In Which June Begins with the Best Rides

June 2, Cedar Valley Nature Trail about 5 miles north of Hiawatha. This kind of afternoon, June beauty.

Summer is not really here yet—the solstice is late in June—but weather wise, and culture wise, we’re now in summer.

And the best part of summer for biking is often June—July and August typically are hotter. June, in Iowa, is the wettest month, but this is a dry year so far, and most Junes have their fair share of beautiful, sunny days. Today is one of those days, and after my morning coffee, I may push farther north than I rode yesterday.

On June 2, I made my first ride to Lafayette, a tiny town 7 miles north on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail. I noted on an earlier post that a bridge was out, which meant then I could not get to Lafayette—apparently, I wrote that post on one of the final days that bridge was closed, because the next day my sister rode much farther north, crossing the new bridge.

Approaching new bridge.

Crossing new bridge, headed north.

Bike parked at Lafayette.

The ride to Lafayette, there and back again from my house, was 22.73 miles. I know that they have paved more of the trail north, my sister reports it’s paved now to Urbana, but I didn’t start my Thursday ride until late in the afternoon, so did not go that far.

I had a gap in my rides due to a recent trip. On the final day of May, I hooked up the Tag-A-Long seat to Clarence, my hybrid bike, and enjoyed a quick few miles with a grandson who is, I think, about 11. On June 1, I rode a quick late afternoon ride—both rides, I think, painted pretty animal pictures on my computer, one of a bird, one of a snail or possibly a whale. The longer ride I took June 2 was just a straight up north ride—not a very exciting image.

I’ve enjoyed these early June rides. On the short ride was around the nearby Boyson-Lindale Trail complex, I noted a new side trial that will lead under a busy street to a park on Geode in Marion is taking shape.

June 1 ride, on Clarence, I was seeing if new bag would work for larger camera--it does, so when I ride this bike, I don't have to wear camera bag. This is where a short new side trail will branch off the Boyson Trail and go under Alburnett Road to a city park on Geode Street.

Bike parked at Hanna Park in Marion. As you will see below, I made many images of the flower garden there.

At Hanna Park, I paused an made images of the flowers blooming there. It’s Iris and Peony season, a great time to be outside rolling through this beautiful Earth on two wheels. I hope you’re enjoying your June rides! May miles: 209.98. June so far: 33.49. Year to date: 850.37.

Images from Hanna Park ride, including deer seen in creek along the trail (not at the park):

Milkweed forming flower buds.

Don't know what kind of flower this is.

Iris.

Iris.

Iris--Darker variety.

Peony with Iris in background.

I think this is called a bachelor button.

Peonies with irises in background.

Near where Boyson Trail goes under under new Milwaukee Road bridge, Doe seen crossing creek. This and the remaining images.

In Which The Sky Turns Me Back

Pretty sky near federal courthouse. But note clouds in the south, which are moving north.

I planned to ride for a while today—maybe aim to get 40 or more miles in.

I had not been down as far south as Ely in quite some time, and figured, on a warm, sunny afternoon, why not? So I started by riding the hill, and then headed south on the trail.

It was warm and a bit muggy, but not bad. There were lots of riders and walkers on the trail. Everything seemed to be going well, until I got south of the Cedar River. The sky ahead, which had been blue, grew increasingly grey and dark.

There had been thunderstorms last night, and the sky was looking stormy. So, at a new city park on the south end of the new housing development, the last urban neighborhood on the trail headed south, I paused at about 6 for a snack and to turn around.

View as I gobble down a granola bar and box of raisins. I was going to snack in Ely, but did at this park, which became my turn-around point.

The sky looked better to the north, and I hoped that by riding that way, I would move into better weather. As it turned out, no storm started. It merely got cloudy, but didn’t rain.

Maybe I should have just gone on to Ely. Well, I’ll make up the miles tomorrow that I didn’t do today—my sister and I plan a practice ride. And I did get close to 37 miles for the day, which isn’t bad when the long ride began at around 4 p.m.

Final water pause on way home, break at Cedar Lake. Blackbird expresses his displeasure with my company.

In Which The Beast Rides The Trail It Was Made For

30 miles on The Beast, more or less—that’s what I guess I rode today. I’m reasonably sure about the first three, which was 1 mile to the gym, and 2 miles back via the longer route that puts me on the other side of Brentwood Drive hill.

I rode the hill this morning, figuring that my planned “long” ride of the day was pretty flat. In that, I made one very significant error. But I guess more hill practice is a good thing.

Anyway, it rained overnight and was raining when I woke up this morning. But I checked the radar online and watched a weather spot on the morning news and generally just wasted a bit of time. My wife had woken up earlier and was at the gym, I was waiting for her to come home so I could drive there rather than get rained on.

Well, anyway, in fact by the time she got home, the rain was gone. I decided to get The Beast out and ride to the gym. The pavement was a bit damp, but that’s what chain lube is for, right? Anyway, after an hour of exercise, the sun was even trying to sneak a peek, and the pavement was drying.

That tall morning weather guy said the sun would shine. And that make me think “Sac and Fox.” And then, I reconsidered. We had a good amount of rain over night, probably ¾ of an inch or so—would that trail be too mushy, even for The Beast?

There was only one way to find out. I fixed myself what I considered to be a luxurious biker breakfast—one scrambled egg, a bagel topped with vegetable cream cheese and a serving of oatmeal with raisins, walnuts, peanut butter and honey mixed in.

A biker-style breakfast. Fuel for the ride.

Before I headed out, I was slightly delayed because a bush at the side of our house had fallen, and the landlady next door came over to ask if I would get rid of it. I would, and did. So it was after 11 by the time I started. Still, breakfast had been a bit late, 9 or so, and I packed a granola bar and apple in my pockets.

And I was off. The morning was fine for riding, if surprisingly cloudy. I headed towards the Cedar River Trail, taking the route that leads to a sign company parking lot in Hiawatha. But I was intimidated by the road construction on my chosen route, and ended up riding a half mile or so on Boyson Road to the trail head there. I do not recommend biking on Boyson, and will endeavor to better avoid it in the future.

Anyway, I was finally at the trial. The day was getting a bit warmer and very humid, so I sipped a lot of H20. In fact, I emptied and then filled my bottle at the J Avenue park. Although mild and warm, it stayed breezy and cloudy until I got to downtown Cedar Rapids, when the sun started shining more and more.

Good, I thought. The more likely the trail will be dry. My plan was to try the south end of the Sac and Fox Trail by accessing it from the Prairie Parks Fishery. If it proved mushy, well, I would just turn around and return to the Cedar River Trail and ride it.

The lake at Prairie Parks Fishery. It's getting sunny--and a bit hot. I am very glad I sprayed insect repellent on--what's with these gnats this year? Anyway, a hawk swooped low over me and I hoped to get it's picture, but it was gone too soon, so I shot this photo instead.

I wasn't sure what to expect. Last year, Cate and I made the serious error of trying the Sac and Fox before it was fully repaired after some flooding, and, as detailed in my hilarious post, we got very mired in the mud.

Well, they’ve had a year to repair it. And surely the giant utility project the city had been doing should be complete by now, right?

In fact, right. In fact, pleasant surprise, the Sac and Fox was wet and mushy in parts, forcing me sometime to ride The Beast at the edge of the grass rather than chancing getting mired. But, between the giant utility project requiring trail reconstruction and the flood taking out the south part of the trail which has since been replaced, the Sac and Fox is practically a new trail.

The Sac and Fox. Maybe I did it a day too soon--there were several spots like this. But The Beast easily navigated the edge, and I never was close to a spill or a nasty splash--and much of  the trail was dry.

Not quite as tame as the limestone trails of the Boyson Road Trail complex, but then again, far less heavily traveled and nowhere near as rutted, either.

I made good time. And I actually appreciated The Beast. This was the trail this bike was made for. I’ve ridden Francis on it in the past, and gotten a flat tire at least half the times I did that. With The Beast and it’s beastly fat tires, I could move at a decent speed.

Here there be horses. You don't encounter them on other bike trails, but they are allowed on the Sac and Fox. Two horses passed me going the other way, and the riders requested I stop so as not to spook the horses. I did. I like the gnat bonnet that the horse has. Do they make models for bikers?

And, while there were some soft wet spots, they were easy to see. In the past, the biggest danger on the Sac and Fox has been soft sand. I didn't have that problem at all—where the trail looked dry, it was pretty much substantial crushed limestone. It was practically civilized compared to what it has been in the past.

There was one off note. Due to the giant utility project, some of the natural tree stands along the trail have been destroyed. They have been replanted, but the new trees are still tiny and the ground cover hasn't really taken over the barren landscape yet. The middle part of the trail felt like biking (on a fairly nice trail) through the worst kind of suburban construction zone.

And maybe half the new trees planted last year either died in the drought at the end of the summer last year or were claimed by this year’s harsh winter. I hope the city is requiring some replanting.

About 3 miles into the trail, not quite halfway--nearly where Indian Creek Runs into the Cedar River. This is where Cate and I totally bogged down. No problems now, it's not a mud bottom anymore.

Still, I bet in a few weeks the ground cover, at least, will start to look green and that will improve that part of the trail. It will be years before the trees grow into much, but at least there are trees.

All in all, the trail is in the best bike riding condition I have ever seen. It’s still a trail for mountain bikes like The Beast, or maybe a hybrid for a good biker who is alert. I personally would avoid a road bike—this is surely not a road. And—bonus—if I could ride 30 miles today and take on two substantial hills riding The Beast, well, I guess I would say the Raccoon River Ride wouldn't be quite as crazy as I thought.

Views of Indian Creek, above, are quite nice along the trail. but in the area of the utility project, below, the scenery has been more damaged and will take some years to recover.

 

I will be back on the Sac and Fox. Sometime soon, I hope to take Audrey and her bike to the trail—it would be a longish ride for her, but on a dry day it would be very pleasant. Maybe, with Francis back, Matt and I will do this trail when Amanda and family visit soon. The Beast has a trailer hitch, so even some grandkids might ride along. I’m sure Cate and I will get on the Sac and Fox before RAGBRAI sometime.

Granola bar break for me, and just a break for The Beast, at the end of the Sac and Fox. Seven miles of nice trail. I had planned to turn around and do the same route again back, but that would have been a more than 40 mile ride, and while I'm getting used to The Beast and rode at least 30 today, I wasn't ready for that. So I headed the shorter route directly home.

And you out there, if you live in Cedar Rapids or the CR area, spread the word. The Sac and Fox is back, baby. Now get out there—on a dry day—and ride!

The final pleasant surprise of a surprisingly good biking day--they have repaved Cottage Grove Road. It's still too busy with speed limits too high for comfortable biking, which is why I originally planned to take the trail route back, but with the new paving, there is a  paved edge to the road to ride now, which there was not in the past. Bonus! Sadly, the paving project did not include smoothing out Cottage Grove hill, a treacherous climb, partly because it gets steeper as you ascend. But, yes, your CR Biker biked all the way to the top. And stopped and drank and rested before moving on. But I did it--I climbed not only Mt. Brentwood today, but the even more daunting Cottage Grove hill, too.