My trike, briefly parked at Thomas Park in Marion, Iowa, during a late November ride along the Boyson Trail, parts of which were recently paved.
The sun never gets super high at this time of year, but still looks pretty in the afternoon, seen on November trike ride to Cedar Lake.
Late afternoon sun at Lowe Park in Marion, Iowa. seen in November.
Well, it’s been quite some time, biking blog pals. I’ve been fine, but what with one thing and another, I have not been writing a lot here lately.
I place the bulk of the blame on my own aging memory but I’m willing to share some resposibility with the TSA and modern air travel. For three weeks at the start of October, I was off my trike and my bikes due to a pleasant journey.
My wife and I drove up to the Twin Cities to visit our oldest daughter who lives in a suburb of Saint Paul with her family. Then, we flew out from Minneapolis to visit our oldest son and his family in San Francisco.
We had packed our laptop computer, since I was planning to possibly use it to process images. But it would have been a pain to take it on a flight, so we left it in a suitcase in a closet in the basement of a house in Mahtomedi, Minnesota. Where, when we returned from San Francisco to visit for a few more days and then drive home to Iowa, we left it.
Shucks. It was inevitable this blog would be on hiatus for some time as I spent a fortnight and another week moving across the planet via planes, cars and feet. But that hiatus was extended by the delay getting our laptop back—the laptop is what I use to both edit images and write blog posts.
Long aside, I know, but after the voyage I spend the waning days of October and the whole month of November rolling across the planet, usually on three wheels and sometimes on two.
November, from a trike or bike riding point of view, was a decent month—it was warm and dry for late fall, with some frosty mornings and blustery, chilly days to remind me I live in Iowa. The world was much greener and pleasant than it usually is in the 11th month in this part of the Northern Hemisphere.
This and next images, me during unusually warm November trike rides. It's Nov. 22 in this image and I don't have a coat on.
Stopping by Oakshade Cemetery, were my parents rest, on Dia de los Muertos, Nov. 2.
I guess cemeteries were a theme. Riding my trike through Mt. Calvary Cemetery, where I visit the Sisters of Mercy who rest there. I taught at Mount Mercy University, founded by the sisters, before I retired to ride my tricycle.
Final selfie of this post. Nov. 13 ride takes me by Cedar Lake.
And then came the week of Thanksgiving.
The cool, sunny days turned colder. And then it suddenly got very cold. On the Saturday after turkey day, the winter weather switch was fully engaged—11 inches of dense, heavy snow carpeted my world.
That was Nov. 30, and it was Dec. 5 before I rode my first post-storm ride—and that was a short jaunt on the Fancy Beast so I had a mountain bike to cross snow or ice. I needed the wide tyres of that bike, and indeed walked about a mile of a 7-mile journey to get past the C Avenue sidewalk, which is both the most heavily traveled pedestrian route in my neighborhood and the one least well cleared.
The Fancy Beast, paused on C Avenue Dec. 5. I'm returning home from Lindale Trail and have dismounted to walk across the most ice and snow covered section of the sidewalk.
Lindale Trail on Dec. 5 ride--the trail, in both Cedar Rapids and Marion, is much clearer, although a bit of snow here and there means I'm not unhappy to be riding my mountain bike.
My November rides featured one 35-mile jaunt south to the nearby town of Ely and back along the Cedar River Trail. On that ride, I was interested in seeing progress being made on a new pedestrian-biking bridge that is under construction across the Cedar River between the New Bo neighborhood and Mount Trashmore.
It will be Eastern Iowa’s answer to the High Trestle Trail Bridge, I suppose. Not much of an answer because I’m sure the HTT will still be much grander and where all the cool Iowa bikers gather. Still, it will be very nice to have this new bridge crossing our largest local river in a couple of years.
Many deer seen on November trike and bike rides.
The new bridge being built between Czech Village and New Bo over the Cedar River. The bridge uses the old foundations of a closed railroad bridge. The project will soon close this segment of the Cedar River Trail, and I hope they create a bypass or detour and don't just close one of the busies bike trails in town.
Snake on a trail--seen on Cedar River Trail south of the river.
The weather in the world here at the start of November looked more like September, but by month’s end, even before the winter snow arrived, most trees had become bare and the world started to take on a bit more of its brown, sleepy winter hues. It was surprising this year how many bugs persisted into late November this year, but they aren’t persisting now.
Saturday, Dec. 6, another snowstorm was here. It was colder too, so I didn’t try to ride in the morning before the late afternoon snow blew in. Sunday, I spent my outdoor time clearing snow and filling bird feeders. I’m pretty sure the roads won’t be ready for a ride Monday (I drafted this post before Monday but posted after, and yes, roads weren't ride ready Monday). It will take some time for pavement to be clear enough to be passable.
There aren’t any days in the 10-day weather forecast that look warm enough for getting my as yet unnamed tricycle, or even my mountain bike, out for a ride.
Whatever. I’ll be happy to squeeze in any miles I can this December, as weather allows. In October, I rode 97.44 miles, not many even by my low standards, yet not all that bad since three weeks of the month were spent away from my trike and bikes. In November, I rolled for 262.78 miles. My total so far this year is 1,776.22 miles. I am pretty sure that I won’t make it to 2,000 miles in 2025, but with luck should top that in 2026!
Pretty sunshine near the start of the ride on the 73rd Street bike lane.
Cedar Lake is a little choppy due to the wind, but sparkles very prettily in morning sun.
Hyacinth (above) and daffodil (below) in bloom by parking garage in downtown Cedar Rapids.
Plans for RAGBRAI 2019 seem to be taking shape in the background. The team seems set to do the full week.
I’m traveling a lot this summer—with visits to England and San Francisco planned, and so I had some anxiety about doing the full week of RAGBRAI. But, events seems to be headed that way, and I’m not sure that I mind all that much.
RAGBRAI, I can’t quit you, even if I’m worried about having time to prep for you.
Which made Friday better than expected. I’m busy this Easter weekend—I feel guilty writing this post when I should be grading papers or writing quizzes, but I’m rewarding myself for finishing some projects, so there it is.
And on Good Friday, with a cool spring sun shining, I decided to try a longer morning ride. My goal was 40 miles, although it would be 40 at a guess since the computer on the road bike is iffy and often cuts out.
I headed up the Brentwood Hill, and then rode over to the Cedar River Trail, intending to complete the first long south ride of the year. I was hoping maybe to see Solon.
Lot of construction just south of the river.
Remains of the rail bridge that are planned for site of new bike-hike bridge in Connect CR project.
Another view. I was resting by the bridge site.
Final view.
Train passes under bridge on trail, heading over bridge on river.
Butterfly on dandelions blooming south of Mt. Trashmore area.
I was inspired, a little, by a story in the paper about the Connect CR project. Millions have been collected, and maybe by the time Notre Dame is open again, the Sleeping Giant may be underway. We’ll see.
Anyway, the morning was just a little cool, but warm enough that the season’s first butterflies were joining the bees in the dandelions that are blooming along the way. A few early violets have joined the daffodils and early tulips that are in bloom. It was a gorgeous spring day.
The ride was a little odd. On a long ride, my habit is to pack and consume snacks, knowing that I don’t react all that well to lower blood sugar. But this long ride took place on Good Friday and for a Catholic, that meant packing no snacks.
Cedar River Trail south of river, past construction zone, looking very pretty although trees are still asleep.
Not sure why, but images are getting a bit out of order (have been sequential along the ride so far). This is a view of the new trial south of Ely.
Miles at turn around where trail ends. Computer gave out later, and this is not exactly half my distance because I took a slightly shorter route home.
The trail ends a few miles south of Ely,. Where is Solon?
And we go back in time again. This is the start of the newest leg of the trail, I have just crossed Seven Sisters Road headed south.
First ride on the Hoover Trail this year. Headed south--and yes, this is before Ely and the new trail. As I noted, order among images has broken down.
I pushed quickly down the trail, got to the Hoover Trail, breezed through Ely and then encountered the new trail at Seven Sisters Road. Then, a few miles later, it just ended, in a bit of anticlimax. I don’t know exactly where I was or how far Solon was from where the trail peters out, but I then turned back.
And the wind, which had been my friend, became my not friend. I was climbing the wind hill for most of the return journey, and without snacks, was feeling a bit wilted when I got back to the construction zone where Sokol Park used to be.
Shortly after getting on the new trail--trail beside Seven Sisters Road.
On the return journey--headed north now into wind hill.During a water break, a blackbird in a blooming maple objects to my presence.
The new bridges on the new trail seem very impressive.
As the blackbird yells at me, my bike waits for me to get going again.
Wilted, but oddly happy, too. For one thing, the day, despite the wind hill, was persistently grand. For another, although there was a bit of chafing and butt soreness, I felt I was bearing the first long training ride of the year rather well.
Somewhere in downtown Cedar Rapids, true to form, my computer conked out. I estimate the ride at 45 miles, but it’s a guess. I’m sure I well exceeded the 40-mile goal.
Saturday, with family, I rode another 20 miles or so. And I could ride Saturday with no soreness or discomfort.
RAGBRAI, I can’t quit you and I may be pressed for time to train for you—but this old body seems to react OK to longer bike rides, and that’s a good sign.
Hawk, I think, passes overhead as I ride north back towards Ely.
Daffodils at church in Ely.
Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man. Which means Oz gave everything to the Tin Man?
I notice pretty white flowers in creek bed by trail--I have no idea what these are.
Bee on dandelion during yet another break--back in CR now, heading home.
The day never turned super warm, but warm enough for butterfly.
Maybe 1 p.m. or so--at the Bridge of Lions.
New signs warn against bikers riding on sidewalks on bridge. Well, OK--but put in a street crosswwalk and curb cut to access trail on south end of bridge so we can get to street easily, please.
More downtown flowers seen as I head in the other direction.
Downtown daffodils.
Nearby crocus.
Second of two family rides Saturday. Took grandson to park in the morning and out to lunch. In the late afternoon, riding on bike lane, family shadows above and below.
