Last Ride of the Year

Today, I just HAD to end the year with a singletrack ride. Headed over to Manawa and ride the trails I rode yesterday. Rode better today than yesterday. Thanks again RF and Martin to deflate my tires.
Weather was upper 20s, sunny, and with some wind. By the time I had finished riding, I was quite warm - wearing too many layers. Tomorrow, I will probably need it.
Here's shots of the same place on Fast Track - December vs September

Craigellachie Bridge

Craigellachie bridge across the River Spey is to my mind the most beautiful bridge in Scotland. I spent the first four years of my life in the village of Craigellachie, and we then moved all of three miles away to where my father still lives. So I grew up taking its grace and uniqueness for granted.

The bridge was designed by the famous engineer Thomas Telford, and built between 1812-1814. It was, I discover now, unique for having a very slender arch built of a single span of cast iron. The journey made by the ironwork from its foundry in Wales must have been a major undertaking in itself: it was transported by barge overland and then by sea around Britain to the mouth of the Spey. From there it came by wagon to Craigellachie.

The bridge was used by normal traffic until 1970, when a useful but bland replacement was built nearby. You can still cross Telford's bridge by foot and bicycle - I'll try to post some photos before too long.

When I stopped to take these shots this weekend some canoeists were setting off from the little shingle beach. It's a popular swimming spot in summer, but on Saturday the temperature was about 2 degrees and it was hard to imagine anyone willingly jumping into the river.





As we watched, the canoeists got into the fast water beside the rock face, and suddenly one capsized.





Here he is, safely upright again. The man on the left is setting off downstream in search of his colleague's paddle - which he did eventually catch.

Dog Days

This week I'm taking photos for our local library of dogs and their owners to celebrate the Dog Days of Summer. Here are a few of my favorites.

Dalek Jubilee

Warning: you are now entering the wilder reaches of Jubilee fever. I wonder if Mrs Queen knows about the Dalek celebrations of her Jubilee? This is the City of Edinburgh Libraries Dalek at the Central Library.

Doctor Who is such a global export that I'm sure Daleks will be familiar to many. Just in case, you can read about them here. In a nutshell, they're an alien mutant race which famously invaded Britain despite their inability to go up or down stairs. I am of the generation which hid behind the sofa when they appeared on TV waving their little sink-plungers (sorry, death rays) while threatening to 'exterminate!' in their chilling metallic voices.



There is, I discover, a Dr Who episode called 'Jubilee'. This is all getting very in-joke-ish. The Queen and Prince Philip seem to be having a jolly time despite it all.





Apologies for the blue-ish tinge of the photos. I set my camera to 'tungsten' setting for indoor shots, but it seems that the light was half indoor, half natural light. The central lending room is a lovely light space. I'll remember that next time I take a photo of the library Dalek.

Spring Moose

I saw my first Moose of today. It was along Highway 1 near Finland, MN. We stared at each other for a couple of minutes before the Moose decided I was of no interest and wandered off into the woods.

Garden tour

After the gardening conference, we managed to beat the rain and see several gardens on the tour.

This garden, our first stop, turned out to be my favorite. It has its own website. I particularly like the page showing the evolution of the site, which started with some pretty bare bones.

I loved all the beautiful statuary, and the numerous small touches tucked here and there that blended so well with the plants.

A chandelier hanging basket.

A Euphorbia whose full name I didn't catch.
More later.
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Update: I've heard from the gardener himself, and the Euphorbia in question is "Despina". Thanks Phillip!

Need to catch up

WOW, where did the week go?
Monday marked 2 weeks of radiation treatments to go. Some recovery time from the Sunday bike ride.
Was going to wait until later in the week to ride again but Tuesday it was just tooooo nice. Upper 60s when I got home from the Med Center. Changed clothes, grabbed the hybrid for a bike ride.
Wind from the WSW. Headed from the bike shop toward the trail center. From there, on up to the Bob Bridge.

The river has receded back into its banks. The new park between the levee and the river is still very wet. The same for the construction area West of the levee. At least the gravel detour just at I-480 is drier and ridable!
From there, it "coasting? with the wind toward Big Lake. Wanted to ride op to Big Lake to see how construction was taking shape. The North lake actually looks like a lake, now! And, the new "boardwalk" is completed and open.

Good job Council Bluffs. Looking good!
From Big Lake, completed my "tour de bluffs" (first for the season) down N. 8th, and through town. On up Harry Langdon, Woodbury, and to the Mall. Back at the Xtreme Wheels, visited for a while.
Off the bike Wednesday - needing a good rest!