Jamie Thingelstad

Tammy and I had a great 28 mile out-and=back ride on the Root River Trail today. We went east from Lanesboro and rode to Peterson. With Covid-19 some places were closed. We were bummed to find Aroma Pie Shoppe, our favorite stop for pie in Whalan, was closed for the season. We did get a snack in Peterson at Burdey’s Cafe and turned around.

The trail was in fabulous shape and the temperatures where in the mid-60’s all day. It was a great day for riding. The rain held while we were on the trail too!

Today was the first day of school. First day of school during a pandemic. First day of school via distance learning.

We still kept tradition. I made chocolate chip pancakes and fresh whipped cream for breakfast. We went out front for all the traditional first day of school photos.

But then things were different. Instead of going off to school, we went back in the house.

Mazie and Tyler each have a space setup to attend school. We made sure they were ready. Last minute I realized they needed extension cords. Then I went upstairs to my office and got to work. They all connected via Google Classrooms for their classes. And we were off!

Tammy helped with anything that wasn’t working. Both kids had a good first day. Mazie had one teacher that couldn’t figure out some technical issues. Tyler’s class seemed to go really smooth. They both were uploading videos they took to Flipgrid to share with their classes.

Overall I would say first day of school via distance learning was a success!

We watched Mulan tonight on Disney+ with Premier Access. The movie was great. None of us had seen the animated version so the story was all new and hooked us right away.

The film itself was impressive and the action was phenomenal. Watching it at home was just fine. We don’t have a full home theatre but it was still a great experience. We forgot to make popcorn though. 🍿

It would be a welcome change to be able to see movies right away on digital platforms.

After our morning bike ride Tammy and I continued our day of fun and adventure with a late afternoon kayak down the Crow River. We met River Dragon Kayak Rental outside of Saint Michael and then drove upstream to Hanover and put in the river there.

Here we are at the put in spot. If I look nervous it’s because I’m not very confident in kayaks still.

After I settled in and navigated a few shallow water rock bumping occasions I got comfortable and we had a stellar paddle down the river. It took us about 90 minutes to go the 5 miles. After we finished we had a nice dinner outside at Main Street Farmer in St. Michael.

With the kids away with their cousin for a couple of days, I cleared my calendar and Tammy and I took a day to ourselves. We got started early with a big bike ride. We drove out to Wayzata and had a delicious breakfast outside at The Grocer’s Table. Then we went to the start of the start of the Dakota Rail Regional Trail and took off. The trail was great with wonderful views in all directions. When we got to Lake Waconia we turned around. We put 33 miles in on the out and back.

In addition to breakfast we stopped on our ride back for a fun round of mini golf at Big Stone Mini Golf. This is the best mini golf place that I’ve been. You are surrounded by stone sculpture too. After we finished golfing we wandered through the sculpture garden. After the round of mini golf we stopped for lunch at Dakota Junction in Mound and then finished the last few miles back to Wayzata. What a great way to spend a morning!

After our great bike ride, we went for an afternoon kayak!

Tonight Tammy and I went to one of our favorite restaurants in town, Martina. We were excited to see their new outdoor patio space. Patios have gone from being a nice summer option to one of the most important things a restaurant can have during the pandemic.

The space is amazing. It is well designed with different levels, trees, and lighting. It is one of our favorite patios in town now. The drinks and food were amazing as always.

The distancing precautions and changes to their processes were also very well done to minimize risks.

The Panqueque dessert is still amazing, and perfect to share for two. 🍌🤤