Wood Duck houses along the trail

 I stopped by the trail in daylight to see what I miss while running at 4:30am.  A pond I pass, usually lit by moonlight, had these little structures. I crawled down the edge of the trail to take this shot, only to scare away all the ducks. However mosquitos greeted me heartily.

From Ducks Unlimited:

"In precolonial times, the wood duck was likely the most abundant waterfowl species in eastern North America. Unfortunately, their distribution within densely settled regions made them readily accessible to market hunters throughout the year. Overharvesting, coupled with the destruction of bottomland habitats, drove these colorful birds to the brink of extinction by the early 20th century. The dramatic rebound of wood duck populations since that time can be largely attributed to protection provided by the Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. However, the recovery of the wood duck was also assisted by the advent of artificial nesting structures, or wood duck boxes."

Gullible on Minnetonka

The Boys of Summer Are Gone - Excelsior Commons Field

Chanhassen Cross Country Alumni Meet - Saturday

I happened upon this very friendly, and inside-Cross Country run. It was raining and cool. I only had time to spot the girls race and then had to make tracks to another event.

This young woman (following shot) was the winner.   I do not know whether she was an alumnus, or a current team member.

Minnehaha Creek in August

Intersection Old Log Way

Tour De Tonka

My was streetside. I wandered from location to location.
The "Tour' covers a lot of ground. At one location at the top of the final hill on Commonwealth in Shoreview I was the lone spectator.  This is a particularly tough hill at the end of one of the courses. I know from experience. Now I am the sadist who enjoys watching the final challenge before a welcome glide to the finish. - And I did enjoy watching the riders grunting and groaning over the top. Surprisingly, most of them said "thank you" to me as they passed... I think they either appreciated the lone spectator cheering, or thought I was a race official.
Nice job guys!

Earlier in the day I witnessed the first turn and traffic light of the tour, accompanied by a lot of honking horns....

On the streets this Saturday - The Tour De Tonka

"

"Tour de Tonka is a recreational ride, not a race. In 2016, 67 and 100-mile riders will start at 7:00 am at Clear Springs Elementary. The 16 through 57-mile riders will start at 7:30 am at Minnetonka High School. All rides end at Minnetonka High School. All routes are fully supported. Helmets are mandatory"     -from  The Tour de Tonka Website.


Seven rides of different distances. From 16 mile to 100 miles.