Cloudy with a Chance of Downpours

The weather for the long weekend was not the greatest but it looked like Monday might be just mostly cloudy so we decided to pack up the bikes and head up to the Hiawatha, a rails-to-bike trail with several tunnels and trestles.  We went a couple of years ago but the kids were still not on their own bikes.  This time, Lane and Morgan provided their own pedal power and Logan trailed along on the tag-along behind Ryan.  It's 15 miles all told and they all did quite well, especially when you consider that the mostly cloudy forecast turned into a definitely rainy reality.  

 Here they are, outfitted with bright lights and ready to take on the big tunnel.

The rain started dripping on us before we started, so it was off into the tunnel we go.  It is one dark, lengthy, drippy tunnel!

On the other side of the tunnel, peering over the edge of one of the trestles.  A few mud stripes on their backsides but really, not so bad ... yet.

We added gloves and Logan turned into a little ninja with Ryan's balaclava.  But they were warm and grinning so we soldiered on.

Still dry...for the moment.  We got to the bottom without much more than a small shower.  But when we climbed onto the shuttle bus for the ride back up, the clouds opened up.  The shuttle doesn't take you all the way back to the parking lot, there is still a bit of riding and the big tunnel to go back through.

So here's the before (he loved his well lit helmet)...

and here's the after!  He was not a happy camper!  Poor kid was getting direct spray from his Dad's back tire.

 Never mind the spray from his own back tire!

It was a great adventure and thankfully we had packed dry clothes for the kids so Logan's frown changed to a smile not long after this was taken.  We had failed to pack dry clothes for us but that's what the heater is for, right?(:

And this is the treat we saw on our way out to the highway.  Nothing like a beautiful rainbow to brighten our afternoon!