A Nice HOT day for a bike ride

I started off the day at Mile 4 of Lola's half marathon in Waconia MN.  (Go ahead, look up where it is; I'll wait.)  I drew the lucky straw and passed out Powerade.  My hands were bright red by the end.  My arms were all stained too.  Soap and water got rid of the sticky but not the color.  Awesome.  I'm going to look like the five year old who drank too much kool aid for a while.

What I really wanted today was a bike ride.  I hemmed and hedged because it's so damn hot.

Ultimately I headed out anyway.  I kind of had a route, but also left some room for exploring in my head.  What I learned: Wirth Park is not the best place to be on a bike.  Some of the bike paths are super bumpy, super steep and amazingly narrow.  Although, I hear there's a pretty cool mountain bike trail there.  Also, I got to see Minne whom I hadn't seen since she lived in Lake Hiawatha last year.

It was a really really hot day and I was exhausted by the end of the ride.  I probably would've done better if I'd stopped to eat the chomps in my bag.  Live and learn.

 On the Bryant Avenue Bikeway at a red light.

It was a big day on the Midtown Greenway.  I don't know how I managed to snap a photo with no bikes in it.  It was packed. 

Taking a moment at Lake Cedar.  There's two or three beaches at this lake and they were full.  One my neighbors asked me if it was a lot of families or more young people or what.  I didn't notice the ages so much.  For sure it's the lake where all the white people go.  Wow. 

This is along Lake Cedar too, when I still had energy.  You can see the Camelbak.  My goal was to have it be empty by the time I got home.  Mission: Accomplished.

 
On the Cedar Lake Regional Trail heading back into town.  I didn't realize until I looked at the map how much this trail swings northeast.  That explains why it took me so long to get home.  Once I got home, I jumped in the pool which felt awesome.  I finally felt like my body stopped cooking itself.