Minneapolis -- Biking Chain of Lakes

We were so happy we had another day of good weather on Labor Day. We wanted to see some of the 10,000 lakes Minnesota is so proud of. When we saw rental bikes, we thought that would be a great way to see more than we could just walking.

There were wonderful pedestrian and bike paths all around the lakes we visited and also connecting paths from lake to lake.

We started out at Lake Calhoun.

Then we biked around Lake Harriet.

After consulting the map at Lake Harriet, we set off to find Lake Nokomis. It was a lot of riding and we stopped to consult another map to make sure we were on the right path. The red "You are here" arrow shows we were about halfway there. Glen then wanted to go beyond that lake to the other red mark to the falls.

We were so surprised when we came upon Cottontail on the Trail. It looked so out of place there. It would blend in better back at the Sculpture Garden.

An older gentleman stopped right then and asked if we would like to get a picture of both of us by the massive bunny.

I am dutifully standing there with a smile plastered on my face thinking to myself, "Of all the beautiful places we had been that morning, why couldn't we have been asked to be photographed together somewhere other than beside this ridiculous rabbit?!??!!??

The man took 27 pictures of us with Mr. Cottontail. I am not exaggerating. I deleted 26 others. His main goal was to try and center Glen and me exactly in the center of the picture. In most of them he cut off the statue's hind legs.

Seriously??!!?? The bunny is definitely what grabs your attention. He could have at least tried to get all three of us centered in the photo.

We made it to Lake Nokomis and Glen rewarded himself with a popcorn treat.

 On we rode to Minnehaha Falls.

There was a concert going on in the park by the Falls. And there was some kind of dog competition going on so we saw lots and lots of dogs that day.

We caught a glimpse of Lake Hiawatha as we turned around to make our way back to where we started.

We could have used that man offering to take our picture together in this beautiful scene.

Passing by the outdoor theater at Lake Harriet.

Back at Lake Calhoun where we began our bike journey.

Believe me when I say we definitely worked up an appetite for dinner at Houlihan's.

I think I could have qualified to earn the Boy Scout cycling merit badge with all that biking in one day!!

Quotes of the Week

"Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life." 

-- Harvey Fierstein 

"Never place a period where God has placed a comma." 

 -- Gracie Allen 

"If you're gonna make a change... operate from a new belief that says life happens not to me but for me." 

 -- Tony Robbins 

"It makes no sense to worry about things you have no control over because there's nothing you can do about them, and why worry about things you do control? The activity of worrying keeps you immobilized." 

 -- Wayne Dyer 

Minneapolis -- Church and Sculpture Garden

Had to get breakfast at the hotel restaurant on Sunday because the free breakfast in the concierge lounge was not being served on the weekend.

Off we went to church.

Notice the iPad Glen is holding. He no longer has that iPad.

He stuck it in the pocket of the airplane seat in front of him on his last trip. He went fast asleep. He slept the whole way to Minnesota. He woke up upon landing. He walked off the plane. He left the iPad in the pocket of the seat in front of him.

He filed a report with Delta. He hasn't heard a word from them. He is now mourning the loss of his iPad.

Glen discovered a great place for us to hang out Sunday afternoon. It was outdoors. It was free. The weather was wonderful. You can't beat that!

The place was the Minneapolis Sculpture Garden. It had lots of weird and interesting works of art--starting with this one. Spoonbridge and Cherry. It was the center attraction and everything else was all around it.

Like these for example:

This was the most beautiful part of the garden with the 300-foot arbor.

Without Words.

Bronze Woman IV.

LOOK--Human statues!!

A different view of Spoonbridge and Cherry.

Yes--those big rocks were part of the sculptures.

Hare on Bell.

The name of this one is Front of Snowwoman. I can assure you, now that you've seen Front of Snowwoman, you definitely know what Back of Snowwoman looks like. Identical! (Excuse the fingers of the photographer.)

Sayings are engraved on each of these 28 white granite benches. They are weird sayings and I didn't really get the point to any of them.

A pedestrian bridge was constructed over the freeway to connect Minneapolis Sculpture Garden with Loring Park.

A view of Spoonbridge and Cherry and Hare on Bell from the pedestrian bridge.

Another part of the Sculpture Garden showing how everything revolves around Spoonbridge and Cherry.

Goddess With the Golden Thighs.

Cavaliere (horseman).

Walking man.

The name of this one is Garden Seating, Reading, Thinking. Good thing it had a plaque or I would have assumed it was just a bench.

In the glass building behind this sculpture a wedding was taking place.

Reclining Mother and Child.

 Standing Figure: Knife Edge.

This was our last view of Spoonbridge and Cherry. Very unique sculptures. All of them. There were over 40 of them spread over 11 acres of land. Plus we walked the bridge and walked for a while on the Loring Park side of the bridge as well.

We were tired of walking and ready for dinner at Redstone. Another great Minneapolis day!!