just a bit, at Crosby.

I have lingering shoulder and wrist problems, all stemming from the same pinched-nerve issue related to excessive computer work I suppose, but on this Monday afternoon I finally achieve the necessary level of self-disgust and get out there on the bike. It's evening, not much time left, so my options are limited.

I opt for "The Lakes Backwards," basically the same ride I described on the last post, only in the opposite direction. It's a bit shorter since you skirt along the eastern edges of Lakes Calhoun and Harriet rather than rounding them on the farther, western sides. The creek portion of the ride also tends to be easier since most of it is downhill.

Out the door, as soon as I turned north I was really laboring due to the stiff headwind, and, I hate to admit, this also made it a bit "chilly," especially on my old, sensitive ears. I really fought that wind all the way up to where I accessed the Greenway at Hiawatha, and then as predicted things got quite a bit easier. It was just a slow, easy, steady climb right into that sun that was beginning to sit itself down onto Uptown.

It was still a bit brisk, but in another sense ideal riding conditions, for there were very few could on the trails. I stopped for a moment at the shuttered fish stand on the shores of Calhoun to grab a quick shot of the lake and put on an orange stocking cap under my helmet.

Grabbing the lakeside trail and heading south, the wind was at my back and I was breezing along, and from there on home it was strictly butter.

I only stopped once more to behold the surprising remnant ice (I think of Calhoun as being out in the open and so figured the ice would be long gone). Back down at Harriet I was shocked to see the ice was apparently all gone. There was no logic to any of it, not that I could figure anyway. I flew on home over the nearly abandoned trails, not allowing myself to be bothered by the odd, inattentive stroller pusher, dog walker, or jogger heading the wrong way in the wrong lane of the trail designated for bikes only.