Rainy Days and Mondays

Saturday did not start out rainy. It was a beautiful day. The sellers of our new house, Kathy and Brent, had invited us over for a little tour to show us some things they'd leave if we wanted and some things they'd sell to us cheap if we were interested. It was a nice gesture for sure. They've lived in the house for 14 years and done a lot of work to it, so I think they have a vested interest in making sure they're leaving it in good hands.

We loaded up the family in trailer and bike seat. I was quite pleased to learn the Burley hitches to the Big Dummy with no needed modifications. That is one smooth ride -- long bike and trailer.



The Dummy rig parked at Cedar Lake and Penn, the crossroads of our new neighborhood in Bryn Mawr. April and Sylvia dashed into the market for a snack. Previously we have enjoyed a stop across the street at Cuppa Java, which serves beer in addition to caffeine. Very nice.

Our new place on Irving Ave. Built in 1911, it's not exactly new, but it is a beautiful house and certainly new to us. The exterior is cute, but the interior is gorgeous. I guess you'll have to wait for an invitation to the house warming. It still seems like a weird dream that we will be moving into our new house. But the mortgage papers are greenlighted and we've already put our signatures in spots that cannot be blotted out. I guess it's really happening.

Later the girls went their own way and I headed to Manderson's for some grill action. En route I stopped for firewood and beer. While loading the wood at the local ACE hardware I heard tornado sirens going off. I looked up and saw thick clouds to the north, but it looked clear enough to make a run for it. I steered south to pick up beverages. At So. Lyndale Liquors the girl at the checkout said there were funnel clouds sighted in Maple Grove. I was going east so I didn't worry too much about it.

On Minnehaha Parkway things suddenly changed. The first pellets of hail hit me as I was nearing the Nicollet Ave bridge. I parked beneath to watch the weather show. A couple of cyclists rolled in and looked confused. I was having a blast photographing the hail and dumping rain. Plus I had plenty of beer and extra clothes on board. So what if I had to stay for a while?! I was also getting a kick out of the motorists who pulled up under the bridge en masse to protect their precious investments from sustaining hail damage.

Winter revisited? No, just spring in its triumphant glory.

Water had pooled several inches deep on the parkway. It's good for washing out the fenders on the bike.

The party must go on. In between waves of showers, Mark, Manderson and I tended the fire and drank beer. Isn't cycling rainwear funny? Almost as funny as the chumps wearing it.




Manderson fired up his swanky new gas grill. It came complete with a warming burner -- the perfect place to park an All-Clad saute pan, eh?



Wrex joined us later. Here he enjoys some salmon, chicken and rice. Across the alley, Matt's neighbors were busy recreating in their screened garage complete with ping pong table and dart board. It was impressive but I don't think they were having any more fun than we were.

The night wore on. Have you ever seen the Surly sticker that reads: "Wake up and wonder where you are"? I did briefly at 5:30, but discovered it was just Manderson's comfy couch. Time to load up and pedal home. 6am Sunday morning on the Minnehaha Greenway is a peaceful time.

The rest of the day was uneventful. I did break out the new Traveler's Check frame and apply framesaver. I'll embark on the project of building that up later this week. Of all the things we have to move I am least looking forward to packing up and moving the bike shop. But it's all in the name of progress I s'pose.

Other than that, I found another dollar on the pavement riding home from CRC today. Could you loose-pocketed folk drop a $50 or $100 -- is that too much to ask?