All Fog and No Snow Makes Greg A Dull Boy - Not My First Frozen Rodeo - CycleBlaze

December 24, 2023

All Fog and No Snow Makes Greg A Dull Boy

Foghorn Greghorn's Christmas Acclimatization Ride

Today's bike ride had no exciting weather events.  There was some fog, but that isn't the kind of dangerous conditions that make for an adventurous blogging post.  Yet, here I am, writing another boring account of another boring acclimatization ride. 

I mainly wanted to wish everybody reading this a Cool Christmas, a Special Santa Day, a Happy Hanukkah, a Yippie Yule, a Quality Kwanzaa, a Brilliant Boxing Day, a Fun Festivus, a Gnarly New Year, a Fantastic Feast of the Church of the Great Outdoors, and an Amazing Any Other December Celebration I might have missed. 

Speaking of the new year, BRING IT ON!  I announced my new year's resolution a few weeks ago right here on Cycleblaze.  I resolved to conduct a bicycle tour in the month of January for the first time ever.  I'm 98% sure I will be able to keep this new year's resolution, which would be the first time I've ever done that.

Anyway, here are a few pictures from my foggy acclimatization ride.

The main street leading through downtown Hastings, MN (MY Town) and into the fog.
Heart 6 Comment 3 Link
Kelly IniguezThat looks like the sort of downtown that should have an old movie theatre.
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4 months ago
Gregory GarceauTo Kelly IniguezYes, it had a movie theater for many years . . . until one of those multiplexes opened up on the west side of town. The downtown theater building is now the venue for community theater performances. The multiplex closed down earlier this year. I'll take a picture of the old building for you during my next acclimatization ride.
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4 months ago
Kelly IniguezTo Gregory GarceauCommunity theatre is a common, acceptable, and encouraging use for old movie theaters. Relatives owned the movie theatre in Payson, Utah. When they sold, it was turned into a rock climbing gym. They felt terrible about that, because of all of the time and sweat they had spent keeping the old theatre in good condition. The rock climbing gym went defunct. The building was in extreme disrepair for years, and is now under the care of a non profit group. Happier times are in store in Payson!
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4 months ago
Rails to the fog
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Bridge to the fog
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I don't know if this is the same eagle from my last post but, whether it is or not, this one is on the same branch. It must be a great place to spot fish.
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I think this would be a good time for a commercial break.  Please listen to this important message from the Minnesota Tourism Board, because they are one of my most lucrative sponsors.

It's already December,
Have you met your annual FUN quota?
If not, just remember,
You can meet your quota in Minnesota! 

-The Unofficial Minnesota Tourism Poem

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[An apology from The Minnesota Tourism Board:  Gregory S. Garceau was not our first choice for representation.  More acclaimed bike tourists and Hollywood actors were not available.  When you accept a bargain basement spokesman, you're bound to get a goofball who can't remember his lines, and who mis-identifies a curling athlete for a hockey player.]

Two monkeys in one photo.
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Greg here again.  Did you see the birds flying behind my head in the Minnesota tourism video?  I just noticed them while proof-reading this page.  I hereby claim the GEESE as bird sighting #3 for this journal.

Today's ride: 12 miles (19 km)
Total: 46 miles (74 km)

Rate this entry's writing Heart 9
Comment on this entry Comment 13
Bill ShaneyfeltPretty nice tight v formation by those geese. Did you coach them? :-)
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4 months ago
Scott AndersonHey, Greg. I thought I’d pass on this article from the BBC that our friend Lynn shared with us: https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20231220-why-oulu-finland-is-the-winter-cycling-capital-of-the-world. If you ever make it to Europe, Oulu sounds like just your kind of place.
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4 months ago
Gregory GarceauTo Bill ShaneyfeltYes, I did coach them. I taught them how to draft off each other like bicycle racers in a peloton.
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4 months ago
Gregory GarceauTo Scott AndersonThanks for the link. That was very interesting. I am 1/4 Finn, so now I know where my winter cycling roots come from. Also, I was surprised to learn that a city so close to the Arctic Circle has weather so similar to Minnesota's.
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4 months ago
Bruce LellmanAwesome video, Gregory. I hope you made it up that hill.

Hey, I was wondering why you didn't jump in your car with your bike and ride to that whiteout blizzard ice storm awfulness in North or South Dakota the other day and do some riding there. It would have been good practice for your upcoming ride. I hope you get some snow soon.
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4 months ago
Gregory GarceauTo Bruce LellmanHey Boof, don't think the idea of going for an acclimatization ride in the Dakotas didn't cross my mind. Unfortunately, I've been in balmy Iowa all week, celebrating the holidays at my dad's house.
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4 months ago
Nancy GrahamI have to say - I am enjoying your bird count list! At least one thing I like a lot is that I can identify the birds you are counting. Unlike someone else’s count we know.

So sorry for you snowless weather Greg. Maybe the weather will get worse and you can carry on with your more treacherous winter tour. I am behind you all the way.
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4 months ago
Gregory GarceauTo Nancy GrahamThank you so much for complimenting my bird count. It shows you truly GET me.

No snow in the forecast for the next week, but we can keep hoping. I guess hope is all we've got for the month of January so far. The good news is that the temperatures are going to drop according to the TV weather personalities.
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4 months ago
Bruce LellmanTo Gregory GarceauOh yes, the holidays. I forgot. You are forgiven then.

I was considering doing a similar bird count list maybe up to about number 4 and then ending it. Scott really has an affect on us doesn't he.
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4 months ago
Gregory GarceauTo Bruce LellmanYes, and the influence of Scott's journals extend well beyond inspiring some of us to work on our photography, take pictures of birds, and plan routes throughout Europe and elsewhere. I can only dream of riding most of the places he and Rocky visit as part of their daily routine. Impressively, he's been cycle touring since the age of 14. (I'm not kidding. At the next HAC meeting, ask him about the time he slept on a big sign board in the desert of eastern Washington.)
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4 months ago
Bruce LellmanTo Gregory GarceauYikes, I will ask him about the sign board. I hope he checked what was underneath it first because that would be a perfect place for rattlesnakes to hang out.

Yes, Scott is the quintessential cyclist. Very impressive. I am not. Between our trips this year, Jan. 23 - Nov. 19, I rode my bike exactly one mile, give or take a mile. Pathetic I tell you, simply pathetic. But I'm not a cyclist. I don't have much interest in riding in the U.S. I use the bike in SE Asia to get to way out-of-the-way culture.
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4 months ago
Rich HarrellI did notice the geese -- as usual the V is uneven -- and as I said before, you now know why . . . . .
There are more geese on longer side.
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4 months ago
Gregory GarceauTo Rich HarrellYes, I remember when you told me that joke. It's a good one and I repeat it often.
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4 months ago