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| October 7: William O'Brien State Park |
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| September 8, 2012: Cristin bombs down The Bobsled, an expert trail |
The weekend after Labor Day, Cristin and I went on a Minnesota Rovers weekend mountain biking and camping trip to Cuyuna Country State Recreaation Area in central Minnesota, located between Brainerd and Mille Lacs Lake in the small community of Crosby-Ironton. When I was a kid my dad took us fishing to this area, at Fool's Lake and my brother Mark and I fished Fool's when I was in college, so I quietly reminisced those adventures.
This is an area of former mining pits and waste rock deposits. The former pits are now deep, clear lakes and the waste rock is a hilly forest. Recently the DNR developed a world-class mountain biking trail system here. We camped at the Portsmouth Campground, a nice campground with showers. The biking trails can easily be accessed right from the campground. The Cuyuna Lakes State Trail is a paved 6- mile trail also in this immediate area. The mountain biking trails system is well-designed and everyone from beginner to expert was excited at the end of the day.
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| September 22, 2012 Bella on the prowl at Lake Elmo Park |
Bella and I spent a few weekend days hiking at Lake Elmo Park Reserve. This park has an extensive trail system and appears to be gearing up to be a X/C ski destination as many trails are now lighted and a chalet is being built. This picture of Bella (left) reminded me of imagery from National Geographic-type shows on the African Serengeti (below).
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| Not Bella! |
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| September 29, 2012 Cristin is peaceful even on a too hot 80 degree day in late September. |
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| October 3, 2012 Peak fall colors at Tamarack Nature Center |
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| October 7, 2012 William O'Brien State Park |
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| Willaim O'Brien State Park |
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| October 9, 2012: Katherine Abbott Park in Mahtomedi |
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| October 9, 2012: Katherine Abbott Park in Mahtomedi |
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| October 9, 2012 Along the Stagecoach Trail in Mahtomedi |
Like in 2011, only absent Sidekick #1, Bella and I headed to Crex Meadows, WI in mid-October to witness the Sandhill Crane migration. Again, we first hiked the Sandhill Cliffs trail along the St. Croix River before heading to Crex Meadows. The cranes leave the refuge in the morning to feed in nearby corn fields, and then return to the safety of the refuge at dusk. When I experience the cranes returning enmass to the refuge, it feels as if I am witnessing one of the 7 wonders of the natural world. For more information, please see last year's blog entry on Crex Meadows.
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| October 21, 2012 Bella appreciates the pleasant day and this view of the St. Croix River. |
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| October 20, 2012 Sandhill Cranes return at sunet to the refuge at Crex Meadows near Grantsburg, WI |
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| A first quarter moon adds to the drama at Crex Meadows. If you click on these pictures, a larger version should display. How many flights of cranes do you see in this picture? |
On the first weekend of Novemeber, Cristin and I flew to Pittsburgh on Friday, spent the evening with her family and on Saturday drove about 2+ hours to the Cleveland area for her friend Jess' wedding. Tim and Jess attended our wedding in July so it was very fun to now attend their wedding!
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| November 2, 2012: Cristin's parents Jim and Sandy treated us to dinner at Hoffstot's Restaurant in Oakmont, PA. |
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| November 3, 2012 Tim and Jess got married at Moebius Nature Center in Aurora, OH |
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| The peaceful setting of Moebius Nature Center. This pond was visible from the picnic shelter in which the wedding ceremony took place. |
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| The wedding ceremony overlooked Sunny Lake. |
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| November 3, 2012 Celebrating at Crystal Brook Farm in Chagrin Falls, OH Cheers to Tim and Jess! |
As fall gives way to winter, President Obama has been elected to a second term, winning Ohio decisively, as well as all but one of the battleground states.
Many more adventures wait.
Cheers!
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