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Sunday, May 20, 2012

Photo Safari, part one

5/16/2012 Ford Dam Overlook, Saint Paul, MN Photo by Michael McKinney

5/16/2012 Hidden Falls, Saint Paul, MN Photo by Michael McKinney

5/16/2012 Lake Harriet, Minneapolis, MN Photo by Michael McKinney

5/16/2012 Cottonwood near Cedar Lake, Minneapolis, MN Photo by Michael McKinney

5/16/2012 Mill City Museum, Minneapolis, MN Photo by Michael McKinney

5/16/2012 Mississippi River, Minneapolis, MN Photo by Michael McKinney

5/16/2012 University Avenue, Minneapolis, MN Photo by Michael McKinney



Find more Bike Ride in St Paul, MN


Last week I rode my Commuter bicycle around Saint Paul and Minneapolis, took some photographs and mapped the ride on mapmyride.  I posted the photos on Flickr, but thought I would add a more thorough presentation here.  After continuing to have problems with my rear wheel, a professional mechanic diagnosed a problem owing to my frame being bent - the quick release skewer was not clamping to the frame of the bicycle itself, but only clamping to the axle of the wheel.  After a short repair, the wheel has held in place with greater efficacy.  Money well spent.  The persistent wind, eighty and ninety degree days have given way after a thunderstorm complete with heavy rain and hail.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Pedaling Revolution Review

Pedaling Revolution: How Cyclists Are Changing American CitiesPedaling Revolution: How Cyclists Are Changing American Cities by Jeff Mapes

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


The narrative of one writer gathering information about his experience with bicycles, in comparison to that of others, including movements in New York, California and Portland, Oregon.  To this point, I've enjoyed the sparse, almost analytical nature of his writing - while describing certain characters, he doesn't give in to extemporaneous segues or belittle others by not, and clearly defines a number of key individuals whose efforts as bicycle advocates have altered the landscape of urban transportation.  Although every paragraph is loaded with information and possibly in need of more citation, Mapes is adequately informing the reader that a cyclist is in the minority of the United States citizens using roads.  Choosing to join that minority is done so at your own risk, risk of either bodily harm or general ignorance of the many unwritten codes of conduct shared by cyclists.  



View all my reviews

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

Sourdough cinnamon wheat bread



After a spectacular, near epic fail on my last couple batches of bread, (somewhere between cardboard and rotting vegetation), two nice loaves of bread emerged from the oven.  I used an overnight levain, mixed the dry blended oats, wheat flour, sugar, honey, water, scant yeast and a bit of cinnamon into a batter-like dough, then added the remaining bread flour and kneaded in the salt last.

Here's the recipe, as much as I can recall:

Cinnamon oat wheat

Levain - pinch of yeast, 1 cup warm water, 1 cup bread flour.

Starter - levain, (fermented 24 hours), 3 cups warm water, 1/4 cup honey, 1/2 Tablespoon yeast, 2 cups blended dry oats, 1 Tablespoon organic sugar, 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 cup organic wheat flour.

Whisk.

Add 4 cups general purpose flour.

Knead 3 teaspoons salt into dough.

(first rise)

Cut, braid, loaf.

Bake @ 350 for 36 minutes.

I make no claim to the veracity of this recipe, the quality or the value, though I ran it past my team of volunteer taste enthusiasts and got a thumbs up.  Life is good.