Raindrops Keep Falling on my Head.....

You know what I said yesterday about enjoying the arrival of spring in Minnesota....forget I mentioned it.  Today I rode 82 miles, most of it in the rain.....sometime very hard rain, with thunder rumbling in the distance and tornado warnings in neighboring counties.  The first 20 miles, however, were ridden in beautiful weather, at a conversational pace, enjoying the company of some of the fine ladies on this tour.  We even had took time to pet some horses.  Check out this beautiful Appaloosa...

That's our Aussie feed the Appy an apple.

I rode with my good friend Karen for a while.......that's a shower cap she is wearing over her helmet to keep her head dry.  Unfortunately, less than an hour later, we were in heavy rain, and the shower cap didn't make much difference.

The scenery is breathtaking in its pureness.  The aspen woods are filled with blooming trillium and wild daffodils.  

As always, loose dogs are a hazard and prevalent in the country.  Had it not been for one particularly noisy, but lazy dog, I would never have noticed this Amish farm.  I had to stop and take a picture.  As I did, I noticed the curtains moving, and realized I was being watched.  I am not sure what the inhabitants thought of us  spandexed clad women out riding on a Sunday morning instead of observing the Sabbath, but then again, they weren't in church either.  (Unless they had gone and come home already, but it was only around 9:30)  I thought it was particularly sad that this homestead was up for sale.

Once the rain began, my little internal voices were again telling me that I didn't have to do this....that I could take it easy and catch a ride in the van.  I read an interesting essay a few weeks ago that talked about quitting mentally or physically.  The mind gives you a choice, and you choose; when the body quits, however, it can go no further....  Today was one of those days.  Though I was getting tired, my mental atittude was a tug of war of continuing or quitting.  Riding in the rain is not pleasant, unless I choose it to be.  Making that mental shift from one of drudgery to pleasure makes a huge difference.  So I shifted my attitude.  If the cows and horses can stand in the rain all day and not mind it, then so can I.  Those animals, however, have fur that keeps them warm...perhaps I should stop shaving my legs.  Anyway, accepting that I was going to get wet, be wet and deciding 'so what' made all the difference.  The ride was very pleasant once that was done.

happy cows.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I crossed the Mississippi for the first time today.  We are close to the headwaters,  where it begins.  The river is very swollen and angry; I feel for those living down river as the rain keeps coming and the river keeps getting bigger and faster.   The floodgates were open in the town of Little Falls, and despite the pelting rain, I took a short detour to look at it. The following video doesn't not show the sheer power  and rush of the escaping water. I wish the video was longer, but I was out of battery power.  The constant clicking you hear in the audio is rain hitting the mic.

I have to apologize for this somewhat lame post.  I am tired, short on time and not putting in my best effort.  Nonetheless, I hope you enjoy it.  Now, to take some Aleve and go to sleep.