Big River Trail

 

   C and I decided to get up early and go for a short bike ride Monday morning before it got too hot. We decided to bike on the Big Rivers Regional Trail which is not too far away from where we live. It's a nice trail along the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers and passes by the confluence. The trail goes through Mendota village. One of the stops on the trail is Big River park. 

   Half of the trail had been closed for much of last summer. We had not been on it in about a year. We parked in Lilydale, got our bikes off the rack and began to ride. I had forgotten how much I liked riding the trail. It was wide enough so other riders and walkers could pass easily. The direction we had chosen to go was a small incline, but easily manageable. The trees on one side of the trail were lush and green. The river below us was brown and moving sluggishly in its bank. Birds were chirping, singing and flying around the trail and over the river.

   We kept riding along the river until the path crossed the highway. We rode on the edge of the village. We had lived there for a couple of years before we moved to our current home. The trees were flourishing and hid the residential area of the village. 

   We kept riding until we got to the park. The first thing I saw was the large shelter building. That was the reason the trail was closed, they were constructing the shelter. There were bathrooms and a water fountain. The shelter was open on three sides, well lit and had a shelf on one side where food could be served. Several picnic tables were lined up neatly and four permanent grills were outside the shelter.

   There were new plantings of native herbs and signs explaining how the herbs were used. They had done a wonderful job with the park. 

   Around the park was a small wall that circled the beautiful overlook area. According to the new signs, the stones used in building the wall were local stone. The wall had been built by the WPA, Works Progress Administration. It was a program started in 1935 to help unemployed people find work. Many WPA projects involved improving infrastructure. Many public buildings and amenities in public parks were built by WPA workers. (source Wikipedia)

   I have a soft spot in my heart for this program as my maternal grandfather was one of the workers. He worked on projects in Wisconsin. I've also seen many other projects and buildings that were built during that time by WPA workers. Despite some of the faults and criticisms of the program it helped a lot of people work and care for their families at the same time building things and doing other projects that we are still benefitting from today.

   C and I are looking forward to visiting the park and having a picnic in the shelter. Maybe we'll meet friends and grill. It will be fun to see what the plantings look like and smell the flowers when they bloom. I'm grateful to have this place of beauty nearby and for all the people past and present that worked to make it what it is today.