 |
| Heron wades in slough next to Cedar Lake on Aug. 31, final day of August. |
Here it is, the final day of August, 2026. It got hot this afternoon, the start of a hot week here in Iowa. Well, it’s not unusual for September to feel summer warm, although a few hints of fall chill would not be amiss.
In past years, I’ve ridden my birthday on or near my Aug. 30 birthday—in one day riding the number of miles that equals the age I reach. Recently, I’ve amended that practice as I age—now, I generally give myself a weekend to reach my birthday ride. And this year, family had a hand in plans, too. I have a sister who was born on my 4th birthday, so as I turned 68 Aug. 30, she turned 64. She, her husband and another of my sisters, plus me, form “Team Joe,” which has ridden RAGBRAI in pre-pandemic years.
Anyway, the team decided to get together and share miles—if the team rode 17 miles, that would equal 68. Or if we rode 34, the cumulative miles would cover both my sister and me.
As for me, I was still thinking I’d like to ride my full birthday miles as an individual.
In past years, I’ve ridden my birthday on or near my Aug. 30 birthday—in one day riding the number of miles that equals the age I reach. Recently, I’ve amended that practice as I age—now, I generally give myself a weekend to reach my birthday ride. And this year, family had a hand in plans, too. I have a sister who was born on my 4th birthday, so as I turned 68 Aug. 30, she turned 64. She, her husband and another of my sisters, plus me, form “Team Joe,” which has ridden RAGBRAI in pre-pandemic years.
Anyway, the team decided to get together and share miles—if the team rode 17 miles, that would equal 68. Or if we rode 34, the cumulative miles would cover both my sister and me.
As for me, I was still thinking I’d like to ride my full birthday miles as an individual.
 |
| Aug. 28--Goldfinch eating Thistle seeds by Grant Wood Trail, seen on the first and longest of the birthday rides. |
 |
| Friday Aug. 28 ride, team takes a break on bridge as we near home. |
 |
| Aug. 27--I ride out to see my parents' marker at Oak Shade Cemetery. Team Joe will visit the next day. |
Anyway, the team quickly exceeded its goal. Team Joe is—since I was given Sommer Lovin, my trike, by my wife and kids—a trike team. On Friday, we rode our 12 wheels over to see my parent’s tombstone, recently installed at Oak Shade Cemetery. Then we rode to Lowe Park, rolled across the trail there, and then headed down the Grant Wood Trail to Waldo’s Rock Park.
After a break, we continued east past the new bridge to the trailhead just beyond the end of the paved trail.
When we got there, there was a van from Cornell College in Mount Vernon. And young adults in shorts were milling about, some skipping or toe walking about. It was the cross-country team, according to many of their shirts.
The older of my two younger sisters, the one who doesn’t share my birthday, looked at the cross-country team and yelled out: “Hey Cornell. It’s Brigid’s and Joe’s birthday this weekend—how about a song?”
The young adults laughed, gathered in a cluster, and sang “Happy Birthday” to Brigid and I. It was silly, spontaneous and serene.
It was the unexpected highlight of a very fun weekend. We enjoyed the 33.97 miles, longer than we had planned, on Friday. Saturday, we intended an early ride, but rain delayed us and we didn’t start until mid-afternoon. That day, we rode down to Cedar Lake and then up to the Boyson Road trailhead on the Cedar River Trail.
After a break, we continued east past the new bridge to the trailhead just beyond the end of the paved trail.
When we got there, there was a van from Cornell College in Mount Vernon. And young adults in shorts were milling about, some skipping or toe walking about. It was the cross-country team, according to many of their shirts.
The older of my two younger sisters, the one who doesn’t share my birthday, looked at the cross-country team and yelled out: “Hey Cornell. It’s Brigid’s and Joe’s birthday this weekend—how about a song?”
The young adults laughed, gathered in a cluster, and sang “Happy Birthday” to Brigid and I. It was silly, spontaneous and serene.
It was the unexpected highlight of a very fun weekend. We enjoyed the 33.97 miles, longer than we had planned, on Friday. Saturday, we intended an early ride, but rain delayed us and we didn’t start until mid-afternoon. That day, we rode down to Cedar Lake and then up to the Boyson Road trailhead on the Cedar River Trail.
 |
| Aug. 16--New trail that will extend Cemar Trail to meet trails in Marion is nearing completion. |
With 16.33 miles on Saturday, we had reached 50 miles. The team was done, with my sister and her husband from Des Moines returning home Sunday. It rained again Sunday, so I didn’t ride that day—but my wife suggested, and I agreed, that since Monday was the final day of August, I could count miles on that day, too.
I attended (a damp due to rain) ball game Sunday afternoon, and saw a friend I usually ride with about once a week. He and I agreed to meet Monday morning for a ride.
So this morning, I got my trike out, but noticed the seat was wobbly. It has a large bolt to hold the seat to the frame, and it had come loose. I tried to tighten it, without success, but had it in place (not well secured) and rode up to meet the friend. I had removed my flags from my trike, so our first stop on the joint ride was to pick those flags up at my driveway. I had explained why I was late for the ride. My companion took a look at the trike, and figured out the bolt was not seated in the threaded part of the seat bracket. He used a hex wrench (which he had given to me on a recent previous ride because it fit the nuts holding on my front wheels) to get it snugly tight.
So my birthday rides were warm, but pleasant and filled with unexpected adventures, from spontaneous and fleet-footed college choirs to spontaneous trike maintenance work from a volunteer mechanic.
The friend and I rode today down the Cedar River Trail to view the construction site of the Connect CR project bridge. We chatted as we rode. When we got to the Bridge of Lions, I asked him if he had ever seen the clock in the tower in front of the Czech and Slovak Museum ring the hour. It plans some orchestral Czech music and doors on the tower open and figures move by the openings.
He had not seen nor heard it, and it was approaching 11 a.m., so we triked (in my case) or biked (in his case) down to the bridge and made it back to the clock in time for the hour to ring. A cluster of tourists with European sounding accents were there too. We enjoyed the ringing, then rode on a short new trail that leads to a city park next to the agricultural plant that my companion had retired from, and then headed home.
In the end, I exceeded my 18-mile Monday goal, riding 20.36 miles. For the birthday rides Friday, Saturday and Monday, I totaled 70.66 miles, so I reached 68 with more than 2 miles to spare. For the year, I’m at 2,135.1. My August miles totaled 253.98, up a bit from July. August was a good riding month and I had plenty of fun and surprises on my birthday rides.
I attended (a damp due to rain) ball game Sunday afternoon, and saw a friend I usually ride with about once a week. He and I agreed to meet Monday morning for a ride.
So this morning, I got my trike out, but noticed the seat was wobbly. It has a large bolt to hold the seat to the frame, and it had come loose. I tried to tighten it, without success, but had it in place (not well secured) and rode up to meet the friend. I had removed my flags from my trike, so our first stop on the joint ride was to pick those flags up at my driveway. I had explained why I was late for the ride. My companion took a look at the trike, and figured out the bolt was not seated in the threaded part of the seat bracket. He used a hex wrench (which he had given to me on a recent previous ride because it fit the nuts holding on my front wheels) to get it snugly tight.
So my birthday rides were warm, but pleasant and filled with unexpected adventures, from spontaneous and fleet-footed college choirs to spontaneous trike maintenance work from a volunteer mechanic.
The friend and I rode today down the Cedar River Trail to view the construction site of the Connect CR project bridge. We chatted as we rode. When we got to the Bridge of Lions, I asked him if he had ever seen the clock in the tower in front of the Czech and Slovak Museum ring the hour. It plans some orchestral Czech music and doors on the tower open and figures move by the openings.
He had not seen nor heard it, and it was approaching 11 a.m., so we triked (in my case) or biked (in his case) down to the bridge and made it back to the clock in time for the hour to ring. A cluster of tourists with European sounding accents were there too. We enjoyed the ringing, then rode on a short new trail that leads to a city park next to the agricultural plant that my companion had retired from, and then headed home.
In the end, I exceeded my 18-mile Monday goal, riding 20.36 miles. For the birthday rides Friday, Saturday and Monday, I totaled 70.66 miles, so I reached 68 with more than 2 miles to spare. For the year, I’m at 2,135.1. My August miles totaled 253.98, up a bit from July. August was a good riding month and I had plenty of fun and surprises on my birthday rides.
Assorted nature images from August rides:
 |
| Aug. 24--Eastern Milksnake seen on Krumboltz Trail. |
 |
| Aug. 23--Walnut taking on fall look along Creek Trail in Marion. |
 |
| Doe not bothered by trike rider, along Lindale Trail Aug. 23. |
 |
| Flowers in Prairie area at Waldo's Rock Park, Aug. 22. |
 |
| Butterfly visits flower at Lowe Park Aug. 19. |
 |
| Male Monarch Butterfly visits Milkweed flower at Cedar Lake Aug. 16. |
 |
| Aug. 15--Swallowtail Butterfly on Thistle beside Lindale Trail. |
 |
| Aug. 25--Skipper on Thistle by Boyson Trail. |
