Sept. 21--Riding on the trail east to Marion means watching for the large walnuts that get dropped this time of year.
The lastest month of biking in Iowa? Beautiful—and also dry. Honestly, I would not mind missing a few rides due to rain, if you ask, Mother Nature.
Still, today I want on a 19.7-mile ride along the Grant Wood Trail—I chose that route because I didn’t get out the door until mid-afternoon and didn’t have time for a super long ride. The Gazette reported this morning on the ribbon cutting for the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, now paved for all 50 miles north to Waterloo, and I would like to ride that soon—but not today.
And today, another reason to take it easy in the afternoon was heat. It flirted with 90 degrees today, very hot for this time of year. Luckily, it was also breezy and dry, so it was not a terrible humid heat.
Oct. 5--About 10 miles from home, east on Grant Wood Trail, pausing before heading back home. Fall look to the woods by the trail.
Oct. 5--Trail and corn, as I again pause on the way back home. On the paved trail now, beside a corn field (above and below).
I didn’t really plan it that way because, to be honest, I didn’t pay attention to the forecast, but there was a gusty south wind today, so my choice to go down the Grant Woods trail, a mostly east-west ride, was a good one.
In late September, the drought and shortening daylight caused the plants to react as they should. It hasn’t really felt like fall yet, no hint of frost, but there has very much been a fall look to the rides with nuts dropping from the browning trees. We are getting to that dry time of fall when the first hard freeze will be welcome to get rid of tiny biting insects that suddenly abound in the dry grass, but I guess the dry weather means there aren’t as many biters around as usual.
Well, the riding has been good. Fall break is next week, and dry, sunny weather continues, so maybe I’ll get in a longer ride north to check out some of new paving. We’ll see. In the meantime, I am enjoying fall rides. As of Oct. 5, 51.05 miles for this month, 2,449.7 miles for the year so far. In September, my miles totaled 246.32.
More September bike ride views:
Sept. 21--Mountain bike on mountain bike trail by Boyson Trail, fall look in the land.
Sept. 15--Pretty fall sunset.
Sept. 13--Lucky Friday at the bike rack. Some other MMU employees decided this was the one day they would ride bikes to work--fuller bike rack than usual.
Sept. 21--Trail in Marion on day before Equinox--fall is arriving.
Sept. 24--C Avenue Pond on pretty fall morning.
Sept. 27--Despite warm weather down here--it must be very cold up there where the thin clouds are--Sun Dog, usually only seen on very cold day in winter, appears.
Aug. 21 (this and next three images). I bike ride down the Lindale and Grant Wood Trails on the final Sunday before school begins. Late day ride, pretty evening. Pond at Waldo's Rock.
A running cloud puppy.
Golden late sunshine on the pond at Waldo's Rock Park.
Golden hazy light as sun nears horizon, seen at the new bridge into Marion.
Evenings are coming a bit earlier these days—not super early, but the change in light is becoming obvious, and I’m using lights on my bikes a bit more. I’m also enjoying the pretty light of the low late sun.
This week, my wife got me a new bike bells and a set of fairy lights for a bike for my birthday. And I got myself some new tires and a portable pump. That doesn’t sum up my birthday entirely, but it was a good biker birthday on Tuesday.
And a bachelor one, too. My wife, who is retired, was visiting a grandson and his family in San Francisco on Aug. 30, the day I turned 64. (She left the gifts at a daughter’s house, where I went to celebrate.)
And no, since my birthday was a school day, I didn’t ride 64 miles. I’m not sure if I will do that this weekend, or not. Maybe I can count all the miles ridden this weekend towards that goal?
Anyway, the Iowa weather has turned dry. Grass is crunchy, trees look a bit sad and high summer, a time when the greens are a bit less vibrant and you can see signs of approaching fall in reddening Sumac and enlarging orb webs, is upon us.
It’s generally good biking weather, although, unlike my wife, I am not retired, so my time on two wheels has been a bit constrained by the reality of work. Still, I finished August with 335.33 miles, have ridden 20.05 in the first two days of September, and have 1,937.62 for the year.
In this week’s biking development in my corner of the world: There is a trail I often ride, the Lindale Trail, that heads from Cedar Rapids into Marion to link with the Grant Wood Trail. I posted pictures on this blog of the two new bridges they’ve constructed to joint the cities, but one stretch of that route has been a limestone stretch, less then a mile, but mushy when wet.
Given the plans to enlarge Marion’s trails and link them to Cedar Rapids, I always thought it was a bit odd that this one bit of limestone was left. I figured sooner or later, they would put up “trail closed” signs and, something like six months later, the trail would open.
I was wrong. Not about them paving it, but about the time frame. They coated that section with blacktop in two days. Whew.
Roundabouts are featured on the transit of Marion, and they are a bit dicey. You approach them with traffic headed your way behind your back, at an odd angle. I have to train myself to come to a full stop before crossing traffic, and it feels way more awkward that going through an intersection. Honestly, I'm not one of those drivers who hates roundabouts--I don't love them either, just am neutral on the whole "are roundabouts Satan's traffic control?" question. Just getting acclimated to them on my bike, and hoping no injuries are sustained as I get used to them.
Anyway, the new trail blacktop and getting used the roundabouts were features of a Sunday ride Aug. 28.
Aug. 28--Another Sunday, another view of pond at Waldo's Rock--a bit early this time, and shot with my cell phone since I didn't carry a camera on this ride.
Riders about to cross onto new asphalt on newly paved stretch of Lindale Trail.
A small part of the new route through Marion is on a bike lane--with roundabouts at each end.
Crossing the street here at the roundabout involves an awkward left turn. Takes some getting used to.
Trail east of Waldo's Rock has its first layer of asphalt.
As of a week ago, on Aug. 28, this stretch of trail was still closed. The asphalt that is there does look like the first of several layers, there is a clear drop where it meets the rest of the trail. But pavement is coming!
The new side trail that leads north from the Boyson Trail past Lininger Park has been closed for a week—why, I don’t know. But I’ve observed asphalt being applied on the Grant Wood Trail east of Waldo’s Rock park. Maybe tomorrow, I’ll bike out there and see how the project is going. And maybe I’ll turn around and ride 50 more miles.
After all, I recently turned 64.
Getting ready to bike home on my final day of being 63, Aug. 29. I am being watched.
Aug. 31--And now I have been 64 for the second day. New pavement on Lindale Trail looking more at home.
Aug. 31--This new trail has not been open very long. Closed? Why?
Sept. 1--A young September deer on Lindale Trail.
Sept. 1--Mom, peeking from the woods, eyes photographer.
Earlier in my Sept. 1 ride--fawn leaping into woods off of Marion Trail, the little side trail west of the Boyson Trail. Don't know if the trail has a name.
For a while, getting to my bicycles will be a challenge. A monarch caterpillar crawled up onto my garage door and built it’s little “I’m going to be a butterfly” house there, which my wife found on Thursday.
So on Friday, I had to wheel my hybrid bike through the basement and muscle it up the stairs. It was not fun. Then, I had to squeeze it into the van and drive to a shop where we were leaving off a car.
Morning light on Cedar Trail,
And from there, I rode to campus. Actually, despite being Friday the 13th, it was gorgeous. A cool day after some hot, humid ones. I had to get to campus as quickly as possible, but on the ride home, I took more time to enjoy biking on a nice fall afternoon, riding down to Cedar Lake.
On a cool September day, with some clouds and some sunshine, and breeze, riding is nice.
And I am happy that one of the caterpillars from my garden built a chrysalis. Although, I also would have picked a different spot, where it up to me.
Late afternoon sun at Cedar Lake, Sept. 3, 2019, around 5:30 p.m.
Cedar Lake—it’s not the prettiest body of water. It’s stuck next to rail tracks near a giant grain mill in a downscale part of town.
But it has its charms. If you want to view a sunset in Cedar Rapids, it’s one of your go-to places. It’s a good place to watch birds—geese and ducks. One cold icy spring day, I even encountered an eagle there.
I like Cedar Lake, and look forward to the not too distant future when it’s part of the big “Connect CR” project.
And I had the opportunity to enjoy Cedar Lake three times in the past two days. On Labor Day, I rode in the Linn County Mayors’ Bike Ride, sponsored by the Linn County Trails Association (a group that my wife recently renewed my membership in as a birthday present).
Monday was warm and muggy, but thankfully cloudy, too, which kept it from getting hot. The air was still, and a breeze would have been nice, but it was a still a pleasant enough day for an easy ride, which the Mayors’ Bike Ride, at 8 miles, is. My sister and I rode by the lake on the way to the ride, and circled more of it later in the morning as part of the ride.
My sister's trike gets inspected before the Mayors' Ride at Ellis Park.
During the Mayors' Bike Ride, trail by Cedar Lake.
I mildly regret not making more images at the lake Monday—the still air made it unusually calm, and Cedar Lake looked like a giant mirror, which is not its usual appearance.
Well, Monday was a nice ride. The crowd was maybe a bit smaller than in the past. I did run into Laura and Mike, biking pals from my neighborhood, but didn’t see other MMU Mustangs at the ride. At least I wore my colors. Some more images of the ride and after the ride:
Heading home after Mayors' Bike Ride--liking the new bike infrastructure by the courthouse. Barriers between cars and bikes, and new drains that are bike friendly And a kybo just to make us think of RAGBRAI.
Near end of ride, passing by Cedar River.
Photo with my sister at the end of the ride.
Biking along Third Avenue during Mayors' Ride.
Today was another warm, muggy day. The weather is expected to cool after today, which will be nice. Even today, however, was merely warm and a bit sticky—not really summer hot. So even if it was a little uncomfortable, I still enjoyed the ride down by the lake.
And—drum roll, please—CRANES! Three huge white birds were hanging out near the north end of the lake, fishing and fussing at each other and posing for photos.
Well, I hope you get a chance to check out the lake and see some birds there. It’s not Iowa’s premiere body of water, but it does have its charms, and I am often thankful that this urban pond does have a very useful bicycle trail around it.
When you’re alone and life is making you lonely, you can always go … downtown. So I am starting with an homage to Petula Clark. If you’re old like me, you’re welcome for the earworm.
On Friday, Bike Club went for a ride, the first regular ride of the fall semester. There were five students on the ride, and although they all resisted my excellent advice that helmets are a good idea, it was a warm, pleasant afternoon for a quick, refreshing ride.
I suggested heading down to Greene Square in downtown Cedar Rapids for our ride, and the students like the idea. However, a passing gentleman who was looking for the music department snapped our pre-ride group picture and suggested the CEMAR trail.
Hmmm. But that newish trail doesn’t really go anywhere besides the Plaster Complex, so we stuck with our original Greene Square plan.
I was riding my hybrid bike, and was in the lead. We headed down the Hill.
I have a several advantages on downhills—my bicycle rolls with less resistance than the heavier bikes MMU owns, so the lightness of my bike is one advantage. Then there is the overall weight of the rider. Gravitational acceleration is a constant no matter the weight, but increased mass of a biker does help with more force that does more to overcome air resistance, or something like that. I don’t know, I’m a writer. But anyway, I have often observed, with many, many field trials that fat old men can zoom down a hill more efficiently than most other bikers.
And I presume the advantage comes more from “fat” than from “old,” although maybe old men can afford better bicycles, but that’s an untested assumption.
Anyway, I ended up well ahead of the students and found myself waiting now and then. Perhaps my helmet just made me more aerodynamic, too.
Riding along Cedar Lake. I got ahead and stop to make image of club riders as they approach. And no, the student on the left did not ride on the grass, I think she is coming over to check on me, as a young person who protects old people.
We rode along the west edge of Cedar Lake and then headed downtown. It was humid and warm, and I think I was the only rider with a water bottle, so when we got to Green Square, the agenda item was drinks at the water fountain by the trail. We then rode slowly through the park (I went through the splash pad, but I think most students went around. Well, they weren’t wearing helmets.)
Chatting after getting drinks and before heading back t campus.
On the way back to campus, two of the students were chatting. We had seen a woman who was not in our group take a minor tumble—nothing serious, and she had friends to aid her, although what went through my mind was “students, did you notice she has a helmet on?”
Anyway, one of the students was telling another something about what happens when she is with “old people.” I was right behind them, and did caution the student, jokingly, about what would be said next. It turns out the speaking student works with elderly people in a nursing home and feels obligated to protectively look after them.
Well, that seems nice. Says the old man.
Long shadows by Cedar Lake on our way back to campus.
Overall, it was a very agreeable ride. My Bike Club leader rejected the idea, for now, of riding up Mt. Trashmore, but we’ll see.
Finally, before the ride, we noted that a seat and seat post had been removed from one bicycle. Another bike is completely gone—bike seven may have been stolen, we presume. Blah. Earlier this semester, we lost a bike that had been left locked along the Cedar River Trail and was damaged beyond repair. Now, sadly, bad things are starting to happen to bikes right on campus.
That’s not an uplifting note to end on, I’m sure. But despite the unpleasant reminders of the darker side of human nature, the first club ride was very nice, and more MMU Bike Club rides are to come. Watch the MMU app for times, as the club will probably vary its rides so that students who were at athletic practices late on a Friday afternoon can participate.
The light is fading away from the Northern Hemisphere. Time to check the lights.
Despite the fading morning and afternoon suns, summer heat and drought has been the theme of recent biking in Iowa. That finally changed this week. While it wasn’t by any means a gully washer, some rain fell Monday into Tuesday, and suddenly the humid 90s have been replaces by cool 70s.
I felt I was melting at the start of this week. Now I wear a sweater for morning rides.
This morning was a bit frustrating. I was all set to leave home early and get to work well before 8—but I noticed an odd wobble as I got close to the Rockwell-Collins crossing. I thought something was wrong with my front wheel due to the wobble, but it seemed true. Then I looked back at the rear wheel.
Wobble. Wobble. Wobble. If felt like it came from the front, but in fact it was the back wheel that was bippity bopping as I rode. “Looks like a broken spoke” I thought to myself, and when I stopped, hopped off the bike and checked, sure enough, myself was correct.
Well, I was much closer to home than work, so I turned back and swapped bikes.
It meant I didn’t get in early, as I had hoped to. But I did, at least, get to ride a bit more in a pleasantly cool morning, which is nice to experience after our long, hot September.
Here are a bunch of images of recent rides showing the beauty of the fall skies, whether hot or seasonal in temperature.
Early sun at Blairs Ferry Road (above) and Rockwell-Collins pond (below).
Ones above are last week-this is this morning, Sept. 27.
