The promise of spring is in the air. I was fortunate enough to be able to ride down to Cars-r-Coffins bike/coffee shop this morning. We have had a somewhat tradition(?) of having Friday morning breakfast. We have a number of places we like to go, and one of them is Cars-r-Coffins. Sadly, they are closing shop next Friday so we thought it was important we go down there one last time. Weekday mornings can be difficult, but it was nice of my friends Sean and Alex to go with me. I wish Hurl the best in his next adventures.
As some things end, others begin. I was made aware of a new bike shop in St Paul, Green Tire Bike Shop. I decided to stop in today and they have only been open 4 days. It is a used bike/service shop and the manager Jacob seems to be a nice enough fellow. But what really excites me is that my good friend Dan has started a snazzy business, Omnium Bike Shop. This is a very cool place in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood of St Paul. This is his third day open. Hopefully the twin cities biking world can keep all these places open. Good luck, Dan!
The best thing about the day was that I spent about 4 hours riding around town. Being outside, normal shoes, flat pedals, sunshine, is a great reminder of how awesome summer is going to be. This time of year, every year, I think more and more about how wonderful it is to be able to hop on a bike with no preparation. When shorts and a t-shirt are all the clothing you need to make you comfortable; even at 1 AM. Those days are coming soon.
Friday, March 18, 2011
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Birthday Weekend
My wife and my birthdays are separated by only a few days. We decided a long time ago that we wouldn't buy each other gifts, but would do something a little out of the ordinary. We like the idea of doing stuff, not collecting stuff. This year, we purchased tickets to the WCHA Final Face off tournament. We are big fans of Gophers women's hockey, but we do not see games often enough.
Friday, my wife had to work a little late which meant we not only missed the first game (WI vs. ND), but didn't have time to eat dinner before the second game. It wasn't a big deal, eating at the arena, but the food isn't the greatest and we knew we had to make time to eat before the championship game on Saturday. Fortunately, the Gophers won Friday night to set up an even more fun Saturday game.
Saturday we slept in some and then worked our way around our neighborhood, taking care of little things we had been meaning to do for quite a while. We made up a list of things to do and actually checked them all off (true it was a fairly short list). This was great, giving us a much needed sense of accomplishment. But then it was time to truly enjoy ourselves some more.
We were going to grab a bite at the Blue Door, one of our favorite local eateries. It wasn't even 4:30 and we figured we wouldn't have much trouble finding a table. NOPE!! There must have been 6 people waiting outside the door, and more making their way up the sidewalks toward the bar. I don't know what was going on, but it makes me want to case the place to find out when they aren't busy. We didn't feel like waiting as long as it would take for food there, so we cruised down to the Groveland Tap, another favorite of ours. The beer list is great, and I am now a super fan of the Cajun Lucy, just the right combo of spicy and flavor. Couple that with a Summit Oatmeal Stout, pure bliss.
Unfortunately, the Gophers lost the game that night, but it was a fantastic game. They played amazing for 2 1/2 periods but WI pushed hard and brought it to OT. 9 minutes in the Gophers couldn't keep up with the pressure and let in the game winner. Again, a fantastic game even though it wasn't the outcome we wished for. Carrie and I came home quite tired and worn out from playing so hard. A very nice way to celebrate a birthday.
Friday, my wife had to work a little late which meant we not only missed the first game (WI vs. ND), but didn't have time to eat dinner before the second game. It wasn't a big deal, eating at the arena, but the food isn't the greatest and we knew we had to make time to eat before the championship game on Saturday. Fortunately, the Gophers won Friday night to set up an even more fun Saturday game.
Saturday we slept in some and then worked our way around our neighborhood, taking care of little things we had been meaning to do for quite a while. We made up a list of things to do and actually checked them all off (true it was a fairly short list). This was great, giving us a much needed sense of accomplishment. But then it was time to truly enjoy ourselves some more.
We were going to grab a bite at the Blue Door, one of our favorite local eateries. It wasn't even 4:30 and we figured we wouldn't have much trouble finding a table. NOPE!! There must have been 6 people waiting outside the door, and more making their way up the sidewalks toward the bar. I don't know what was going on, but it makes me want to case the place to find out when they aren't busy. We didn't feel like waiting as long as it would take for food there, so we cruised down to the Groveland Tap, another favorite of ours. The beer list is great, and I am now a super fan of the Cajun Lucy, just the right combo of spicy and flavor. Couple that with a Summit Oatmeal Stout, pure bliss.
Unfortunately, the Gophers lost the game that night, but it was a fantastic game. They played amazing for 2 1/2 periods but WI pushed hard and brought it to OT. 9 minutes in the Gophers couldn't keep up with the pressure and let in the game winner. Again, a fantastic game even though it wasn't the outcome we wished for. Carrie and I came home quite tired and worn out from playing so hard. A very nice way to celebrate a birthday.
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