CR Biker: In Which Mother Nature Gives and Takes

Friday, July 14, 2017

In Which Mother Nature Gives and Takes

Two sky views from bike rides Thursday on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail (above) and Friday on a side trail next to the Boyson Trail (below).

A minor health issue this week—which, knock on wood, should be well in check by RAGBRAI—meant that I haven’t done as many miles as I hoped to do.

Still, with around 45 miles in three rides Thursday, and 15 miles today, I’m at about 160 miles for the week, which is respectable.

The weather has been an interesting mix—hot and humid earlier in the week, stormy late Wednesday and incredibly gorgeous Thursday and Friday. I was able to ride my road bike up to Center Point Thursday with one of my sisters, and have gone on several shorter rides with a young grandson on the Wee Ride seat on my hybrid bike.

That grandson and I were able to enjoy the incredibly cool, comfortable air late this afternoon, riding up to the pond at Rockwell Collins and going for a spin on the small side trail beside the Lindale Trail. While crossing a bridge there, we stopped to watch a deer that was walking down the creek, perhaps 20 yards from us.

Side road in the "new neighborhood" east of C Avenue, late afternoon sun makes even new suburbia pretty.

Grandson on bike seat watches a deer in Dry Creek Thursday.

Grandson with CR Biker, we do an "ussie" during late afternoon ride. The young kid likes biking almost as much as I do.

Late afternoon sky over pond at Rockwell-Collins, C Avenue, during Thursday late afternoon ride.

I shot lots of “sky” views Thursday and Friday, just because these unusual, almost September-like days were precious and worth recording.

Thursday on the trail, when my sister and I did the quick trip out to Center Point (well, quick after we got un-lost in Robbins), was particularly nice. We did fight a headwind when we headed north, but purple and yellow Cone Flowers; Bee Balm; and Queen Anne’s Lace, as well as a host of other wild flowers were in bloom. The post-rain world was lush and green.

It has been a great week to be a biker. The only sad note on Thursday’s long ride was the shiny bronze Japanese beetles that got in the way, sometimes smacking me in the face right next to an eye. Those I could do without.

Still, I wish I could bottle and save Thursday and open it on RAGBRAI! Dry, cool air in July—sadly, I doubt we’ll see much of that on RAGBRAI. RAGBRAI! It’s almost here. Zounds!

Sundown Thursday--had gone on late ride with grandson, wife and daughter. Wife and daughter are way ahead somewhere, luckily with newly installed bike lights shining. Grandson and I are on bike on sidewalk next to Boyson Road. I ride the bike lane myself, but with a grandson will sometimes opt for the sidewalk instead.