Minnesota Prairie Roots

THE JUXTAPOSITION OF A GUY in a red buffalo plaid stocking cap riding a motorcycle in Minnesota in mid-February struck me as photo-worthy. It’s not often bikers are out and about in winter. But it’s not often either that temps soar into the low fifties as they did here in southeastern Minnesota over the weekend and into Monday.

Randy and I were heading out of town when we happened upon the biker on the east side of Faribault on Sunday afternoon. I grabbed my camera, focused and shot through the passenger side of the windshield. One chance. One shot before the biker took off on Minnesota State Highway 60 toward the viaduct over the Straight River.

With the weather as warm as it was, people were outside in full force. Walking in groups. Riding scooters and bicycles. Walking the dog solo. Hanging laundry outside, me anyway. Washing their vehicles, although we never headed to the car wash.

When the sun shines and temps soar, we Minnesotans realize what a gift this is in the middle of winter. With dropping temps, rain and snow in the forecast for later this week, we understand that a day or three of extraordinary warmth and sunshine are to be savored, enjoyed, appreciated. We know that we still have a whole lot of winter ahead of us and that the weekend’s unseasonably warm temps are not real spring, only a tease.

© Copyright 2026 Audrey Kletscher Helbling