Coteau des Prairies!

A little bit of history about this new region of the world I now call home. It is called, Coteau des Prairies, or "highland of the prairie". This high plateau was formed a bazillion years ago---er, uh, during the last Ice Age (it figures!), and glaciers covered the shale and sandstone bedrock with many layers of mixed rock, gravel, sand and clay, which together are known as till. Then, where the glaciers stopped advancing, the till piled up into long high ridges called moraines. (I'm sure that all this stuff is why the soil is so black.)

One of my favorite places to ride to (road bike) and in (mountain bike) is Camden State Park. Camden lies atop the Altamont moraine, which is the second highest and most eastern moraine in the Coteau. Camden used to be a small village, but now it's simply a beautiful place to be if you want to be outside and close to cool wildlife (including a small colony of Blue Herons...a.k.a. pterodactyls) . It's also a great place to shelter yourself from the wind! (I was gonna try and NOT talk about the weather, but there I go with the wind already!)

Speaking of which, there is a surge of Nationwide weather drama! The weather has gone absolutely loopy! Fun to watch from inside your house, when you have nothing to do but snuggle up with your cute little hound and your cute sweetie, but a major drag if you feel like riding your bicycle, or actually have work to do, huh? "Holy Buckets!" (Now I really sound like a local!)

When it rains in Minnesota, it rains. Like a bucket of water gets dumped on you. No droplets of water until the deluge-part has passed, after which time it sorta sprinkles for a spell and then completely stops. The sun comes out dramatically, then the wind kicks in like a 25000 watt blow-dryer, drying up the roads so it looks like the rain never was. It's wild!

On my attempt at a bike ride before work yesterday, I got about a mile down the street before some drops began, and I got too scared that there might be lightening and so I high-tailed it home. I'm such a chicken when it comes to things like natural electricity! Today's plan is a ride North. The wind shifted to my least favorite (for riding my bike) direction --- sigh.

The funny thing is that it's the days like this, when it is a challenge to get my rear in gear and on my bike, that I end up discovering something cool and new about my new locale. I found out about the above little history lesson one day when I was almost in tears from the miserable wind and I ran into this older guy who was enjoying a walk in the park.

It is frustrating. I put away (I thought for good) my cold weather cycling gear right when we moved here, as it was pretty warm. Unfortunately, I can't remember where I packed away my Pearl Izumi lobster claw gloves...and Mike's are too big (but I sneak and wear them anyway!) One day it's 80F, and the next day it can be 48F. Loopy weather.

I guess it is all over though. My Mom (in "Sunny's" California) said she was enjoying thunder and hailstorms so go figure? Anyway...I'll head North and then West (there's a little bit o' West in that North wind today)...and see what Les Coteau des Prairies has on display for this little redheaded explorer today! (A Peet's coffee shop would be a nice "find"...sigh)

You Betcha! (Happy Tuesday!)