Chance are pretty good that this was it. The last official outdoor ride for the season. Oh, there might be a day or two in December where the weather allows for a quick jaunt outside, but this was likely the last ride of significant time/distance to really count.
Lots of stoplights on this trip, waiting for our LEGAL privilege to cross the road.
I met up with my brother at his St. Paul residence and we decided to head toward the Minneapolis lakes. From his location, we have a pretty simple western route that meets up with the Midtown Greenway trail in less than five miles. Although this involves a lot of start/stop riding through the various St. Paul neighborhoods in the southwest corner of the city, it’s a short ride before getting to nice long stretches of uninterrupted riding around South Minneapolis.
When we started the ride at 2:00pm, the weather was mild at around 50F and the winds were substantial from the south at around 10-15mph. City riding usually doesn’t require a conscience thought about the wind, but it was noticeable anywhere that we had some exposure – such as the two bridges taken to cross the Mighty Mississippi or riding the shores of Lake Calhoun and Lake Harriet. With a steady breeze off the lakes, the 50F temperature quickly dipped into the low 40′s and a comfortable ride immediately felt chilly. By the time we got back to my brother’s house, we were both feeling the effects of the chill and shared numbed fingers and toes.
The route wound it ways west into South Minneapolis. The Midtown Greenway is a 5 mile stretch of trail that I have described in previous posts. We jumped off the trail at Lake Calhoun and headed south – along the shores of Calhoun and Harriet. The trails were beyond congested, as people were capturing some fresh air and getting some exercise into their dogs. On the south end of Lake Harriet, we connected with Minnehaha Parkway and began the eastern loop that would take us back to St. Paul. Minnehaha Parkway is a great boulevard road with a wonderful, meandering park system separating the east and west lanes of traffic. It hits the river at Minnehaha Falls, where we rode over the Ford Bridge and snaked our way back into St. Paul.
By the time the ride concluded, I was glad to have over-dressed for the early stages of the ride
Stats reflect a gentle ride through an urban area – where more time was spent slowing/waiting for stoplights than pedaling.
- Saturday, November 21st, 2009
- start time: 2:00pm
- distance: 23.0 miles
- speed: 14.1 mph
- duration: 1:35
- odometer: 1322
It felt great to get some outdoor riding in my system – as my last 4-5 rides have all been inside on the trainer. There is never a bad day on a bike, but the added benefit of some outdoor air adds the proverbial “icing on the cake”.
