KEEP COOL .... Are you kidding?

MinneHAHA ice cream parlor is looking forward to Spring, one scoop at a time. 

Shoe shopping at Schuler's.  Your humble editor bought himself a pair of the Haflinger's, with every intent of wearing them at home -- house shoes the locals call them.  Comfortable? You betcha'.

Snow. Cold. Sun. Melt. Ice. Icicles. Walk under these stalagmite-type-thingies at your own winter risk.  

Bob's Java Hut on Lyndale in Minneapolis makes a very good cappuccino and provides of privacy and table space for serious journal entry.  Plus:  for a buck-and-a-quarter, handsome sticker makes for perfect young person gift item.  

Lunch today at Highland Grill with my most esteemed public intellectual. 

After the snow, and some Rancho de los Caballeros pool time, here's some other spots to visit in and around Wickenburg.

Untold millions of tons of copper ore have been taken out of mines here in Bagdad. "The Best Copper Town Anywhere," is a company town.  The father of a friend of ours in Wickenburg worked his entire career in the mines, retired, but stayed in Bagdad anyway. 

The Ranch. That's what generations of  tender foot visitors to southwest Arizona call Rancho de los Caballeros. Sporting an 18-hole championship golf course, more than 100 head of saddle horses, miles and miles of trails, classic resort pool, tennis courts, 4-star food and drink, and real love cowboys, "The Ranch" never disappoints.

This bare-ass-biker is not part of the scene in Wickenburg, AZ. 

Two lovely cowgals style some raccoon hats in the hot summer sun.  Not for the feint of heart.

Remember the bike out front of The Ranch, near the welcome sign?  This leg, plus the other, belong to the guy who rides that Giant Cypress. A little matter of losing control in the desert sand caused the boo-boos so readily apparent.

And when you're done with all the activities and exploring, why not drag your weary buns back pool-side, chill in a chaise, take a sip of your colada, post your toes on FB, and make up a tall tale about wrestling a rattler in the Sonoran Desert.

My sister and brother go sledding, ca. 1955.

Aren't these just about the cutest siblings anyone could ever ask for?  My dad, a superb amateur photographer, lined up Sis and Bro on a well-used Flexible Flyer, and produced one of the best family shots I've ever seen. Dad was a Leica man (no finer camera in its day), and he worked with 35mm Kodachrome film.  The most memorable and precious fotos were made into 4 x 6 glossy prints, for all eternity.

Lloyd M. hosted Mike B., Phil D and Yours Truly on an Eastern Maryland Shore adventure, some thirty years ago.

Got these pics in the mail last night from my old buddy Lloyd.  He and family live in the Rocky Mountains now, but there was a time when they domiciled in Maryland, and had have unfettered access to the byways of the Eastern Shore. 

The foto on the left -- the guy pointing to the sign for "Seth State Park" -- is the same Seth who writes this blog.  The old Seth has a full head of hair, a 'stache, and more than an inch to pinch around the waist line. The bike -- a TREK 700 series -- is in regular use three decades later.

Next foto: me, Phil and Mike. Maybe near St. Michael? I seem to remember we stopped in that liquor store for a 1/2 gallon of Mt. Gay Rum:  the preferred beverage of many of the finest velosters we know.


Final shots on the right: fearless foursome on the final day of our four-day trip.  Wish we had a shot of the hotel room where all four of us, with bikes next to the bed, spent the night.  

Ralph would approve of the good care my Polo sweaters receive over at Pilgrim Cleaners in Long Lake.

Thanks to a very generous gift from a certain "Will" in the Bay Area of California, I am proud owner of a pair of Ralph Lauren v-neck pull-over sweaters. They are dreamy.

When it comes time to spruce them up, and to make sure all spots and dribbles magically disappear, there's only one place to go: Pilgrim Cleaners.

Work there is done the old fashioned way: paying close attention to detail, treating sweaters with respect, AND, as you can see in this pic, making sure any special care instructions are pinned by hand to the Polo label inside the collar. 

With a little luck I can pass these cashmere and wool "jumpers" (that's what the Brits call sweaters in the UK) on to my heirs and their kids.  

Local Mpls furniture superstore presents a vintage Indian-made CycleDesk, with AVON underpinnings, topped by repurposed salvaged wood.

Ever see a piece of furniture like this?  I hadn't until I popped in Schneiderman's and slammed on my brakes! An "English" style bike, made in India, used for decades, con-joined with scrap wood and recycled materials, and made into a kitchen counter?  Rec room bar? potting table? hobby work area? Whatever .....

AVON is the leading manufacturer of bikes in India. Bike style is decidedly British, and AVON brand name - paen to one of best known rivers in the UK.  Chain ring here is classy in its simplicity and visual appeal.  

Patty, a member of the design team at Schneiderman's, showed me this hybrid, said that sales were pretty strong.  List price was somewhere around $900, but had been reduced to $600+ for special promotion.

Our friend Alison, Brand Ambassador for the Dutch-made Van Raam, demos this e-assisted trike.

Our friend Alison is North American brand ambassador for the Dutch-made Van Ramm line, including this electric assist trike.  Here she is with her dog and new "Fun2Go" model.  Dog still thinking about jumping on the passenger seat. 
"Fun2Go" will likely be available in the States soon. On a New England winter day recently Alison's friend’s 86 year-old dad climbed aboard and joined in the pedaling. The octogenarian has balance issues, never thought he’d ride a bike again! F2G trike sports an e-assist silent motor with a disengagement hub, so that driver can enable passenger to pedal or not, as he or she is able.