Two June 3 views of the Cedar Valley Nature Trail. Above, looking south from where my bike is parked at a coffee shop in Urbana. Below, riding north on the new pavement a bit north of Center Point.
As I recently reported, Iowa is at its best in June, and I’ve enjoyed recent rides. But I had not yet had time for a true summer ride.
I’m happy to report that on June 3, I both had the time and the weather was even more gorgeous than the day before. I headed out around 11 a.m., and decided to take the whole afternoon on a leisurely ride north. I was committed to going as far as Center Point, 13 miles north on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail (and thus about 16 to 17 miles from my house)—but I knew the trail has been paved for an additional few miles to the village of Urbana (a tiny town whose name always amuses me—it’s as if Metropolis were an Iowa village).
I took the hybrid bike, partly because it has the new bag on it and I could pack a lunch and stow my big camera without having to wear a camera bag. It’s slower than the road bike, but I didn’t mind.
There was a headwind blowing, but it wasn’t too bad. By the time I got to the first stop 7 miles north on the trail—Lafayette—I was tired enough to stop and eat a banana. Then I got to Center Point. It was round 1 p.m.—and would I push on to Urbana? I ate a bag of nuts and evaluated how I was feeling.
Bike parked at Center Point depot, the traditional water-restroom-rest stop on this part of the trail.
I must have felt pretty good. I continued on the trail. The new blacktop north of Center Point is a dream to ride on compared to the limestone trail that was there before. I zoomed under Interstate 380 and reached the quiet miles between that and Urbana. The headwind grew stiffer and I slowed down—but comforted myself with the thought that I would be able to turn around and the wind would then be my friend.
At Center Point, another biker I chatted with had mentioned that there was a new coffee shop by the trail in Urbana. I was pretty worn by the time I go to the town, and decided caffeine would be good. I pushed on past the park that is my usual stop, and near City Hall, off to my left, there it was. It looks like a modest apartment building, and maybe that’s what the upper floors are, but there was a sign for a coffee shop, plus bike racks and outdoor seating.
I went inside. Jams is a bit eclectic. It features coffee, smoothies, pastries and quick breads (it seems mostly a coffee shop and bakery), plus ice cream and a fairly extensive selection of craft beers.
A combination coffee shop—ice cream parlor—biker beer stop. Interesting.
The offer a Ruthie, and I was sorely tempted, but I needed coffee more than beer, so I purchased a medium brew and a pastry and sat outside and enjoyed the day and the treat.
Cate, I know you went farther north than this, did you stop at the coffee shop?
The pastry and coffee that perked me up on the ride.
New stop in Urbana. "Breezer?" Is that a rider on a windy day?
After a 15-to-20-minute break, I headed back. I was tired, I had already ridden 23 miles or so, but on the ride home I started to zip along. Wind will do that, and as I hoped, what had been a challenge on the way out was more of a help on the way home.
I stopped again at Center Point and ate the lunch I had packed. Then it was time for the ride home. But before I went far, I noticed a snake on the trail. As an Iowa gardener, I always consider snakes to be friendly souls. As I’ve noted before, if an Iowa gardener had written Genesis, Satan would have been a bunny. Although there are a few rattlesnakes in the state, for the most part, almost any Iowa snake you encounter eats bugs or rodents and is harmless to you. A friendly soul.
It was laying still on the trail, and I was worried it had been killed by being run over by a bike. But no, when I started to make images of it, it started to slither away. It had just been basking on the trail (a risky life choice, but it’s a snake, not a scholar).
I'm not tired of all these snakes on a trail.
Portrait of a reptile. What kind of snake is this?
Medium shot.
I was feeling pretty worn, particularly in the part that intersects with the bike seat, as I approached the south end of the trail. But I realized that my ride would be 46 to 47 miles, and that felt just wrong. So to add some distance, I circled the nearby park on the side trail in Robins, but was still only at about 43 miles when I got to Hiawatha—my house was about 4 miles away. And 47 would just not do. So I continued south, rode through Noelridge Park, and looped up and down the Lindale Trail, just to get my final mile.
And I made it. Over 50 miles. I anticipated I would have leg cramps Friday night, but fortunately, no. A sore sitter is the only real aftermath. Another pretty June ride, and the first 50-plus ride of the summer.
My bicycle in rack in Urbana--and no flat tyres! Trail in behind bike. I didn't do chalk art, but it adds a bit of class.
I was tied up for much of the day Wednesday, so it was close to 4 p.m. before I could ride my bicycle.
That still makes Wednesday better than Thursday, so far—I had planned an afternoon ride today, too, but we are about to have a thunderstorm, so I’m writing a blog post instead.
Anyway, my sister was riding Wednesday, and I texted her to see if she was still “out” when I left home. She was, but, as often happens when I’m biking, I didn’t hear my phone ping with her message—she had gone south to Ely, and I would have ridden south to meet her if I saw the message. Instead, when I got to the trail, for no particular reason other than I was riding for speed and miles, I headed north.
Ride fast, enjoins a RAGBRAI training blog post. So that is what I was doing—knowing I had a late start and would not be out for hours, I decided to make the limited time count for the greatest distance possible, thus, the need for speed.
I reached Schultz Road on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, the end of the paving 10 miles north of Hiawatha, and there was a sign stating the trail at that point is going to be closed July 18.
The news is good—they are closing the trail to pave the 3 miles to Center Point, and I’m all for that. Being able to ride to Center Point on pavement will be very nice next year, and Center Point is a more logical destination-turn around point on a road bike ride than lonely Schultz Road is.
But, if I’m trying to get miles in, and the trail north is closing—well, heck. I had not planned to go north of the paving at all, but I pushed on to Center Point.
And I reached the railroad depot museum by about 5 p.m. That’s around 16 miles in one hour. Now, you bikers understand—the first three miles were in town, and the final 13 on the trail, and I did have to stop at intersections—so when I was moving, I was MOVING. I topped 20 mph now and then, and if my bike was being ridden by Sandra Bullock and was set to explode if it went under 15 mph, I would have only blown up at intersections. I was flying.
Heading south, warning sign of upcoming I-380 tunnel.
The final 3 miles, on the unpaved section of trail, was not the fastest, but the trail was OK. And it was only 5 p.m., and I was already in Center Point, and I couldn’t help but recall that the trail to this point is going to close soon. So, I decided to push on to Urbana.
It’s only about another 6 miles from Center Point. Not the best 6 miles, mind you—6 unpaved miles that has some holes and soft road crossings.
Last time I rode to Urbana, I was battling a headwind and got a flat tyre on the way. This time, I am happy to report: Headwind, no; flat tyre, no.
I reached Urbana by about 5:45 (final 6 miles were indeed slower). I ate a quick snack I had brought with me, and then turned Argent south.
When I got to the tunnel under Interstate 380, I decided to record a video for your entertainment, so here it is:
Anyway, I was home by about 8 and had gone 47 miles. In the end, that’s just shy of 12 mph as an average, so I clearly slowed the pace as the light faded and I grew more tired. Still, if my average was 12 mph—including all the times I stopped at roads, for snacks and restroom breaks—I was maintaining a pretty good pace.
Yes, RAGBRAI training blog, I rode faster than usual. Today, I decided to nap before riding—and I usually nap for 30 minutes to an hour. I woke up 2 ½ hours later with a storm bearing down on Cedar Rapids, so no miles yet today.
Maybe a few later, but it’s 5:30 now. No run to Urbana today!
Looking back north at I-380 and trail tunnel. Clouds did look a bit interesting, but no rain sprinkles Wednesday.
Saw several of these signs on Cedar Valley Nature Trail.
At about 5 p.m. Sunday, I texted my wife. I don’t recall the exact wording, and I’m too lazy to go find my phone, but the message was about whether I should turn around or push on to Urbana.
I had left home about 3, ridden up the Brentwood Drive hill twice, and then headed north on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail.
“Push on to Urbana,” my wife texted back, or something like that. So, I did.
They are doing some project along the Cedar Valley Nature Trail, there was lots of places on the trail that have loose rock, and new electric poles have been put in north of Center Point. It was warm and nice, but very quiet past Center Point—unlike the Hiawatha end of the trail where there were many bikers. Now, I was in the countryside alone.
Trail north of Center Point--a little barren looking where vegetation was cleared as new electric poles were put in. Beautiful day for a bike ride.
I had originally planned to go to Center Point, and with the Brentwood Hill climbs tossed in, maybe make it to 30 miles or so. Adding the leg to Urbana would make the ride more than 40, possibly pushing 50, although it would also mean it would be pretty late by the time I got back home.
On the other hand, I’d been fighting wind most of the way to Center Point, and that headwind would become a back wind to speed me home. But, as I went north of Center Point, it got worse. The trail conditions got softer, the wind got stiffer and more in my face, and my speed, which had been around 14 to 15 mph most of the way, dropped to 10 or below. I began to doubt if I would make it to Urbana.
But then I shot through the tunnel under Interstate 380, and realized I didn’t have far to go. I haven’t been to Urbana a lot, but I remembered there wasn’t a ton of miles between I-380 and that Benton County village.
But, as I pushed on, the trail seemed to become even mushier. And a voice in the back of my mind began to question if it was all the trail. Sometimes, when a bike ride gets harder and “mushier,” it simply means there’s a problem with your rear tyre.
I could see the Urbana water tower, however, so I pushed on. And when I stopped at the park, I felt the rear tyre.
End of the ride for Argent. Bike rack in park in Urbana. You may not be able to see it, but trust me--the rear tyre is flat.
Mush. I thought about trying to ride back south before it got flatter, but as soft as it was, that didn’t seem like a good option. At least I was in a town, so I phoned my wife, and she and my daughter and grandson were out shopping and agreed to swing by to pick me up. (No, they were not shopping in Urbana—they had never been to Urbana before—but since they were already out, it wasn’t too hard to hop on I-380 and drive a few miles north to pick me up. Urbana is a challenging bike ride, but not so much in the way of a drive.)
Did you know a robin can yell with a worm in its beak? Trust me.
I had about half an hour alone in the park, other than two Urbana urchins who were riding a scooter and bike. I photographed my bike, and wasted a few minutes photographing the flag in the park. I wasn’t very serious about it—I liked the light, but trying to catch a waving flag in a good pose on a windy day is tougher than it sounds. Check the end of this post and see what you think, but honestly I only shot a dozen or so images. If I was serious and had a good camera, I would have shot 100 and gotten a good one.
I checked my tyre now and then, and confirmed the wisdom of the phone call—the tyre quickly went all the way flat. If I had tried to ride south, I merely would have stranded myself somewhere more obscure than Urbana.
Well, the rescue squad came. They even wanted to go to Culver’s for supper, which was not a bad deal. I’ll get new tyres (both are worn) and a new tube tomorrow, and then I will get my lone bicycle back in riding shape.
Glad I charged up my cell phone before the ride!
And next time I want to aim for 50 miles on my bicycle, I think I’ll turn around at Schultz Road and head south. Argent is clearly meant for pavement.
Old Glory in Urbana. Windy day for a ride, and I never got the benefit of the wind aiding me.
