Up with the sun

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Molly

Actually, I was up before the sun. I had to be – I wanted to capture the sunrise.

Yup, you guessed it, I’m practicing my new photography skills. And what better subject than a sunrise over Lake Superior. The forecast was for a mostly clear morning, so I roused myself in the early hours of the day. I could see the first pinkish red hues in the sky as I hustled down to Brighton Beach, wishing I hadn’t lingered for a few extra moments in bed.

I arrived to find a few clouds in the sky – perfect for reflecting the sun’s rays. And thankfully the sun was still far enough below the horizon to allow me to set up my camera. Soon it all began happening so quickly, I had little time to think about all the camera settings and different adjustments I should be testing. It was all I could do to capture the rising sun and its brilliant colors.

Enter sea gulls. They were flying everywhere, in and out of my pictures, and I quickly realized that I wanted them IN! But they weren’t exactly cooperative. And I wasn’t always fast enough on the trigger. So I ended up with a lot of pictures just after they flew out of my viewfinder. Oh well, RAM is cheap as they say, so I just kept snapping away. Thank heavens we are not using film any more. But the one I did get with the gull over the clouds is my personal favorite.

There was something magical about being out there in the crisp morning air, with no one else around. The placid water had a calming effect, and the sun’s growing warmth was very welcome. What a wonderful way to start the day. I was no longer practicing photography. I was enjoying nature and the outdoors. It was well worth getting up before the sun.

From Crafts to Photography

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Molly

For some time now, I’ve been thinking of taking a photography class. But that’s as far as I’d gotten on the idea. Until I went to the Nice Girls of the North Marketplace. There I saw a flyer for a photography class, on the table where I was admiring beautiful photos that were being sold on greeting cards. That spurred me into action, and a few weeks later I gathered with a small group of students in a photographer’s studio for class. What a find! We had three professional photographers to seven students, and six weeks in which to absorb all the skills they so enthusiastically shared.

After two weeks of lecture, and trying to absorb massive amounts of information about using our cameras, we had our first field session. Gathering at Lester River, we set up our tripods and were given assignments – setting up the scene, getting the lighting right, framing the picture and other basics of photography. The hands-on experience was invaluable, particularly paired with close oversight from our cadre of instructors. In fact, the woman photographer from the craft fair came to assist as well, and became my personal mentor for the evening.

With her help, I moved down river and worked on capturing the moving water. First we focused on stopping the action of the water. While the photo itself may not be all that interesting, I was extremely pleased to see the splashing water drops caught in mid-air. After many shots, camera adjustments and gentle tutoring, I finally got it.

The next assignment was to blur the water. I enjoyed that even more. The camera settings actually began to make sense as I manipulated them time after time and could see the resulting effect. And I ultimately achieved the milky whiteness I was after.

Who knew there were so many techniques to explore in photography? And I’m only just starting. I’m so glad I decided to go to that craft market.

Test Cycling “Fully Loaded”

Posted on May 7, 2013 by Molly

Today we tested cycling with all the gear we will bring on our upcoming Upper Mississippi River Cycling Tour, including camping gear. We’re pretty good at packing light for a long distance trip, but adding tent, sleeping bags and sleep mats was new. So we thought we ought to figure out just how we were going to carry it all on our bikes, and find out what it will be like cycling with it.

We each took one sleeping bag, and divvied up the rest – the tent to Rich, and the sleep mats for me. Strapping them down over Rich’s panniers was not too difficult. At 6’2″ his seat is so high it easily cleared all the paraphernalia with room to spare. For me, at 5’1″ the trick was to leave room to sit on my bicycle seat without being impeded by gear. But we ultimately prevailed.

Walking the bikes or getting them to stand up on their own was a challenge. They were awkward and heavy, and very tippy. But once we started cycling, we moved along easily, barely noticing the extra weight once we were rolling. Hooray! I admit we picked an easy route for the test. We rode up the North Shore to Stony Point and back. With little traffic, flat terrain, no wind and nice big shoulders, we had few worries. Add beautiful sunshine and a sparkly flat blue lake, and it was easy to forget we were toting all that equipment.

And there were other distractions. Apparently, the Kamloops rainbow trout were running. Approaching French River, we could see an army of fishermen lined up across the mouth of the river. The photo opp was too good to pass up, and worth the added effort of getting our bikes balanced.

We unanimously declared that we passed the test. Tomorrow I intend to take it to the next level, and load up for a longer and hillier route. Here’s hoping I can make the grade.

Upper Mississippi River Cycling Tour Plans

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Molly

It’s under two weeks now until our next cycling trip, and our training continues to stagnate. If skiing counts, we’re in good shape. We just may not quite be ready for eight days in the saddle. But the preparations continue, regardless.

Rich is our master planner. He avidly reads cycling journals on Crazy Guy on a Bike, the premier website for bicycle tourists and their journals. That’s probably his best source of trip ideas (and their viability). He researches the roads, taking Google Maps down to street view to check on road conditions and make sure they are not dirt roads. He calculates mileages, and researches lodging options. And he makes the necessary reservations. It’s like having my own personal cycling travel agent! Here’s a map of the route he’s planned for this trip.

We’re trying a few new things on this trip. First, Rich found a great organization called Warm Showers, a world-wide community for touring cyclists and hosts. It is built on the premise of reciprocal hospitality. By signing up, we agree to host cyclists traveling through Duluth, and in return we can request lodging with other members in cities on our cycling routes. It seemed like a win-win situation – not only would it save us money on lodging, but we would meet interesting people who share a common interest in long distance cycling. We are eager to try it, and already have two Warm Showers homes set up for this trip. We are also looking forward to hosting our own guests.

Second, we will be doing some camping. We have a 2,000 mile, 2-month trip planned in the Maritime provinces of Canada later in the summer, and know that some nights a tent will be our only option for lodging. So this is our test run with camping gear. On last year’s Trans-Superior Cycling Tour, we had the luxury of staying in a motel each night. So lugging extra gear and sleeping on the ground between cycling days will be novel. We plan to carry minimal equipment – 1 lightweight tent, 2 small sleeping bags and 2 short sleep mats. That’s it. It’s lodging only, not cooking. We plan to test packing our panniers this week to see how it all fits. We’ve added handlebar bags too this year. I can already see this is going to be a bulkier trip. And if spring doesn’t arrive soon, we’re going to need more layers of clothes as well. I think a few fully-loaded test rides will be necessary.

This year I’ve added cycling shoes and pedals to my gear. After a year with “mousetraps” I was ready for the real thing, and Santa delivered. I’ve been practicing with them the last few months and had my first requisite klutzy fall when I didn’t unclip fast enough. But I’m already sold on them.

Plans in place. Gear purchased. Reservations made. Training in progress. Bring on the Tour!

Embracing Life

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Molly

I shouldn’t still be writing posts about skiing. We have a cycling trip coming up in just over two weeks, and by now I’d planned to blog about our route, our plans and preparations. But the snow just doesn’t stop coming. And my husband, Rich, is all about embracing it. He figures we will probably never see another winter as long as this in our lifetime. (And part of me sincerely hopes so!)

So today when I saw a video on Facebook of the Piston Bully grooming the Birkie trails, we both had the same reaction – Let’s go! With Rich in his first week of retirement, that’s all it took. What luxury to be able to be so spontaneous. So off we went.

With the latest snowstorm missing Duluth, it seemed silly to be loading up skis and gear surrounded by brown ground. But as we neared Hayward, snow was in abundance. The trees were draped in it, and a good 14″ lay on the ground. And sure enough, at the Birkie trailhead at 00, we found 5k of groomed trails.

What more can I say? I think photos tell the rest of the story better than words can.

Molly at the Birkie trailhead at 00

Molly and Rich on the Birkie trail – May 2

Schussing uphill… Skis a bit sticky, Rich?

It’s never too late to work on technique!

May Day Ski Race

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Molly

Yes, that’s right – a Nordic ski race. On May Day. Where else but in Minnesota?

The Duluth Cross-Country Ski Club holds weekly Wednesday night ski races throughout the winter. And Snowflake Nordic Ski Center has continued to groom its trails throughout the long tail to this winter season. So despite the recent warm-up, the packed snow continues to cling to its trails. That made the perfect opportunity to add one more race to the Wednesday night series. It was too good to miss!

Rich and I arrived early and skied the trails beforehand to see just what we were getting ourselves into. Despite the bare patches near the warming house, once in the woods, the trails were surprisingly credible. They had been freshly groomed (I really couldn’t tell) and grassy sections were taped off, forcing us to zigzag between trail sections. The snow ranged from soft and mushy to icy and slushy. And there were a few water hazards… But it was all part of this most unique race experience.

At 6:30 the racers gathered for the start. It was the largest turnout they’d had all season! It’s amazing what a bit of novelty can do. The mood was festive and jovial. How could we not be in a good mood?

As we skied, whoops and hollers could be heard reverberating through the woods. I added my own noisy yelps when trying to skirt a particularly deep puddle. With a sickening sucking noise, my foot became mired in the icy water with my ski inexorably anchored by deep mushy snow. I managed to extricate it with great difficulty, only to have the other foot succumb! Apparently I just didn’t have the right technique – other more accomplished competitors skied right through.

It’s not everyone who can say they skied in a race on May Day. Nor ski 7 out of the last 12 months, which is what we did this year. In Minnesota, when you’re given snow, you just have to ski.

Shooting The Deeps

Posted on April 28, 2013 by Molly

Timing is everything. We had just returned home from a trip to the Cities, and before we even finished unpacking we decided to go over to The Deeps on Amity Creek. We could hear the roar of the water rushing over the falls and rapids due to the spring run-off, and wanted to see it for ourselves. So we grabbed our cameras and headed over to the creek.

As we got to the end of our driveway, several vehicles passed us carrying multiple kayaks each. Since the road is closed just above the first bridge of Seven Bridges Road, it could only mean one thing – they were going to kayak on the creek at The Deeps. Really? Are they actually planning to go over the falls? Amazing! Our pace quickened and we hastened over to the falls. We passed a number of kayakers walking down from the parking lot. They were checking out the lay of the creek and the volume of the water before committing to kayaking on it. But in short order, they’d made their decision and were unpacking their gear. Wow – we couldn’t wait to witness this spectacle!

Sure enough, one at a time they put in just above the footbridge by The Deeps. They knew what they were doing, sporting helmets and other protective gear, and there were spotters positioned all along the route for safety purposes. Still, you could never have talked us into doing it! Shortly after scooting the kayak into the water, they were paddling through the rushing water and heading for the bridge. They expertly navigated through the boulder-strewn waters and then whoosh! Over the falls they went!

We each positioned ourselves at spots across from the falls where we tried taking pictures – a tricky proposition in itself. (Yet nothing in comparison to what those kayakers were doing!) But eventually the desire to see the action up close drew both Rich and me back to the bridge where we could see it all take place from beginning to heart-stopping end.

After a number of guys had gone down, one of the women worked up her courage and followed suit. She’s the one in the blue kayak with an orange jacket. After successfully making it to the bottom, her kayak flipped, and it took several tries to right it. I just couldn’t imagine being submerged in those icy waters. Her finish drew cheers from all her comrades, particularly the other women.

Rich took videos of the action. Here is the best one: Kayaking Video

What a thrill to watch! It was such a surprise adventure. We had no idea when we set out to shoot pictures of the falls that it was kayakers who would be doing the shooting at The Deeps.

Ice on the way out

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Molly

Lake ice. It’s been with us so long, far longer than any normal winter. It felt as though it was never going to retreat. But this week I finally saw signs of a thaw, thanks to a trip to the Twin Cities. There the weather is undeniably milder than the Northland. And I admit to being thoroughly enchanted with the rising temperatures, sun that penetrated my exposed skin with its warmth, and the mild breezes. Well, breezes that did not cross lake ice, that is. The latter still felt distinctly polar.

On a bike ride that included circling Medicine Lake, the beginnings of ice-out were distinctly visible. Perhaps it was the long wait that seemed to make it special, but I found the resulting patterns charming. A river developed in the middle of the lake, as the shrinking ice separated and created a channel across the lake. The blue water in contrast with the surrounding ice was a pleasing sight.

Other sections offered open water against the shore. Migrating birds were drawn to the available water making it a great place to watch for species not normally seen in that lake. I’m certain I saw a loon, and numerous ducks paddled the waters.

At the far end of the lake I came to a sudden stop. A mound of snow crossed the bike path, blocking my way. But what was more impressive were the huge piles of snow, ice and boulders that lined the shore. They were not there the day before, and I learned from someone who witnessed it that they were created in 30 seconds flat! Strong winds had been blowing the free lake ice from one side of the lake to the other all day, when all at once something gave way, and it all piled up on shore creating the ice mountains I saw before me. How I wish I’d seen it happen!

With the warm weather, the lake ice is quickly turning to black ice as it thins out. It’s not nearly as pretty, but I approve of the trend. I’ll sacrifice some photo opps for open water. Now let’s see about that ice Up North – is it on its way out yet?

Happy Trails

Posted on April 27, 2013 by Molly

Happy trails to you, at Honeywell you’re through,
Happy trails to you, bid Honeywell adieu.
Who cares about the work if you’re retired?
No more will you get calls that keep you wired!
Happy trails to you, Honeywell adieu!

Picture about a dozen folks gathered in D’Amico and Sons, our favorite restaurant, singing lustily to the old Roy Rogers tune. My husband, Rich, is the one riding off into the sunset. It was the evening of his last day of work, heading into retirement after over 28 years with the company. Surrounded by family and a few close friends, he had a broad grin on his face.

It was a fitting celebration, with old memories, silly gifts, roasts and toasts. I couldn’t resist the opportunity to write a “little poem,” my favorite way to deliver a tribute. Okay, so it was 132 lines long. But there was a lot to cover in 28 years. Rich trotted out some memorabilia of his own, including his performance appraisals from 12 years ago. The kids got a kick out of reading the sections on “where you can improve.”

Our daughter, Karen, came through with her cake-decorating prowess. This time it was literally a “trail” cake, with a winding path around the outside of the cake, and a toy bike for Rich to ride away. Not only was it pretty, but it tasted delicious – spice cake with raspberry filling. Mmmm. After much admiration, it was rapidly consumed. I was so glad I had delegated that job to her!

With the festivities over, we are now entering a new era – retirement together. For now that will include plenty of time on the trails. With two long distance bike trips totaling 2,500 total miles, we have plenty to keep us occupied. One is our Upper Mississippi River Tour, coming up in just over two weeks. The other is the what Rich is calling his “long belated college graduation trip” in the Maritime provinces of Canada. That’s the biggie, at about 2,000 miles over two months later in the summer. Happy Trails indeed!

Never Say Never

Posted on April 19, 2013 by Molly

I said I was done skiing for the season. I even put my boots away. But when I went out for a walk to take pictures of the deep new snow early this morning, and found myself shoveling the sidewalk just to prolong my time outside, I knew I was going to renege on that statement.

My inspiration was Rich’s “epic ski” last week. Taking advantage of the road closings for building the Lakewalk tunnel, he was able to ski from home down to Brighton Beach and on up the Scenic Highway to the pumping station. I was so envious! So I set out to recreate his journey.

My timing was perfect – the sun began to emerge just as I set out, which greatly enhanced the scenery. The snow was still firm and not yet slushy, and few cars had ventured down the unplowed roads on my route. Lake Superior picked up the blue hues of the clearing sky, and big rollers brought waves splashing up onto the rocks on the shoreline. The views were glorious.

My revery was abruptly interrupted upon reaching the Scenic Highway to find it neatly plowed down to the pavement. The detours had been changed, and so were my plans. But it wasn’t the kind of day for disappointment. Brighton Beach was every bit as entrancing on my return trip.

By then I was on a roll. So I stretched my return trip to take in the Lester-Amity ski trails. The city has long since stopped grooming the ski trails, but earlier skiers had generously left good classic tracks for me to follow. When those ended, I did my share by tracking the next loop of the system. The trees were heavily laden with snow, bending deeply over the trail and occasionally snapping under the weight. Even at this late stage of spring, I had to admit it was a winter wonderland.

I’m glad my resolve didn’t hold. Just see what I would have missed!

[Click on any photo to view as a slideshow.]