In Which It’s Looking Like Christmas

Walkers and Bikers on trail north of town. Long afternoon shadows.

Late November in Iowa—a cool afternoon. Around 2:30, I take a break from post-Thanksgiving grading, and get the hybrid bike out. Temperature in the upper 30s, so I have coat, hood and gloves on.

I decided to head north. I wasn’t sure if I would go all the way to Lafayette, which is a bit over 20 miles as a round trip, but the day was enticing. I was riding into a cool headwind, which slowed and chilled me a bit, but I was still enjoying the sunshine.

The Cedar Valley Nature Trail north of Cedar Rapids had some joggers, bikers and walkers on it, but was pretty quiet. I rode at a steady, slow pace, just taking in the quite brown beauty of Iowa in late fall. It’s not the prettiest time of year—the leaves are gone, and although the grass is still tinged with green, most plants have died back in the cold.

I rode the small trail that leads to Troy Park in Robins, but it's still closed by a mountain of ground derecho wood. I've turned back towards the main trail, shadows on the way.

Bike parked at Lafayette. I've just turned on lights for ride home.

But in the afternoon golden light, the harvested corn fields were almost glowed. About 5 miles north, I ran into Cardinal Village, a short stretch of the trail where, for some reasons, several cardinal couples reside. Cardinals live north of Robins.

The light was definitely faded when I got to Lafayette. I got off the bike for a few minutes, and flipped on my lights before taking off again.

Fluffy seeds glow in afternoon light beside the trail. I shot these near restroom at County Home Road, where I stopped.

Sun close to the horizon bathes trail in golden light (above and below).

It was dusk when I got back to town, fading into full night. Christmas lights shone from some houses. I detoured into a neighborhood where one of my younger sisters lives, and looped around a block where there is the house that in past was so lit up it probably interfered with aircraft navigation and was visible from the space station.

Sadly, I saw no lights there this year.

Moon rising as I head home. This is in Hiawatha, I think.

I noticed a new side trail in Hiawatha and took it--but it was just a little stub leading to a nearby street. Moon rises over water tower at trail's end.

Just north of Tower Terrace Road, not far from Boyson Road trail head, geese fly overhead to land in harvested corn field, seeking bedtime snack, I assume.

Well, there were other lights, and it was a pretty night. I admired the not-quite-full moon and shot some images of lights.

It was good to get out and work off some of the holiday feasting, although, to be honest, the feasting on leftovers was in full swing when I got home.

Christmas lights on the western edge of Cedar Rapids, seen as I ride home.

Waiting for light to change at corner of Boyson Road and Council Street, I amuse myself by making image of streetlight and moon. Was surprised it turned out without a tripod.

Rode by my daughter's house on the way home--lights on a fence near her house.

In Which Lowe Park Shows November’s Beauty

Sunday afternoon, my shadow as I leisurely ride along the Lowe Park Trail in Marion, Iowa.

Dry Creek runs behind my house, but this is east of there in Marion, Iowa. I rode a short leg along the side trail to the Boyson Trail on my way home as the light faded. Creek looks pretty as day fades.

 

Fred  Zelt, who runs the Social Distance Cycling Club on Facebook, recently posted a TED talk by a man from the twin cities who credits biking with making his life healthier. The speaker in the video lives with Crohn’s disease, and credits riding his bicycle with easing his symptoms.

Well, cool. And also, cool. He lives in St. Paul and works in Minneapolis. I live in eastern Iowa, a bit south of that area. It’s November now, and we’re a month away from the darkest day of the year, which means days are getting shorter and shadows longer.

Still, we’ve been blessed with good weather. Sunday the sky had some clouds now and then, but by the time I was ready for a short afternoon ride to shake off the cobwebs, the sky had turned a pretty pale fall blue. It’s not quite the vibrant blue of a summer day, but I’ll take it.

Third Street in Marion, biking towards Lowe Park. I like the color contrast of the crabapples and the blue sky, tree right beside the street.

This and next two images--geese in the pond at the corner of Tower Terrace Road and Irish Drive. There were a huge number of them, maybe around 100, at this little pond--probably on their way somewhere.

 

 

Milkweed blowing in the wind near east end of Lowe Park Trail

It was cool enough for a jacket over my sweatshirt, but after a few miles, I stowed the gloves in my pocket and put the hood down. Biking made me too warm for those.

Lowe Park is a pretty place to ride at the end of the day, and did not disappoint this fine Sunday. I read recently (again, courtesy of SDCC) that 20 miles is the ideal length for a bike ride. I started riding around 2:30, and rode fairly slowly, pausing to make images of the fall beauty. It was getting dark by the time I got home, and I only rode 15 miles, but it was a very nice 15 miles. So maybe not the ideal length, but a good length on a good Sunday.

Bike at east end of Lowe Park Trail (above and below).

Buffalo sculpture along Lowe Park Trail. Late afternoon light makes it's metal coat seem like hair.

How long has this reflecting ball been along Lowe Park Trail (above and below)? It's new to me. It's been some weeks since I have ridden this trail.

Tonight, 3 inches of wet snow are expected, followed by a day of cold rain. I didn’t have time this Monday to go for a ride, so it looks like the Thanksgiving bike week won’t amount to much—but biking is still something I definitely have gratitude for.

So, thanks, inventors of the bicycle. It feels like a kind of technology that does not inevitable (who knew humans could balance on two wheels that way?). And thanks, Mother Nature, for whatever bike days I get at this time of year.

Leaving MMU campus on bike ride home Thursday night. Worked from home Friday.

Sunday late afternoon ride.

In Which Wind Stirs Fair Sunsets

Wednesday afternoon--I had parked my bike at the library this morning, opposite end of campus from my office. Had an afternoon meeting, so mid-afternoon I rode to Basile Hall and tied my bike to a sign. This is a bit later, after meeting and after packing up for home, around 4 p.m., bike at sunset.

October started cold and ended warm. November has been a mixed month, in Iowa. We had our first snows early in October, and now are enjoying some fine, sunny, cool fall afternoons.

C Avenue Sunset on the way home, waiting for light to change at Blairs Ferry Road.

We’re getting to the point of the year where light is precious and shadows a bit long midday, but so far this week, each day has been a good one for a bike commuter.

Today was, for the second half of November, a nice day. A 40 mph wind made my bike ride home uphill most of the way (bikers understand that some hills are swells on the Earth; some are merely moving air). But the temperature flirted with 50, and while it was in the upper 40s by the late afternoon when I started my ride home, I stowed my cold weather riding jacket in the back bag rather than wearing it.

Dry Creek at the north end of the Boyson Trail.

Pretty  sunset at top of Bowman Woods hill.

As light fades, heading down the hill on Brentwood Drive towards home. I have stopped to make this image, so no, did not shoot while rolling downhill, and I also have lights on.

And on the way home, I headed down the Lindale Trail, headed over to the Boyson Trail and came home by riding over the Bowman Woods hill on Brentwood Drive.

I rode with lights in the morning and lights in the fading sundown—not that surprising, at this time of year. Still, it’s been a good biking week. And it is supposed to be warmer tomorrow.

Map of my afternoon ride. I don't record many maps these days, since I'm not currently training for RAGBRAI, and I usually ride the same route. This bent paperclip is me headed home via the Lindale and Boyson trails.

In Which I Find Long Underwear

Frosty morning sunrise, C Avenue Nov. 12.

C Avenue Pond, sunrise, Nov. 12.

The low last night was in the 20s, and it was cold this morning, with a wind chill in the single digits.

But it wasn’t really bone-chilling cold. And I’ll ride a bicycle when it’s zero outside, if the air isn’t moving too much. Still, it was cold enough this morning that I looked for, and found much more quickly than I expected, my long winter underwear.

Afternoon sky, Nov. 12.

It was not really a full winter ride—the night was not that cold. I did not wear warm boots (although I did have warm socks) nor did I bother to find a scarf to protect my neck.

And I kind of enjoyed the ride in. I didn’t get too cold. This afternoon it was in the upper 30s, and I left the underwear in the bike back. It felt cooler, honestly, on the way home, but I still enjoyed the ride.

This was another good week for riding, and honestly felt better because it was getting November cool, finally. I hope your biking week went well, too.

Nov. 11--Geese fly by as I wait for light to change.

Morning light Nov. 11 at Collins Road.

In Which I Ride Through Faux Summer

Evening sky on my bike ride home Nov. 5.

Nov. 7--Collins Aerospace Pond on C Avenue.

 

It’s been a while, biker friends. Your correspondent has indeed been on two wheels a lot lately—weather in Iowa turned warm for this election week. Too warm—hot like our politics is.

Must be all that hot air blowing around.

It’s been almost like late summer or at least September—days in the 70s, nights in the upper 40s or low 50s. I have enjoyed it, a bit, although I’ve also been so busy that I have not had any long rides. I rode 12 miles today, and it was the most miles I’ve had in a fortnight, although I did squeeze in at least one ride down to Cedar Lake during this warm stretch.

While the temperature says “Labor Day,” the light definitely says “November.” Morning and afternoon shadows are long. I wrote prematurely about the time change, but it’s in the past now, and darkness falls by 5 p.m.

Today, to celebrate a bit of euphoria (I won’t get political, but my wife and I are registered Democrats), my sweetie and I took an afternoon break. We rode our bikes to a Dairy Queen about 4 miles from home. After an indulgent treat—eaten outside, at a distance—I biked home with her and then took off my myself to gain a few more miles.

Starting out on bike ride Nov. 7 (above) with my wife. Later (below) the light fades on the Lindale Trail as I pedal home.

It was getting dim, so I stuck to some trails near my home. At a bridge over a creek, I paused to admire the pretty fading light, and noted clouds of insects dancing near the bridge. Not big clouds, and nothing was feasting on me, but still—one is not used to clouds of bugs on Nov. 7 at this northern latitude.

The ride was nice. I have been fascinated with light in these dark times, and spend some of my rides shooting sunrise or sunset images, or pictures of shadows.

Nov. 3 view of Cedar Lake.

Nov. 3, deer near Cedar Lake, seen during ride on Cedar River Trail.

Shooting shadows of a rider on trails this week, above and below.

 

Sunrise at C Avenue Pond, morning bike ride to work on Nov. 6.

In other recent biking news, the seat on the Fancy Beast did what it does at times, and settled, which makes for a rather rough ride, knees tucked under my chin, no leg leverage. I got my tools out and got it fixed, I think, and I have ridden it several times since tightening the seat post, but mostly I’ve been riding on the hybrid bike.

Well, summer can’t last forever. I think. Winter is coming. A gallery of some late October rides, ending in images of the repair project on the seat of the Fancy Beast: