8 Mile Hike

First, let me say that I played hooky and ditched my volunteer job today.  I never do that (almost).  I am conscientious to a fault, but today I needed to be outside after a crappy night's sleep due to a neighbor's dog. No, this is not the neighbor's dog.  We were walking the Winchell Trail along the Mississippi River Gorge when my husband said "quit looking up and watch where you're going".  I do have a tendency to trip, so I looked down and this was what was staring back at me.  I thought briefly about taking that body less creature with me to give to the park service. What is it?  Wolverine, badger?  I want it to be a wolverine because I just like the idea and the sound of WOLVERINE!  Maybe I'll send this photo to the park ranger over at Fort Snelling.

The trail was not all scary skeletons today.  No, butterflies were waiting for me too.  Is this a Swallowtail or something else?

  Up above the wooded trail the tended gardens along River Road Parkway looked pretty spectacular too.

Down along the river there was plenty of trash to be picked up.  Lucky for me I found an empty bag and at least got some of it.  There is plenty more to be picked up.  And of course there are always storm drain outfalls to take a peak in.

                                   There was some new graffiti on the Lake Street Bridge.

We probably should have just headed home (by bus or light rail or car2go) after mile 6 but decided to keep going past the Franklin Bridge and down to the area near the University of Minnesota landslide that occurred about 2 years ago.

          http://www.startribune.com/mudslide-shuts-down-part-of-west-river-parkway/263922941/

So technically, one is not supposed to be here, if in fact you are capable of reading the NO TRESSPASSING sign.  But, the shortcut was too tempting.  I didn't get 10 feet into the no go zone before two young cops on bikes zoomed in.  "I confess" I said.  They let us go because, well, I'm  sure they didn't want to arrest people that look like your mom and dad.  Thanks for not embarrassing us you guys. So up the hill we had to climb and walk around the back end of the campus and well that's how we ended up with 8 miles on our walk.