Hot Rochester Days

Nicholas, Donovan, Lily, and I set up a pretty regular schedule while in Rochester. After breakfast, we got out the bikes and strollers and hit the trails. Rochester has a great system of bike trails. The trails nearest to our house pass by the parking lot where Doug catches the bus, a playground in the neighboring community, and several man made lakes. We load the stroller with water and treats and make the dam below one of our first major stops. 

Donovan (looking at the water) and Nicholas

Nicholas

Donovan

As Donovan became better at riding his bike we were able to lengthen our bike rides. After riding for about an hour on one hot day, we had to break the rules and go wading in this lake. All of the lakes have "No Swimming" signs up - but, the weather was too hot and the water was too cool to keep going. 

Nicholas at the drop off (left) and Lily (front) and Donovan (right) playing it safer in the shallow waters.

Nicholas and Donovan

One of our favorite spots to go was the Oxbow Zoo. They have bear, otter, wolves, coyotes, prairie dogs, eagles, owls, hawks, a badger, several porcupines, turkeys, deer, bison, elk, and several domestic animals. 

One of the domestics - a goat who went to the extreme to get the greener grass. 

 Finally, Rochester has dozens of great playgrounds. Two of our favorites were at Soldier's Field, which is also the location where Nicholas has really learned to swim well. He has become quite the daredevil on the pool's long (112 foot) curvy waterside and the short drop-slide. (No pictures from the pool - since I only have two hands.)

Donovan, Nicholas, and Lily on the rope tower.

Donovan and Nicholas at a BIG sandbox.

Lily, Donovan, and Nicholas on the tire swing.

And, when it got too hot, we found sprinklers and the kids ran through them. It turns out that Olmstead County is the only county in Minnesota with no natural lakes (clearly it has several man-made lakes).

Finally, the pictures below are from our first week in Rochester, which also was the week of Rochesterfest - and the world's longest parade (2+ hours) and the most candy thrown at a parade... Each boy brought home a bag full, which they fortunately forgot about. 

Lily with one of many lollipops.

Aricca and Lily. The parade was so long that she fell asleep in my arms.