With snow on the ground and long stretches of subzero temperatures, I wasn't sure I was going to get in a motorcycle ride for the month of February. Then on the second to last day of this short month, the temperatures rose to the lower-mid 40s and the roads were mainly dry. That was good enough for me as I took my 2017 Spyder RT out for a 20 mile ride from home to downtown Sioux Falls. 

My first stop was Covell Lake which is located in Terrace Park of Sioux Falls. Terrace Park is one of the oldest parks in the city and was established in the late 1910s. My wife's first house isn't from this park and we share memories of steering kayaks in this lake. However, at the end of February it's not small boats one sees but instead the last few remaining ice fisherman not wanting the cold weather to end. On my stop with the Spyder I witnessed a couple ice fisherman still on the lake. If you carefully take a look at the above photograph, you'll see in the background a man fishing on the lake (zoomed below).

My second stop with my Spyder was just a few miles east of Terrace Park, the Sioux Falls Cathedral. The cathedral is formally known as the Cathedral of St. Joseph. The Catholic Diocese of Sioux Falls began construction on the cathedral church in 1915 and completed was was completed and dedicated in 1919. This 90 year-old Cathedral is a magnificent piece architecture and sits on a hill overlooking downtown Sioux Falls.

My only regret over the years is seeing taller buildings rise up from downtown Sioux Falls and increasingly blocking the a view of the Cathedral. I can't tell you how many favorite outdoor dining locations I often visit when I'm in Sioux Falls once had a great view of the Cathedral but not more. But I didn't come here to eat, I came here to ride my Spyder. This day brought an opportunity to take some photographs with my Spyder in front of the Cathedral and I seized the opportunity to do so.

After the Cathedral stop, I headed home. Despite my Spyder ride being a short one, it was enough of a ride to give me hope that warmer weather around the corner. Longer rides and more pleasant months were ahead of me in 2021.

This article was originally published at BryanRuby.com.