National Bike Month: Day 18

It was a turtle-ishous sort of day! I was riding along the trail and I saw this little guy first:

He/she is a little Snapping Turtle. It was just bigger
than a quarter and a bit smaller than a fifty cent piece. 

I picked him up with my jacket, I have no idea
if they bite at this size, and moved him off the trail. 

Since he was right in the path for walking/biking I moved him off the trail and into the grass. I actually had to stand over him to keep him from getting hit by a second bicyclist. He was only about 4 feet from the creek when I set him down. Good deed done, I set off down the trail. A few blocks away I saw this:

A large mud turtle! I would say just smaller than a
manhole cover. 18 inches maybe?

I keep my distance from this turtle. I don't think it needed any help. Though, I also did not want to draw too much attention to it. I did not want it to get hurt. I think this the largest mud turtle that I have ever seen. (As a side note: the largest Snapper I have ever seen was about three feet across and I got out of its way!)

12.01 Miles

Miles Today: 12.01

Total Miles 2013: 367.5

Total Miles National Bike Month: 210.31

Total Miles for National Bike Challenge: 210.31

Days in a row: 48

New Year Goals and Plans

I don’t want to use the word “Resolutions”, but I do have some New Year goals and plans. Some things just need a start date! My main goal for the New Year is to either walk or ride my bike 30 minutes everyday. So far I have easily accomplished this and it has even started to give me more energy in general. Right now I have Ursula set up in the basement on one of those contraptions that let you ride indoors, but I am dying to get outside and ride. April is coming and I plan to participate in 30 Days of Biking again. Then in May I hope to continue the momentum through National Biking Month. All of my indoor riding should get me into shape for that!

My second big goal is to eliminate sugar and flour from my diet. So far I have not had anything with sugar, honey or any other sweetener, real or artificial, since the 31^st of December. I have had some flour, but only as thickener in gravies and the like. I am not finding this to be too difficult, but I do have cravings every once in awhile. Last Friday I was aching for a bowl of homemade chocolate pudding. Mmmm….pudding.  But, I resisted. In February I plan to add more veggies and salads to my day, but for now I am doing fine.

My third goal for the year is to learn Swedish. I have been working on this for a month or so now and it is going as well as I could expect. I am not good at languages, but I do find Swedish easier to pronounce than some I have tried. (My poor French teacher…) In the fall I plan to take Swedish classes at the American Swedish Institute. I would have started them now but there is one big plan for January that got in the way. I would have needed to miss one session and I knew that that would not be good for me.

You see, Rodney and I are going to Hawaii! I figure I will have no problem getting 30 minutes of walking per day in while we are there, so that goal will be easy to keep. No sugar/no flour might be a bit harder to do, but I plan to just try to stay away from being too crazy with sugar and flour. The Swedish will actually be easier in Hawaii because my sister-in-law speaks Swedish and I am hoping that she will be able to help me a bit with my pronunciation of a few words. (I just can’t seem to say the Swedish word for two: två. It sounds like a cross between two and four.) ~Now, don’t you worry about Hawthorne being lonely while we are gone. My very good friend Raineth will be staying here the whole time with him. He might not even notice we are gone!~

Other plans for the year include trips to Northern Wisconsin and Chicago; a visit from our friend Thomas; letting go of a bunch of stuff from our house; and then maybe painting and redoing a couple of the rooms in our house. I will fill you in on new developments as they transpire! 

Bike Month: Week 2 Round Up

Why yes, I have been riding my bike. For a total of 28.2 Miles for the week! I would like to do more, but I am driving quite a distance for work right now and it takes up a lot of time each day.

~~~~~~~~

May 6: 4.8 Miles

View 5/6/2012 4:19 PM in a larger map

May 7: 4.2 Miles

View 5/7/2012 7:04 PM in a larger map

May 8: 4.7 Miles

View 5/8/2012 7:05 PM in a larger map

May 9: 3 Miles

View May 9, 2012 in a larger map

May 10: 4.9 Miles

View 5/10/2012 6:53 PM in a larger map

May 11: 0 Miles (Raining!)

May 12: 6.6 Miles

View 5/12/2012 6:58 PM in a larger map

Oh no! Guess what?!

May is National Bike Month!

Hee-hee! More biking! More biking!

30 Days of Biking: Day 30

Theme of the Day: Success!
30 Days & 255.43 Miles!

Reward!

I did it! 30 days and 255.43 miles on my bike. I am quite pleased with myself! Yes, 300 miles would have been great, but there is always next month! 

Big Dipper Ice Cream Shop, Blaine, MN

I rewarded myself with a stop at the Big Dipper Ice Cream Shop in Blaine. They have a lot of flavors. I usually get the black licorice ice cream, but today I got a simple hot fudge sundae. And it was good.

Some of  my Accomplishments/Discoveries of the last Month:

1. Riding my bike 30 days in a row.

2. Riding over 20 miles in one day.

3. I can ride up most hills!

4. Riding in the rain is not that bad and you get the trail to yourself.

5. Riding really can improve your mood.

6. You need to make time for the things you want to do.

7. Riding bike does amazing things to your butt!

8. People will stop for you on trail crossings but not on crosswalks.

9. Riding bike makes you HUNGRY!

10. It is probably a good idea to get some sort of bike map for longer rides.

I do not plan to stop riding. I hope to continue riding everyday until the snow falls. I won't be blogging all of those rides though. I will post updates on my progress every once-in-awhile and I will post about special/unique rides. Rodney and I are planning to get a bike rack for his car, so we should have some fun rides in the near future.

Happy Trails Everyone!

My welcoming committee. 

Today's 30 Days of Biking Ride = 9.17 miles

View 4/30/2012 5:58 PM in a larger map

30 Days of Biking: Day 29

Theme of the Day: Hmmm...I wonder where I am...

Railroad bridge north of Bunker Lake Road. My main point of confusion.

I did not want to come home from my ride today. It was very nice out. Yes, it was a bit cool. I think it was in the high 40's, but the sun was wonderful and the wind was not too bad. I did end up again at a point where I was quite unsure where I was. I would not say I was lost, because I knew how to get home by reversing my route, but I was not really sure where the path I needed to follow was. There were all sorts of trails around the bridge above, but it was really hard to tell which one was the one I wanted. I think it is a bit odd that they do not mark them in some way. The photo below shows the graffiti under the bridge.

Probably some good advice. 

I rode over past the construction on Main Street again. It is starting to look like a road, but there are still some major holes that will need to be filled in. It is hard to say if it is getting better or worse. Because of the construction at one point I had to ride on the road without a sidewalk or a bike lane. It was a bit scary. Cars were coming way too close to me. I probably should have ridden more in the center of the lane. That would have forced them to pass me like a car. (Though it was a double yellow, so they should not have been passing at all.)

Dirt and gravel as far as the eye can see on Main St. 

Tomorrow is day 30 of 30 Days of Biking. I am kinda sad that the month is coming to an end. I will need to ride about 4 miles to make it to 250 miles for the month. I have faith that I will succeed!

Today's 30 Days of Biking ride = 14.71 miles

View April 29, 2012 in a larger map

30 Days of Biking: Day 28

Theme of the Day: Just me and the Ducks

It was cold and rainy on my bike ride today. I only saw one other person while out riding. I did see plenty of ducks though! They seemed to be having a jolly good day; all happy and quacking and such. I also saw a flock of Goldfinches. They were really cool, but sadly I have no picture.

This "seeing cool things, but not getting a picture of it" thing happens all the time. I cannot stop, turn the camera on, aim and take the shot before the animal moves. It really makes me sad. That is why I am thinking that I might want a Hatcam and a remote for my camera. Okay, they are a bit goofy looking and I don't know if it would work with my helmet, but I would at least catch a few more pictures.

Anyway, my new goal it to reach 250 miles by the 30th. Which means I will need to ride about 9.5 miles both days to make it. I might have to work 10 hours on Monday, so it looks like I will need to get in a lot of miles tomorrow.

Today's 30 Day of Biking ride = 5.29 miles

View April 28, 2012 in a larger map

30 Days of Biking: Day 27

Theme of the Day: Just to say I did.

It was a long day, so I hopped on Ursula when I got home and went for a short ride just so I could say that I had rode today. At this point I don't see me getting 300 miles in by the 30th, but I can still dream!

Today's 30 Days of Biking ride = 1.36 miles

View April 27, 2012 in a larger map

30 Days Biking: Day 26

Theme of the Day: Keep Your Mouth Closed

~Or~

I am not sure that biking is a vegan activity.

Oh my, there were a lot of gnats on the trail tonight! I must have swallowed at least ten of them. Icky. It was a really short ride tonight. I am not feeling well and my back is hurting again.

Today's 30 Days of Biking ride = 3.76 miles

View April 26, 2012 in a larger map

30 Days of Biking: Day 25

Theme of the Day: Proclaim Liberty

Replica of the Liberty Bell in Morningside Memorial Gardens.

It was another glorious day for riding bike in Minnesota. Rodney and I did not take a long ride, but it was an educational one. Last fall I discovered that the cemetery by our home has a replica of the Liberty Bell (sans crack) displayed in it, so today Rodney and I rode over to Morningside Memorial Gardens to see it.

"Proclaim liberty throughout all the Land unto all the inhabitants thereof." 

I do not know if it is an exact replica. They do not have a plaqueor anything by it and never having seen the real one in person I have nothing to compare it to. For now I am going to just let myself believe that it is fairly exact because I think it adds a bit of sumptin' sumptin' to the neighborhood.

Today's 30 Days of Biking ride = 5.29 miles

View April 25, 2012 in a larger map

30 Days of Biking: Day 24

Theme of the Day: A Busy Day on the Trails

Lions Coon Creek Park, full of people!

It was a beautiful day for a bike ride. Rodney and I took a lovely ride to Lions Coon Creek Park and then up through Bunker Hills Regional Park. My back felt much better today so we were able to ride almost 10 miles. It was really busy on the trails. I think it is the most people I have ever seen out there!

Today's 30 Day of Biking ride = 9.96 miles

View 4/24/2012 6:20 PM in a larger map

30 Days of Biking: Day 23

Theme of the Day: Oh, Drat!

I am working this week, so my 30 Days of Biking rides will have to be later and shorter. Tonight's ride was even a bit shorter than it needed to be, at least time-wise, because something is not right in my back. I am in a lot of pain. I hope that by going a bit lighter tonight I will be able to do longer rides later in the week. For, you see, I have set a goal for myself of riding 300 miles this month. Currently I am at 205.89 miles, but now I have only 7 days to complete the other 94.11 miles. That would be easy if all was well, but it is more of a challenge now. Wish me luck!

30 Days of Biking ride = 4.56 miles

View April 23, 2012 in a larger map

30 Days of Biking: Day 22

Theme of the Day: Happy Earth Day! 

Ursula and Monte* on the Mississippi River. 

Rodney and I finally took our inaugural ride together. I thought that Earth Day was a fitting day for our first ride. We decided to go to Chris & Rob's, which is a hot-dog stand close to our house. It is a slightly unpleasant ride down Foley to East River Road to get there directly. The worse part is that the sidewalks/bike lanes keep changing, so it is confusing. Stronger riders would just stay on the road.

Our first stop of the day: Chris & Rob's.

We each had a chili cheese dog and we split an order of onion rings. 

Rodney enjoying his lunch.

Me in my yellow jacket getting ready to ride. 

Lunch was tasty, perhaps a bit heavy for a ride, but good. The onion rings where surprisingly good. (I have a thing for onion rings!) The chili cheese dogs where fine. I like a bit more spice to my chili and more bite to my onion, but that is just me.

After lunch we set off home via the Mississippi River Regional Trail and the Coon Rapids Dam Regional Park.

Cute statue we rode past.

Rodney crossing a trail bridge.

Mississippi River facing south on south side of 610 bridge.

610 bridge over Mississippi River facing north. 

Under the 610 bridge.

It was a bit cool and it always looked like rain, but it was a great 16.3 mile ride. It was a record for Rodney and a decent ride for me. I don't know where we will go next week, but I am sure it will be fun!

Today's 30 Days of Biking Ride = 16.3 Miles

View Earth Day Ride April 22, 2012 compl in a larger map

*I have begun calling Rodney's bike "Monte". He does not feel a bike needs a name. Nevertheless, I plan to keep calling it that!

30 Days of Biking: Day 21

Theme of the Day: Yes, I am made of Sugar.

It was a short and sweet ride today. There is rain forecast for all afternoon, so I went for a quick ride just so I could say that I had rode today. I really do not want to ride in the rain if I can help it.

Today's 30 Days of Biking Ride = 2.91 miles. 

View April 21, 2012 in a larger map

30 Days of Biking: Day 20

Theme of the Day: 20 Miles on the 20th!

Trail along Coon Rapids Boulevard.

Yes, that's right I rode 20 miles today! It started out terrible too. I rode up Coon Rapids Boulevard to Jerry's Schwinn to get a seat lock for Ursula. (It is just a small thing, but it keeps honest people honest.) The ride up there was one of the worst I have had. The trail was rough, the wind was in my face and traffic was too close in places. The ride home was much better though. I even learned some history!

30 Days of Biking

I don't think people swim here anymore!

View April 20, 2012 in a larger map

30 Days of Biking: Day 19

Theme of the Day: There are only so many hills in me!

The trail wanders past this swampy-ness at one point.
I think it looks like a good set for a Harry Potter movie.  

The weather forecast for today was rain, rain and more rain. With that in mind I decided I should get my 30 Days of Biking ride in early today. I had only planned to go a few miles, but it did not look like I would be rained on so I kept going and I ended up going 10.3 miles. Not too shabby!

The hills today, however, were crazy hard. What I haven't mentioned here before is that I also work out on our old Total Gym on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. Yesterday I increased my leg exercises a bit. Between those extra moves and riding about 30 miles between Tuesday and Wednesday my legs are feeling the burn. This makes hills a bit more challenging.

I did fine at first. It wasn't until I rode over Egret that it really got bad. The overpass on Egret is both a hill and a curve. Today the wind was coming at a good clip right in my face. It was brutal. I made it over without stopping, but I did not make it over all of hills the rest of the way home. I made it home though, so I guess all is good!



View April 19, 2012 in a larger map

30 Days of Biking: Day 18

Theme of the Day: I rode 15 Miles!

Turkey on the trail to Hidden Pond.

Hidden Pond. (Not so hidden really, it has a trail around it and all...)

Today's 30 Days of Biking ride was 15.06 miles! (New record!) It was not the most pleasant weather when I started, but it was much nicer by the time I got home. I rode towards Hwy 65 to see how the route was that way. I can't say it is a fun journey, but it is do-able. I now know that I can go that way if I really want to.


View April 18, 2012 in a larger map

I love this birdhouse!

I had a nice little break by these great smelling flowers. 

30 Days of Biking: Day 17

Theme of the Day: Burning Bridges!

My nemesis: the Bunker Lake board bridge. 

Oh, how I hate board bridges! They wobble and they creak and they don't have guard rails! And AND they have water under them! Too scary.

So you would think that I would avoid the one at Bunker Hills Regional now that I know it is there. I had what I thought was a limited time to ride today*.  Because of that I set a course that I knew would be longish, but not too far from home. That meant taking the dreaded bridge. Really, I do not like it much at all. Nevertheless, I set off across it for the second time this month.

Because I was  alone on the bridge, I was actually brave enough to stop and take a few pictures as I crossed it too. I am glad I did too, because I had a surprise!

This is an image right from the edge of the bridge. Look at all that water! I was quite scared. 

But then I saw this bird swim out from behind some cattails. I had never seen one like it before. 

I looked it up, and I think it is an American Coot.  It made the oddest  noises.
I would never have seen it if I had not stopped on the bridge.  

I also saw this Red Winged Blackbird. A very common sight, but still fun to see.  

At the other side of the bridge I found  this Memorial Peace Garden.
It is outside of the Bunker Hills Activities Center.  

In the end I rode a new record of 14.86 miles. I actually officially left Anoka County today and I was in the town of Andover for all of two seconds. 

I realized when I got home that I had meant to ride further north on Hanson to a trail that leads back to Bunker Hills. I think I would have gotten to 15 miles if I had done that. Maybe next time!

View April 17, 2012 in a larger map

*I had a new dryer delivered today. They were supposed to come and install it today too, but they never showed up. Actually, they never called to say they were not coming either. I am very un-amused by this. Now I will need to sit around waiting for them tomorrow. Or worse yet, I might have to make an appointment for yet a later date. No, I am not amused at all. 


UPDATE: It is a good thing I did not go on a ride with Rodney tonight! The install person showed up. Poor thing was running very late. Soon I will have a dryer.

30 Days of Biking: Day16

Theme of the Day: Old Mother Goose Please Go Away!

I woke up to cold and snow this morning, luckily it was just flurries and nothing stuck. However, it was nothing compared to what my Uncle from northern Minnesota woke up to this morning!

Snow in Marble, MN. 

At first I was just going to wait to go for a ride until this evening, but I decided to go for a short ride even though it was cold this morning. I managed a 3.5 mile ride and I stopped at the grocery store on the way home.



View April 16, 2012 pt 1 in a larger map
Rodney and I's evening ride had to be cancelled because just as Rodney was driving into the driveway tonight our dryer started making a very bad sound. When I went to check it out, the news was as bad as dryer news can be. It was quite dead. So, instead of riding tonight, we will need to go look at dryers and perhaps visit a laundry to finish drying my clothes!

30 Days of Biking

30 Days of Biking: Day 15

Theme of the Day: It Would Hurt to Hit a Deer

Look who I almost hit!

Woooo! I have a new record distance: 13.17 miles! I had been hoping to make it 15 miles on day 15 of 30 Days of biking, but I had already ridden around in circles a bit to make it to 13. I thought people were going to think I was a bit crazy soon.




View April 15, 2012 in a larger map

"Martha, that crazy woman is riding by again!"

While I did a lot of circling around home at the end of my ride, I did go to some new areas today too. Today was the first time I took Hanson over Hwy 10. It is a complicated intersection. I used the sidewalk to get across. I am not strong enough to ride with traffic over it yet.




View April 15, 2012 in a larger map

The rest of the ride was simple and I took a couple of neat pictures.

The Erlandson Park trail actually goes under a power line.

I pointed the camera up as I rode under. 

Newly discovered falls closeup.

Falls from a distance.

When I got home I actually had to hose Ursula down! She was quite dirty.

Dirty!

Clean!

The most exciting part of the day was Rodney getting his new bike. Oh, I am so excited that we will be able to ride together!