I started out on an evening ride very late. As I reached the Stone Arch Bridge I came upon the most magnificent sunset, and emergency vehicles everywhere. Someone apparently had jumped off the bridge just upriver. Too much for me. I turned around and rode home.
You can see the wind moving across the Mississippi river.
Some evenings are perfect for riding. You race the setting sun.
The late day sun illuminates the trees.
I love riding as the sun sets. Seeing it dip into the trees.
Sunset is the magic time.
Just flowers.
Today’s ride brought daydreams of cobblestones…
And, big chocolate bunnies…
Guess dreams can come true.
Not all of them but 9 I went over or under today on my ride.
Stone Arch Bridge
Bridge 1
35W Bridge
Bridge 2
10th Ave. Bridge
Bridge 3
Old railroad bridge - U of M
Bridge 4
Washington Ave. Bridge
Bridge 5
Bridge 6
Franklin Ave Bridge
Bridge 6
Old railroad bridge by the Greenway
Bridge 7
Lake Street Bridge
Bridge 8
Ford Parkway Bridge
Bridge 9
Today for some reason I kept thinking that I must only bike. Not that that is a bad thing at all. But the more I rode, the more it became crystal clear to me…
We must… ONLY BIKE!!!
ONLY BIKE
The reasons are simple.
To be outside and know what the Earth is up to.
To feel the air, to know the temperature as I move along.
To stop at a favorite place overlooking the Mississippi River. Each day I do this my view is unique. Same place, completely different each time. Today I looked down and got to spend a few minutes with a Bald Eagle. My view today.
A bald eagle, my morning commute companion.
The eagle flying under the Lake Street bridge.
Mixed with spring green trees, blue sky and calm waters. The sun striking trees and bridges and reflecting brightly.
I will do this again. Soon. Tomorrow. It won’t be the same.
This post has nothing to do with bananas.
That said it is about two great joys of mine. Riding my bicycle to work and riding with my youngest daughter. This morning the two of us rode from our home to her school, about 7 miles away. Then I continued on to my school where I teach. It was a beautiful day. The ride home was delightful as well. I think I will let the images speak the rest for me.
Some days we grieve. Some days with grieve together with others. This was one.
With such gratitude for the life of my Grandfather’s youngest brother Armas who died this past weekend at the age of 95. He left everyone he met with so many gifts, me included.
He was the last of his generation in my family. An intelligent, warm, compassionate, caring model, mentor, friend, listener who spread love everywhere. He loved stimulating conversation and was an amazing storyteller. He was a teacher and beloved man.
After traveling 300 miles to and from Duluth today I returned home feeling spent. Such a life, so many lives touched by one person.
The sun had set and I set off on my bicycle. Straight from our home to a path. I wanted solitude. It was cold, dark. I rode and rode warming up. The moon shone down and lit up the tops of the trees but the path lay dark, eerily illuminated by my light.
I stopped to take a picture of the moon and it had blue wings. Oh wow.
Today was a beautiful blue sky day. Just amazing.
A story shared at his funeral was how just recently in the process of dying in the middle of a rough night he burst into song, full volume:
BLUE SKIES
Blue Skies
smiling at me.
Nothing but blue skies
do I see.
Bluebirds
singing a song:
nothing but bluebirds
all day long.
Never saw the sun
shining so bright.
Never saw things
going so right.
Noticing the days
hurrying by:
when you’re in love,
my how they fly.
Blue days,
all of them gone.
Nothing but blue skies
from now on.
We sang it together today.
I am filled with gratitude and love.
He was the son of Finnish immigrants. His name was Armas. In Finnish his name means beloved.
He was so very, very beloved.
Good bye Armas.
For the purposes of today’s post please note the following. The human will be referred to as (ME) and the inanimate, but highly personified,pedal driven, recreational vehicle will be referred to as (BLUE)
ME: Hey, let’s go I have to return these dvds to the library.
BLUE: Not interested.
ME: But I have this 30 days of riding you thingy going on here.
BLUE: And did I have a say in this?
ME: Look what we will be carrying. Breaking Away!
Pedal-Pedal-Pedal... 