In Which I See Signs of a Buffalo and Night Critters

Crossing bridge near south end of Boyson Trail, grey day, but still pleasant for a ride.

Late afternoon on the Grant Wood Trail. Not a lot of other riders out today.

Low sun seen across bare farm field, Grant Wood Trail.

The eve of Christmas Eve was a cool day in Iowa, but warm for December. The sky was milky cloudy, but it was like the sun was shining through a lampshade. There was a breeze, with the temperature in the 40s, it just didn’t make things too cold.

Early in the afternoon, my wife and I took a stroll through a nearby cemetery, full of Christmas decorations. It was maybe a weird place to be full of Christmas cheer, but it was a pleasant walk. Honestly, since the copious decorations had to be placed by family, it was nice so many were including the departed in their holiday wishes.

As far as I rode today--bike at buffalo sign on Grant Wood Trail.

We got home about 2:30. I grilled a quick cheese sandwich, had an apple with it, and by 3 was ready to head out for a second time—this time via bicycle.

I had not been out the Grant Wood Trail for a while, and decided it would be a good place to see some brown winter scenery.

I headed up to the Lindale Trail, then rode to the south end of the Boyson Trail and then headed east through Marion until I eventually got to the Grant Wood Trail.

Pond at Waldo's Rock Park.

Thin ice on pond, grey clouds, but still a serene, pretty view.

A little light still showing at Waldo's Rock Park as sun has gone down.

A winder view of the pond.

I rode out as far as the buffalo sign, marking the spot where bones of an extinct species of bison were found.

Then I came back to Waldo’s Rock Park, circled the pond and then headed back to town. It was getting dim.

Grass at end of pond at Waldo's Rock Park.

Milkweed seeds and other brown plants at Waldo Rock Park.

Waldo's Rock pond--birdhouse on post in ice.

As I entered Marion, I saw first a cat watching for passing food at the edge of a field, and then in a few yards, some grazing deer. Night critters as the light grew dim.

It was after 5 by the time when I got home, probably half an out after sunset, but not yet full dark.

A very nice 16 miles on the mountain bike for the day before the day before Christmas!

Deer by Grant Wood Trail.

Cat at the edge of a field.

Stats of ride.

In Which December Brings Rides Cold and Warm

Dec. 8--I ride mountain bike to campus due to possible snow. It did flurry in the morning, luckily no accumulation. I'm in full winter gear (my helmet strap is fastened when riding, I've arrived and unsnapped it before snapping this selfie by vehicle my wife drove. I stowed some bags in it so I didn't have to carry them on the bike.) I was hoping some snowflakes would show in this image, but I don't think that they do. Winter on this day--one week later a summer storm would strike.

A derecho—a weird, unexpected, December derecho.

Multiple tornadoes, a powerful, bow-shaped storm, winds of hurricane force—once again, Iowa saw a derecho sweep across the state on Dec. 15. I had decided not to ride my bike that day, despite a pleasant morning, because strong thunderstorms were in the forecast.

I know Iowa was lucky. Kentucky had a high death toll for storms the day before, and although there were some fatalities associated with this December weather disturbance, we got off lucky. The line of storms was thin, moved through quickly in the evening, and weren’t as strong as the derecho storm that severely damaged much of the state in August of 2020.

But it is December. Iowa gets storms like this—in June or July. This December derecho was very weird. The day set record highs in the 70s, with warm humid air from an unusually hot Gulf of Mexico drawn up to the middle of the continent in a month where we worry more about ice and snow than tornadoes.

Well, Dec. 15 was just one day. And I rode quite a bit this month, I just was too tied up with work and Christmas parties to have time to write posts about those rides.

Dec. 3 early evening bike ride to campus--December featured many pretty sunset skies, so if the sun left us early, at least it left us pretty.

Dec. 3--I rode the hybrid bike, here I pause in the parking lot behind the building where my office is.

Dec. 8--It melted later in the month, but C Avenue pond covered in ice in the morning.

But a lot happened in December, from a biking point of view. Early in the month, during winter weather that was more normal, I rode with my full winter outfit for the first time—long underwear, long shirt under a warm sweatshirt, two pairs of socks, insulated boots, a thin headband under a thin hood under my helmet, mittens and a jacket.

Even if the middle of the month briefly and weirdly warmed up, it was a month of winter rides, of using the low gear for the occasional “wind hill.” This is the darkest month of the year, and lights were important in both morning and afternoon rides.

Right now, the semester has ended and, while I have to do prep work for a January term and spring, I have fewer bike commutes to campus. I got a short bike ride in today (going to a store in search of a Christmas present), but I’m not sure how bike friendly this winter break will be.

At least, I hope there won’t be any days where I have to avoid rides due to a summer storm …

Dec. 9--Another morning view of C Avenue pond.

Dec. 17--Sidewalk on my route has been blocked for weeks, but now is open, as is new gas station.

Dec. 19--Quick Sunday afternoon ride on Boyson Trail, pretty December winter view.