Silver City to the Lookout~

It was one of those perfect hazy days of November.  I knew the trail would be dried out enough to ride & decided to ride the section north from Silver City.  There was only one other car with Nebraska plates, in the parking area by Happy Trails.

Northward Bound~

I was surprised to see the first mile of concrete still covered with leaves after all the winds we've had.  The air was so fresh & the smell of the leaves the strongest of the season.

Stuck Van on a Grade B Road~

The picture above is a perfect example of why not to try to drive on Grade B roads after a rainstorm, or two!  I could hear the groan of the engine before I reached a clear spot on the trail to see where the noise originated. (This was one of the roads Farah & galloped when it was dry.)

Farm pond~

I'd taken a photo of this pond early in early October.  It was beautiful then & even more beautiful now.  The surface of the pond looked like a mirror, reflecting the trees.  There was absolutely no wind today & that's very rare, especially this late in the season.

Shadow~

When I made the climb back up to the trail, from admiring the pond, Shadow was waiting for me.  If not for this bike, I doubt I'd be doing the miles I've been used to.

Leaving Mineola~

The four miles to the Mineola trail head went by in no time.  The trees are still sporting some color & I enjoy them all.

Unidentified tree~

This is the second tree I've seen on the trail with the beautiful orange leaves.  My best guess so far is a Black Cherry.  

Harvesting Corn~

Further along the trail & more noise.  I soon saw why. It's still amazing to see how cleanly modern machinery can harvest corn from a field.  Very few ears are left & they're soon picked off by the deer, squirrels, turkey's etc.

At Margaritaville, I stopped to take a short break before finishing the last couple miles to the Lookout.  I assumed I was alone.  Wrong!  The slam of the outhouse door startled me!  A man came out who evidentially was walking the trail.  He didn't speak, I got back on Shadow & continued on.  A lesson to remember - even with no bikes around, someone may be.

Shadow & the view~

The Lookout bench rest spot wasn't occupied. I put in a call to Butch & took a short break before starting back south. 

Territorial View~

Though limited, I love what there is of a view from this hill.  It'll be a shame when the trees grow enough to close it off.

The "Lookout"

This rest spot is one of the nicest on the trail.  Most of the improvements occur on the mile's closest to Council Bluffs. There are so many areas further south that could use some work, but at least the two trestles each side of Malvern were repaired.

Lewis & Clark Trail~

Just past the underpass is the signage for the Lewis & Clark trail.  It follows the Wabash Trace for several miles & even continues through Glenwood.  When I passed the Grade B Road again, the van was gone.  

View of Mineola in the distance~

The view from the Old Goat rest area is another I always stop to admire.  With so much downhill on this stretch of trail, I wasn't too worried about getting back before sunset.  From here I had just over four miles left to reach Silver City.  I arrived at the Explorer by 4 p.m. & returned to pick up Finn from Doris by 5.  Once home, by the time I'd put the bike away, it was dusk.  Shorter days, but I'm enjoying them while they're still here.  Before long, the cold will come~

Back on the Wabash~

 Another beautiful sunshine day in November.  Believe it or not, I'm still mowing the front yard!  At least with all the rain, I'm able to pull weeds & have spent a lot of time pulling & digging them up.  It's unreal how quickly they took over with my getting hurt & then our trip to WA in Aug. 

Soy crop is harvested!

Today, since the wind wasn't too bad & there had been a couple days for the trail surface to dry out, I decided to return to the Wabash at Silver City.  It seemed strange to have most of the leaves on the ground & golds of fall almost totally gone.

Still some color!

At least through the middle of the month, there are still spots of color & it's usually more of the oranges rather than gold.  The air was so fresh & the surface of the trail perfect!  Just a couple spots in the shade where it was soft.  I could also see the track of one rider, who'd ridden when it was too soft & gouged furrows.

The Beavers have been busy!

This year's beaver dam is the most symmetrical & beautiful they've built in the years I've been watching.  I'd still like to see Mr. or Mrs. beaver but no luck today.

Upstream, Silver Creek - Train cars on the eastern bank~

This week, I learned the true story of the train cars along the bank.  When I'd asked locally, originally, I'd been told it was to reduce erosion along the shore.  (This happened in 1941.)  This week, a Facebook post promoting a Glow Ride, to celebrate the renovation of the trestle this past summer drew my attention.  I was concerned that now the rustic beauty of the trestle would be marred by all the lights hanging from the structure.  It was a pleasant surprise to find they were almost unnoticeable.  The visit to the Wabash Trace Facebook page led me to another page: Train Wreck Bridge.  

Historic Photo~

There, I found the true story of a horrible train wreck from February 13, 1872.  The train had derailed on the trestle, carrying dozens of orphaned children on their way to a nearby orphanage.  Reading this - gave me pause.  From my first visit years ago now, I felt it was a special place.  On certain days, especially late in the afternoon, the quiet is palatable.   

This visit, I stopped to say a prayer for so many young lives lost so tragically...  I will never cross again without thinking of them.  The addition of a memorial informational marker & photo would be in keeping with the historic significance of the trestle & act as a reminder of a sad time in its history ~  

Brilliant Color!

Before the underpass at Hwy 34 I saw this absolutely gorgeous small tree or shrub.  I'm on a mission now to find out what it is & find one for the woods.  

Boehner Pond~

I hadn't ridden this section of trail since September 24th, a long while since it's usually my go to ride.  This season though, I did my best to avoid both the awful dust & bugs by riding elsewhere.  I stayed to enjoy the perfect day, before turning back toward Silver City.

Wide-open views~

Our views have opened up again, the fields have been harvested & it's amazing to see how green things still are.

Shadow, heading back~

The local weather forecasters tell us that we've gone from breaking all-time records for lack of rain & heat for both September & October, to the rainiest November in history!  Personally - I'll take the rain, fresh air & mowing!

(I'm going to research my idea for a commemorative/memorial marker.)

First Ride of November ~

 Wednesday the 30th, the day started with morning clouds so black, it was almost as dark as night.  As Finn & I left mat making it had started to rain.  It was raining so hard I had the wipers on the Explorer going full blast!  By early afternoon, the rain had eased up.  Early evening the sky was full of lightening & rolls of thunder followed.

Halloween morning we'd received 1.6" of rain!  It was like waking to a brand-new world!  The air was so fresh you could almost feel nature breathing a huge sigh of relief.  The streets had been washed clean of all the dirt & mess from the private sewer project!  No dust!  Fresh air!  I opened all the windows for the first time since early September.  After a trip for groceries, Finn & I walked to visit Doris.  We hadn't taken a walk (besides at home) for a long time.  Finn remembered the way!  The injections I'd had on the 25th in my knees & ankles have allowed me to walk with a normal stride for the first time in months.

Lake Manawa trails~

By Friday the first - I was ready for a ride!  I expected the Wabash would be at the least soft, so I decided on Lake Manawa.  It was a stunning, perfect day!  I couldn't believe my luck, no one was at the park!  No one on the trails & no other cars in the parking area.

Along E. Manawa Drive~

The area to the west of E. Manawa drive that had been planted fields, is now stripped & under construction.  A housing development of some type, I'm sure.  I was so sorry to see all the trees along the irrigation canal taken down & piled up.

Stripped vegetation~

I move right along on this section before I have a busy intersection to cross at the light.  I turn west & ride another not so favorite section along Veterans Memorial Hwy.  I turn left at Tractor Supply & go just about a half block before turning onto Wright Rd.  A nice quiet little road with a well-marked bike path along the edge of the golf course.  When I reach S.11th, I cut around the gate & ride through the campground.  Another blocked access puts me back on the sidewalk along the Hwy.  It's just a short way until I drop down to the Indian Creek trail.  This is a ride where I really appreciate Shadow's radar detection.

Cannondale SmartSense Garmin Varia Rear Facing Radar~

As a car comes up behind me, the top light on the display turns from green to orange.  At the same time a white light appears at the bottom as the radar picks up a car.  As the car approaches closer, the light moves up the display until it reaches the top.  At that point the vehicle has passed me.  If there's a string of cars coming, each one has a light moving up the display.

Cottonwood in the campground~

The campground is such a peaceful place.  It's the perfect respite from the noise & traffic I've just ridden past.  It's where I saw a coyote a couple years ago.

View from the north end of the Lake~

It's a beautiful view from the north end, which is near the west entrance to the park.  You can see S. Shore Drive in the photo.  Very narrow & no shoulder, not where I'd be comfortable riding.

Indian Creek Bridge & trail~

There was very little wind today, just fresh air & the welcome smell of moisture.  After over 500 miles on this bike, I've finally adjusted to it.  Today, I didn't even have to think about what gear I was using, it came naturally.

My favorite spot on the lake~

So many of the old cottonwoods were cut out of here last year.  It looks barren to me now, but I'm thankful they left a few.  The road (closed to auto's) I ride to reach this spot, circumnavigates a small area of housing.  It seems any open space is eroded away by development as the years go by.

Raptor~

I took my break on the bench & admired the amazing day.  Movement caught my attention.  I looked way up in the largest Cottonwood left along the shore, to see the big bird in the photo above.  He was enjoying the day & the quiet as much as I was.  When he flew off, I couldn't believe the size of his wingspan!  He was much larger than he'd appeared.

The way back~

I watched as he flew to the north, toward the Missouri, then started back.  The days are already getting shorter & once we suffer through another time change, afternoons will shorten even more!  Again, I remind myself I've said for several years, November is usually my favorite month in Iowa.  Cool temperatures, less wind, no bugs & the last of fall's golden colors.  

First Year with Nationwide~

 One year ago today, we drove to Omaha. Butch had completed his orientation at Nationwide Transportation, Inc. & was picking up the semi he planned to drive.  His sixth since starting OTR.  We named the shiny blue Volvo Maverick.

10-31-2023 A stop at Love's ~

On the way home, we stopped at the Love's just off I-29.  It was a beautiful evening & as I returned to the Explorer, I couldn't help but admire Butch's new wheels as the sun set.  We spent a couple hours loading some of Butch's things into the truck.  He was leaving on his first dispatch the following morning.

11-1-2023 - 239,496 Miles on the odometer~

The 2022 truck had the mileage above as he took the keys.  I wouldn't see him again until just a couple days before Thanksgiving.  He parked the semi & empty trailer by one of the local schools & I picked him up.  Since then, he drops the trailer at Nationwide's yard & brings  Maverick home.

11-27-2023 Leaving after Thanksgiving~

We had snow on the ground the day he left.  It took him a while to get used to the new to him semi, but after a short time, he was appreciative of the comfort of the larger cab & smoother ride.

11-14-2023 Shopping for a horn~

There was one issue with Maverick!  The horn just wasn't loud enough.  Traveler, Butch's last truck had a great horn & Butch used it.  He joked that Maverick's horn sounded like a VW Bug!  His first stop at Iowa 80, he bought a 130-decibel horn & installed it.  Maverick's horn is now loud, distinctive & attention getting!  I love hearing it when he's a few blocks from home!

In December, Finnigan became a member of our family while Butch was away.  On the 12th Finn & I made a drive up to the Flying J truck stop near Avoca. Butch & Finn took to each other instantly.  It was meant to be!  

12-22-2023, Butch comes home for Christmas!

When Butch pulled in before Christmas, Finn remembered the truck & got so excited as Butch parked the semi.  It hadn't been a chance meeting after all!  He did have a dad!  

1-7-2024 Great Sauk Rest Area, IL

Butch was home to see in the New Year & left on the second.  By the time he was driving in IL, winter was making itself apparent.  Definitely not as difficult as driving I-80 through WY had been last winter.

2-18-2024 - Rest area Chelsea, MI

Driving the mid-west states, he still sometimes made deliveries to warehouses he was familiar with from his first year driving for Blake Scott & pulling D&D trailers.  I appreciated him getting home now & then for an overnight stop.  Also reminiscent of his first year OTR.

3-24-2024

He had driven 633-miles to make the delivery above.  From spending the night at the Flying J in Lebanon, OH to Steelcraft in Cincinatti, OH & finally to Allegion Steelcraft in Lenexa, KS.

4-1-2024

The first of April, Nationwide gave him an April Fool's surprise!  A full set of new tires on Maverick!  He said the difference was noticeable & now the truck traveled about as smooth as could be expected of a semi.

5-22-2024

In May, the rains came!  He was waiting in Jackson, TN as rain came down in buckets.

6-1-2024 - Valero, London, KY

The first of June was another drive of over 600-miles from London, KY, to Steelcraft in Cincinati & ending the day at his favorite truck stop, Iowa 80.

7-15-2024 Lights on the trailers ~

July, mid-month he had a short drive & a long wait, as usual at the Triumph Warehouse in St. Joseph, MO.  To be so close to home & have long waits is the worst.

8-20-2024 Driver Appreciation Day~

In August Nationwide has their Driver Appreciation Day!  The company has drivers who have driven for them over 25-years.  This says a lot about a company's integrity.  They never fail to wish a driver happy birthday on their Facebook page or give congratulations when an employment anniversary date arrives.  All drivers received the above gifts.  Butch is one of the lucky ones who lives near the yard.

9-25-2024 In the shop~

Maverick had traveled a lot of trouble-free miles, until Butch had issues with the battery charging. Luckly he was on a dispatch from Holstein, IA to Sioux City & then home, when it happened.  He made it to the shop, where the alternator was replaced.  He left, but within a couple miles the battery was still not charging.  Back to the shop, where the mechanics found the ECM ground wire was corroded & replaced it. 

10-15-2024 - Fall ~

On the evening of October 15th, Butch was at the eastbound US 30 rest area near Nevada, OH on his way to Chillicothe, OH.  He's familiar by now with most of the dispatch routes, or at least the one's he travels often. 

10-31-2024 - Maverick's odometer

Butch has driven Maverick 125,903 miles!  Congratulations to my husband on another year of safely navigating the highways & byways of the central United States!  Soon, I'll be adding up the mileage from his first day of driving February 1, 2022, to the same date in 2025!

Boehner Park - South ~

 Tuesday & I was ready for a longer ride.  We'd received .27 of rain overnight.  Just enough of a sprinkle I was hoping it had cut the horrible dust on the trail.  We'd also had one-night last week where the temperature had dropped to 27 degrees.  I was hopeful it had killed off some of the biting bugs.

Shadow & the Explorer~

Finn was visiting Doris, the sewer construction was still going on at home, so time away was welcome.  I chose to leave from the park & go south.  I don't ride this section as often.  There's really no place to sit & take a break until you reach Imogene.  

Leaving Boehner Park~

Imogene is a tough 14-mile stretch one way & takes a while for me to do.  The last time I'd ridden the this direction was with Butch in March.

Fields harvested~

There are some beautiful views.  I only had one issue seeing a loose Rottweiler dog ahead on the trail, with a woman trying to catch it.  She grabbed him by the scruff of his neck & smacked him as she led him away.  I had slowed my approach, planning to wait before trying to pass.

White Cloud Trestle~

My view of the White Cloud Trestle was perfect.  The new boards of the railings actually matched the golden color of the leaves & the fall light.

West Nishnabotna River~

The river was still low, but at least flowing & so beautiful.  I knew I wouldn't have time today to reach Imogene, but planned to ride a ten miles out before turning back.

Shadow turns over 500-miles~

I was almost surprised when I saw Shadow had turned over 500 miles!  It didn't seem to take long from my first ride at Lake Manawa March 28th.  There are times since my leg injury, I wonder how I rode Smokey, my analog bike from December of 2021 until March of this year.

New Signage & my turnaround spot~

The new signage for the marathon that was run on the trail, faced north.  I decided three miles from Imogene was over ten miles from where I'd started & turned back.

Hedge Apple tree~

I spotted a Hedge Apple on the ground.  (If you click on the link above, you'll be directed to a fascinating article on the history of the Hedge Apple - through National Geo.  You must enter an email address.)  My thoughts instantly went back to the first time I'd seen one.  

I'd been riding Farah at Pierce Creek.  She had stopped from a full trot to grab one she'd spotted at the edge of the trail.  Before I could stop her, she'd taken a big bite out of it!  She dropped it faster than she'd picked it up!  Obviously not the taste she had expected! :-) 

 I thought about bringing one home with me, but didn't have a bag.  The trees have thorns too, which would have made them perfect for marking property lines & acting as fence in the old days.

Cottonwood Pass~

I stopped for my break when I again reached Cottonwood Pass.  A good climb from either direction.  The Cottonwoods here had already lost most of their leaves. The wind had really come up as the afternoon warmed into the high 70's.  I was riding right into it & thankful for power.

White Cloud Trestle, fall colors~

Back at the Trestle, I stopped again to admire the fall colors.  With winds of 20-mph almost every day & the ongoing drought, our color won't last long.  We're on track for the dryest Sept. & Oct. in history.  A record no one wanted to break, especially the farmers.

I was happy to be back at the Explorer having logged 22 miles.  The back of my neck at my hairline started itching on the way home.  I ended up with six big bites along the neckline of my t-shirt.  No, the bugs aren't gone yet!