Another Beauty!!

It was another gorgeous day in SE Minnesota. I started my day with an hour swim and a lifting session at the Y. Good swim today. Then it was home to do some baking. Pumpkin bread with chocolate chips and walnuts ...

and pumpkin-shaped cut-out cookies.

Lana from Texas (Dave Morrill's sister) is getting a dozen.
Then I went for a bike ride. On the radio I heard them say there was "no wind". I didn't put too much stock in that as it's ALWAYS windy around here.

Sure enough. It was a NW wind. I decided to do the Salem Corners, Byron, Pine Island, Douglas loop. As I'm doing a long(ish) run in the morning, and have ridden pretty hard this week, this was to be an easy ride.

Right about here there was nice long, but not too steep, uphill, like the one heading east out of Salem Corners. So I decided to redeem myself for my inability to keep it above 20.0 mph on Monday going up that hill. Today, on this hill, success. : )

Up near Pine Island I saw this "Garden Beetle" that I'd never noticed before, probably because the garden had been full of vegetation.  Very cute!

This is one of my favorite stretches on this route, and any route for that matter.

Somewhere between Pine Island and Douglas, I met up with Mike Ewen. He said he'd seen me by Pine Island. I am SO glad that it took him several miles to catch me. : ) So we rode into Douglas together. 

I told him I liked his Lynyrd Skynyrd jersey. He said it was his favorite.

When we got to Douglas, Mike said he was going up Genoa Hill as he hadn't been up there yet this year. I hemed and hawed for a couple seconds, looked at the time, and decided I still had time to ride up Genoa and then ride back down and finish up on my normal route back to town. It added about 7 miles. So I got in a hill climb on some tired legs.

Beautiful day for a 49.11 mile ride. For the first time this season, my feet got cold. I see on Facebook that Mike's ride turned into a 60-miler. Way to go! I'd have joined him if I'd had the time. I don't know what's going on in this shot ... it looks like I have those "moon boots" on my feet (remember those? You probably don't if you're not as ancient as I am. : )

At 5:30, it was time for trash pickup around Soldier's Field. Seven of us showed up.

Joann Johnson, Jean Murray, Dennis Johnson

George Huston

Dave Morrill



and Moi



I guess I neglected to get a picture of Kit Hawkins. But I got one later at Brothers.

I hadn't been there in a couple months, August 14 I think. It was good to see Tina. She's a sweetheart. She took a couple of cookies for her daughter and friend.



Tina



Before heading over to Brothers, I went over to the Night Lights 5K and saw lots of familiar faces.



KC and Wally



Mitch and Marni

Jim and his son

Tom O'

Also saw Jen, Jen, (yes, two different Jens), Lori, Wayne, Shelly, Sherri, Brenda and I can't remember the rest. A very good turnout for Kevin! And a beautiful night for a 5K.

I have more on my list, but that will have to wait for tomorrow. My alarm is going off  at 5 1/2 bells so I better wrap this up.

Toodles.