Riding "Coast to Coast for Kids"

Cedar Lake trail

I got in a nice 25 mile bike ride yesterday; over to the Mississippi River, down along the river and then across Lake Street, on to the city lakes and then back home again. In addition to great scenery it also provided a good workout. This ride pales in comparision to the bicycle adventure that Gary Walters and two of his teen aged children have taken on.

Hats off to Jessica, Reggie and Gary Walters who are 1,231 miles into their "Coast to Coast for Kids" bike ride to raise funds for Kinship Partners, headquartered in Brainerd, Minnesota.  They're currently on their first leg from Brainerd to the Atlantic. After they reach the Atlantic they'll be flying over to the Pacific Ocean to then bike back to Brainerd.

Jessica, Gary and Reggie Walters

For the past 8 years Gary Walters has done something far beyond his capabilities in order to fundraise for Kinship Partners mentoring program. You can follow the Walter's adventures on Facebook under "Walters Wacky Adventures". If you are looking for inspiration to do something you would think to be normally well beyond your physical capacity, Gary's a great role model!

Concert and stroll around Lake Harriet

The Willie August Project

Last evening we took in a concert by a jazz trio, The Willie August Project, at the Lake Harriet Bandshell.  This smooth contemporary jazz group was named after one of the musicians grandfathers.  How cool is that?

Fishing

Following the concert we enjoyed a summer's stroll around the lake.  It was great to see so many walkers, bikers, sailers, swimmers and even a few folks fishing.  We stopped to chat with some of the people fishing off of a dock. I learned that Lake Harriet is one of the most under fished waters in the state, given its great wealth of pan fish, walleye, muskie and bass.  Don't tell anyone!

Following is a link to concerts throughout the summer at the Lake Harriet Bandshell.

Sailing

Swimming 

Biking

Black-Eyed Susan

Ducks at dusk

Lone duck

Biking is good for business

I read with great interest an article "How biking can help a company's bottom line" in today's Star Tribune. The benefits of providing a bike/run/walk friendly workplace include healthier, happier and more productive employees plus reduced employee expenses related to transportation.

To encourage and accommodate foot/bike traffic the workplace of Colle+McVoy added showers and lockers for employees. They also provided subsidies for employee purchases of bicycles and places to store bikes at the office.  Not only that, they have their own in house masseuse and yoga!  These benefits have attracted bright and capable employees and new customers for their advertising business.

In addition to the monetary and ecological benefits related to biking, there are also immeasurable psychic rewards that come with exercise and fresh air.  In 1980 I wrote a senior paper for college on "Changes in affective states as related to physical activity."  Aerobic exercise produces endorphins, which provide an elevated state in one's mood. In addition to stress reduction I've also discovered a much greater degree of creativity comes when I'm physically active.  It seems the mind gets freed up to think outside of the box when the body gets moving.

Twin Cities commuter challenge

Christine Fruechte, the President and CEO of Colle+McVoy, concludes her commentary with the following "... fueling the soul fuels the bottom line."  I hope this article inspires more business leaders to make their workplaces biker/walker/runner friendly.

This week many businesses are taking part in the communter challenge, encouraging their employees to find alternative means of getting to work by means other than traveling alone in a car.

Try powering your own wheels. You might like it!!

Electric and manual bikes

Just last Friday I rode my bike to a luncheon meeting.  It inspired me to write a commentary, which I then submitted to the StarTribune.  I was pleased they decided to run it in today's paper, "Try powering your own wheels. You might like it!"  This ties into the 41st anniversary of Earth Day.

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On a cool blustery spring day I was torn between the desire to drive my car or ride my bike to a lunch presentation. It was being held in the heart of south Minneapolis, ten miles or so from the comforts of my home in Crystal. 

At 50 plus years of age, I had to fight off the sirens coming from of my 12-year-old car.  No, not those loud pulsating sirens that come when the panic button is pushed or something bumps up against the parked car. Rather it’s those quite, subtle sirens that I’m talking about--the kind that lures you, without thinking, into hopping in and driving.

Mind you, my car is no longer a beauty to behold.  Twelve years of Minnesota winters have it rusting round the wheel wells. Stale odors from years of driving in and around town have long since overpowered the early intoxicating new car smell. Convenience and comfort was the car’s main allure.  It could provide quick, climate controlled transportation, with soft bucket seats and soothing stereo to boot. 

My long engrained habit was to drive for most any local transportation needs. I used a bicycle only for recreational and fitness purposes.  Sometimes as a family we put bikes on a car rack and traveled to a scenic location to ride.  Kind of strange, if you think about that from a utilitarian perspective.

The day previous I had filled up my car with gas, and became painfully aware of the recent jump in prices.  I also wanted to get in either a run or bike ride sometime during the day.  So, I decided to saddle up on my bike and do the “ride thing”.  I put a bike lock in a small backpack and wrapped a Velcro strap around the right leg of my gray corduroys to keep my pants leg from being caught in the bike’s chain.  And then buckled on my shiny plastic helmet and started peddling.  Nothing overly comfortable or sexy about this mode of transportation.

Within about 45 minutes I had made it to my destination, no worse for the wear. The cool weather kept me from overheating.  I rode almost entirely on trails that brought me within a few blocks of my destination, Lutheran Social Service’s Center for Changing Lives. I was thankful for the series of trials that kept me from having to fight cars for a share of the road.  I had one small surprise upon arrival. I had forgotten the key to my bike lock at home.  I decided I could chalk it up to being a novice biker, rather than a forgetful one. 

After lunch I wheeled home. Green grass was making a much-anticipated appearance after an exceptionally long snowy Minnesota winter. I enjoyed seeing a variety of birds, all out and singing their spring songs. 

On this day I chose not to drive my car with convenience, or her alluring twin companions, quick and easy.   By taking the slower approach on my bike, not only did I get in a workout, I also enjoyed the scenery, and didn’t have to spend a dime on gas or spew toxins and CO2 into the environment. I invite you to join me in “being the change”. Ignore your car’s siren. Walk, bike or take public transportation, as you’re able.  It will benefit both you and the environment. The earth and future generations will thank you.

Gas prices and changing habits

Pileated Woodpecker

An article in the StarTribune, "Gas prices drive new habits", noted how more people are carpooling, biking, walking and combining trips to save fuel.  While the cost of gas in the US heads up toward $4/gallon, it is still cheap compared to most parts of Europe.  In Europe they've begun to understand the environmental costs of pollution caused by gasoline engines. In response they heavily subsidize public transportation through added taxes on fuel.  Without government intervention the environmental costs of our habits are often undervalued in a free market system.

Red-winged Blackbird

Switching gears, from driving cars to walking...  while hiking around the park earlier this morning with a friend, we saw some Red-winged Blackbirds and much to our surprise, a Pileated Woodpecker. The woodpecker sounded like a bird coming out of an African rainforest.  It reminded me of an ancient pterodactyl.  A pleasant surprise I certainly wouldn't have received were I in a car ;-)

The mighty COLD Mississippi!



Steam from Mississippi below St. Anthony Falls (Third Avenue Bridge in backgroud)



Ice particle swirl in Mississippi's current




Steam coming off river, from above St. Anthony Falls

 

Reminder, no swimming!

Biker at 17 below F windchill

Mill ruins

Frozen lock and dam