In Which Iowa Bambi Just Doesn’t Care

July 13--During a warm summer trike ride on the Boyson Trail, I come across an unusual group of deer by the Frisbee golf course. Most groups of deer are either does or family groups--several does and fawns. It's not unusual to see a buck and sometimes a buck in a group of does--but this seemed to be a large gathering of mostly bucks. I have no idea why they were together.

Remember the movie Bambi? That old Disney classic helped establish one of the most important rules of character survival: Don’t be the hero’s parent in the opening scene of an animated kid’s Disney movie (I think the second rule is don’t wear a red shirt in the original Start Trek series).

The Great King of the Forest, otherwise known as Bambi’s absent deadbeat dad, solemnly warned Bambi: “It is Man. He is here again. There are many this time. We must go deep into the forest. Hurry! Follow me!”

Well, Bambi and his mom didn’t live along the Lindale Trail in Cedar Rapids. The deer there have learned that man on the trail on bicycle or tricycle means almost nothing.

July 21--Fawn in fenced area--a retention pond behind a Walgreens near the Lindale Trail. The low fence clearly is not a barrier to deer. Start of a bunch of Bambi images.

July 21--Mom eyes trike rider making images. But doesn't seem worried.

July 21--Fawn again. Not sure if it's the same--there were two fawns and two does in the enclosure.

July 19--Fawn by Lindale Trail. It's in a bit of a hurry, but note that it's not fleeing in terror, it's trotting towards the photographer. It did turn and head into the woods, but came for a closer look first.

July 12--Deer by Boyson Trail lets me get very close. I paused for a while, and she moved on. When someone walking a dog came from the other direction. Dogs are worth avoiding. Hairless apes, not so much.

Anyway, it’s late July in a very, very hot Iowa summer. The riders of RAGBRAI were lucky as last week was a respite from the recent pattern, but now a new heat dome has settled over this part of North America. The heat index Monday is slated to be well into triple digits—even though the actual temperature will “only” be in the 90s.

I’m not quite crazy enough to ride in that kind of heat. I did bike yesterday, the first of the warm days in the latest heat wave, but it wasn’t as bad then. I had volunteered at the Cedar Rapids Chain Reaction Bike Hub. It was a pleasant ride there in the morning, but a very uncomfortable, hot journey home in the afternoon. And it was mild compared to what it was today and will be Monday.

Don’t worry, Lindale Bambi. You may see a stray biker imitating a mad dog or Englishman Monday, but it won’t be this one.

July 7--Not sure why I was biking this warm summer evening in early July, but I was. Summer sun going down at Lowe Park on one of those days that was not too hot to ride.

July 19--On my trike on Lindale Trail. Short ride this day due to smoke from Canadian fires.

Anyway, my miles haven’t been all that impressive lately. No 40-mile rides in July, for example. So far this year, I peaked in March, which is not what I expected. I rode 265.91 miles in June, and as of July 26 I have rolled 212.48 this month.

I don’t aspire to break March’s 377.78 miles this month. Yet, I think being cautious about the weather is OK for a biker who will turn 68 in August. And I've rolled just over 1,868 miles so far this year on trike and bike.

Maybe the miles will pick up in fall. It remains to be seen. But even if the rides have not been super long, I have very enjoyed my June and July rides. When it’s not violently storming nor hellishly hot, Iowa in summer is a pleasant place to roll, to see the grass and flowers, and deer.

Who just don’t care. Man is in the woods. Meh. Some non-deer images from recent rides:

July 1--Grass along Creek Trail in Marion has summer look.

June 19--Summer clouds at Cedar Lake.

June 12--Riding on Cedar Valley Nature Trail near Robins, fine summer day.

June 8--Late day summer sun at Lowe Park.

June 19--South of Cedar River on Cedar River Trail--site of new bridge near Mount Trashmore. When the weather improves, I'll have to check on this project again.

July 25--I bike down to the Chain Reaction Bike Hub, a non-profit bike shop in Cedar Rapids that recycles and fixes up bikes to provide an inexpensive option to aspiring bikers. I volunteered for a shift there--and noted this container near a tool bench. Seems like a good band name, to me.

In Which A New Bridge Opens

Aug. 12--Bike parked by new bridge near Cedar Lake.

When did the new bike trail bridge over the creek that feeds Cedar Lake open?

I don’t know for sure, but the detour on the Cedar River Trail north of the lake has changed—coming from the lake, the route now goes down a road to a new street bridge that crosses the trail. I was taking the trail north at that point (I had ridden down to the lake via H Avenue), and before crossing the new street bridge, I turned right and crossed the new bike trail bridge over the creek.

It’s very nice, a foreshadowing of the new trails near Cedar Lake that aren’t open yet but are being constructed. I crossed the bridge on one of the longer rides of summer 2025—a 17-mile ramble that took me to the Mount Mercy University campus before I continued to Cedar Lake.

A bunch of images from Aug. 12 ride. As I rest at Cedar Lake mid-ride, I watch a Stork that was fishing in the lake.

Monarch butterfly on Thistle flower near Cedar Lake.

Aster, fall flower, on Mount Mercy University campus.

Pausing on MMU campus.

Cone Flower in garden near Basile Hall on MMU campus.

For various reasons, summer 2025, the first summer of my retirement, has not featured the usual summer distances of bike riding. I didn’t, for example, participate in RAGBRAI this year. I had a heart bypass operation in January and a follow-up procedure in July.

In August, four grandchildren from Minnesota were visiting for a week. That precluded any long bike rides that week for me—but the good news is that one of my bikes has a Tag-A-Long seat, and a 7-year-old grandson was very happy to put it to use. Sadly, other events and very hot afternoons constrained those rides a bit, but nonetheless, most days that week we headed out for at least a few very pleasant miles together.

July 26--Deer on Lindale Trail are pretty socialized to bikers. Fawn lets me get pretty close to make this image.

Bike on Lindale Trail July 26. Note milky sky, it's been a wet summer but also a hazy one; sometimes the haze, from Canadian forest fires, has limited biking.

Anyway, back to my lake sojourn on Aug. 12. I missed one day riding last week due to yardwork—mowing and clearing weeds. But in the past four days of the week, I used all of my bikes.

On Aug. 12, I rode Argent, my road bike, on the longest ride—the 17-mile cycle to campus and the lake.

On Aug. 13, I rode my mountain bike, The Fancy Beast. It’s been wet lately. I planned to ride the Boyson Trail, the paved and unpaved parts, on a day that would turn too warm for this old man to ride in the afternoon. So, I went on a late morning ride, which went well, but the mountain bike trails beside the Boyson Trail looked too muddy, so I stuck to the main trail. The ride was about 8 miles, but given the heavier bike and warmer day, felt like it was as much work as the 17-mile ride the day before.

July 29--another day, another deer. I know it's farther away,but I like this image of the Lindale Trail.

Reflecting ball in Lowe Park seen on July 27 bike ride.

I skipped riding, as mentioned, for the Aug. 14 yard work day. The forecast was for hot, humid weather after this day. It was too bad to avoid riding on Aug. 14, but it was good to get the yard work done, too.

On Aug. 15, the afternoon was forecast to feel like 100 degrees, which dictated a shorter morning ride. I was going to ride part of the unpaved Boyson Trail again, but it had a bit more time to dry out and I decided that Clarence, my hybrid bike, would be a good choice. It turned out to be a 10-mile ride where I headed up behind Linn-Mar High School on the Creek Trail and road part of the Boyson Trail, too.

My biking goals have become modest in 2025. I’m accepting, for now, of shorter rides, although I’m hoping the 17-mile ride, accomplished with no problems, is a sign of longer sojourns coming as soon as the weather improves. However, I’ve already decided it’s OK to take several days to ride my birthday later this month.

I turn 67 later this month. Maybe by next year, 68 miles in a day would be a doable goal. For now, I’ll just be happy to roll 67 miles over several days and be satisfied that I can keep rolling.

As of Aug. 19, I have 851.02 miles for the year. I’ve ridden 85.46 miles in August. July’s miles totaled 112.16.

Aug. 15--I have some Goldenrod planted in my garden--it's a great late-season flower that feeds pollinators as fall is setting in. This is not in my garden, however--Goldenrod by Boyson Trail seen during bike ride.

In Which My Brain Causes a Brief Biking Hiatus

March 24--I was released from the hospital Thursday, drove to work Friday due to a snowstorm, and rode six miles on Sunday. Back in the saddle again!

It’s turning out that 2024 will be a more new and interesting biking year than I thought. On the morning of March 20, I rode my bicycle to work, intending to bike home that night.

And I didn’t. Because I ended up in the emergency room. In the afternoon, as I detailed on one of my other blogs, I suffered a mini-stroke, what they call a TIA, and had a resulting overnight stay in the hospital. By Friday, I was able to go back to work but a morning snowstorm prevented any bike ride that day..

Well, what’s ahead on the biking road can’t always be anticipated. After my hospitalization, I’ve been told to engage in any physical activity “as tolerated,” and I can tolerate riding a bicycle. For now, my wife has informed me she doesn’t want me to do any solo 50-mile rides, and I think she has a point.

March 24--Going deliberately slow, using my mountain bike due to some snow left on trail. Put in a bit more than 6 miles on first ride in a few days.

So, we’ll see how this year shakes out. Since my last biking report, despite an unexpected hiatus, I have ridden more than 80 miles. This Easter weekend, I’ve enjoyed several rides with a 6-year-old grandson, doing two short rides with the Tag-A-Long seat. The weekend was grand, but so full of family fun that bike time was rather constrained.

I don’t feel myself, 100 percent. I’ve had a headache since the medical event, nothing serious, but irritating. I don’t know if I’m just tuning into aches and pains more, but I’m strapped to a 24-hour heart monitor, and I’ve had several “events” to report. Nothing serious, but some lightheaded moments.

Well, biking friends, when I saw my doctor’s PA post hospitalization, he was pleased that I had already been out on my bicycle. I intent to continue rolling—it would be a serious mistake to pull back too far on exercise, given my health issues.

March 27--Rode down the Lindale Trail for some extra distance on the way home. Weather getting more into spring, deer by trail keeping an eye on me.

But this past fortnight has had its share of reminders of reality and mortality. If we’re lucky, we grow old. That inevitably has an impact on our bodies and lives. And yet, if we’re also lucky, those bodies will be all the better because we choose to bicycle.

In other personal biking news, Team Joe, my RAGBRAI team, has made a big decision. We’re going to do joint rides the week of RAGBRAI, but not RAGBRAI. The route this year is very hilly and very southern Iowa, and doesn’t go through our towns. So we'll enjoy our own rides in the Des Moines and Cedar Rapids areas.

I still want to train and gain miles as the weather turns to summer. How far will I go? Nobody can tell for sure, but I hope to roll many more miles. Hope to see you out there on the trail, Lord willing, the creek don’t rise and my body holds up.

In March, my miles totaled 291.63. I’m sure they would have been more than 300, but for, well, you know. Still, I have 647.31 for the year. I don’t have Spring Break in April, but school ends a couple of weeks into May, so by the time spring is rolling into summer, I’m hoping that I can have rolled more than 1,000 miles. We’ll see!

March 28--Family is coming home for Easter weekend tonight, and I have Friday off work, but I ride to Cedar Lake in the afternoon on the way home. Warm, pretty afternoon, starting to feel a bit more like myself.

In Which I Seem Near My Goal

Dec. 19--Cedar Lake sunset, rode by lake on one of the nice December afternoons.

I don’t want to jinx it, but as of Dec. 19, I have ridden just about 3,293 miles this year—just 7 miles short of my 3,300-mile goal.

It’s been a weird December—in the pattern of November, it’s been mostly dry and unusually warm, although it also featured a few very cold days where full winter regalia was called for.

December is a very busy month, so squeezing miles in has been a challenge—but again, it appears I may soon reach my biking goal, so I can’t complain.

One reason was a fine ride in Des Moines. My youngest son who lives there is traveling to California with his wife and son to be with her family over the holidays, and we drove to Des Moines Dec. 14 to pick up their dog, who is staying with us for about two weeks.

He’s very big, but not, knock on wood, not a lot of work so far—we feed him and walk him and play a bit with him and he seems content. While his family is on vacation in California, he gets to be on vacation with us.

Dec. 14--Des Moines ride.

Anyway, we made a day of it. We drove to Des Moines in the morning, ate a late breakfast at a very fine diner there. In the afternoon, after the grandson’s nap, the plan was to play at a park. It was, in this warm December, one of the nice days, and my daughter-in-law and I decided to ride bikes to the park, while my son, wife and grandson drove there.

It turned out to be a ride of a bit more than 9 miles on a very fine afternoon. At first, we rode north through relatively quiet residential streets, and then met a bike trail that snakes along the south bank of one of the rivers in Des Moines. We turned east. In the distance, we could see the skyline of downtown and then the state Capitol, but the trail had a nice country feel to it, and the last few miles literally felt like a countryside ride along a pretty river valley.

Our goal was a playground at Easter Lake. We got there, we played for a while, and considered riding the 9 miles back—but it was December, days are short, and light was going to fade soon. One disadvantage of a country trail in Iowa is that when it gets dark, it’s very, very dark, and there would be no moon to help. Well, the drivers had brought a bike rack with them, just in case, and thus we put the bikes on the car, all squeezed in and rode back.

Dec. 14--My son's and daughter-in-law's bikes--my son let me borrow his--parked at Easter Lake Park. Grandson has a big smile for grandpa, too.

It was a pleasant ride. Not the longest of the month for me, as I did ride a 15.5-mile route on Dec. 9—but I really enjoyed the Des Moines trail and look forward to more visits on two wheels to Iowa’s capital city.

The final week of the semester at the university where I teach featured the taste of winter. There were mornings in the 20s where the windchill approach single digits. It was indeed cold, but the afternoons weren’t as bad, and with long underwear, warm boots and multiple layers, I found I could handle the commute, although I’m pretty sure I would not have wanted any longer rides on those days.

Today, we had an out-of-town commitment, which is a shame because it was again one of the unseasonably warm, sunny days. So no miles. Rain is coming—Christmas for us won’t be white, bur rather wet. Still, I’m hopeful to get in the few remaining miles, maybe, weather willing, on Thursday.

We’ll see. Still, it’s been a good December to be a biker in Iowa, and I’m closing in on my goal with a week and a half left in the month. That’s nice.

Miles so far this year: 3,292.97. As of Dec. 19 (I did not ride Dec. 20, as I noted), for the month: 116.16.

Map of the longest ride and more images from December rides:

Dec. 9--the longest ride.

Dec. 19--Passing Christmas lights on the way home.

Dec. 19--Another look at Cedar Lake.

Dec. 19--On colder days, mostly rode mountain bike, but today, rode the road bike. Parked at campus.

Dec. 19--Another view of the Christmas lights seen on ride home.

Dec. 19--Geese at Cedar Lake.

Dec. 12--Frosty morning at C Avenue Pond, one of the cold days.

Dec. 12--Grey and cool on bike ride home, but swing by Cedar Lake. They are a bit distant, so I'm not 100 percent, but I think three juvenile eagles were fishing.

Dec. 8--Deer by Boyson Trail on warm day.

Dec. 8--More deer by trail.

Dec. 8--Mountain bike on Boyson Trail.

In Which Summer Concludes with 40 Miles

Early in the ride, here and next 2 images--fawns and doe seen in Dry Creek from C Avenue Bridge.

“Go for a ride early before it gets too hot,” she said. Which was not a bad plan—except I did not wake up until 9 a.m. It was 11 by the time I headed out.

My goal was to ride 30 miles. But if it went well, I also thought I might ride a bit more.

I headed down to campus, intending to then take the Cedar River Trail south. I was slightly delayed—there were distracting flowers and students taking part in distracting activities, and I had my good camera with me and spent some time making images.

But I eventually made it to the trail. At Cedar Lake, I saw a heron take flight, which was fun. When I got down past the Federal Courthouse, on to the minor detour at the African-American museum, I stopped at Goldfinch Cyclery. I was riding my road bike Argent, which was recently fixed at that shop, and when I picked it up, the valves didn’t have their rubber caps—the staff member I spoke with was helpful and quickly got me two.

Heron takes off from Cedar Lake.

Here and below, I put on the new valve covers while parked outside the bike shop.

 

I kept going south, taking it easy on a hot summer afternoon—possibly the unofficial last ride of summer as fall syllabi are crying out for editing and lectures for prep. I’m not ready for it, but summer is pretty much over.

I went down to Ely and had passed 15 miles which would make for a 30 mile ride. I ate a snack at the park and then proceeded south, intending to turn around when I reach close to 20 miles to make for a 40-mile ride.

I paused to make some images of a goldfinch, which was cool to see. As I headed south, I thought I was fading a bit. So, I turned back a bit early.

South of Ely, state bird of Iowa, a goldfinch, eats thistle seeds.

I took one final break at Cedar Lake and decided to head back via the trail and Noelridge Park. Because that route is slightly longer than the route via campus, despite the early turnaround, I ended up getting 40 miles.

I have taken far fewer long rides this summer than in the past. Then again, I was not training for RAGBRAI. In a typical summer, I would do some 60-mile days and maybe even a century, so 40 miles is not all that much.

But I got in 40 miles on a warm day when I didn’t even hit the road until 11 a.m., and I rode 10 miles beyond my original goal. All in all, a good day, a good way to celebrate summer’s end.

Lots of images, because, hey, let’s picture summer:

Brief stop at MMU campus. Bikes start to show up in bike racks. Early students arriving.

Heron at Cedar Lake.

South end of town--heart signs start to appear.

Sign near Ely.

Eating snack at Ely Park. Reflections of trail traffic in pond.

Bikers reflected in pond.

Dragonfly on patrol at Ely pond.

South of Ely, swallowtail butterfly.

Yard decoration near south end of Ely.

Tin Man and Witch near ice cream shop in Ely.

Two from Oz in Ely.

Oz never gave nothing this guy that he didn't already have.

A classic vehicle. And a truck. Near Oz figures in Ely.

Wicked Witch of Ely.

She has the red shoes on.

New mural near biker bar (bicycle style biker bar) just north of the river.

Detail of mural.

Near African-American museum, new mural under a bridge, detail.

Another part of mural.

More in mural.

Bike in sand my river.

Sky early in ride--clouds. But it cleared off, got sunny and hot.

My bike parked near library at MMU campus.

One reason some redundant images--these final ones are from a different camera. Mural by bar.

Figure in mural under bridge.

Final look at mural.