Trying to keep life normal during Covid-19

 Covid-19 has curtailed many activities, but thankfully our unusually warm weather has made outdoor gatherings possible. I actually rode more miles in November than I did in September or October.  December is starting out pretty good too.

I rode the Jamaica Trail to the brand new Connector Bridge in south Lincoln.

In addition to providing safe travel over existing RR lines, the bridge connects several trails.

This center section is the longest of 3 spans.

It is also the site of a controversial train wreck that happened exactly 55 years before I was born.

The Murdock Trail isn't much more than a dirt path.  Friends Steve and Annette rode with me.

One of my unfortunate moments on the bike.

Eric and Nate own their own bike shop and are two of the best "wrenchers" you'll ever see.  Many, many years ago when they were both 15, Rich Rodenburg hired them to work at Bike Pedalers.  They worked on my bike back then and they still do all the maintenance on my bikes today.

My man Eric at Monkey Wrench Cycles

http://monkeywrenchcycles.com

Because of Covid we dropped our YMCA membership.
Instead of spin class, I work out on this Wahoo Core Kicker trainer.

I attach my iPad to my bike and load Zwift.  This allows me to ride various routes including some in New York, London, and L.A.  I can hook up with other riders on Zwift too.  We can ride or race in real time.

My avatar is the one in the orange shirt.

Here are my 2 favorite new shirts for 2020.

Lincoln has done extremely well over the last 5 years in the National Bike Challenge.

I am proud to be a financial supporter of Lincoln's Bike Kitchen.
Many children (and some adults) get free bikes every year.

On a  sunny, warm, fall day with almost no wind, Rusty and I decided to take Fine Lee out for her last paddle of the year.

Smooth waters on Holmes Lake.

This beautiful sky is the first thing I saw on the morning after the Presidential Election.

Beautiful!  So was the election.  The sunrise reflects my hope for happier days.

My friends and I celebrated Ruth Bader Ginsberg by wearing our pearls for one of our outdoor gatherings.

Rusty has finally moved into the 21st Century with his new smart phone.  He can now receive pictures from you.  He can also text without having to hit some of the keys 3 times to get the correct letter.  You should have seen his big "Aha Moment" when he realized the phone could suggest words he might use before he finished typing them.

When Rusty gets frustrated,  I wonder which one of us is more challenged by this upgrade.

We hosted a get-together with biking friends on Thanksgiving morning.  

We hiked the Haines Branch Trail on the south end of the park.

Afterwords we served pumpkin pie from the back of the van.

A little pie with his whipped cream.

Our neighbors were struggling with Covid so Rusty and I helped them with their needs.  Once they were on the mend and out of quarantine, 8 year-old Zoey brought this present to our porch.

Zoey was very proud that she wrapped it herself.  It had gum, a bracelet and several trinkets inside.

We thought her "Special items bag" was especially cute.

As most of you know, our new cabin (Hus OLAF) is a dry cabin.  That's not a big deal in warm weather, but running outside in the middle of the night when it's cold doesn't sound that great to me.  I asked Rusty to build me a potty chair for our loft.

Rusty did all the hard work and I added a couple coats of varnish.

Our closest year-round neighbors are Paul and Sue Schurke.  Paul was a member of a team of explorers who in 1986 traveled via dog-sled to the North Pole.  He currently maintains a large fleet of sled dogs and offers visitors a variety of dog-sled experiences every winter.

https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/sports/1668795-30-years-ago-Steger-and-Schurke-led-historic-dogsled-trip-to-North-Pole

Paul is very concerned about global warming and the changes it is bringing to our environment.  Because of his yearly travels to the North Pole, he has a unique perspective.

https://www.ourclimatevoices.org/2019/paulschurke

My apologies but with our early departure for Hus OLAF on the 15th, I'm not going to get any Christmas cards sent this year.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all!