One More Totally Uncalled-For Journal Entry

What's the point of adding another page two days after The Grand Sweeping Conclusion had already been posted? That's a fair question.

Aside from one more opportunity to show off, I think I have two more legitimate reasons. The first one is that there was something very philosophical that I wanted to write in my Grand Sweeping Conclusion, but when the time came, I totally forgot about it.

The second reason is that I really wanted to build a snowman while on my tour. Snowman building is a Minnesota tradition. Unfortunately, the conditions weren't right. The snow wasn't right. One needs wet snow to build a snowman.

Perhaps you remember how the weather forecasters predicted 3 to 6 inches of snow? They said it would be heavy, wet snow. Instead, we got 18 inches of fairly dry, windblown snow. It was not snowman snow. (I know, because I tried to roll some balls of snow and it just wouldn't work.)

THE PHILOSOPHY

While riding my bike I am always thinking some deep, deep thoughts. Like a few days ago I was thinking about how a lot of people driving their cars look at us bicycle riders--ADULT bicycle riders--as being people who are either too poor to buy a car or as people who probably lost their driving privileges due to, most likely, drunk driving charges. I feel it, so it must be true.

The drivers who often drive home from bars and have never been busted might look on with sympathy. "There, by the grace of whomever, go I."

The drivers in $60,000 luxury cars look on with superiority. "I'm happy I can afford a $60,000 luxury car to get around in, and not some kind of pedaling machine."

And then there are the jackasses who have total disdain for anybody not driving a vehicle without a huge motor.

Most of the drivers, however, are courteous and offer friendly, yet sympathetic, waves. Even so, they don't understand somebody who willing rides a bicycle when they could get to where they want to go so much faster in a car.

I believe those impressions are pretty accurate any time of the year, but I think they're even more amplified in the winter. I can read their minds,"That's INSANE."

Intellectually, I know I have to ignore them. I don't want to be looked upon as a pathetic bike rider when, in actuality, I'm a Tough Guy bike rider. At least that's what I want them to think.

I don't know what else to say about that.

THE SNOWMAN

Both days since I returned from my bike trip have been sunny and bright--not necessarily warm, but definitely sunny and bright. The sun beats down on the snow and makes it sticky. Yes, it has become snowman snow.

After running a few errands on my bike today--picking up my mail at our post office box downtown and a little grocery shopping--I built the snowman I wished I could have built while on my tour.

"Season's Greetings" from Snowman G. and The Reckless Mr. Bing Bong.

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marilyn swettI don't know exactly what our travel plans are for next summer, but there's a good chance we'll be in the Twin Cities area - biking and dancing. Maybe if you're around we could hook up somewhere on the road.
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2 years ago

Gregory GarceauTo marilyn swettAbsolutely. After so many near misses, that would be great.
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2 years ago

Emily SharpSorry I missed your tour while you were pedaling. It's great that you thought outside the box and made a winter tour happen. I really don't think you need to prove you are a tough guy at this point though. At some point you just know you are tough. And we all know it too! Or is it something you have to prove in your 20s and then have to reaffirm after 60 - to prove you aren't going soft? I think I'm a tough chick but I don't feel like I have to prove it to myself anymore. I did do one of my first solo backpacking trips - 7 days in the mtns above Colorado Springs - over my 20th birthday. It got down to 12-14F every night. Like you, I thought that was pretty miserable. It probably helped build me into a tough chick, but I decided I didn't want to camp when it was that cold ever again. And I have not. I think my lower limit now is about 25-27F, but preferably above freezing!

I admired your perseverance throughout this tour and your love of riding on snow and ice. I used to enjoy it, too, but the closest I get now is soft, slick gravel. It's also a country where very few people understand that there is snowman snow and there is snow that is good for skiing/sledding. You made me smile when you described the difference. I'm glad you got some of that after the ride was finished.

I hope you are inspired to try some other winter tours - I'd love to see a tour of giant icicles where you seek out and describe the longest thickest lengths of ice throughout the metro area :-) It's nice to have the Feeshko's support of your zany riding and blogging ideas. I hope her knee is fully back to normal now - I worried about her last icy season trying to get about after surgery in treacherous conditions!
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2 years ago

Gregory GarceauTo Emily SharpThank you, Emily, and I'm glad you managed to find this. I think it was about three years ago we had a great icicle season. Not so much the last couple of years. Hopefully I'll be able to fulfill your icicle request in February or March. I can't promise I can make a tour of it though, but for sure I'll post it on Cycle365.

That's really nice of you to be thinking of The Feeshko. Her knee is probably at about 80-90%, which is probably about as good as it's going to get. Still, that's better than it was. The timing of your message is almost eerie, however. The Feeshko slipped on our back stairs last Wednesday and sprained her ankle pretty badly. She is now ambling around in one of those big, plastic walking boots prescribed by the orthopedist.
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2 years ago

Gregory GarceauTo Emily SharpOh, and I forgot to address that "Tough Guy" thing. No, I don't feel like I have to prove it to myself or anybody else. I'm sure you already know that's just part of my schtick. But I do feel the need to challenge myself to do something weird and brag about it every once in a while.
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2 years ago