Warm weather wards off winter woes!

A Suburban Barn on Excelsior Boulevard

A very photogenic red barn, with an authentic wooden grain bin. I have photographed this barn before, but under poorer lighting. The rich reds are a traditional color since the pioneer times, when farmers used reddish rust (from old metal parts)and turpentine to paint barns.

Big Island and Back

As I wrote previously, in an inexplicable memory mutation, I thought this Big Island Ski Race took place in January. With that error in mind I have posted this flyer straight from the store window. I'm excited to see the Cross Country Skiers as they traverse the lake.

Sun wafts across the morning mist on St. Alban's Bay

Across Minnetonka Bouevard they were gathering for pond hockey.

Fat Tire 15 mile gets Surly!

 
The warm weather made it a lot less Surly, and (most of) the incoming riders had smiles on their faces as they turned the corner to the finish in the lot behind the Excelsior Brewery.

Pizza at the nights edge.

You can't get there from here.
I feel like writing beat poetry. ...but then I remember that I once met Alan Ginsberg. Bearded.  He was full of pretense, surrounded by a bevy of saccharine academics. I woke up.

A year ago is a long time. Cub Foods, January 15, 2014

Think Fat! Excelsior Brewery and Erik's Arctic Fat Fever

Excelsior Brewing Company and Erik's Bike Shop are excited to announce the Arctic Fat Fever Fat Bike Race. This 15 Mile Fat Bike Race will be held January 17th, 2015 on Lake Minnetonka.

I took this from their web site, - thank you.
"The race will start and end at Excelsior Brewing Company. There is a 3" Minimum Tire Width (Fatties Only). The Men's Fat Race will kick-off at 2pm and the Women's Race will begin at 2:10pm.
Entrance is limited to 200 participants and registration is $5 (non-refundable) with all proceeds being donated to the ICA Food Shelf! WOW! Fat Bikes and snow... how could it get any better? How about a Free Excelsior Brewing Pint Glass for the first 200 people who register and live music inside the newly expanded tap room at Excelsior Brewing where there will be adult (and non-adult) beverages to quench the thirst you worked up whilst racing."

Excelsior Brewery and the Hillbilly musicians

A friend visited me the other day. We wandered over to Excelsior to see the sights. I had told him there was a Cross Country Ski Race to Big Isalnd and back that day, and it would be fun to watch. This represented a senior moment. The Ski race takes place on February 8.
I was a month and 2 days off..... and I cannot explain my mental mix up.

 So we visited the Excelsior Brewery, which was featuring live music- on a Saturday afternoon. We enjoyed listening to a couple of self-labeled "hillbilly blues" players, who were picking and plucking bluegrass on guitar, mandolin and banjo. The crowd was sparse, but it was early in the afternoon so I took a few shots as I wandered about. Backlit by bright snowy sunshine outside the photos are less than optimal.

A cautionary note.

Shhhhhhhhhhh... 

Ok,  this is a quick repost, but tomorrow I should be able to get some CC Ski photos with people and action! So I will keep quiet until then. 
In the distance, is Big Island - the turn around point of the race.

Race out to Big island and back

OK, this photo is not exactly the right one. But it is about Big Island!
 I will be watching the race out to the isle and back this Saturday at 1pm. Taking photos, and enjoying someone else racing.  

3rd Annual Big Island and Back Nordic Ski Dash
"The Excelsior Brewing Co. is excited to announce the 3rd Annual “Big Island and Back”, a 10k Nordic Ski event on Saturday, February 7 at 1 pm. Proceeds from the race entry fees will be donated to the ICA Food Shelf program and the Freshwater Society."

Meters enforced. Excelsior

Three hands in a Window. Excelsior

Everything is all right.

The Lifetime "Commitment 5K" - I was Committed!

I had to focus. So, I did not carry my camera during the run- although I considered it. By my own estimate, there were about 300 participants and the run was well organized. We took off on time, with music blaring and the dull thud of applause from gloved hands. It was my first running event as a participant in over 20 years, so my goal was simple. Run a comfortable pace and see what my physical status was. Result: Pretty slow. Period. I have plenty of speed so there is a lot of room for improvement. I purposefully did not push at the end, although I certainly could have. The course was curving, a bit slippery, and hilly. This was not the kind of run where one could settle into a comfortable pace and motor. It required gear changes and open eyes. Very cross-country in style as we wandered around the wetlands. - Thanks to the Lifetime staff and volunteers for making this a very pleasant experience.