Extraordinary Weeds

Location Coordinates:

44°48'52"N, 93°32'13"W

Minnesota River Bluffs Regional Trail

Eden Prairie, Minnesota

     After a long stretch of recent travel, I was anxious to get back on the bike and out on my hometown area trails. Last weekend, Chrys and I ventured out to a trail we had not yet ridden around the area of Lake Riley in the suburban Minneapolis communities of Eden Prairie and Chanhassen. We found the Minnesota River Bluffs Regional Trail running alongside Lake Riley's eastern shore and started in a southwesterly direction. Spending so much time on the crowded urban trails within the city, it was a very nice change to be almost alone on this path, riding through deciduous forest along a bluff overlooking the Minnesota River and the town of Shakopee.

     Perspective truly is everything. In a well-manicured lawn, a clump of thistle would likely be viewed as unwanted weeds. But in Scotland, thistle is a national icon, and is really quite pretty in an open, natural setting. As we leisurely pedaled our way along the regional trail we came across a large clump of thistle. Chrys has an appreciation for thistle (it appears as a decorative feature on her best Scottish dishes), so we made note of the location so I could return with the camera. When I returned Tuesday evening I found the thistle humming with industrious bees, doing their jobs moving pollen from one place to the next. A few passing bicyclists did double-takes as they observed me snapping photo after photo of what appeared to be a big clump of weeds. And while the photos didn't end up being as "frame-worthy" as I had hoped, they do illustrate how a change of perspective in how you look at something can make a big difference. Unwanted clump of weeds, or charming bunch of flowers? Everyone can decide for themselves.