CR Biker: In Which May Features Many Miles, Creatures

May 30--Morning bike ride to campus leads me to encounter this bird. It's a substantial bird, but a very young hawk at the end of one its first flights. Resting on a bare bush behind Warde Hall.

May 31--This time, the young hawk is on the loading dock, which is a problem because I'm trying to get inside the building with my bicycle. The loading dock door is the only external access. I was a bit worried, since I had to get close to junior, that I might meet mom or dad under adverse circumstances, especially since junior was making plaintive cries. Luckily, I got peacefully inside the building.

I had some bike struggles in May—a persistent problem with flats on my hybrid bike, mainly. The good folks at Goldfinch bike shop kept at it, eventually replacing the back tyre, which was fairly new, for free, which I appreciated.

My other issues were personal—mostly the first half of the month was crazy busy until Mount Mercy University, where I teach, had its graduation. The final two weeks of the months featured my first longer summer-style rides.

I rode 50 miles on May 18, although I discovered I was not feeling all that well afterwards. My sister and I rode 40 miles together on May 23, but it pretty much knocked me out afterwards. The next day, I wanted to do another long ride, but only managed 28 miles before exhaustion took its toll. At least, I did manage 35 miles on May 25, but my wife observed, “we have to build you up.” Indeed, those aren’t very impressive RAGBRAI ride distances.

May 4--Morning sun at C Avenue Pond.

May 6--On a cloudy day, sun peeks out on side trail off of Boyson Trail.

May 16--Interesting morning sky on bike ride to work.

On May 31, the weather forecast was for a nice morning, followed by a hot summer-like afternoon with the high around 90 Fahrenheit. I had a plan—I would get on the road by 8 a.m., ride 50 miles before it got hot, and then do 10 miles later after it had cooled down.

The best laid plans and all that—it didn’t exactly work out. I slept later than I expected and took a while to get ready, so I left after 9. That was still earlier than I’ve usually started rolling, so there was still hope. I rode north to Lafayette, doing the loop around the Robins Park both coming and going. Then I rode down to Cedar Lake. I had to turn in my letter of appointment at the university where I teach, and planned that as a break in my ride. By the time I got there, I had about 25 miles and the day was getting hot.

May 17--Weather in warming up, bugs are getting common and sunscreen is now part of each ride.

May 17--Bike parked on Lindale Trail as I pause to photograph flowers.

May 17--Sweet smelling flowers of spring along Lindale Trail.

The afternoon was quite warm, but on the way home I rode partway down the Lindale Trail, going to the west end and back to the bridge area on the east. By riding a slightly indirect route home and by messing around on the Lindale Trail, I managed to get to 42 miles. It was about 2 p.m., and I decided it was time to hide inside for a while.

I fixed and ate lunch and took a nap. By the time I was up again and ready to ride, it was past 5 p.m. I decided that if I rode 8 mile and reached 50 for the day, I would still call it a success. I rode out to Waldo’s Rock, and then returned to the Lindale Trail, turning to take the Boyson Trail and the new Creek Trail that leads behind Linn-Mar High School.

May 18--Rode bike to Urbana, parked for break at Lafayette.

May 18--Hazy skies on Cedar River Trail north of Center Point. Sorry about the forests, Canada.

I’m normally a slow biker. My 42-mile ride was on my road bike, my fastest bike, but it had a slow motor that day. For the later ride, I rode my hybrid bike. For one thing, I had moved my bike bag there, so didn’t have to wear my camera bag, which I liked.

By the time I got to the north end of the new creek trail, at Tower Terrace Road, it was getting dim, and I didn’t want to ride a dark, wooded trail in twilight. So I turned west along Tower Terrace Road. I was well past my 8 mile goal, in fact, I had ridden more than 10 miles. Even though it was getting late and I had not had supper, I was too motivated. I rode to the Lowe Park Trail—not taking the trail as it was too dim, but just heading up the street and back to gain some distance.

May 24--Rode mountain bike to Sac and Fox Trail--took side mountain bike trail for a couple of miles.

May 24--Halfway down Sac and Fox, trail is closed for a road bridge construction.

May 24--Cedar River seen as I ride along Otis Road.

May 24--Cedar Lake.

May 24--Mountain bike parked where the trail ends, halfway.

May 28--Riding back to start of Sac and Fox, pretty late afternoon.

On the way home, I turned north into the Cedar Rapids neighborhood north of Boyson Road. I had about 15 miles on the ride—but looping around, I managed to eke out the missing 3 miles. It wasn’t so hot in the evening and I didn’t want to stop in the 50s if I could make it to 60 miles.

Which I did. It was the last day of May, and 60 miles is my longest ride so far this year. To get ready for RAGBRAI, I’ll have to try to ride that kind of distances several times a week in June, but it was good to get the first “long” ride in.

In May of 2022, I cycled about 210 miles. This year, May 2023, my milage total was 397 miles. Maybe I would have gone for 63 if I realized I was only 3 miles short of 400, but I don’t feel bad about 60 miles on May 31. For the year so far, I have 1,118 miles. The old rule of thumb is one should ride at least 1,000 miles before attempting RAGBRAI. With my old body, I need more prep than that—it just takes longer to try to get in shape.

May 26--Rode to Boyson Trail on mountain bike, parked along mountain bike trail there.

May 25--Where there was a detour at a sink hole site on Cedar River Trail south of the river. The regular trail is open now--rode down to Ely this day.

The rides in May came as the weather quickly transitions from a warm spring to a hot, dry summer pattern. I hope we get some rain soon, as it’s way too dry for this time of year.

The rides, while getting buggy as they do in Iowa, have also been nice. One feature of the May rides has been the increasing number of interesting critters I’ve seen—deer, of course. Also a groundhog and a snake. And several times, late in May, a young hawk. A pair of red-tailed hawks nest on top of the five-story building where I have my office, and this year they successfully produced at least two young hawks, that one of my faculty friends dubbed “front door” and “back door,” because the first tentative flights of one have been to the front stop of the building, while the other prefers the rear. On my bike rides, I’ve encountered “back door” several times.

May 31--Catalpa Tree flowers near Cedar Lake.

May 31--Very hot day, summer look of Cedar Lake.

May 31--Pond at Waldos Rock park late in the day as I aim for 60 miles.

May 31--Summer "snow" on Lindale Trail--Cottonwood seeds.

May 31--Sun going down on Lindale Trail.

One day, I even saw a fox family on the Lindale Trail. I'm aware that wild fox live in Iowa, but this was my first time seeing one, and it' wasn't one, but a mom and two kits.

May—miles are picking up as I plan longer training rides, and nature is getting more interesting to look at. I hope May rides have been pleasant wherever you are!

The creatures of May: