I've used Picasa for some time now, but decided it was about time I also had a Flickr photostream. I love to take photos either on long bike rides through the northwoods, or as SkiCam Man during cross-country ski races. Here are two photos from today's bike ride. The weather was nasty (42F with 20 mph winds off Lake Superior). However, there is often beauty during ugly weather. Click upon either image to view at full size.

The Red Barn was just screaming at me to stop from my ride and take its photo. The red really stands out against the nasty sky. For the second photo my bike outlines the Lakewood Plunge. In the next 2.9 miles I'll lose 525 in elevation … super fun. Albeit I had to climb many rolling hills on back roads to first reach that peak.

Both photos utilize HDR photography where I combine three exposures into one finished picture.

NorthStar Nerd Flickr Photostream

It's neat when your professional and personal life collide in unexpected but fantastic ways. Today was one of those rare occasions when because of my work leading collaboration efforts for a major Fortune 100 company, I met Andy Ridley who is Executive Director of Earth Hour. Andy presented on how his global non-profit organization was using Yammer as a means of extending his team's reach to all it's thousands of volunteers across the world in support of saving our planet. Attending the meeting were other Yammer customer from around the world. 

If you've read my blog, you will know that I have a 500 mile bicycle ride planned for this August named the Trans-Superior Tour. The ride will focus on the beautiful and precious resource, Lake Superior. In today's Yammer meeting I made a challenge to the other executives present, and noted that a formal challenge in support of Earth Hour would soon be forthcoming. While my ideas are still percolating, not only will I challenge my co Yammer Customer Advisory Board members, but I will also challenge the many readers of this blog. During my nine day ride, I would like you in turn to take a 60 minute bike ride near where you live along the shores of a lake or river. I will work with Earth Hour to provide a forum where you may make your commitment, and also provide link(s) to information about your lake or river. Expect more soon! I'm not asking for money, but I am asking you to ride for fresh water.

For the moment, consider "liking" both this blog and Earth Hour's Facebook Page.

Do you love Lake Superior? This inland sea is the largest lake in the world, and holds 10 percent of the earth's fresh water supply (Lake Superior facts). For this reason alone, the lake which the Ojibewe call Gichigami, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow transposed to Gitche Gumee in his epic poem, Song of Hiawatha, should be on your list of favorites and deserves your support and protection. 

Thus, this Summer I will be thrilled to bike the Trans-Superior Tour with my wife Molly (her blog, SuperiorFootprints). Over the course of nine days we will bike 500 miles, and ride two ferries allowing us a one night stop over at Isle Royale National Park. Our journey is sponsored by the Lake Superior Binational Forum. This organization's charter is to restore and protect the Lake Superior Basin. While Molly and I are not seeking donations for our trip, we do ask you to follow our journey, both via our blogs, the Forum's web site and their Facebook page. We hope you will learn something about this great resource.

Our slogan for this ride, which is printed on our custom jerseys, is "500 miles of love"! Having both grown up in Duluth, and given that by this Summer we will have been married for 29 years, the tag line seemed perfect. We're in love with a Lake named Superior, and each other!

Here is our planned route, and a photo taken of us today down at Brighton Beach on the North Shore of Lake Superior at the end of a 35 mile ride! Our trip starts on Saturday, August 18th.

Click upon either image to view at full size.

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Here are a few links to other bike trips I've taken in the region:

• Summer 2010: BWCA Superior Tour - Full Trip | Echo Trail Ride
• Summer 2011: Gunflint Trail Tour

• Take Mulberry Street to Sollaw Sollew,
• Meeting Turtles and Sneetches just to name a few.
• Eat Green Eggs and some Ham
• This ride is never about SPAM!
• For the Doctor is most wise,
• You will soon completely realize!

Back in 1960 when Green Eggs and Ham was first published, I was 4 years old. It was one of the first books I ever read to myself. Over the next half century I've been in love with a doctor named Seuss! It's with pleasure today I publish the free eBook, "The Unofficial Encyclopedia of Dr. Seuss".

The encyclopedia is a compilation of articles from Wikipedia in downloadable pdf format. You'll find information about many of your favorite books, but also a long article about Dr. Seuss himself. In total, the encyclopedia is 87 pages long, and has active links to other Wikipedia related content. Thus take a virtual ride from Sollaw Sollew to the Kingdom of Didd!

The technology involved in the creation of this book is the Wikipedia Book Creator which is documented in this prior post. You can even send my Encyclopedia Seuss to your Kindle! (learn how). If you prefer to read via an iPad, link to this post and scroll to the bottom to learn more about my favorite iPad pdf reader.