We recently spent a week bicycling across Nebraska with the BRAN (Bicycle Ride across Nebraska). It was a wonderful adventure filled with amazing scenery, a diverse topography, the most genial and friendly people, and sunshine! We started in Chadron (west side of the state) and ended in Fremont (east side of the state). Our 400+ miles of travel took us through the Sandhills of Nebraska, fields of corn in the agricultural area, and the rolling hills of the eastern side as we were closer to the rivers. The flooding the state has dealt with this spring was evident as we saw washouts along the Elkhorn River and standing water in so many fields. We are appreciative of the people who welcomed us in their towns and were so generous with their Nebraskan hospitality. To me, a bicycle ride is the perfect way to see and appreciate the landscape, terrain, and people — it’s as upclose an experience as you can get on a journey along highways and biways.
landscapes
End of a spring day
It had been a windy and cloudy day, but as the evening wore on the wind began to die down. We were fishing as the air became still. Eagles were flying overhead and the crappies were biting. The dark clouds were still above but the sun moved below them lighting up the opposite shore. The leaves were full on some of the trees and yet others had only begun to leaf out, filtering the sunlight as it came through the trees. The low light and the calmness created a beautiful reflection of the end of a spring (finally!) day.
Prescribed wildfire burn
We were exploring at the Namekagon Barrens Wildlife Area this past weekend. Located in Burnett County in northwestern Wisconsin, this is a globally rare landscape of pine and oak with a very sandy soil. It’s quite startling to see the Barrens after driving miles through forested land; all of a sudden the sky opens up and the vista is wide with rolling hills and a prairie-like view. The ground near the road was black where there had been a prescribed burn the day before, and the air had a pronounced smell of smoke. After about 20 minutes, we saw smoke to the east and found they were doing some spot fires to finish what had been started the day before. I’m excited to return to the area in the next week or so — the grass will be turning green with our recent rains, and soon the wildflowers will sprout and bloom.
Ahh…spring
And just like that, spring is here. We’ve gone from brown to green within one week. Some spring rain showers, bright sunshine, and warm temperatures in the 60’s and 70’s have caused spring to burst forth in Minnesota. Grass is now green, and the trees and shrubs are bursting with their leaf buds. Green shoots are visible from the warming soil, and I have even seen some daffodils that are blooming. Our lilac bush has opened its tight buds into the warm air. And luckily the snowfall predicted for this weekend did not appear. Quickly our landscape will continue to change.
A drive along Lake Michigan
Last weekend we made a quick trip to Milwaukee. Although it is further south than the Twin Cities, the temperatures were still cool and there was a brisk wind blowing. We spent a few hours at the Milwaukee Art Museum and then drove north along the shoreline of Lake Michigan. It was a wonderful drive close by the lake, then through some neighborhoods of large historic mansions and many public parks. The lake was a beautiful almost-turquoise color that contrasted nicely with the clouds. As cool as it was, people were out enjoying the day with its promise of spring.
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