In Which There’s Not Much Chill Yet

Lowe Park, warm summer sun shining on fall day, Sept. 24.

Well, bikers, fall in the Northern Hemisphere is here yet it still feels like summer in Iowa.

Take today, for instance. I was taking a mid-afternoon break from paper grading, and got my road bike out. It was cloudy and in the 60s this morning, so I had on jeans and a long-sleeved T-shirt. I decided to change into shorts, and I’m glad I did.

As I road along the local trails—I was headed down the Lindale Trail to the Boyson Trail, thence up to the trail behind Linn-Mar High School, and finally over to Lowe Park—the clouds broke up and it became sunny. This is the second official full day of fall, but the mugginess and sunshine and warmth didn’t foreshadow cooler weather to come. By this time of the year, we’re usually seeing some crisp nights, sometimes even a hint of frost, but not so far in hot, dry 2023.

Sept. 23--Saw many grasshoppers on Grant Wood Trail, but only one of these crawlies.

Sept. 23--Fall is here, but sky looks like summer. You many not see it well, but Monarch butterfly is flitting away west in the middle of the sky. I think they're getting ready to go to Mexico.

Sept. 23--Grant Wood Trail. Summer may be in the air, but fall is showing in Sumac leaves (above and below).

Sept. 23--Turn around point of my ride. On hybrid bike due to flat on road bike (which I fixed later in the day). New extension of Grant Wood Trail visible--I can tell by tracks many are already sampling it, but I'll wait for it to be open. From the looks of things, my wait won't be all that long.

While we’re still officially in a drought, at least the “dry” was not so intense this week. A few light rains have rolled through. They had a tornado and flash-flood north of us Friday night, but just a few drops here. Still, there has been some fall damp, which we desperately need.

Although the weather feels summerlike, there are definite signs of fall everywhere. Plants are changing hue. Of course, the drought will dry up grasses and make them brown, but other plants, like milkweed, can be seen in shades of yellow rather than green. Sumac is turning red. Trees are dropping leaves.

The bike rides have been pleasant, though. Even if I would be OK with cooler fall weather, at least most of September has not featured the full hellish heat that this summer sometimes saw. The 80s and sunshine feel warm, but it’s not the upper 90s nor 100s.

Winter is coming. That’s OK with me, when it’s not too cold I’ll continue rolling. And I generally like cool fall weather for biking anyway. So, bring on the autumn. Soon, please.

So far in September, I’ve rolled about 284 miles, giving me 2,713 for the year. Schools keeps me busy and time for riding is precious, but I’m happy to have those miles.

Sept. 15--Flowers at Cedar Lake.

Another look. Have not ridden down to the lake all that much now that school is here, but went down this Friday, Sept. 15.

Seen at Cedar Lake Sept. 15--the small lake south of the trail.

Sept. 15--And some of these big birds on the main lake, too.

Sept. 15--Above and below, pretty sky at Cedar Lake in the afternoon.

Sept. 13--This week was "Mission and Ministry Week" at the university where I teach. Many nuns of the order that founded Mount Mercy are buried in Mount Calvary Cemetery, which is right next to a bike trail. There are still living nuns involved at MMU, but on a fine afternoon, I paid a peaceful visit to some previous ones. And that's my bike parked on a drive as I take a quiet stroll with the spirits of the sisters.