Pic dump

 I am really excited about gravel road riding and enjoy it a ton every time I get out.  I have developed a nice course starting at the Fleet Farm by my house.  Great climbs, quiet roads and just the right length for an evening ride.

 I have been making kale chips from my garden's kale supply.  Just rub some olive oil on and a little salt.  Bake in about a 400 degree oven for 5-15 minutes depending on how crispy you like them.

 I did 2 1/2 hours of fat bike exploring on the south side of the river at the old Bloomington Ferry bridge road.   Lots of side trails to explore.  I had Bud and Lou on and love them for slow speed exploring.  Logs hidden in thick brush are much less of a problem as these tires just roll up and over most things hidden.  Also the fat footprint makes extremely slow riding very stable.  Almost like walking in the thick brush rather than riding.

 In the middle of seemingly nowhere with no sign of vehicle access I found this thing shooting out water near this old set of stairs.  Note the large tree in the background that would have been inside the house suggesting the house has been gone for 50? years or more.

 I eventually made my way west by Blue and Fisher lake.  I have been trying to make an off road route from Sibley house by Heath's house all the way to my house in Chanhassen.  As a result this stretch of that route from just west of Savage to Shakopee has been on my to do ride list for some time.

 I found myself in some great trails back here.  These are when I was getting close to the Valley Fair Grounds.

 Sadly I will have to go up onto paved trail and highway 101 for about a mile when I go past Valley Fair and by The Landing old time pretend town thing.   At the end of my ride I talked to two other riders up on the Bloomington Ferry Bridge Road.   Josh is the author of the blog Full On and his friend who is the main man behind athletic architects.

 My dad talked me into driving his 1941 Model D tractor in a Dilworth MN parade.   I resisted fearing I would have a slow motion crash where I would not remember how to stop the tractor.  I would then slowly careen towards and squash some old parade watcher who could not get out of his lawn chair to walk to safety.

 The 45 minute 6 mph drive from the Probstfield farm to Dilworth was some good practice time.

 Troy drove this old car of Howard's with his kids in the Rumble seat.

 Ella and Maya rode in the back of the 1946 truck Howard drove in front of me.

 I think Howard has 17 tractors.

Not sure if I am the first person or not to do this or if I should be proud or ashamed but I was texting while driving a 72 year old tractor in a parade.