Creatures Observed On A Borrowed Bike

The borrowed bike.

I must have been quite a sight Wednesday.  On a ride last week with Jon, I broke a spoke, so my bike is in the shop.  Jon said it was OK for me to borrow his bike—but his bike has shoe clips, not peddles, and I don’t own bike shoes.

Ben and Audrey rescued a bike from a dumpster in Ames, but right now it needs a front flat fixed and a new pin the chain’s master link (Jon shortened the chain, which was grossly too long).

So the bike that was ready to ride and available was my wife’s lady’s mountain bike.

Well, practice for RAGBRAI is more important than pride, and the weather was nice today, so I rode.  I had a meeting with a prospective student this afternoon, and once that had ended, I headed out on the trail.  First, I went south to Mount Trashmore, then turned north and went out to County Home Road.

Asian lily bloomed for first time Wednesday in my garden.

I am not sure how far I rode.  Because F Avenue was closed, I took the trail both to and from MMU, which adds a bit of distance. I rode from 5 to 7:30.  On my own bike, I would average about 12 mph.  I felt like I was going fairly fast on Audrey’s bike, but it’s not built nor geared for speed, so let’s say maybe 25 miles in two and a half hours?

Anyway, it was a good ride.  There were lilies in bloom, it was a cool, slightly breezy day. 

Native Iowa lily along fence near small Baptist church where the fixed the loudspeaker, thank goodness, so that odd male voice can hector me as I ride.

This and next images are flowers at the end of the trail at County Home Road, where it is closed for paving.  Some catalpa still in bloom though most are done, and cone flowers just getting started.

I saw a number of animals, ducks and geese, of course.  Most odd was a deer, a doe, at Quaker Oats.  What was she doing there?  She was in some trees, sure, but also at the edge of a factory parking lot.  An odd place for Bambi's sister, mom or wife to loiter.

And there were plenty of people on the trail.

That was a mixed blessing.  What a sight I must have been.

Deer me! Wyatt and Katy's car.  Wyatt hit a deer while trying to enter I 380.  The deer must have gone up the ramp.  What is with CR deer?  Quaker Oats parking lot?  Interstate 380? Bambi, stay in the woods!