Day 50: Rendevous

Gracie, the conference room cutie!

I would like to say "rendezvous with destiny," but that would be an exaggeration.  Yesterday I was invited to meet with a group designing an educational Web site that hopes to do what Wikipedia has done in reference and what Facebook as done in social networking.  Like all of us "older people," I love to give advice even when that advice is not asked for.  So, to actually be asked to give advice was a treat.  When they told me that they office next to the Twins stadium, I naturally thought riding my bike would be the best way to get there...not the fastest or even the easiest but surely the most pleasant.  Of course I would bring Gracie.  For a moment I considered telling these people that I travel with my service dog but thought better of it.  I would just go with Gracie.

Monday evening, Bruce and I looked over the area where the offices were.  From the street map, getting their from the baseball stadium looked easy.  But when we consulted Google Earth, we found ourselves on a street below the street.  The light rail tracks and the train tracks and all the exits to the parking lots around Target Center (where the basketball games are played) converge in the area creating a massive obstacle between Target Field and this company's offices.  MapQuest now has walking and biking directions in addition to driving directions.  Interestingly, the biking and walking directions were different.  I was to learn why.

Armed with a vague sense of where we were going, Gracie and I left shortly before noon in order to arrive at our appointment by 1:30 p.m.  As one who gets lost regularly and who, at the same time, likes to be punctual, I have learned to  give myself plenty of time.  In this way, I avoid panic when I inevitably get lost...as I did. 

Sure enough, I mixed up 5th Avenue with 5th Street and went several hot, city blocks past the stadium and away from our actual destination.  Because of this, we were very nearly right on time, give or take five minutes.  Again, lucky for us, today was a beautiful day in the 70s with ultra-low humidity.  The bike ride to and part way around Cedar Lake and then along the trail awash in wildflowers was splendid! We locked the bike and tailer to the iron fence of the neighboring bar.  I put Gracie's orange vest on her, and we went in.  Like two old pros, we took the elevator to the 5th floor.  The receptionist got a little strange when she realized I had a hearing dog--but in a nice way, talking a little more slowly and distinctly.  People who claim Minnesota nice is no more should travel with a hearing dog for a while.  Gracie was very much a pro.  Of course everyone wanted to pet her (I guess they didn't read the sign on her vest), but I said please not to as that would distract her from her work.  They accepted that.  We went into a nice conference room with a cozy carpet and a big table (and of course a lot of electronic gizmos).  Gracie laid down at my feet and was so quiet and still that I forget she was there!  I shared my thoughts.  Though they may or may not follow through on any of my suggestions, being asked what I thought was gratifying. 

After we left, Gracie and I returned to the bike and had some water.  We rode to the Twins stadium, which turned out to be much easier to reach going back (right across the street, really).  I stopped at a patch of grass, so Gracie could relieve herself.  While I waited for her, I saw that a bathroom for humans was open even though the Twins were not playing.  Yeah!

The ride home was pleasantly uneventful.  Tomorrow is supposed to be even nicer--if that is even possible.