Minnesota Valley Recreation Area: June 14th, 2015

Hi, Everybody!

This is Thunderdog, writing a Guest Post for my humans Michele and Joe.  I've been wanting to write a blog post for years and they are finally letting me do it.  We went on a big walk to Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area.

That's my human Michele!

It was a hot day out but I didn't mind.  Anything for a big walk.  Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area isn't technically a State Park, but they do have a 4 mile long Hiking Club Trail.  It started at the trail center, where I saw this sign:

Did you know that I can read?  I am a very smart dog.

That is fine with me, I'd rather be on a leash than risk the chance of my human running off.  What if she got lost, or got hit by a car or something?  I would never forgive myself.  Plus, she has the bottle of water in her backpack.  Better keep her attached to the leash.

Off we go

The path was wide and grassy through the beautiful June forest.  There were lots of interesting sounds and smells.  The ground was a little bit wet but I don't mind mud.  I just let it cake on my paws and then I wipe it all off on the carpeting in the house.  So nice of my humans to put the carpet there for my muddy paws.

These flowers smelled nice but did not taste very good.

At one point, my humans stopped and looked out at the prairie for a while.  They were talking about how pretty it was, but I can't say that I agree.  All I could see was grass.

Dogs-eye view of the pretty prairie

It was getting kind of hot out so I was glad when Michele brought out the Sigg full of water.  As usual I tried to drink it as she was pouring it, but I was thirsty!  I waited until it was in the bowl and then drank it all.

Once I'd had a drink we kept going.   At one point I saw a really exciting patch of mud but Michele and Joe very meanly kept me from rolling in it.  Can you believe that??

Mud bath denied

And then I wanted some more water, so they poured the rest in my bowl for me.  I drank it all up.  It was so good on a hot day.  I grow a thick undercoat of fur in the winter and shed it all spring and summer long.  You wouldn't believe how hot a thick undercoat of fur gets.

We walked along and again I could hear Joe and Michele talking about how pretty it was, and how nice it was to have this park so close to the Twin Cities.  I still could not see what the big deal was.  The ground was grassy and the walls of the path were grassy and sometimes there were flowers, but there wasn't anything too spec - - is that a SQUIRREL???

I must see if there is a squirrel up there

I tried my best to get the squirrel but it went up a tree.  My human Joe was holding me back: he doesn't understand how important it was for me to get the squirrel.  Humans!  They just don't understand.

I'll get you next time, squirrel.  Next time.

The hike was 4 miles long and I had a great time.  Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area is divided up into a whole bunch of sections, so it's important to know that the Hiking Club trail starts at the Lawrence Area trailhead.  Go to the left of the Trail Center and you'll find the sign.  It was the only one we saw, other than the password sign.  After we were done we got back into the magic moving shiny red box and zoomed away!   It was so awesome.  Thanks for reading, fans of the blog!

Bye guys!

Total miles hiked today: 4
Total miles hiked in 2015: 13.3
Total ticks today: Joe - 0; Elly - 0; Thunderdog - 0
Total ticks in 2015: 8

Countdown to All Miles: 30.4 to go

Guest Post: Joe and the $52 t-shirt, or, the 32nd annual Tour of Saints

Hello! We've reached the blog equivalent of the point in a TV season where the sidekick takes center stage for an episode while the hero gets to take a little time off to relax in her luxurious trailer. While Elly was getting back to her city girl roots this weekend, I was off to have an outdoor adventure of my own.

Sunday was the 32nd annual Tour of Saints. The Tour is one of many bike tours throughout Minnesota each summer, and is one I have done three times previously. I've always enjoyed it- it was the site of my first 50 mile ride and is a great way to take in the beauty of rural Stearns County with more than a thousand other bikers. I completed the 50 mile version in 2008, 2009 and 2010. I missed it last year due to barely biking at all for a variety of reasons, and was excited to get back in the swing of things in 2012.

However, as the date got closer, my excitement begin to turn to trepidation. I hadn't really gotten back to any high mileage rides so far in 2012, and after a 21 mile test ride a few days beforehand, it was clear I was not going to complete 50 miles this year, and I doubted if 35 would be possible. An 18 mile option was added this year, but it simply was an out and back on the Woebegon Trail. As nice as the Woebegon is, it's not really worth paying for a ride on it (see our earlier experience with a bandited Caramel Roll Ride).

[editor's note: we did not really bandit the Caramel Roll Ride...it was technically over and we were just "biking on the same path". ;-)]

After a pep talk from Elly the night before, I decided to give it the old college try and headed to, um, the College of St. Benedict for the start of the ride. As I unpacked and assembled my bike, the sight of multitudes of happy bikers embarking on their rides lifted my spirits, and I set off with a song in my heart and a hum in my tires.

A lovely summer morning, cloudless and cool

The Tour is structured with a rest stop every 12 miles or so. First up was Rocori High School in Cold Spring, with tempting treats provided by Cold Spring Bakery, along with a very busy hydration table. At 12 miles in I was pretty optimistic. Sure, I'd been passed by about six times more people than I had passed, but those who passed me were riding nicer bikes and had shinier clothes than I. Plus, I'd already conquered six big hills and had just eaten some tasty mini caramel rolls. Today Cold Spring, tomorrow the world!

Free food, water, Gatorade; even bike repair if necessary!

The next 14 miles traced the back roads from Cold Spring to St. John's University. There were fewer major hills, and apparently all the serious bikers were already ahead of me as I was no longer getting passed right and left. One of the great things about bike tours is the variety of riders. I saw a few who looked to be middle school age, and some people who were clearly past seventy. There's a lot of very fit riders, but also plenty of people in all shapes and sizes. Fellow riders and I occasionally exchanged pleasantries as we passed, and there was a nearly full moon in the cloudless blue sky. Things were still going well, though I could feel some tiredness and soreness creeping in. Rest stop number two is hosted by Collegeville Orchards and was a very welcome sight after 26 miles of riding. It features fantastic grapes, cherries, peaches, and strawberries (also, cookies).

Kickstands? Bah, let's get some fruit!

The last leg flew by. I was tired, but I felt so good about nearly completing something I wasn't sure I could do that I almost took the 50 mile route where it splits away at mile 31. Luckily I restrained myself and wheeled back to St. Ben's for some well deserved watermelon and an expensive t-Shirt.

Mmmm...watermelon.

The ride had some highs (33.2 MPH downhill!), with beautiful weather, good snacks, biker camaraderie, and an endorphin high, and some lows (2.5 MPH uphill), with hills, some wind on the second half, hills, some tiredness, and hills. I remember now why I enjoy this so much, and in 2013- I will be doing the 50 miles. Only 363 days to go!

Editor's Note:  I took a picture of Joe being awesome in his $52 shirt

Joe's back, also awesome