Road wary

A failed escape from jail

solved a few more clues and before we knew it, the hour was up. It was pretty embarrassing. We found out there was another hidden room we had to find. I tend to overthink things and that was true that day. I think people who play a lot of video games would be better at this than we were.

I read online that escape rooms are immersive experiences that encourage teamwork, solving puzzles and finding clues to complete an objective. They are educational, cognitive and provide a gaming experience like no other. This is true and now that I’ve had this experience, I can’t wait to see what the next escape room I will try to get out of next.

What’s in a name?

Notes

Noelle Olson

There’s something about the sound of steel prison bars slamming behind you and trapping you inside. The moment I heard it, I had a jolt of panic. It started to get warm in that cell wearing that oversized orange jumpsuit. In the cell was a stained toilet, a tiny sink and a dirty mattress. Not to mention there were cockroaches on the floor and in the sink. It looked like there was vomit in the toilet or maybe it was something else. I heard a lot of commotion outside of the cell of people yelling but I couldn’t see anyone. I was locked in this cell with my friend because we were wrongly accused of stealing Brett Favre’s Super Bowl jersey and burying it under the U.S. Bank Stadium. While awaiting our trial, Packer fans were riled up and calling for our heads! We had to get out and escape this cold and docile place.

I should mention that we were not “really” in jail, we were in an escape room. I had heard about escape rooms before and thought they would be fun. I love playing games and this seemed to be something like a murder mystery dinner party. My friend and I decided to do something neither of us have ever done. We booked a date and thought it would be a piece of cake. Well, it wasn’t.

We had only one hour to break into the warden’s office and delete our “criminal file” and then we would be free. We were allowed six hints throughout the hour and frankly, it just wasn’t enough. It took us almost 15 minutes to get out of the jail cell! I ditched my orange jumpsuit because I started sweating and felt adrenaline rush through my body. We had to break into the police lockers to get into the wardens office. The clues were very well done.

When we finally got into the warden’s office, we

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I recently received an email from the Social Security Administration with the most popular baby names in Minnesota for 2022. The top five boys’ names in Minnesota were: Oliver, Henry, Theodore, Liam and Jack. The top five girls’ names were: Charlotte, Olivia, Emma, Evelyn and Nora. I’ve never seen my name on the list. Noelle is not a common name. In fact, I get called Nicole all the time by people – including people who’ve known me for a long time. I’ve also been called Noel, which to me is a boy’s name. I’ve known a few Noels in my life but only one Noelle. I asked my parents once why they named me Noelle and my mom said she had a good friend in high school named Noelle. I find that pretty funny since my mom never talks about her and I’ve never met her or seen a picture of her. A lot of people also ask me if I was born on Christmas. I always reply with the same answer — “I was born on Easter.”

Noelle Olsonis the editor of the Lowdown and can be reached by emailing lowdownnews@presspubs.com or calling 651-407-1229.

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Angle of View

Paul Dols

By fully engaging all of the senses, riding a motorcycle can be an immersive and truly enjoyable way to get around. Feeling like you’re part of the landscape instead of just observing it through a window is a unique sensation. While rolling over hills and valleys, aromas are vivid and changes in temperature are immediately felt as you push through the air, which at times feels almost like water. It’s probably the closest you can get to the experience of flying while still staying on the ground. My years of motorcycling experience started with the influence of my older brother and his group of friends while I was still a teenager. They all had motorcycles and I became fascinated with this rumbling, whirring and extremely fast mode of transportation. I can’t quite explain it because it’s somewhat irrational, but starting with the first bike I acquired (a Kawasaki 650 SR), the experience and continued attraction to motorcycles became part of my life. Whether it’s Harleys, Hondas, Moto Guzzis, BMWs or Ninjas, I believe I’ve got a fundamental understanding of what draws people to motorcycling.

After putting thousands of miles on a series of motorcycles over the years, I’m definitely not racking up the high numbers, sometimes up to 10,000 miles a season, of years past. There are a variety of factors at play, but I have to admit that the dramatic increase in distracted driving incidents has played a major role in taking some of the enjoyment out of motorcycling. Erratic driving behavior that used to be isolated to a period of time after the bars closed on weekends, now seems to have extended into all hours of the day. It got to the point after witnessing strange driving behavior that I’d make a game out of guessing if the they were either drinking or on the phone.

While there are things within and beyond our control and no absolute guarantees in life, there are ways to manage some of the most common contributing factors to accidents. Because one of the most frequently reported accidents is when a car makes a left turn in front of an oncoming motorcycle, I’m extremely wary at (and personally loathe) uncontrolled intersections and never fully assume that an automobile driver can see me. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), 70% of motorcycle accidents occur at intersections. While motorcycle riders aren’t always blameless in a collision, the majority of these incidents are caused by negligent motor vehicle operators. Alcohol consumption and riding beyond experience level are also two of the most frequent contributing factors to accidents. Nationally 27% of motorcycle fatalities involve alcohol and 34% involve speeding.

Statistics show that education and motorcycle training courses help increase the odds of riding safely. Locally, motorcycle training courses, ranging from beginner to advanced, are offered at Century College starting in late May. For more information go to century.edu/continuing-education/program-areas/ transportationmotorcycle-training/

To any automobile driver reading this, please be aware of your surroundings, minimize distractions and concentrate on the important task of driving safely. To any motorcyclists out there, I extend sincere wishes for a safe and enjoyable motorcycle riding season — hopefully leveraging a combination of education, experience and perhaps even the extra boost of a bike blessing.

Paul Dols is photojournalist/website editor for Press Publications. He can be reached at 651-407-1238 factual verification.

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