Busy Day

Today I biked from Saint Paul to Stillwater with this awesome group of people. We used the Gateway Trail and the Browns Creek Trail.  We were off the road all the way into downtown Stillwater and much of it, once we passed Highway 694, was downhill.  The trail is mostly shaded and dry leaves crunched under our tires.  We had a beautiful day for a bike ride.  I haven't biked on anything but stationary bikes since December and that was fun too.

We biked through North Saint Paul.  Here is the backside of the snowman.

After the bike ride my legs don't work right for the first ten steps.  We loaded the bikes and I drove to Frederic, Wisconsin for a family gathering.  Unfortunately I got lost and could not find it.  After driving around for 45 minutes I gave up and came back home.  I decided to look at the pothole section of the state park in Taylor's Falls on the way home.  I see this tree growing out of the rock and walk away impressed at it's strength, beauty and resilience.

Maybe there is a reason I couldn't find that family gathering.  Maybe I needed more nature today.

I try to embed this scene in my mind to bring me comfort in the dead of winter.

I vow the next time I kayak out of Taylor's Falls I will take the time to go upriver first and take in the view

Because it is a beautiful view and ought to be seen from the water too.

Such a pretty region,

Wildlife along the path.

I try to picture the glacial Saint Croix River that drained the glaciers and cut a huge valley here.  Behind large boulders whirlpools formed these potholes in the basalt.  I try to picture it and suddenly feel very insignificant.  Humility is good for my soul.