Ice is out on Lakes Calhoun and Harriet (for liberal definitions of Ice Out). There is still a little broken ice floating free on the east sides of both lakes, but the main body of the lake and most of the shoreline is completely melted. If you look it up, you find that there are multiple ways of defining Ice Out, and none of the websites that report ice out dates actually report the definition that corresponds to the date. However, my rather hasty research suggests that if this is not the earliest ice out on record for these lakes it is at least a tie for the earliest.

We think the last of it melted on Monday, April 21, under the warm April rain. Anyway, there wasn't a speck of ice or snow anywhere on or near Lake Harriet as of sundown on Tuesday.

Note that the Lake Harriet Ice Out last year was on or shortly before March 24 - about a month earlier than this year.

It's going fast. On both lakes the ice sheet is coming loose from the shoreline along most of the lakeshore, although not floating completely free. Harriet is further along than Calhoun, especially along the north side, with long channels rotted through the ice to the water below, and a few larger areas of open water. A few optimistic ducks were paddling around in a small melted area right by the south shoreline.

I predict that the ice will go out completely on Harriet next Saturday, and the following day on Calhoun.

I biked 9 miles today, around both lakes. It seemed easy enough until I got to the far side of Lake Calhoun and really started to feel it. Now I'm completely exhausted. But I'm glad I didn't stop with the easy ride. My goal is to get to the point where I can ride to work and back by the end of April. It took me until July last year.

Lake Harriet is smooth as glass, with a faint bloom of mist on the surface. Ice is just starting to form around the edges. Yesterday there was a boat on the lake, motionless, with two fishermen standing in it. It's still there today. The fishermen do not move or make a sound, but I think they must be in a state of ecstasy. Otherwise, why would they be there? It can't be comfortable. It's 42 degrees out here and they are not moving a muscle. They aren't even relaxing on the seats; they're just standing there. For hours. The bike path rounds a corner and I see two more boats with immobile standing fisherman. Then I see a boatless fisherman close to shore standing in thigh-deep water. I will never understand fishing.

Calhoun is a much more urban lake than Harriet, and I don't expect to see fishermen here. But there is one. At least he's in a boat, and the boat appears to have a motor, although it isn't running. The water looks like the beautiful fake water you see in museum dioramas, and the city skyline is a marvel in silver. I think The Strawberry Roan is the best cowboy song ever, written by cowboys for cowboys and set to an achingly beautiful old Irish melody. There aren't too many people around so I sing along.

Lake of the Isles is where the upper class lives - no fishing boats here. Hilariously, as I glide past the mansions my iPod sings, "Baby you're a rich man, baby you're a rich man, baby you're a rich man tooooo." Judging from the state of the paths the geese are still here somewhere, but I don't see them. Maybe they're convening on the mysterious Isle of Herons to plan for the Big Trip. Not a goose in sight, but I'm annoyed to discover that all the people that weren't walking around the other two lakes are here, swarming on the bike paths. To be fair, the walking paths are less than welcoming, most of them still unpaved from last year's abortive attempt at renovation. Still, they're in my way and I hope they all get goose poo on their feet.

Home again. It's nice to know that I can still ride 12 miles.