Look Out, Atlanta!

 

Ready to hit the road with my helmet, mirror, lights, riding buddy and 

duffel from Christopher Straub!

My Dream, as a huge fan of beverages...

...Today we went to World of Coke!!!

Yes, basically a big commercial for Coca-Cola that you pay to see... but it was actually pretty fun and interesting! And delicious.

 So the first step is sitting through a movie... really an extended commercial. But, I'm a sucker and with the right combination of music and video I'll cry every time. (Done.) BUT... with my new experiences with creating video, I found their hand-held camera work (trying to make it seem more grass-roots) a little *too shaky. Distracting.

The next stop was the ACTUAL, PHYSICAL vault where the secret formula for Coca-Cola is stored! On the way was a great history lesson about the development of Coke -- and some fabulous old bottles and jars and other things that made the prop person in me go crazy.

I think this was my (second) favorite part of the day. A huge collection of memorabilia and ephemera. Advertising and signs and cards and cans and pins and... EVERYTHING. It occurs to me, as we move further and further from print media -- displays like this one will be impossible to create. That makes me sad.

Aaaaand... my favorite part. So many Coke Freestyle machines! PLUS, right next door was the tasting area for Coke products from around the world. (Yes, Beverly is still totally gross -- but yes, I tasted it again anyway.)

The adorable part was as you leave (and enter the amazing gift shop) they gift you a Coca-cola in an 8oz glass bottle. A great souvenir of the experience!

I kind of want to make something like this for IKEA... but I think it would have to be more like a theme park.

On the way back to the hotel, it was The Vortex for lunch. It had popped up on my search for roadside attractions... because you enter through a huge skull.

This was a perfect addition to the day because they serve the beverages in 32oz cups!!! (I didn't need a refill. Shocking.) They have great burgers, and really tasty tater tots. Delicious!

It's Here It's Here It's Here!

BIG DAY TODAY!

My folding bike from Citizen Bike arrived today. 

It was really easy to put together!!

The only sad part is that, due to an ordering error on my part, all my accessories (helmet, lock, lights, etc.) are taking a long trip to me via my house in Minnesota. (Learning: always double-check the shipping address.)

So for now... maybe a little riding around the parking lot!!!

Hitting the Road!

Yesterday we packed up from Philadelphia to road trip it down to Atlanta! Our adventure is really beginning!!!! I wanted to share a few marvelous things we stopped to see on the way...

High Point, NC - That's an 80-foot tall highboy.

Jamestown, NC - Before the 80-foot tall highboy, this used
to be the tallest dresser. Notice the fabulous argyle socks, a nod
to the area's textile industry!

Thomasville, NC - Self-proclaimed 'World's Tallest
Duncan Phyfe Chair'  (There's another one in Washington
DC, but we'll have to weigh in on that later.)

Gaffney, SC - The Peachoid! Made famous in my life by 'House of Cards.'
As soon as I realized we'd be driving by it I knew we HAD to stop.
Coincidentally,  this was Gaffney's way of telling the world that
South Carolina is actually the top peach producer, not Georgia.

A Surprise Sporting Event!

Did you know that the 2014 National Curling Championships are in Philadelphia??? THEY ARE! AND I WENT!

Just for one day, but it was so cool to see so many teams from Minnesota!

And I finally knew how to properly dress for something!!!

Too. Much. Chocolate.

Is that even possible??

It is if you visit Max Brenner.

Should have known this was going to be trouble.

This is Max's 'Alice' mug. Really the perfect thing
to drink a milkshake out of. SO. GOOD.
I really wanted to buy one, but resisted.

As if it wasn't enough that they have marvelous
chocolate and desserts, they also have delicious food.

This is the 'hug mug.' It is filled with Italian sipping chocolate.
The mug is perfect for holding - so warm! The chocolate was thick
enough to chew. Ehrmagherd.

And to finish: European Fondue.

Thank goodness the car was blocks and blocks away. Needed to walk. Might not eat chocolate for a very, very long time.

Gearing Up...

It's almost time for 30 Days of Biking!
(No really, it's a legitimate thing!)

I already know that I'll be missing the end of the month, 'cause I'll be in Conshohocken, PA for work, but I'll be giving the rest of the month my all!

(And I'm so excited about the unseasonably warm temperaturs!)

(Also that I'm in my new 'hood... What new places will I ride to?)

(Oh, AND I ordered a new helmet! Hopefully it will match my bike.)

The Luminary Loppet!

This was my first year participating in this event... Due to the lack of snow, it was moved and the snowshow/ski event was changed to a hiking event.  It was chilly, but beautiful! Add hot cocoa, Maple-leaf shaped cookies (thanks, Canada!) and toasting marshmallows, and you have a darn good time.  (And free Surly, but you all know how I feel about beer. Even Surly.)

 

(I was also distressed that - due to the cold I think - my camera refused to work after the first couple shots.  Thankfully, my phone camera was willing to step in. I think it did a fine job!)

Happy Halloween!

A Run, and then the Ranch!!

So today was the Big Woods Run in Faribault.  (I did the 10k.) The run started at 9, but I was told I should get there as early as possible to get parked and ready.

Leaving on a cold morning, in the dark, at 6am was a pretty harsh start to a Saturday.  This was tempered by a few things:  the radio was quite friendly, pumping me up with some great dance hits I'd recently downloaded to my running mix AND (which was the coolest) -- Michael Jackson's "Thriller."

Totally epic at 6:30 am.

Also, I had done a poor job of having food in the house to prepare for a run, so I got to stop at McDonald's for hash browns, OJ, and a sausage McMuffin.

So delicious.

So anyway, it was a chilly morning but I was hopeful it would warm up a bit once the sun was up.  It wasn't too bad, but the first (and last) mile of the race was on a paved county road with fields on either side.  It was nice and warm to the east, from the sun, but you were simultaneously buffeted from freezing winds to the west.  I managed to make it to mile 1 before I saw the first of the 5k runners hit their final mile.

Yup.  I was pretty much last.  That's fine by me, though.

The whole morning's challenges was rendered completely worthwhile once I hit the trail in the park.  Dappled sunlight, a fairly flat trail, no one around... Gorgeous.  And I did pass at least one person so I wasn't totally last.

My reward was lunch at the brand-new Pizza Ranch location in Lakeville!!!


It was epic.  I totally heart Pizza Ranch.

Here it is!!!  Shiny and new!!!

Fantastic decor!!!

Settle in for some fine food, cowpokes!

Ahhhh... Summer.

A belated post, but I just finally got the pictures off my phone.

One of my summer "To Do"s was to dine on the patio at the new Psycho Suzi's.

It was awesome.

What I didn't know beforehand is that the building Suzi's took over used to be... what... a church? A funeral home?  I don't actually know.  But I was making some assumptions.  I probably could figure it out with more time inside.

But not on a gorgeous day like this was!!

I got a burger.

And tater tots are always a welcome addition.

We were right by the tiki fountain!!

One of the coolest parts was the occasional paddle boat on the river.

So... awesome.

Oh, and for dessert? Birthday Cake!

With a candle!

Tasty.

It's the End of Summer!

It's Labor Day -- the last day of the State Fair.

I'm driving home from a fantastic birthday celebration in Elk River, it's getting dark, I'm tired -- but I have one more pre-purchased State Fair ticket, and I haven't had my root beer yet.

So I stop.  And park.  Just for that.

I hadn't been to the Fair at dusk for a while!  Here are some bad cell-phone pics...

Liked catching the sign "in action."

Look!  Not every TV personality makes me look short!

The Grandstand looks H-O-T in this light.

It's my root beer!  SO DELICIOUS!!!

Dig that Space Needle! (Or Tower. Whatever.)

It's the FAIR!!!

Three words: Llama. Costume. Awesome.

Corn Dog.  Delicious.

It's true! I visited the oink booth - for the hat.

This is always my favorite part.  Really? A hammock? At the Fair?

Don't Mess with the Messersmith!

I had a tough day yesterday. Not to get into details, but suffice to say I don't usually see 20 out of 24 hours on any given day.

Thankfully, I wrapped it up at my first Music at the Zoo concert: Jeremy Messersmith with Rogue Valley.

Rogue Valley was very good, and I was impressed that they had put out FOUR albums in 2010! (One for each season. Yes, of course I bought all four! The packaging was so adorable!)

Jeremy was likewise faboo. He played all my favorites, PLUS two words: string quartet. AND one of his guitarists last night is a member of The Owls, another local band of which I am a fan.

I thought the setup at the zoo was great -- not a bad seat in thw house. Should have brought a cushion though. (Next timee!)

It finished my night off right, and made the rest of the day seem not so bad. I love music.

Circus Juventas!

Basically just a post of poor-quality cell phone photos!

W00t!