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#rochmn

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Marty Cormack

Day 65:
Today is even warmer, 55F, (13C), but still windy. And again I had a limited window between church and puck drop. So I took my on the city trails for 23 miles. On the way I ran into one of my Strava followers who said he uses my posts as his weather and road forecast. I'm glad my online presence is helpful. It is supposed to be even warmer tomorrow, so I'll be planning a better place to ride.

Dark brown Diverge bicycle with Bar Mitts leaning against a short stone wall in front of Mayowood Lake looking Southwest. The near part of the lake/river is open, the far part is still frozen. There are hills with bare trees further behind under mostly blue skies.
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Marty Cormack

Day 63:
A return to spring-like weather, sunshine and 40F (4C), and my gravel is now back from the shop (was waiting on a part delivery), so that's what I rode today. The trails plowed on Wednesday are now mostly clean and dry; the Douglas State Trail is not plowed and is snow covered, so I rode mostly on the city trails for 31 miles. The less well drained trails were wet with snowmelt. Without fenders, I went slowly over the puddles to avoid splashes.

Dark brown Diverge bicycle with Bar Mitts parked on the asphalt Douglas State Trail looking North just past the trailhead. The trail is wet and partially snow covered, and is surrounded by bare trees. The sky is blue.
Dark brown Diverge bicycle with Bar Mitts parked on the McNamara (bike/ped) bridge looking South toward the frozen Cascade Lake. The bridge deck is concrete and the railings/supports are thick steel beams painted green. The bridge has green painted chain link fencing that curves overhead to prevent anyone attempting to climb over the railing where the bridge crosses the Canadian Pacific Railway and a set of petroleum storage tanks. Ahead the bridge crosses US14 West and a couple cars can be seen on the left heading West (to the right) on the 4 lane divided highway below. The sky is hazy blue.
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Marty Cormack

Day 60:
We are under a Blizzard Warning, with 6-10 inches of snow predicted and 50 mph wind gusts. But this morning is the calm before the storm, cloudy, 45F (7C) and light winds, so I set out early on my road and rode on the city trails, some county roads and the Chester Woods State Trail for 34 miles. My timing was perfect as the rain started just after I arrived home. Tomorrow's ride might be interesting, I may have to wait for snow plows first.

Blue and black Roubaix bicycle parked off the Eastwood Trail with the 3rd hole of the Eastwood Golf Course behind. The fairway is brown, there are bare trees and evergreen trees lining the fairway, and the brown "green" is in the distance under cloudy skies.
Blue and black Roubaix bicycle parked on the damp asphalt Chester Woods State Trail which goes straight behind before curving to the left. There are wooden posts holding wire fencing on both sides of the trail, deep, bare woods on the right and curving ahead in the distance to the left, and a brown stover covered farm field on the left under cloudy skies.
Blue and black Roubaix bicycle parked on the damp asphalt Chester Woods State Trail in Chester Woods County Park with brown short grass then tall grass behind with the Bear Creek frozen reservoir further behind surrounded by bare woods under cloudy skies.
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Marty Cormack

Day 58:
I needed to squeeze a ride in between church and the game, so I set out on my road for a loop on city trails and county roads out to Salem Corners for 31 miles. I'm now comfortably home before puck drop. It was 10 degrees F warmer than yesterday and the wind is from the South so even warmer weather must be coming. The highlight of the ride was watching a Bald Eagle soar over Cascade Lake.

Blue and black Roubaix bicycle parked off the Zumbro River South Trail with the partially frozen river behind with brown lawn and bare trees surrounding. The sky is blue.
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Marty Cormack

Day 57:
Despite it being the first day of meteorological spring, we were back into winter weather as it was 19F (-7C) when I set off on my road . I rode the city trails and the Douglas State Trail to Douglas and back for 30 miles. But the stronger March sun kept me warm enough that I did not need heated gloves or socks; I would have on a cloudy day. Yesterday's strong winds took down a couple large limbs on the trails that will need to be remedied.

Blue and black Roubaix bicycle with Bar Mitts leaning against the concrete obelisk Chicago Great Western Railway milepost "M137" just off the asphalt Douglas State Trail looking Southeast. The trail is lined by bare trees on a sunny day.
A large broken tree limb hangs precariously over the asphalt Douglas State Trail looking Northwest on a sunny winter day. The trail and ground are snow free.
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Marty Cormack

Day 56:
The city in which I live, , is amongst the windiest cities in North America. And today we have a wind advisory, with 25 mph sustained winds and even higher gusts. It only made sense to ride my , so I rode out to Cascade Lake and back for 20 miles. When riding the East side of Cascade Lake, I was leaning about 30 degrees just to keep upright with the strong side wind. It was sunny when I started, but mostly cloudy when I got home.

Sage green Vado SL ebike with Bar Mitts parked off the Cascade Lake Trail looking Southwest toward Interlachen Lake. There is brown lawn in the foreground, the lake is frozen over and there are townhomes on the far shore. The sky is mostly blue.
Sage green Vado SL ebike with Bar Mitts parked off the Cascade Lake Trail looking East back toward Manorwoods Lake. The asphalt trail heads back to a bridge over Cascade Creek which links the manmade lakes and there are townhomes behind on the right, utility poles center and bare trees left. The sky is blue with puffy white clouds.
Sage green Vado SL ebike with Bar Mitts parked off the Cascade Lake Trail looking North at the confluence of Cascade Creek and the Zumbro River. There are bare trees on the left and senior living apartments on the far right. The sky is blue.
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Marty Cormack

Day 54:
Yesterday I saw on Strava that a friend had ridden most of the Douglas State Trail, meaning it is free of snow and ice. It was! I rode the city trails and the Douglas State Trail to Pine Island and back for 47 miles. It was cloudy but upper 40'sF and light wind, so outstanding for a February ride. I've been hearing more songbirds, so I've been logging them via the Merlin app. On the way home I spotted a flock of Trumpeter Swans. Merlin confirmed!

Blue and black Roubaix bicycle leaning on the wooden, brown painted, milepost "4" on the Douglas State Trail just South of Douglas looking North. The wet asphalt trail is on the left going straight, there are tall, dead weeds on the right and a lighter brown far field in the distance on the right. There are houses and trees center distance. The sky is mostly cloudy.
Blue and black Roubaix bicycle leaning on the concrete obelisk Chicago Great Western Railway milepost "M130" (or 130 miles on that line to Mankato). The partially wet asphalt trail is on the left going straight, looking Southeast. The trail is surrounded by bare trees. The sky is cloudy.
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Marty Cormack

Bonus post:
It was such a gorgeous afternoon that after my appointment, I had to get on my bikes some more. So I dug out the Brompton for the first time in a while and toodled around the neighborhood until it was time to leave for my second appointment. Then I rode my to the fairgrounds where the MNDoT public meeting on an intersection rebuild was being held. Before the meeting, I decided to stop at the nearby Corn Cob Water Tower for a photo op.

Close up of the Rochester Minnesota famous Corn Cob Water Tower, which was part of the old Libby's sweet corn can packing plant, now gone. The cylindrical water tower is painted to look like a sweet corn cob, bright yellow kernels with green husks on the bottom on a silver painted steek support with 8 lighting extensions. It is a contrast to the bright blue sky on a gorgeous sunny afternoon.
Black and silver Brompton C-line bicycle leaning on a chain gate line at the end of a beat up asphalt road heading off to vacant land with brown grass and scrubby trees. The sky is blue.
Sage green Vado SL ebike parked on the road in front of the Rochester Minnesota famous Corn Cob Water Tower, which was part of the old Libby's sweet corn can packing plant, now gone. The cylindrical water tower is painted to look like a sweet corn cob, bright yellow kernels with green husks on the bottom on a silver painted steek support with 8 lighting extensions. A brick support building with barred windows is underneath the tower. It is a contrast to the bright blue sky on a gorgeous sunny afternoon.
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Marty Cormack

Day 50:
After watching win in OT, and with the temperature just under the freezing mark, I set out for a ride. But the front derailleur cable snapped almost immediately and I had to turn around and swap bikes. I ended up using my road bike to ride city trails and some county roads for 30 miles. It was nice not having to use battery heated socks or gloves, and using my regular bike helmet instead of ski helmet and goggles.

Blue and black Roubaix bicycle with Bar Mitts parked on the side of Olmsted County 25 looking North with a mostly snow covered corn field with grain bins in the distance on the right and the bare tree covered Weatherhill behind.
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Marty Cormack

Given the long range forecast and a look at the calendar, it seems that our below zero (0F, -18C) temperatures for the season may be done. It was -6F (-21C) earlier this morning here in , but it is now 3F (-16C). They say 40F (4C) by Sunday and even warmer Monday. I'd hedge on that until the snow cover is gone.

But this is Minnesota, and you can expect one more major snowstorm until they finish playing the State Boys High School Basketball Tournament (March 22).

#mnwx
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Marty Cormack

Day 48:
For the first time in days the wind chill was above 0F (-14C) and the air temperature in the teens F (-8C). Add bright late February sunshine and light winds, and it made for a much more pleasant ride, city trails to Mayowood and back for 20 miles. I used one less layer and lower settings on my electric gloves and socks. I saw more dog walkers today, but fewer cyclists for some odd reason. It is supposed to be above freezing Sunday and even warmer Monday.

Sage green Vado SL ebike parked off the Zumbro River South Trail with the partially open river behind in a wooded area with snow on the ground in bright sunshine.
Sage green Vado SL ebike parked off Mayowood Road with the snow covered and frozen Mayowood Lake behind in a wooded area with snow on the ground in bright sunshine.
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Marty Cormack

Day 46:
After it bottomed out at -17F (-27C) here overnight, by noon it had gotten to -1F (-18C) with a -18F (-27C) windchill, substantially warmer than yesterday. So I rode my on the city trails and around Soldiers Memorial Field for 11.4 miles. When facing the NW wind with the sun at my back, it was almost brutally cold; but when I turned around, it got a lot more pleasant, and I actually had to turn down the heat on my electric gloves.

Dark grey FatBoy bicycle leaning against the chain link fencing that separates the bike trail from the Soldiers Field Golf Course facing South. The golf course is snow covered with occasional bare trees lining the fairways. The sky is blue and the bright sun is casting a shadow of the bike coming toward the camera.
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Marty Cormack

Day 43:
We got 2" of snow since yesterday afternoon, and we have the most on the ground since before Christmas. Most of the city trails were already plowed, and even the ones that weren't gave me some extra practice on true riding. I rode a total of 13 miles and since it was recreational only, and I had no places to be or times to be met, the pace was much more relaxed and pleasant. I tested my new winter cycling jacket and it performs as I had hoped.

Dark grey FatBoy bicycle leaning on a straight tree trunk just off the Bear Creek Trail in Slatterly Park with the curving creek behind, the mostly plowed trail on the right, the 11th Ave bike/ped bridge over the creek further behind, and bare trees and houses in the distance under cloudy skies. There are some Canada Geese in the open water of the creek behind.
Dark grey FatBoy bicycle parked off the Bear Creek Trail with the partially frozen and snow covered creek curving behind with bare trees surrounding under mostly cloudy skies.
Dark grey FatBoy bicycle leaning on a support post for a newly planted tree off the Silver Lake Trail with the frozen and snow covered lake behind, the bike/ped bridge over the lake further behind and the downtown skyline and power plant in the distance under cloudy skies.
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Marty Cormack

Day 37:
A day after a 1.5 inch snowfall, most of the city trails were plowed or swept, but with occasional snowy or slippery spots, my fat bike with studded tires was the best choice for a 12.7 mile ride. It was sunny, the winds light and 15F (-9C). It is amazing how much more a mid February sun warms you than a January sun. I rode past the Rochester State Hospital Cemetery along the way, over 1000 patients buried there between 1879 and 1965.

Dark grey FatBoy bicycle leaning against the kiosk at the cemetery for the former Rochester State Hospital. The cemetery is a snow covered open field surrounded by mostly evergreen trees under a clear blue winter sky.
Dark grey FatBoy bicycle leaning against a post off the now plowed Bear Creek Trail on the right with a curve in the mostly frozen and snow covered creek on the left surrounded by bare trees under clear blue skies.
Dark grey FatBoy bicycle leaning on a sign post uphill over Silver Lake Park with a snow covered ball diamond behind, a couple WPA stone bridges further behind and the city skyline and power plant partially obscured by bare trees in the distance under sunny blue skies.
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Marty Cormack

Day 36:
Is our snow drought coming to an end? There was barely a half inch of new snow as I set out for a ride on the city trails on my for 12.5 miles. But along the way it started snowing heavily, and on the way back, I could barely make out the tracks of my bike from when I started; it is approaching two inches deep, the most we've gotten since before Christmas. The winds were light and it was 25F (-4C) so it was rather pleasant riding in the snow.

Dark grey FatBoy bicycle leaning against a tree trunk in Slatterly Park looking South with a curve of Bear Creek behind. It is snowing heavily and the 10th street bridge is disappearing and the trees in the distance are almost gone from view.
Dark grey FatBoy bicycle leaning against the railing of the golf cart bridge over the Zumbro River in Soldiers Field Golf Course looking South while it is snowing. Canada Geese can be seen below in the mostly open river. The river here is mostly a flood control trench with flood control riprap on either side.
Dark grey FatBoy bicycle leaning against a large but rotting tree trunk section laying flat with the Bear Creek Trail covered with snow in the foreground and right, and a curve in the ice and snow covered creek behind through the bare trees.
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Marty Cormack

Day 30:
Today was again above freezing, but cloudy and damp as I started out on my gravel on a tour of the city trails for 23 miles. But as I was getting closer to home, the sun started popping out and it got up to 43F (6C) with light winds, so I extended the ride further than the originally planned 18 miles. Looking outside now, I should have waited even longer to start and planned an even longer ride. Oh well. Cold and snow is coming later in the week.

Dark brown Diverge bicycle parked on the County 22 Trail looking Northwest and downhill toward the Cascade Creek valley. There is a 4 lane county highway on the left and townhouses and bare tree covered hills in the distance under grey skies.
Dark brown Diverge bicycle parked on the Bear Creek access trail looking Northwest toward the bike/ped bridge over Bear Creek just a few yards upstream of the confluence with Willow Creek. There is brown dormant lawn on either side and bare trees in the distance under mostly grey skies.
Dark brown Diverge bicycle leaning against the metal support/railing of the bike/ped bridge over the Zumbro River just upstream of Bamber Valley Road. The partially frozen river can be seen lower left and the area is surrounded by bare trees under cloudy skies.
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Marty Cormack

Day 28:
Yet another sunny and 40's F day in January in Minnesota! I had to attend a funeral, but managed to get out on my road this afternoon for a tour of the trails for 28 miles. I did have a bad encounter with someone who was not very nice and insisted (via F bombs) that I instead ride in the narrow bike lane on a busy road, instead of the safer multiuse path. I calmed myself down by appreciating the good bike infrastructure, especially the bridges.

Blue and black Roubaix bicycle with Bar Mitts leaning on the railing of the bike/ped bridge on the Douglas State Trail over 41st Street NW looking North on a beautiful sunny day. The bridge has steel overhead trusses in a diamond formation.
Blue and black Roubaix bicycle with Bar Mitts leaning on the railing of the bike/ped bridge over Silver Lake looking East on a sunny day.
Blue and black Roubaix bicycle with Bar Mitts leaning on the railing of the bike/ped bridge over the Zumbro River North of the Rec Center looking East on a sunny day.
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Marty Cormack

Today was not as warm as yesterday (40F, 4C) but was a lot less windy. So I took my gravel out for a ride on the city trails and the Douglas State Trail to Douglas and back for 30 miles. There were a lot of folks walking their dogs on the trails. I did see a couple other recreational cyclists, and several more commuters. I did not see much wildlife except the Canada Geese, Mallards and Crows, which we see every day.

day 26.

Dark brown Diverge bicycle with Bar Mitts leaning on a tree stump next to the Chicago Great Western concrete obelisk milepost "M 137" on the left of the asphalt Douglas State Trail looking Northwest, with bare trees surrounding and houses on the right under partly clear skies.
Dark brown Diverge bicycle with Bar Mitts leaning on the brown painted wooden Douglas Trail milepost "4" with the asphalt trail on the left with bare trees on the left and tall grass and an open field on the right.
Dark brown Diverge bicycle with Bar Mitts leaning on the post for a blue snowmobile route sign with the snowless snowmobile trail to the left and the paved trail further to the left. The sign has Oronoco 7 mi, Pine Island 9 mi, Byron 10 mi, Kasson 13 mi, Wanamingo 22 mi, Stewartville 30 mi, Mantorville 30 mi, Plaineview (sic) 35 mi.
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