Summer Part 2... Now with More Pictures..

 I had given up all hope of riding again this year. We had an early blast of Winter come through in mid October. It brought night time temps in the teens, day time highs in the low 30's and snow. We had a clear, dry day on the 19th of October. I figured it was now or never, so I added Sta-bil and non-ethanol premium to the bikes, pushed them out of the garage and let them run for a while. I drove the Corvette to town and topped off the tank. I came home and parked everything in their Winter parking spots in the garage, plugged all of them in to their Battery Tender Jr.'s and put them to bed for the year... I was certain that all the fun was over...

Well, Summer returned with one last shot of nice weather! For the last week it's been beautiful. I got all my last minute outdoor projects done. I put away the patio furniture, restacked a couple of wood piles, took down an oak tree that was damaged last year, and even managed to get it split and stacked!

This brief Summer return was not going to pass me by without getting a little ride and drive time. A couple of days ago, my buddy John and I managed to get in one last ride. He rode his Harley and I rode my Zx-14. We met in Clam Lake, WI and made a loop. We rode up to Mellen, down to Gliden, then back to Clam Lake, where we split up. I rode back to Cable and John, back to Hayward.  A very nice last ride of about 90 miles.

My sister took advantage of the mild weather and drove up from Bloomington, MN to the family cabin outside of Hayward. On Sunday (11-09) we drove separately to Copper Falls State Park. Nancy was busy making apple pies, so she stayed home. My sister and I hiked the 1.7 mile "Doughboy Trail" around the falls. It was a  perfect day for it. There were very few people in the park so it was easy to avoid other people. It was a nice way to put another 90 miles on the car that got so little use this Summer.

Pictures from Copper Falls State Park...

Park Service guidelines for distancing...

My sister managed to take a couple of pictures of me that aren't hideous... LOL

After walking the loop in the park, we were talking and my sister mentioned that she had never seen the dam at the start of the Namekagon River, so seeing as it was on my way home I lead the way. For some reason I forgot to take current pictures of the dam, but I do have some from 3 months ago...everything still looks the same, except now there's a lot less green. From here it's just 1,999.2 miles to the Gulf of Mexico by way of the Namekagon to the St. Croix to the Mississippi.

 A shot of my car, for the mandatory vehicle pic...

 

When we left the dam, my sister followed me home for a "socially distanced" visit in the driveway.. Nancy gave her one of the apple pies she had baked. 

I'd post a picture of my sister, but she refused to let me take any of her... so enjoy the family photo from Christmas of 1962. Taken at the family home on 3rd street in Hayward, WI

From left to right.. Me, my dad Cliff, his sister Nina, Grandma Lena (seated) Grandpa Henry, dad's brother Harry, and my sister.... on the floor.. She still looks the same! Mom was taking the picture.