In Which the Planet Tilts to Winter

My trike, briefly parked at Thomas Park in Marion, Iowa, during a late November ride along the Boyson Trail, parts of which were recently paved.

The sun never gets super high at this time of year, but still looks pretty in the afternoon, seen on November trike ride to Cedar Lake.

Late afternoon sun at Lowe Park in Marion, Iowa. seen in November.

Well, it’s been quite some time, biking blog pals. I’ve been fine, but what with one thing and another, I have not been writing a lot here lately.

I place the bulk of the blame on my own aging memory but I’m willing to share some resposibility with the TSA and modern air travel. For three weeks at the start of October, I was off my trike and my bikes due to a pleasant journey.

My wife and I drove up to the Twin Cities to visit our oldest daughter who lives in a suburb of Saint Paul with her family. Then, we flew out from Minneapolis to visit our oldest son and his family in San Francisco.

We had packed our laptop computer, since I was planning to possibly use it to process images. But it would have been a pain to take it on a flight, so we left it in a suitcase in a closet in the basement of a house in Mahtomedi, Minnesota. Where, when we returned from San Francisco to visit for a few more days and then drive home to Iowa, we left it.

Shucks. It was inevitable this blog would be on hiatus for some time as I spent a fortnight and another week moving across the planet via planes, cars and feet. But that hiatus was extended by the delay getting our laptop back—the laptop is what I use to both edit images and write blog posts.

Long aside, I know, but after the voyage I spend the waning days of October and the whole month of November rolling across the planet, usually on three wheels and sometimes on two.

November, from a trike or bike riding point of view, was a decent month—it was warm and dry for late fall, with some frosty mornings and blustery, chilly days to remind me I live in Iowa. The world was much greener and pleasant than it usually is in the 11th month in this part of the Northern Hemisphere.

This and next images, me during unusually warm November trike rides. It's Nov. 22 in this image and I don't have a coat on.

Stopping by Oakshade Cemetery, were my parents rest, on Dia de los Muertos, Nov. 2.

I guess cemeteries were a theme. Riding my trike through Mt. Calvary Cemetery, where I visit the Sisters of Mercy who rest there. I taught at Mount Mercy University, founded by the sisters, before I retired to ride my tricycle.

Final selfie of this post. Nov. 13 ride takes me by Cedar Lake.

And then came the week of Thanksgiving.

The cool, sunny days turned colder. And then it suddenly got very cold. On the Saturday after turkey day, the winter weather switch was fully engaged—11 inches of dense, heavy snow carpeted my world.

That was Nov. 30, and it was Dec. 5 before I rode my first post-storm ride—and that was a short jaunt on the Fancy Beast so I had a mountain bike to cross snow or ice. I needed the wide tyres of that bike, and indeed walked about a mile of a 7-mile journey to get past the C Avenue sidewalk, which is both the most heavily traveled pedestrian route in my neighborhood and the one least well cleared.

The Fancy Beast, paused on C Avenue Dec. 5. I'm returning home from Lindale Trail and have dismounted to walk across the most ice and snow covered section of the sidewalk.

Lindale Trail on Dec. 5 ride--the trail, in both Cedar Rapids and Marion, is much clearer, although a bit of snow here and there means I'm not unhappy to be riding my mountain bike.

My November rides featured one 35-mile jaunt south to the nearby town of Ely and back along the Cedar River Trail. On that ride, I was interested in seeing progress being made on a new pedestrian-biking bridge that is under construction across the Cedar River between the New Bo neighborhood and Mount Trashmore.

It will be Eastern Iowa’s answer to the High Trestle Trail Bridge, I suppose. Not much of an answer because I’m sure the HTT will still be much grander and where all the cool Iowa bikers gather. Still, it will be very nice to have this new bridge crossing our largest local river in a couple of years.

Many deer seen on November trike and bike rides.

The new bridge being built between Czech Village and New Bo over the Cedar River. The bridge uses the old foundations of a closed railroad bridge. The project will soon close this segment of the Cedar River Trail, and I hope they create a bypass or detour and don't just close one of the busies bike trails in town.

Snake on a trail--seen on Cedar River Trail south of the river.

The weather in the world here at the start of November looked more like September, but by month’s end, even before the winter snow arrived, most trees had become bare and the world started to take on a bit more of its brown, sleepy winter hues. It was surprising this year how many bugs persisted into late November this year, but they aren’t persisting now.

Saturday, Dec. 6, another snowstorm was here. It was colder too, so I didn’t try to ride in the morning before the late afternoon snow blew in. Sunday, I spent my outdoor time clearing snow and filling bird feeders. I’m pretty sure the roads won’t be ready for a ride Monday (I drafted this post before Monday but posted after, and yes, roads weren't ride ready Monday). It will take some time for pavement to be clear enough to be passable.

There aren’t any days in the 10-day weather forecast that look warm enough for getting my as yet unnamed tricycle, or even my mountain bike, out for a ride.

Whatever. I’ll be happy to squeeze in any miles I can this December, as weather allows. In October, I rode 97.44 miles, not many even by my low standards, yet not all that bad since three weeks of the month were spent away from my trike and bikes. In November, I rolled for 262.78 miles. My total so far this year is 1,776.22 miles. I am pretty sure that I won’t make it to 2,000 miles in 2025, but with luck should top that in 2026!

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 Contrast Two Winter Rides

Jan. 27--Grey sky at Waldo's Rock Park.

Six days separate my latest two bike rides.

It’s been a bit of bummer this January, to be so seldom being out on two wheels. I’ve make a halfhearted effort to ride an indoor bike for exercise during dreary ride-hostile days, but it’s honestly not the same.

It seems actually being outside is a huge part of my biking experience. Without the wind, the trees, the trail, the people, the deer, the birds, the walkers, joggers and things to see and experience, biking is just not as enjoyable.

And lately, outdoor riding hasn’t happened much. The theme for January this winter in Iowa has been arctic cold followed by a weird winter wet and warm interlude, with daily rains.

Jan. 21--On Lindale Trail bride. It's better than it looks. the snow is so thin riding on it wasn't bad.

Jan. 21--Trail behind Amoco and Popeye's has not been cleared of snow, so I have to navigate a short city block. The street has been plowed for cars, but the deep salty slush is show going on a bicycle. In contrast, trail pavement is pretty clear.

So, it was nice, in the past week, to be out twice. I rode 7.11 miles on Sunday, Jan. 21, and 11.7 miles today, Saturday, Jan. 27. I guess 7 and 11 must be my lucky numbers this week.

They were contrasting rides, although both were late afternoon rides. My life seems to be filled with busy days—either I’m putting in lots of hours at work during the week or I have family events on the weekend. To be honest, while I do look forward to a more relaxing schedule this summer, I enjoy both the work and the fam, so it’s not bad to be busy the way that I am. But it does cut into rolling time.

So last Sunday, at the end of the arctic blast, I rode a few miles on the Boyson Trail. Snow on the road was a challenge. The trails had been cleared, but not all of the sidewalks or streets I used to get there—the Sunday ride convinced me that Monday would a be a driving day, and cold rain the rest of the workweek did the same trick.

Jan. 21--Deer  seen near north end of Boyson Trail, just as I am deciding it's time to head back home. "Hey pinky," I imagine them thinking. "We don't have warm houses to go to. What's your excuse for being out here?"

Despite being “warm,” it was darn cold. It was about 18 degrees with a stiff wind—my phone weather app put the wind chill at about zero Fahrenheit. I was toying with maybe aiming for 10 miles, but after a short ride into the wind, determined that I would just be happy with what I got and I headed home.

Today was different. For one thing, I was not going to ride the Boyson Trail—part of it is limestone, and days this week have been both wet and above freezing, which means that part of the trail would be mushy and sloppy. I knew from ruts on the Jan. 21 ride that not all bikers share my philosophy, but I just don’t enjoy furrowing a trail like a plow and would rather not, thank you.

But the sidewalks and little piece of street I would use to get to the Lindale Trail are clearer now, thanks to a week of melting. Even where they have not been shoveled well, pavement is showing on the sidewalks.

So, today I got the Fancy Beast out and mounted it at about 4:30. I was planning a quick sojourn, maybe another 7-mile ride before darkness set in.

I headed east. There were a few places, at intersections, where I was glad to be mounted on my trusty winter beater mountain bicycle, where snow speed bumps from street plows were still in place, but by and large the trail was clear. My one concession to the winter was that I didn’t ride on bike lanes, which I usually use when crossing Marion on the Grant Wood Trail. Today, the little pavement interfaces that lead from the sidewalk portion of the trail to the street trail part of the route were still blocked with sone.

Never mind. I didn’t think traffic would be heavy on the wide walkway along the trail route, and I was right. While I did encounter one other biker on the trail and saw several walkers and joggers, the trail traffic was decidedly light.

And I just kept rolling. I wasn’t as dressed—no long johns, no scarf. It was in the 30s and not terribly breezy, a grey, damp, but decidedly warmer day.

I expected to get to Highway 13 and then turn around. I know the city of Marion clears its trails, but I am also aware that Linn County does not. (And I don’t want that to sound like a complaint—I understand traffic and walking and other considerations means it makes sense for the cities to clear their trails, while the many more miles and many fewer trail users makes the opposite decision by the county pretty clearly understandable).

Anyway, the Highway 13 tunnel is marked as the interface between city and county, so I expected that to be the end of snow clearance and the outer limits of my ride. I was pleasantly surprised that the city carried on, clearing the trail all the way to Waldo’s Rock City Park on the east edge of Marion.

Beyond that, trail seems snowbound, so I stopped, made a selfie where the snow clearing ended, and then mounted up, circled the pond at Waldo’s Rock and headed back for home.

It was getting full dark, but it was cloudy and I was not out in the county. If you have a low cloudy evening in the city, the clouds act like a giant reflector and the “dark” areas of the trail have far more ambient light than you might expect.

Jan. 21--Very cold late afternoon ride, me near north end of Boyson Trail, when I turned back towards home.

On Jan. 21, I was glad to put in over 7 miles but also very glad to return to a warm house and relieve the deep chill in my old bones Today, I kind of wished I had started earlier. The day was very grey, but from a biking point of view, much more rider friendly.

In any case, in two rides of 1’s and 7’s, I had contrasting experiences, but enjoyed them both. That’s the thing about the outside, even if you go to some of the same places and ride the same trails, it’s different from day to day, and I love that difference.

This next week may be different. It will continue to be in the 30s, but is not forecast to include daily rain showers. Perhaps there are more miles coming soon! So far in 2024, 94.18 miles.

Jan. 27--A much warmer bike ride, me with bike parked where the snow clearing ends, where trail meets Waldo's Rock Park.

In Which Snow Calls for The Fancy Beast

Late day look at creek along Boyson Trail Dec. 29.

It was the day after Christmas, and I was planning to work for a while. Winter term at my university starts next week, and this professor has some class materials to generate and organize.

Christmas has been warm and wet, and Tuesday was forecast to be drier and colder. Not terribly cold—more like normal for this time of year rather than oddly warm.

I updated a syllabus, downloaded a class list, and in general acted busy for a while. It was quiet in the building where my office is, but not totally deserted, and on a short afternoon break, I encountered a nice woman who works in the business office.

“Joe, you rode your bike today.” True. She probably saw it locked in the bike rack. “Did you know it’s snowing?”

Well, no. Luckily, by chance, I had picked the appropriate bike. Normally, on this kind of ride, I probably would have ridden my road bike, but because I thought there might be some damp pavement as a result of the previous day’s rain, I chose instead to ride The Fancy Beast.

A few days before Christmas, went with family to walk through light displays at McGrath Amphitheatre. Grandson agreed to make image of me with bike lights. I know it's a motorcycle, but looks a bit like a bicycle.

Aside—years ago, my youngest son had a heavy Schwinn mountain bike that he passed on to me, and I called it “The Beast.” Then, from an older son by way of a son-in-law, I acquired a slightly nicer, still old and heavy but not as heavy, Raleigh mountain bike—which I dubbed “The Fancy Beast.” The beast was donated to a bike club and later stolen, so these days when I ride a mountain bike, it’s The Fancy Beast.

Back to our story. I hadn’t arrived all that early in my office, and it was getting to late afternoon by the time I left. In the fading light, it was clear the scenery had changed—my bike and campus were dusted with a light covering of white.

Bike seat dusted by snow Dec. 26.

As I worked for a few hours in the afternoon, an unexpected snow fell Dec. 26. What the Mount Mercy University campus looked like as I prepare to ride home.

The pavement on the way home was a little scary—it was dark, growing colder, and the street looked a little wet. As any experienced Iowa biker knows, in appearance, there is sometimes no difference between “wet” and “icy” but there sure is a friction difference.

I took it easy on the way home and arrived safe and sound, none-the-worse for winter riding. Thank you, Fancy Beast.

Wednesday and Thursday featured more snow. It was too warm to accumulate much beyond maybe a half inch, but I have a rule about riding in snow, in that, I don’t.

By Friday, the grey skies were clearing. Sun was peaking through the tattered clouds. I was taking care of a grandson that day, and we went for a fun sled ride in a city park. But by late afternoon, it seemed the snow was clear of the pavement and melting off of most of the grass. My wife got home at 3 in the afternoon, and asked me if I was going to take a bike ride.

Well, there’s only one good answer to that question.

Finally enjoying a bit of sunshine on bike ride Dec. 29.

Deer seen beside bike trail Dec. 29.

My mountain bike, The Fancy Beast, on trail bridge Dec. 29.

It was late enough, and I planned to ride on nearby trails, which are partly limestone, so I opted, once again, for the trusty winter mountain bike.

I had a good ride, putting in a bit over 9 miles as the winter day’s light faded. Along the Boyson Trail, I did encounter a few soft spots and a few places where there was still snow—nothing that The Fancy Beast couldn’t handle.

What with one thing and another, I haven’t had many days of biking this Christmas break, but am glad I’ve had a few. As of Dec. 29, I have 162.41 miles for the month, not a great total, but not bad for a winter month. My goal this year was 3,300 miles, and I’m glad to say I’m at 3,339.22 miles for 2023. I’m not sure if today was the last bike ride of the year, but with things already planned for the weekend, it could well be.

Despite the snow and the wet, it wasn’t a bad finish to the year. Now to think about how far I’ll roll in 2024.

Bike ride Dec. 21, Milkweed seen in Hannah Park.

Dec. 23--Final ride before Christmas, 15-mles took me out to Lowe Park and Echo Hill School. The Fancy Beast at turnaround point.

Fancy Beast on bridge on Lidale Trail, Dec. 23.

Dec. 21--I ride the road bike now and then. Remains of a wrecked bike with my bike in the background, Dec. 21.

In Which There are Unexpected Interruptions

Nov. 16--I had a work meeting at the Mount Mercy graduate center, a 2-mile bike ride from the main campus. When it was over, I stopped by Cedar Lake to enjoy a November sunset.

Nov. 30, above and below--on final day of the month, I ride my bike down to Cedar Lake again after work. Nice place to see late afternoon sun!

How was your November on two wheels? Mine was a mixed bag.

The first part of the month was warmer than usual, and I got some rides in, but then came a sudden shift to colder weather. We’ve had snow, and while I will ride in cold, I do try to avoid snowy streets.

So, maybe it’s not a surprise that my miles were down a bit this month. In October, I rolled for almost 235 miles. In November, Map My Ride shows 204.5 miles, giving me a total of 3,176.81 for 2023.

Nov. 13--Bicycles in rack at Mount Mercy University--warmer weather early in November.

Nov. 29--Student biking on campus after snow. I biked that day too, but stuck to dry pavement.

Nov. 29--Getting ready to hop on my bike for ride home at sunset.

As I get ready for sunset ride home, I'm being monitored by Squirrel Spiderman, who climbs up the 6-story building where my office is.

My goal for the year is 3,300 miles, and it does seem attainable, as long as there aren’t too many more bumps in the road in December.

Like snow. But Mother Nature wasn’t the major problem with my November miles. Instead, my health was.

Made this image Nov. 17 of new gloves my wife got me--nice reflective wear for winter riding! I wear a reflective vest, too.

I had hoped to do one or two longer rides over Thanksgiving break. We get Wednesday through Friday off of classes at the university where I teach, so I was thinking maybe a longer ride Wednesday. I have a daughter-in-law who just this year learned, as an adult, to ride a bicycle, and she has been getting into longer rides. My son, her and their son were all coming over to visit Thanksgiving week, and I was hoping to take her out and show her some of the local bike trails.

Maybe I hoped too much. It's like a war movie where the friendly character dreams of all he will do once he gets home. Somehow, you know that dude has a target on his back.

And Sunday night of Thanksgiving week, I had a lightly scratchy throat. Not that unusual for me, it can be a symptom of dry winter air, but still, I felt “off.”

I woke up Monday morning with my throat still in mild discomfort, and also a headache. Not a bad headache, and I have sleep problems, so awakening with a mild sinus pain can just be a symptom of Monday. Yet, I wondered. I just didn’t feel quite right.

And thus, I tested. A home COVID-19 test. Positive. Damn.

My son, daughter-in-law and grandchild all packed up early and left Monday—which I don’t blame them for. They didn’t want to risk getting ill miles from their home. My oldest daughter was to come down from Minnesota, but decided not to, again, understandably. There was no family gathering for turkey day. And no long bike rides that week, as my body was occupied fighting off a bat virus.

To be honest, it wasn’t much of a fight—my body won that battle handily. I’m in generally decent health, I am only 65 (COVID tends to be dangerous for people in their 80s, and I’m not there, yet) and I am fully vaccinated, with my most recent COVID shot in September. I never ran a fever, my symptoms were not terrible, and I recovered in due time.

Nov. 21--Tuesday of COVID week, the family is all gone and I'm getting crazy cooped up. It's a cool, cloudy day, and I figured nobody would be on the trails, so I masked and went for a short ride. I was socially distant, pretty certain no virus transmission happened that day.

I even, several times that week, went on short bike rides, masked and distant from others, although I was too tired to put in many miles.

On Thanksgiving Day, I staged a sort of ninja raid on my office—going there when I knew the building would be empty to get some files so I could catch up on work. Still, my biking time was nowhere near what I had been hoping for.

I was alone on Thanksgiving Day. My wife went to a daughter's house, but a turkey dinner delivery was made later, so I didn't totally miss out. On my own, I ride down to campus to get some files--much sunnier day.

My Thanksgiving Ride ends up drawing a turkey picture.

I did enjoy some nice rides the weekend BV (before virus). On the 11th, the day was cloudy and cool, but I rode to the end of the Grant Wood Trail.

And on Sunday the 12th, I rode via trails and streets out to Lowe Park, where, although we’d already had some frosty nights, the last bees were visiting fading flowers.

Nov. 12--Milkweed seen on trail ride out to Lowe Park.

Nov. 12--Milkweed in the garden at Lowe Park.

Nov. 12--One of the final bees of fall visits a fading flower at Lowe Park.

In meantime, snow has fallen and the bees are gone, now. So, happily, is the virus. I had some unexpected detours, and thus fewer miles, this month. Things don’t look good for the first weekend of December—I am busy most of the day Saturday, and snow is possible Saturday into Sunday.

Still, I bicycled more than 200 miles in November and have far less than 200 to go to reach my 2023 goal. I have lights, winter clothes and, knock on wood, my health—so I’ll keep rolling!

Nov. 11--Saturday ride on Grant Wood Trail, a bit grey, but not a bad day for a ride.

Nov. 11--Used mountain bike so I could ride the grassy last two miles to the end of the Grant Wood Trail.

Nov. 25, deer on Lindale Trail.

Nov. 25--Walked across the C Avenue Bridge today, but rode most of the way on this ride.

Nov. 25--Snow on Lindale Trail bridge--rode across this one.

Nov. 25--Making images of Christmas lights seen during bike ride.