My Favorite Saturday Thing

Gloria invited, as we joked, her A (Alison, Andrea, Anne) team over for a Japanese-style dinner and a little sewing.

I confessed to Gloria that I was a little worried when she told me about the Japanese theme but I was brave and didn't try to fill up beforehand.

For dinner there was sticky rice with a flourish of imitation crab meat which I left alone. It was probably okay but I didn't want to take the chance seeing that my body doesn't like certain seafood. We also had delicious salad (with kale in the mix) and tofu burgers which I loved. For dessert we had fruit cocktail with agar and red bean paste on the side.

Gloria was worried that we might not be full but my stomach was tight and it was probably because we had roasted rice and green tea before eating. As I was getting my portion of tomatoes that Alison brought over, my eyes got big as saucers when Gloria came into the kitchen with cake with a little fire on top. The birthday celebration continues...

Did my favorite Saturday thing and noticed how toasty it was as I hoisted my bike and put it on the rack but I was reminded on the trail that it is indeed fall.

A Little Red

More Art Work by The "Michael Jackson" Artist

Hands Up...Don't Shoot

Mullanphy Pump House

MPH

Maybe It Wasn't The Wrong Way

Alison and I made Sunday plans to practice yoga then to bicycle on the Riverfront Trail.

Struggled to get my stuff together and made it to Gloria's class with about five minutes to spare. Normally, I set up shop in the front of the class but saw that Alison was in the back so I set up shop beside her and ended up being smack dab in the middle of class with a lot of backs in front of me which I found very calming for some reason.

Did a little post-yoga chatting with the First Couple of Yoga (a.k.a. Mike and Tammy) et al. then Alison and I made our way to the parking lot and, as I pulled off, I wondered whether or not I should have waited for her.

Made my way through the St. Louis (6, ouch) and Minnesota (34) tailgaters and got a call from Alison to let me know that she'd gone the wrong way and had also come across an accident. She got out to see about the man who'd fallen off his motorcycle and told him to take some deep breaths and that he was okay (except for his arm). That's so Alison and if I am ever in that situation, I want an Alison to stop and comfort me.

We finally hit the trail and, about two miles in, I just about stopped in my tracks when I saw Mike Brown graffiti. It wasn't until later that I saw the hand prints up above the RIP.

Think this yellow situation was dark brown before.

No Justice No Peace

A Few Notes

Note to self:

Do not head to the riverfront at the same time that the fans are headed to the Edward Jones Dome.

Note to Rams:

Win the game.

I wore a helmet today



because the last time that I went down one of these



a corner followed by a patch of gravel almost led to my downfall.


Unplanned graffiti:









Planned graffiti:




Obligatory shot of Mississippi river:





Obligatory shot of Arch:




I got in 14 miles but mile six was the most beautiful.



The displaced homeless (yeah, I know -- oxymoron) who were evicted from one part of downtown have now started to erect tents along the Riverfront Trail. Some of them have bikes but they have no helmets...


Hope that you got your exercise groove on this weekend.

'Drea's Top Ten List

I'm usually happy to see the Arch come into view when I'm on the St. Louis Riverfront Trail.



When I see this scrawled, homemade sign, I'm relieved especially when it's been a rough ride because the finish line really is just a heartbeat away when I see this graffiti.



I saw lots of tailgaters but was surprised to see so many Packers' fans who ended up with plenty of reasons to celebrate since the Packers beat, with a capital B, the St. Louis Rams.

I didn't think that I would have a place to park but the football fans left the trail parking to the bikers. Thank you. In honor of my bicycle jones, here is 'Drea's Top Ten list of why she enjoys bicycling:

10). Throwing leg over bike frame at the start line.

9). The open trail.

8). The scenery/nature.

7). The wild turkeys, frogs, cardinals etc.

6). Flying down hills.

5). Leaning into curves.

4). The feeling of balance.

3). The feeling of movement.

2). The workout of lifting the bike before the bike ride.

And the number one reason?

1). The calories burned.