University of Minnesota River Flats

We took the light rail from downtown to the U of M yesterday morning.  I wanted to see what the beach looked liked on the east bank of the University.  Just behind the medical center is a staircase that takes you down to the river flats area.  I saw the familiar Park and Rec trash barrel so I guess that makes this city of Minneapolis park land.  The stuffed elephant was waiting there at the bottom of the staircase. No, I did not throw him in the barrel.  My bag was half full of trash just with what I picked up on the staircase.

I don't remember ever exploring this side of the river.  On our way down to the beach we came across this little gem.  This graffiti work at least does a nice job of blending into its environment.  I wonder what's in that little locked door.

The beach area has several larger items that need to be hauled out.  This one looks like a heavy duty metal frame for what maybe was once a dormitory sofa.  Wild party in the dorm.  Next day the sofa is missing.

More large items...propane tank and I don't even know what that other piece of metal was from.

 There were some interesting things down at the beach.  I like that minimalist fork sculpture.

If you leave the River Flats area and take the path downstream you will get to the foot bridge and the area under the I 94 bridge.  By the time we arrived there my trash bag was full.  I saw another empty bag near the foot bridge and went to get it.  I reached for the bag and realized I was looking right into some guy's make shift home.  He looked to be about 20 years old and was sound asleep.  I backed out of there as quiet as I could.  If you walk in any of the urban paths along the Mississippi River, there will be evidence of people living along the river.  That is just a fact.  There is more graffiti along the way too.  The graffiti that I see on the bridges and cliffs just isn't particularly well done and it doesn't add anything to the experience.  It seems most of it is less about artist expression and more about dare devil skills of getting onto and under the bridges and scrambling up rocky cliffs.  Further downstream is the Franklin Avenue bridge.  The bridge is closed for repairs and the path under it is also closed.  Under the bridge and up in the cliffs is more graffiti and another makeshift home. Sticks and blankets shield the entrance to a cave.  Someone has hung a swing from a tree for entertainment. Time to turn back.  Had the path been open, we would have been in St. Paul and continued onto other parks along the river.