In Which A Buck Has One Antler

March 4--Lindale Trail. Deer are plentiful in the modest woods along creek beds that parallel local trails.

March 4--It's been damp lately, and in a temporary pond in woods near Linn-Mar High School, a duck pair enjoys the wet.

March 4--Late afternoon like on trail off of Boyson Trail.

I’ve made decent use of my spring break. With some day trips planned and some bad weather, I’ haven’t gone on any super long rides, but I have accumulated a few miles.

My longest ride was March 12, when I went almost 24 miles on my road bike. This morning, March 16, I managed to get a few miles in, but the day turned to a cold rain so the ride was rather constrained. As I write this, it’s snowing, with the coldest St. Patrick’s Day in years expected tomorrow.

But I’ve rolled over 155 miles during this inconsistent March, and have just over 447 for the year. And I’ve been pretty good about doing the GHC (gratuitous hills climb) on each ride—gong up the neighborhood hill during this morning’s rain-shortened ride, for example.

March 11--Road bike at end of pavement on Grant Wood Trail. Beyond that, on limestone, snow has not yet melted, but I'm out in the county now, warmer March weather means trails in the countryside are becoming passable.

March 12--The Fancy Beast, my mountain bike, on the Boyson Trail. I have ridden a bit on the limestone, but it can be a bit mushy. Got a bit muddy on this ride and my wife kindly washed my coat and vest.

March 12--Snowman seen on ride is a bit, well, leaning.

During a 15-mile ride March 15, I encountered many deer along the Boyson Trail. A herd of maybe 15 was up on the hill as I headed down the side trail to Menard’s. And on the way back, a much smaller group, maybe six, crossed the trail in front of me—one of them a big buck who had just one antler.

I supposed winter is when bucks lose them, and it probably has not shed both yet.

March 13--Took a look at woodland mountain bike trail off of the Boyson Trail, and decided it's too muddy today. Will have to save that trail--maybe Friday or Saturday when it's frozen solid?

March 13--Buck with one antler crossed trail in front of me.

March 13--Deer by trail.

Well, one-antlered buck, this old biker was happy to see you, happy to be riding the first spring ride sans coat, hat and gloves, glad, even as snow is falling now and a winter chill settles in, that spring is on its way.

And glad, despite the chills, that I’ve ben lucky to get some miles in.

March 15--Goose by Cedar Lake, Windy day, some clouds, but warmest day of the week with temperature in the 50s.

March 15--First bike ride sans coat and other winter gear.

March 15--Mostly cloudy day, but some breaks, which makes for interesting sky at Cedar Lake.

March 16--As I get bike out of garage, I notice this moth, first insect of spring. Hope it finds a hiding place as snow fell that evening and temps dipped way below freezing.

In Which I Enjoy the Returning Light

March 1--I worked a bit late that night and am riding home at sunset--but this is the corner of Blairs Ferry and C Avenue, which means I'm almost there. Not as many rides are in the dark as the light is gaining on the dark at this time of year.

March can be a fickle month in Iowa—sometimes, the soft foreshadowing of spring, sometimes the clinging on of a cold winter, sometimes a bit of both or a bit of in between.

We’re only three days in, but they have not been a harsh three days. My late February rides were a little constrained by snow, an ice storm and cold rains. Yet, on balance, it was a good month, with nice enough days at the end to travel on my road bike rather than the winter beater mountain bike.

And, while we’re getting plenty of blustery winds, the deep cold of winter has only visited now and then. Rides have been doable—and many days, warm enough that I could skip the thermal long underwear.

Feb. 19--Sunday afternoon ride--last year's flowers seen at Cedar Lake, still icy (it's water, now).

Feb. 19--I climbed the hill at MMU on this ride, and saw this hawk on top of Warde Hall in the late afternoon light.

And the light is coming back. In January, most commutes even in the morning, were with lights. I often have to work a bit later in the office, but these days it’s well past 5 p.m. before I feel compelled to turn on the bike lights.

Last time I checked (Feb. 19), the gate on the Cedar River Trail headed north was closed. And I haven’t done any longer rides yet this year, nothing 40 miles or more. But I have started changing my biking routine a bit, mostly by seeking out hills. Whenever I ride my road bike, my rule these days is to climb at least one hill. Either I climb the Mount Mercy hill by one of the “hard” routes (it’s easiest to reach the campus via the gentle drive by Warde Hall, any other road or sidewalk approach involves a longer, steeper hill) or, if it’s a weekend and I’m not riding to work, I’ll climb the Brentwood Drive hill in my neighborhood.

Feb. 19--The end of my ride north, gate closed on Cedar River Trail. I know, I could have gone around it, but I was on my road bike and the ground was mushy, plus my heart wasn't set on a ride north--I just turned around and rode south as far as the Cedar River to get my miles in.

While I have no “long” rides yet, I’m adding hills to my routine in anticipation of summer. I know from experience that, if one is riding RAGBRAI, one does not regret any hills climbed earlier in the year for practice.

I finished February this year with 161.1 miles, compared to 147.85 in 2022. I have 25.1 miles in March on the third day of the month, and 317.02 miles for 2023. I realize there are bikers who have passed 1,000 miles this year, but I’m not in a race with them. I want to ride enough to please myself, and, as I advance in years, any month or year in which I can look back and say I rode more now than I did then, well, that’s a win.

I noted in my previous blog post that on Feb. 18 I saw a bike alone on the Grant Wood Trail and wondered a bit about it. This is Feb. 19 on the trail that runs along the levee towards the Sleeping Giant future bridge--and again, a bike with no biker. Hmmm.

My two longest recent rides. It may be May before I do any "long" ride, mostly because time is too precious during the spring semester, but I've gotten a few miles in. And some hill climbs.