Our zen moment with the screamer

Gray clouds all week but they broke briefly for our one bike ride before the Central Lakes trail. Traffic was uncharacteristically light going through St. Paul where we headed for a 20 mile ride on the Gateway trail. The temperatures were cool; I actually wore a hoody for most of the ride. There were way too many rollerbladers on the trail. Fortunately for us they were on the final leg of their trek and we were just starting out.

We were in the groove last night. More uphill going out means downhill coming back. It is so exhilarating when you're humming. I really felt one with the bike. It's amazing to me how you can shut out the world around you when you are focusing on one physical task. Last night I tuned into my pedal action; thinking at first about each stroke then moving eventually to just an automatic cadence. This doesn't happen with every ride.

But let me also complain about our bike. Will worked on the brakes today so we don't come into stops with the customary shriek. Nice. However, everything else on this bike makes noise. Maybe if two lightweights were riding it would be fine but with us the seats creak! Now we also have a noise in the back crank. Will thinks it just crap falling off the chain from the silicone spray he puts on the chain. Whatever, it drives me crazy. And drives him crazy because I complain about it all the time.

We were so focused on the ride that we hardly noticed wildlife. We did see an egret and were serenaded by frogs. You really have to be there to hear the different frogs calling back and forth. There were more horses than usual on the bridle path lending an aromatic smell to the woods.

We ended up the night at 299.9 miles for the season. Didn't think fast enough to go that extra .1 to round it off.

Beat the heat on the Gateway

We need to get in a few training rides during the week so despite temperatures in the 90s and a high dewpoint we headed out for our first ride on the Gateway Trail. This is an 18 mile rail-trail that begins in St. Paul and travels through a number of suburbs to end up at Pine Point Regional Park just a few miles from Stillwater. We start the trail about midway near Hwy 36 and I-694 so it's about a 20 mile round trip for us. The challenges can be heavy traffic - it's a commuting route and used by rollerbladers. We also have the cross roads several times but traffic is usually light. Remember - NO STOPPING! By the time we get on the trail (6:45 pm) it's quieted down.

Much of the end we bike on (traveling East toward Pine Point) is tree shaded with wetlands on either side so you can catch a glimpse of egrets settling in trees or hear the peepers. A horse path runs parallel to the bike trail. We share the trail through tunnels and over bridges so one has to steer around the manure. There are signs that indicate we're supposed to announce ourselves to the horses. I'm still not sure how that works. Tuesday night we had a deer cross the trail and we also spyed a wild turkey with her brood. You also ride through a farm; on previous rides we've had to stop for cows being herded from pasture to barn.

Like most of the rail trails the Gateway has a plethora of wildflowers. There are biffys along the trail and a nice bathroom at Pine Point. We encountered a group of girls going on a nature scavanger hunt when we took our break. They were all wearing tie dyed shirts and thought our screamer was "cool".

We kept to our pace despite the heat and felt pretty pleased with ourselves. Next opportunity is tomorrow night for another try.