How is This About a Bike Ride?

You'll see in a moment how this post is about a bike ride.  My Sweet Baboo was in need of a trimming of his curly locks. 

Before the trimmin'

Mallory's sister is still here, and we convinced her to come along. Of course, that meant I had to ride as there was no room in the car. I had no objections to riding. In fact, I was more than happy to get a ride in while it was still slightly cooler in the morning. I met them at the hair salon, which was only 7 1/2 miles away in St. Paul. Miranda and I watched the Little Miss while Big Bro got his locks trimmed. 

After the trimmin'

Although the curls are mostly gone, he will be so much more comfortable in the heat. We ate a post haircut lunch at the French bakery/cafe next door, then Mallory, Miranda, and the kids headed for home in the car. As usual, for me, I didn't want to go back the same way I came. I looked at Google Maps and could see a great alternate route that would take me to the East River Parkway where I had ridden yesterday. As I was riding in a bike lane past beautiful houses on Summit Ave, I passed a gal pulling a kid trailer. She caught up to me at a stop light and asked me about the Da Brim on my helmet. I told her where she could get one, but then, as the bike lane was not too conducive to riding next to a bike with a bike trailer, I continued on. She caught up to me again at the next light. About that time, a car pulled up and also commented on the Da Brim. The gal on the bike remarked how I must get a lot of comments. Me, being one who never shies away from a conversation, told her about a couple of the comments I've gotten over the years. She told me she was pulling her grandson and the kid she nannies for. As we reached the East River Parkway, I asked if she was going on the parkway. She said they were going left on the parkway to a park on the other side of the river at a big bridge. There was a great wading pool at this park. Intrigued by the idea of this park, and enjoying the conversation, I went that way too (home would have been to the right). We crossed the river on the Ford Parkway Bridge (near Ford Dam--see photo from yesterday's blog), and arrived at Veteran's Home Park. That sounded familiar to me. When we parked the bikes, I looked at Google Maps and could see that we were right next to Minnehaha Falls Park! Ah ha! I did know where we were!  After Leslie and I introduced ourselves, we talked about bikey stuff. She's just getting into biking, and had a few questions. She even wants to be able to ride at night. I told her she met the right person as I know all about night riding!  After a bit, her boys were getting antsy to go play, so we said our goodbyes and I made my way over to Godfrey Parkway, which becomes the West River Parkway.  I've been on the West River Parkway lots of times now, so this time, when I came to the Lake St. bridge, I decided to cross back over the river to the East River Parkway. That means I crossed the river on two bridges I hadn't been on before! Getting back down to the East River Path was not as straight forward, but with a little jog up the road, and a U-turn, I was able to get back down to the path. From there I just rode the same way back as yesterday. Today's excursion was just 22 miles, but it was really great meeting Leslie and the little guys...and finding another great park!!!