Lapchik's '25 GT

[Frump]

Years ago the State of Iowa owned and operated all the liquer stores. Later you could purchase beer at the grocery store too, then later wine too. The hours and day of the week were controlled - no beer sales on Sunday, then later no beer sales except noon to 6 pm on Sunday, then noon to 10 pm on Sunday, then I think 24 hours. Now the state just owns a distribubution warehosue for spirits. Everything except beer or wine is supposed to go thorugh the state distribution warehouse unless the vendor has a "special license". Apparently some stuff still gets in through using other nefarious methods like UPS labeled as hot sauce and the like.

If the warehouse in Ankeny were to ever get hit by a tornado or burn down there will be a lot of angry zombie like drunks walking around or driving out of state. There may be some exceptions for locally made liquer, but everyone still needs a state control ribbon on their caps as far as I know, not sure how the local distilleries go about doing that. Again beer and wine have exceptions. Its complicated, but basically its setup so the state always collects alcohol taxes in addition to sales taxes and they don't worry so much about the "sins of alcohol" anymore.

[Lapchik]

I should plan a trip to Templeton sometime. It's my favorite whiskey. All they had at the local liquor store the last time I went was some really expensive reserve version of it so I had to pass. Too expensive versus the regular stuff. I think you can still buy it directly from the distillery. Wonder if the barrel pyramid is still out front, I know that was a rally location at some point.

Prohibition did bring us some pretty cool stuff. Pabst got into manufacturing cheese and soft drinks to survive, and later sold the cheese technology and equipment to Kraft foods.

[Lapchik]

Just a short trip after work again due to temperatures sticking to the mid 40s or less for another week. Mistakes were made today.

I jumped on the bike and took off right after work. It was fine, until I got out of town. The wind blowing across the hundreds of acres of lakes works like an air conditioner. Mistake one: wet, cold wind and I was too impatient to dig out my heavy gloves and ride pants. Mistake two: I took the secret back road around town, and learned that trailmax mission tires are of little to no use in mud. I had to go full "barefoot skiing" mode to get through, making me sweat (mistake 3).

I stopped at the Village for a GT picture. I have never eaten here, because every time I stop in the kitchen is closed. I suspect it is much like the ice cream at McDonalds: perpetually broken. First drinks are always mixed strong, followed immediately by ice water lightly tinted with spirits.

The next mistake (#4) was stopping to talk to my kids. Talking to them and giving them a hug was obviously not the mistake. Leaving my jacket and liner on was the mistake. I stood around just long enough to sweat a little more, and then had to drive along the lake and into the wind for several miles. I had been moderately cold, but was now uncomfortably cold and stopped to put on heavy gloves and over pants. While hopping on one leg and hoisting the pants up, I was warned by the DNR to not drive on the lake. I assured them I only look like an idiot, and had no intention of driving on the slush that is now the surface of the lake.

I got my other GT pic at the Lariat, which I have never been inside of. I'm sure Cyrus is usually a perfectly fine little town, but a lot of locals haven't cared to spend much time there since the fatal officer shooting two years ago. His son went to school with my kids.

[Lapchik]

Only one grand tour today, but I also got the twin cities photo tag. Still can't find a sun dial, but I'm keeping an eye out for one. It was supposed to go from 39 up to 45° today but instead the clouds came in and it got damp and dropped down to 34°. I ended up riding 155 miles, stopping four or five times to warm my hands up with the exhaust. My toes were pretty cold by the end of it, but I was otherwise okay. Next winter I am absolutely getting myself a better pair of boots and some heated grips.

Did not go in to eat, so I have no review for you. Had to stop and take a picture of the cows; grammar so bad it made my eye twitch. Inspiration peak was still closed for the season, and I will always detour to see a nearby fiberglass or concrete folk art installation.

[Lapchik]

150 mile loop today. In Morris, MN I met the fire cheif, Matt Solemsaas. Gave him my card and talked about events we had done for a few minutes. Very happy to have had a ride without needing the insulated pants for a change. Haven't been to either of these places, so no food review. The guy inside Route 22 had no idea what the building had been or why there are star of David accents on the exterior. They also didn't have Templeton.

[Lapchik]

What I thought would be a nice ride after work resulted in the one cloud in the sky dampening me twice. I started out by running up the interstate to grab the Twin Cities photo tag in Breckenridge. There was a single grey cloud in the sky, and it got me just damp enough to sap every bit of warmth out of my body. Not enough rain to put gear on, but enough to make it suck for a few minutes.

After the photo tag, I grabbed a GT. I went in and talked to a couple locals while the bartender was "out back havin' a smoke". After about 5 minutes, I walked around the building to ask about a drink and maybe some sort of fried appetizer, but they must have gone home for their smoke break. Either that or the two local yokels inside were messing with me and one was on the wrong side of the bar. Either way, I headed back towards home.

I had to stop and talk my daughter out of a panic attack over the phone, and in the time I was stopped that damned cloud had drifted along with the breeze to moisturize me a second time. I also found the prince from the "Swan Princess" movie in the field drive i was pacing on.

It wasn't really cold enough to warrant extra breaks, but I came across a state WMA that didn't have a well defined driveway or parking area. I dropped in and wandered around a bit. It seemed to have been a former farm site, with (probably literally) tons of old metal cans, glass jars, fencing, and other antique pollution laying around on the banks of a small creek. I'm guessing that it was probably a former farm forfeited to the state in lieu of tax payments or something. It was definitely not a random occurrence trash dump, apparent from the age of the pollution and trees growing around cement footings and an old wood cooking stove. I grabbed a green bottle that was in decent shape, and partial insulator off an old powerline. I also picked up a few cans and some ammo cardboard boxes. I try to leave any WMA or park better than I found it. I wish I could have found an old oil spout or a decent old oil can of some sort, but most of the stuff was rusted to bits. Someone with a metal detector and patience could probably find something interesting out there. For sure a community cleanup opportunity, if anyone wanted to actually occupy that space. Seems like the state could have scraped that bank clear when they took over the area in just a few minutes with large equipment. Keep the waterway clear of trash instead of letting it slowly sink in over the years.

[DownUnder]

What is a WMA ?

[theemightyorbit]

(04-10-2025 05:30 PM)DownUnder Wrote:  What is a WMA ?

Wildlife Management Area.

[Lapchik]

1,728 public wildlife areas covering something like 1.4 million acres just in Minnesota. That doesn't include state parks, off road vehicle parks, snowmobile trails, national park, or most of the lakes. There are 43 of them just in Douglas County (which is 720 square miles, 83 of which is water).