Chester's Place

 

About a month ago I was walking under the 10th Street bridge and passed by Chester's Place.  It seemed to have grown since the last time I had walked this way.  This time I decided to go around the fence and take a tour up inside the thing before snow and winter winds start to blow things around.  I found an article in the Star Tribune from 2015 about Chester and his life under the bridge.  He died about a year ago and yet his camp remains as something of a testament to not only his homeless-by-choice lifestyle but also the willingness of his community to look out for him.  It feels more like an art installation now and something that is obviously being cared for by others who may have know him.  

http://www.startribune.com/the-west-bank-s-homeless-fixture-chester-is-dead/330791811/

 

Maybe Chester had visitors who would stop by. His space seems inviting in a weird kind of way. I hope he wouldn't mind me poking my nose around in his home.  (I think I was respectful.)

I love the little figurines in the garden.

 

 

There's one of the vehicles that no longer worked. 

 

And his truck.

 

I was glad to read in the article that Chester liked to pick up trash in nearby Bluff Park.  He must have brought all his odd finds back to his camp, but maybe now other folks are bringing little items too.

Fall Colors

I've put on a lot of miles on my old hiking boots this week, trying to enjoy the weather and get my mind thinking about other things besides politics and the news. I've walked up the new trail along the river in Nordeast Minneapolis, the Winchell Trail, Bohemian Flats, Cedar Lake and through Theodore Wirth. The fall leaves on the ground have been outstanding.

The Winchell Trail along the Mississippi River is so peaceful.

 

There are still plenty of green leaves in the shrubs and this Broad Winged Hawk stayed still long enough for me to get my camera out and get a picture.

These Prairie Coneflowers were still blooming near Bohemian Flats.  I noticed this flower on the Minnesota Wildflower website, but had never seen one before.  There are still a few die hard flowers blooming here and there along the roads where it's sunny.

I spotted one of the new kayak rentals along the river.  I think you reserve on line, get a code, open the locker and get the paddles and life jacket.  Next year.

Best new surprise of the week.  Someone installed swings under the pedestrian bridge that is near the 35W bridge.  That put a smile on my face and yes I stopped to have a swing just like a kid again.

Today's Crap

I took a quick trip up river today to do about an hour of trash pickup.  Starting under the Hennepin Avenue Bridge, there was the usual litter plus these four cans of Endust.  I see someone was enjoying a little "dusting".  I don't know much about that habit but the evidence was there in the dirt under the bridge.

Also under the Hennepin bridge, the graffiti that arrived early October has been painted over already.  I see "That Guy" was out and about. The bridge maintenance crew was on top of that really fast.  Good job.

Just a bit upstream and on to the river viewing area and steps.  I am here a lot!! So many booze bottles. It is a favorite place for all kinds of stuff, good and bad.  It's time to get park and rec over here to do some graffiti abatement work.  There seems to be an increase of graffiti here with nothing done about it.  Some of this has been here for more than a year and some is more recent.

 If you are going to do do graffiti, it is probably best to not sign your name Azarea.

"That Guy", possibly the most prolific graffiti artist working in the cities marked up the steps a couple of weeks ago.  That white stuff seems like it is some kind of gunky caulk.  After a good rain, it can be chipped off with a pocket knife.  I wonder how long it will take for the residue to fade.

This graffiti has been here for as long as I have lived in downtown.

Last thing of the day was to bring up two air mattresses and and a down comforter out of the woods nearby.  Never leave your address on the box that it came in.  I left it all by the road.  As I was walking home I saw some park and rec guys driving that way so hopefully they picked it up.