In Which Elusive Flyers Finally Cooperate

Team Joe in tunnel between Grey's Lake and Waterworks Park.

Well, the first half of the ride that was not RAGBRAI was quite fun. My sister Cate and I went to Des Moines to meet with the rest of Team Joe: my delayed twin Brigid (born on my fourth birthday) and her husband, Eldon.

On Aug. 1, we drove to Des Moines in the morning. Then, we headed over to a nearby city park and unloaded my bike and their tricycles. We were headed west to Clive, along what Brigid told me is one of the oldest bike trails in the Des Moines metro.

The day was warm, but not terribly hot, and the twisty trail had plenty of shade, so it was a nice ride. We first rode to an artificial suburban lake in Clive, then turned back, stopping for lunch at B-Bop’s. After getting back to the park, we headed east, but the trail was closed not far from the park in that direction—recent rains have flooded some bike trails in Des Moines.

Team Joe trikers Aug. 1 at lake in Clive.

Goat along trail in Clive.

The next day was predicted to be hotter, and it was a very warm Friday. We drove to Slater this time, planning to ride to the west end of the High Trestle Trail. Along the way, several large Swallowtail Butterflies appeared, one flitting along with us for 20 yards or so. I was hoping it would pause on a flower and I could make its image, but no dice, it veered off into the trees and disappeared from view.

Well, never mind. That was the pattern for the first two of these large butterflies seen on the ride, but butterfly number 3 (or butterfly one or two simply appearing again), did exactly as I hoped, and posed for me to make images.

Then, when we got to the bridge, there was a blue Swallowtrail in the trees beside the overlook, and some other butterfly sucking up salt or something from the rail of the overlook.

The cooperative butterfly by the High Trestle Trail.

My sisters with statue of RAGBRAI founder in Waterworks Park.

They knit in Woodward. Three of the trike riders in background are hungry Team Joe members riding to bar for lunch.

On the railing of High Trestle Trail Bridge, butterfly snacking.

Hot Friday afternoon, new connector trail west of Woodward. We've just turned around at point where trail is closed--the full trail should be open later this month, our Des Moines team members said.

Another view of butterfly on rail of overlook, High Trestle Trail.

The day was quite uncomfortably warm, but we fortified ourselves with lunch at the Whistlin’ Donkey in Woodward. They are adding a connector trail that is supposed to go 9 miles west of Woodward to another trail (which, I’m not sure, I don’t know Des Moines area trails that well), and after lunch we continued west to inspect the new trial.

It was closed maybe 2 miles or so west of town, so we turned back. In Madrid, on the return journey, we rested and got iced coffees or smoothies, depending on our desires (caffeine for me).

July 20--Lindale Trail (new part west of C Avenue). It was a wet July, got a ride in before evening storm.

Coneflowers seen at north end of Creek Trail off of Boyson Trail. Seen on July 27 bike ride.

On July 29 in bridge area of Lindale Trail, seeing a vulture high in a tree beside the trail.

The ride from Madrid to Slater was very, very hot. It’s a most sunny stretch of the trail, and the summer sun felt quite warm on this humid summer day. Before I knew it, we were back at Slater and ready to head to our Des Moines base.

Where there was the great bratwurst incident. Our hosts stopped at Target to grab some brats for supper that night, and my sister announced her intention to warm them in the oven.

I told her I was a bit surprised she didn’t simmer them in beer and fry them, and she looked at me as if I were suggesting something radical and new. My other sister backed me up—the beer method is a pretty traditional Midwestern way to cook bratwurst, and my sister agreed to try it.

Well, I don’t know if they are converts, but my brother-in-law and delayed twin agreed the results were pleasant.

Saturday, we talked about a final ride after brunch, but it was again very hot and we decided on a ramble on foot, visiting Grey’s Lake and Waterworks Parks.

It was a pleasant first half and 50 miles of the Ride that Is Not RAGBRAI. RINRAGBRAI will continue Labor Day Weekend in Cedar Rapids—locals, what trails are must-sees for our visitors from the west?

I finished July with 326.21 miles for the month. Most of this month’s 51.69 miles were on RINRAGBRAI because my road bike developed a flat tyre less than half a mile into a commute to work this morning, and I took the hint from the universe and drove on a very, very hot day, figuring that cooler weather and more biking miles are coming this week. So far, 1,801.83 miles on the year.