In Which A New Bridge Is Available for Light Tests

Evening of July 2--my bike parked on the new bridge on the Lindale Trail in early evening.

July 3--Seeing new bridge in daylight on Saturday afternoon.

Across Dry Creek (it’s the name of a creek and rarely dry) south of my house, along C Avenue, I encounter the nearest bike trail—the Lindale Trail, which leads east into Marion Iowa and the Boyson Trail area.

These are (currently) not very long trails, but change is coming. A trail that leads to the Cedar River Trail in Cedar Rapids is under construction, and it will link, in the future, to a side trail of the Boyson Trail.

The Lindale Trail is on an old rail line, and where it meets the Boyson Trail, there was a crumbling old rail bridge.

Rather inconveniently, in recent months, the Boyson trail has been closed, partly to clear derecho-damaged trees, but also, as the trails are paved and the old rail bridge replaced, as part of massive  expansion of bike trails in both Marion and Cedar Rapids.

So, while it’s been a bit inconvenient for me, I’m not all that unhappy to lose the use of the nearest bike trail. A short, paved section leading to Marion was paved years ago and remained open. But when the trail turns to limestone, after you cross a street, there was for the past year or so a “trail closed” barrier.

But, on Friday, that barrier was to the side. Had someone illicitly moved it? No, because a new sign, “Trail Closed Ahead,” had been installed. So, on an early evening ride, partly to test new lights, I rode on east. The limestone trail, which has been closed for so long, needs maintenance and is a bit rough, especially in dim light on a hybrid bike.

East end of Lindale Trail, for now. Void beyond barrier where another future bridge will be.

Wider angle view of new bridge and my bike from Friday night.

Bike on bridge Friday night.

At the bottom of the hill, seeing new bridge from below. Trail is messy from landscaping residue, but paved.

And then I got to the new bridge. It’s not the high trestle trail bridge, but it is pretty darn nice. It’s decorated with some rail motifs to recall its heritage--with a sign at one end pointing to Chicago, and at the other to Portland and San Francisco—pretty bold signs for this short trail. The expansion project is ongoing for several years, and the new bridge currently leads nowhere. There is a barrier to keep you from riding into the void where a bridge over a big, busy street does not yet exist.

In the past, the most challenging part of the Lindale Trail was the hill from the rail bed down to the Boyson Trail. It was rough, constantly washed out by every rain. Now, that hill route, and the Boyson trail south of that hill, is fully paved.

First sight of new bridge as I ride down Lindale Trail.

Reference to history of old bridge this new one replaces.

Ends of bridge have steam train decorative elements.

End of side trail by Menards--still under construction here.

Friday night ride--what is this? The trail closed sign no longer blocks the trail--trail closed ahead?

Where the pavement starts--and diverges, go down the hill to Boyson Trail to the left, or right to new bridge.

I suspect the route to the bridge is not open long-term. I expect they will include the stretch from the road to the bridge in future paving. But I enjoy seeing the bridge now, and the foreshadowing of a time when the Lindale Trial leads to downtown Marion.

I was on the trail late to test some new lights. For Father’s Day, my wife bought me some spoke lights. A few days ago, I put some on my mountain bike and went for a ride down to the MMU campus and to Cedar Lake. After campus, as I approached the lake, I heard a clatter—and found the guts of the light unit had fallen out. Centripetal force had popped the lid off of the light unit, and the lid and batteries were AWOL, had fallen out long before the guts of the lights.

I was a bit sad—the idea of the light unit was pretty cool, and now it was broken and pieces were forever gone. So I rode on, circled the lake, and had to consider the route I would take home. And I decided to ride exacltly the same route, with my eyes watching. Well, I didn’t expect much—I figured some car had probably crushed the missing pieces—but I decided to be optimistic (not my natural state of mind) and retrace my route. If the missing parts where there and intact, that’s the only way I could find them.

I was way down on J Avenue when the lights went out, so to speak. And it was almost back at the MMU campus, a good distance away, that I spied the AAA batteries and the lid to the light unit, all intact, by the edge of the street.

What shall we call our product? How about "Mide in China?"

Lights on wheel. Ready to spill their guts.

And I find the batteries and park my bike by them for dramatic imagery.

Found on the street.

 

So, I reassembled the unit, which flashed when I put the batteries in, which I thought was a good sign. I put it back on the wheel with the lid facing the hub, thinking rotation of the wheel would thus not cause the lid to fly off. However, as far as I could tell, the lights did not function. The box seemed to imply (in broken English, it was labeled “Mide in China,” for example) that the lights would automatically come on at night when the bike was in motion.

Of course, removing all of the parts and tossing them on pavement may have not been good for the lights.

Here and below, Cedar Lake on the ride of lost lights.

Deer near trail.

Well, I had a second unit, which I put on my hybrid bike Friday (with tape to ensure the lid stays on and parts don’t fly out). I was on the Lindale Trail because it’s a relatively shaded trail, but short and paved, so I thought it was OK to ride in dim light and see if the lights worked.

Finding the new bridge was an unexpected bonus. After inspecting the bridge, I rode down the hill and toured the paved part of the Boyson Trail. The far end, leading to Hanna Park, is limestone and I did not ride it in the late light. But the trail to Menards is now paved, and I rode that, although the project there is not done yet, as there are barriers at the end of that trail.

Unpaved part of Lindale Trail between the street called Lindale and the bridge area. July 3 daylight ride.

Bridge decorations recalling RR history.

Philosophy under the new bridge. But not great spelling.

More philosophy next to a heart and an Arby's logo.

 

And as I turned around to head home, there was a flicker. The lights on the front wheel of the hybrid were coming to life. The box says it makes several flower patterns, but I could not really see from my vantage point, other than to know that the lights were coming on now and then.

I’m not sure how they are supposed to work—the “documentation” with this product was nonexistent—but at least these lights do shine.

Friday night lights.

Pretty sky on newly paved Boyson Trail Friday night.

More important, the new bridge is open. I saw it again in daylight today as I used it on the way to ride to Waldos Rock Park on the Grant Wood Trail. The new bridge may not lead anywhere, but if you’re a biker in the Cedar Rapids area, you may want to check it out before the Lindale Trail is closed again as this construction project proceeds.

And I do appreciate the foreshadowing of even better biking to come as this trail expands and improves. (And now, for something completely different--images of an unrelated Thursday night ride to Lowe Park):

Sunset on Thursday night ride to Lowe Park. This is on the way home on Boyson Road.