First Big Ride of the Season - Minnesota River Valley

Yesterday, I managed to get a bit off sunburn bicycling down into the Minnesota River Valley with Eryn trailing along on the tagalong. We biked over 14 miles, half of it downhill and half of it climbing back up out of the valley. I was exhausted and hit the sack just after 10.

We spent a lot of our time at the Jens Caspersen boat landing. A rather seedy looking area, but it drops you down by the river where you can cross to the other side and bike along the center of the river (sort of), or along the bank. We did a bit of both, as well as cruising down the road to Black Dog power plant. I'm sure there are mothers out there that would disagree with that choice of path as there's not much of an area to bike along the side of the road, but Eryn loved bicycling up to the tall smokestacks and rolling around the woods.

Just to prove it's a bit questionable if you're not with a 6'2" 250# man, here's the memorial for the area, covered in faux blood.


Here's the pedestrian bridge we rode over to the other side. I think I commented on this last year as well, but I'm saving you a picture of a woman with her legs spread drawn around a post hole. Classy! I don't think Eryn really noticed it. She was busy checking out the view.


Here's Eryn in front of the bridge. Note that she is NOT trespassing.


I'm not trespassing either. Don't I look like I belong in front of all that graffiti? I'm such a tough. Next thing you know I'll be tagging Shannon's car.


Here's a close up of Eryn that's pretty cute.


Eryn and I saw some of Ghost's graffiti on the pedestrian bridge. Pooteewheet is all over his signage while she takes picture of discarded bicycles, bird poop, and dead trees (said pictures turned out pretty well, so maybe she'll post a few).


Eryn caught mid-dance. It looks like she's doing some sort of Talking Heads move.