Hincapie and the Queen...

...of stages. Who'd a thunk? Yesterday's Tour stage will go down in my memory as one of the finest ever! So many American's excelling in European cycling does the heart good, eh? Anyway...after a few too many (too good to last) days with light winds, Sunday kicked in with a GUSTo! I rode despite the breezy conditions. Longer than I planned to as it was cooler and thus didn't seem so bad. Maybe I'm just getting used to it, if that's even possible. I used to hate climbing up hills too, and I not only got used to it but I came to love the climbs and actually sought them out on my daily jaunts on the bike. I can't imagine that I'll be seeking out the wind though. Sigh.

We went out for Mexican food and margaritas with Rick and Kim Olson on Saturday night---then came home to watch the extended coverage of the race. The Mexican restaurant in town is pretty good----it's expensive though. Isn't that a kick? Mike and I used to get Mexican food (bigger portions than here) for two for a whopping $7.80 in San Francisco. It's at least double---closer to three times more expensive here, (of course we have a margarita here so it's probably more like double). Weird, huh? There's a pretty good chinese restaurant too. But not a single Italian place that I know of. I wonder why?

And as if Minnesota Mom read my mind, we talked last night about where we would eat before the Willie Nelson concert we're going to at the end of August, and she mentioned an Italian place. "I know just the place!" The concert is in Sioux Falls, and when my family was here for the wedding and I was driving back and forth to the airport, my brother Steve mentioned the place that they stayed when they arrived. It's called Joey Carrino's (or something like that). Great food---

Last night we ate with the "other" Taylor's in town. But in Marshall you have to distinguish yourself as being related to the "Teacher Taylor's"---not the "other guy's". We had fresh walleye, sweet corn, squash and homemade, very delicious peach/blueberry pie made with a real lard crust!! (Minnesota Mom keeps out doing herself!!)

There's a cool bikerace coming through Marshall (from Luverne and headed North to the Boundary Waters near Canada) at the end of the month. This is a different kind of race though and when they get to the Canadian Border, they will board canoe's...I'm intrigued and will get all the details. It sounds cool. I may try and follow them to Granite Falls (but the wind may deter me if it's blowing too hard).

Anyway, I'm off for a ride and then will start planning and making arrangements for our "honeymoon" in Grand Marais. We're enjoying a brief respite from the heat today...and the wind is blowing from the NW so it's not humid. I can't complain too much though---especially not about the heat. Which is a good thing since it's forecasted to warm up again after tomorrow.

Happy Monday!