Last month, most of us Minnesotan’s were getting pretty darn cocky about our winter weather. I can’t tell you how many times I participated in some form of the following conversation with dog walkers while out walking my own dog: “Nice day, isn’t it?” “Yes, it’s a GREAT day. In fact, this whole winter has … Continue reading "Smoking May Be Hazardous To One’s Health"

Most weekends of the year so far were taken with packing, moving, cleaning the old place, cleaning the new place and unpacking. I spent so much energy on the weekends, I didn’t have much energy to ride on weekdays after work, as that has been crazy busy, too. I guess the greatest hazard for me … Continue reading "Hazards of NE Victoria"

The sunshine was brilliant out the front window of my Greg Room this morning. A light dusting of fresh snow on my car, the mail box, and the streets, made the world look clean and pure and incredibly white. Gentle wisps of wind occasionally blew glistening snowflakes from tree branches to the ground, and each … Continue reading "A Disney-Like Day With Only One Hazard"

From the looks of it, we are in for two weeks of below freezing daytime temperatures. So today might have been my last ride for a while. And it was cold enough for me at around 4 C / 39 F. We had some sun but I’m getting fussy now. We encountered some hazards on … Continue reading "Into the deep dark woods"

I am so, so sorry for my last Cycle365 post. It’s not my nature to be such a negative, woe-is-me, crybaby. Usually I can put a positive spin on ANYTHING — even hazards — but for some reason the impossibility of a bike ride sent me over the edge. Had I been able to CHOOSE … Continue reading "Back to the Good Times"

Not wanting to compete with Bill or anything, but this was a close call for Janos. Hazard is putting in mildly. But he was and is a strong pedaler and escaped the jaws of this dinosaur still roaming the earth back in 2009. I can’t believe that trip was 12 years ago! Or that I … Continue reading "By the skin of his teeth"

Today I was feeling sorry for myself because I couldn’t ride. Roads are covered in snow after yesterday’s storm, and I no longer have my mountain bike to negotiate those conditions. To compensate for my cycling inactivity, I shoveled. I walked Diggity. I hosted a contractor to give us an estimate for repairing the many … Continue reading "Pedal Through The Pandemic"

This confession might or might not be a shocker to you, but at least half the time I don’t actually have to go randomly searching for picture opportunities to meet the various Cycle365 Challenges. I’ve ridden the streets and nearby rural highways so often that I know exactly where to go to capture many of … Continue reading "I Know Where To Find Them"

Yesterday I made the mistake of saying I wouldn’t post such obvious Minnesota hazards as ice, snow, and frigid temperatures for the February Challenge. Unfortunately that led to a whiney, yet vehement, objection from my cartoon alter-ego. G-2 demanded equal time. He insisted that winter is ten times more hazardous for a dude who is … Continue reading "A Different Look At Wintertime Cycling Hazards"

Well ever since Scott came up with the theme of ‘Hazards’ things have been going pear shaped around here. First the news came out that a security guard from a Quarantine Hotel had caught the virus and then moved about in the community for a couple of days which means that we’re having our first … Continue reading "Hazards everywhere."

Another Month, Another Challenge, and Another Ancient Story Way back when I was in the third grade, I became a Cub Scout. Pathetically, I only lasted about six months before washing out of the program. I never advanced beyond “Bobcat” which is the lowest rank in all of scouting. I never earned a “Wolf” badge … Continue reading "Like Life Itself, Cycling Involves One Potential Hazard After Another"

Folks might be getting a false sense of security: there’s a vaccination for the virus, we have a new administration here in our country, the insurrection was unsuccessful.  life is good, or at least getting better. You can’t let your guard down though.  You might avoid falling against that thorny ocotillo on your left, only … Continue reading "February’s Challenge: Hazards"

Well this Polygon Challenge was doing my head in, I was getting desperate and just taking a photo of a stop sign was becoming a distinct possibility. Then as I passed these new statues at South Perth I did a closer inspection and discovered that they were an amalgam of steel polygons…Eureka. Out the front … Continue reading "Polygonised Animal Statue Canopy Thingamajigs"

I’ve gotten out for rides the last couple of days, doing what’s become my standard ride this winter, up and down Route 30 near my house. A little repetitive perhaps, but at least it’s getting outside, and at least it’s riding a bike. I stopped at an old favorite spot, the viewing platform under the … Continue reading "Just a Few More Polygons"

The last couple of days, I’ve pretty much stayed off the pavement and instead explored some of the local gravel roads. Along the way, I came across a few polygons. Darn! I just realized there’s not a bike in any one of these pictures. Oh well, I promise I was sitting on a bike when … Continue reading "Icy Gravel"

The featured image shows how we’re collecting hot days lately, so many it’s become a heatwave. So there will be no snow photos from me this post or any other, ever, actually. I’ve resorted to getting up really early around 5-6am to do a ride to the beach or doing some night cycles around the … Continue reading "A collection of collections"

This month’s challenge comes to us thanks to Nancy (and Rocky extends a special note of thanks, because she’s tired of my lame ideas): Polygons.  For those who have forgotten everything they learned in HS Geometry, a polygon is a plane figure with at least three straight sides and angles, and typically five or more. … Continue reading "Challenge of the month, 01/21: Polygons"

So the guys and I have been out for rides this month, but nothing in particular of note. It has been super busy at work and in my own life. There’s been some good news, some bad news and some really tragic news. But we have snapped a few collection photos here and there. And … Continue reading "December collections"

Contrails are beginning to reappear — questionable whether they are a collection or not Beautiful day here for a change, sunny, and relatively windless Nice 15 mile ride south and east with Dave. Follow that black stripe up to the crest Barely (if not impossibly) visible is a deer — another was following Two specks … Continue reading "Collections ?"

Swarms.  Legions.  Flocks.  Skeins.  Gaggles.  Googols.  Armies.  Droves.  Throngs.  Murders. After a month of emptiness, don’t you think we should lurch back the other direction?  This seems like a challenge everyone can participate in, regardless of season or environs.  We expect to see a host of submissions this month, featuring many different aggregations.  What’s the … Continue reading "December Challenge: Collections"

Things were going very Minnesotan this month, a cold and wet November, my bike froze up, see featured image (fake news??). ‘ Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery’ they say, so I’ll return he favour of Greg’s ‘Hastings Little Australia theme park’ and demonstrate how we’re going Minnesotan around here. I agree that Plataturkeypus-up is … Continue reading "Plataturkeypus-up and emptiness"

No more bicycling in these entries, but this concludes our expedition to the Warm Springs oases in Saline Valley of Death Valley National Park, in case anyone is interested. Hiking Oasis Departing

For my third day ride from base camp in the desert at Lower Warm Springs in the Saline Valley of Death Valley National Park, I wanted to drive the Forester to Lippincott Road. Here’s what the National Park Service has to say about that: “Rough 4WD. Very steep, exposed, and winding with cliff edge washouts. … Continue reading "Death Valley: Warm and Saline: Ride 3, Warm Springs Road"

For my second day ride from base camp in the desert at Lower Warm Springs in the Saline Valley of Death Valley National Park, I wanted to pedal up Steel Pass Road toward Dedeckera Canyon and Eureka Sand Dunes, roughly 20-25 miles distant. In January I pedaled from the dunes to the top of the canyon … Continue reading "Death Valley: Warm and Saline: Ride 2, Steel Pass Road"

Due to never-ending pandemic, wildfires burning up to the edge of our home, and family obligations back East, 2020 has prevented me from undertaking as many bicycling expeditions as I would in a typical year. I made it to Death Valley in January and Nevada in February, but that’s about it. Despite those triple constraints, I’ve remained determined … Continue reading "Death Valley: Warm and Saline: Arrival and Ride 1"

Well I’ve just managed to slip this post in edgeways to complete this months challenge. True, it’s the 1st of November here but this website is still in Californian time and I’ve really been busy doing lots of rides lately. A few weeks ago I joined my cycling club and rode for nine days around … Continue reading "October Challenge – Vanishing points"

Built in 1927 and named after one of the town’s founders Alba Honeywell History of the school The demolition begins  🙁 Vanished So, this may be something for the Vanishing Challenge, or equally, the possible Empty Spaces Challenge Nancy suggested I can say this, no one was happy about the fate of the school, and … Continue reading "Vanished or Vanquished?"