As the Heat Breaks~

 It seemed like a very long stretch of August heat & humidity.  Finally, the last few wonderful days we've been ten degrees below normal.  It's been just grand!  The evenings too, have been the nicest we've had in forever!

Ready to leave Boehner Pond~

I hadn't ridden since the first of the month.  Even with my list of to-dos stacking up at home, I was more than ready to visit the trail.  I stuck to my plan of not riding across the Silver Creek Trestle.  (Due to the intrusive game cameras.)  I instead left from the pond & took the rougher section of trail south.

Dying trees~

I was glad I did.  I'm thankful every time I ride this trail that it's here.  I've said before, with so much of Iowa in cropland, natural areas are rare & appreciated.  (There are several areas of native prairie I'd like to visit in the springtime.)  

Ripening Wild Plums~

This is the first time I've seen the plums on the trees!  Usually, they are already devoid of fruit.  This time, they are still at least days away from being ripe.  I bit into one to be sure & yes it was bitter!  If I get back this way again, I'll have to beat the wildlife to them!  I understand they make a wonderful jelly.

Perfect Iowa Day~

Going this direction, the trail gets less use since it's farther between towns & makes for a longer round-trip.  The trail also is rougher in sections with more debris for whatever reason.  It was a tougher ride when I didn't have the assist.  Doing the ride to Imogene is something I prefer to do with Butch or at least have him available to pick me up!  It's a way out there on my own.  I look back at the rides I used to do on a seven speed Townie.  Five years make a difference.

White Cloud Trestle

This Trestle Bridge has now become my favorite.  Only a few stickers, no lights, no game cameras - yet.  No booze bottles strapped to the uprights.  We'll see how long it lasts in its historic, unaltered beauty.  

West Nishnabotna River~

The river was running full.  Mesmerizing in its quiet passage of smooth current under the bridge.  Only the sound of the squirrels squabbing in the surrounding trees breaking the silence.  I had the trail to myself.

Break Spot~

I stopped at 7.67 miles & called Butch from the bench where we take our break when he rides with me.  It was so tempting to go further, but since I hadn't ridden in a while, I turned back.

Returning north~

Back at the Trestle, one of those gorgeous days you wish you could put in a bottle to uncork mid-winter!  The mostly downhill return was - as usual - a blast to ride.  The miles went by too fast!

Nishnabotna River - upstream~

I stopped again on the trestle.

Back to Malvern~

Back at the edge of Malvern, the big bike takes up a portion of the skyline.  I returned to the pond, loaded Shadow & joined the ever-increasing traffic on Hwy 34.  I was amazed at how many cars were heading west toward Council Bluffs/Omaha, after I took the Glenwood exit.  

I picked up Finn at Doris's.  Both look forward to their weekly visits.  It was such a nice evening, Finn & I sat out for a while.  The trees surrounding the backyard have grown so much I can almost forget we have neighbors.

Catching up with Summer~

 I can hardly believe we're two thirds of the way through the month of August already!  The weather has been typical for Iowa summers.  Hot, humid & this year - wet with both rain & high dew points.  It's been green, very green & even now, I'm mowing every four days.

A project we didn't expect to do, had to be done.  The big Mulberry shading the very first flower garden I put in, had one huge branch broken off during the big wind mid-June.  Butch had cut as much off as he could & we decided to leave the rest hanging.  Mid-July another windstorm broke off another even larger limb.

7-15 Second broken limb~

This time, there was no way for us to reach it.  I called Fermincho Tree Services & on a weekend Butch was home, Fermin came by & gave us a bid.  No heavy equipment would be driven across the lawn.

7-21 Mulberry getting a trim~

Early Monday morning, a crew of three arrived.  We sat on the porch & watched as Fermin put on spikes & was up the tree faster than we could believe. His crew cut the branches as they landed on the ground & loaded them into the trailer.  When the Mulberry was done, he moved down the hill & climbed the first of the three Elms that had died there.  They were tall enough, if they came down, they'd hit our west fence.

Starting on the Elms~

Butch & I had to leave, but by the time we came home, there was no sign anyone had even been on the property.  Every branch, leaf & limb had been picked up.

On our trip to Home Depot, we looked at the row of Tuff Sheds.  We've used the horse trailer for storage for several years.  I was so tired of looking at it & the utility trailer we hadn't used.  We both liked one of the smaller sheds & discussed buying one.  The following day, Butch was back on the road & I was out by the trailers with a measuring tape!  I visited the city & applied for a permit.

8-6 Utility & Horse Trailer~

The space where the trailers sat was approximately 19 feet wide & deep. I called Butch, then called Fermin.  The following weekend he & his crew came again & spent the day moving the trailers, leveling the ground, hauling & spreading crushed rock!

8-9 Gravel going down~

Two trips to the gravel yard & several yards of rock later, we had a flat place to put a small building. I'd called Tuff Shed, talked with a salesman & ordered exactly what Butch wanted.  To our surprise, it was finished in two weeks rather than the three we were told to expect.

8-16 Butch & Finn installing edging blocks~

Butch arrived home again on the 14th & spent two days loading, unloading & setting large concrete blocks along the back & side of the pad.  On the flat area, I picked natural looking edging stones.  By the time Butch left, the stones were in & the pad was within the required 4" of level. 

8-20 Pad ready~

I raked & cleaned up around the pad, transplanted a couple Hosta's & spread eight bags of mulch.  Fermin had purchased the utility trailer & taken it away.  I'd received a call from Tuff Shed; our building would be delivered on the 21st.

8-21 Construction starts!

The team from Tuff Shed arrived by 8 a.m. on Thursday morning.  It was humid, but still in the 70's.  I was amazed at how fast the construction went.  In 2.5 hours, the building was done!  At Home Depot, we'd had paint mixed to hopefully match the color of the Cabin.  Butch will do the painting his next time home. 

The new view~

What a difference!  For a project that really wasn't planned, it turned out great.  I never thought I'd say I was tired of looking at a horse trailer, but I was.  We'd purchased it new in 1995 & it carried our horses for many miles.  I've finally come to grips with the fact that I don't need it anymore.  Once we empty it & move things into the new building, Fermin will pick it up.  He's purchased it to haul his rock crusher.  It's perfect for him & I'll be happy to see it go!  The new building looks like it was meant for the spot.  Butch & Finn will enjoy having their own little space :-)

Smokey & Cooler ~

Ready to leave from Silver City~

 The first of August, already!  As you can tell, what would have been a perfect day, was enveloped in heavy smoke from the fires in Canada.  Even so, I didn't want to let a day without the usual heat & humidity go by without getting in a ride.

View to the west~

Once I was on the trail, the smoke wasn't noticeable.  It was more like a day with cloud cover.  At the open area's though - the smoke was all too obvious.  I could see through it to clouds above & the sun kept trying to burn though.

Damage from our last wind~

June & July gave us a few days of terrific winds.  This widowmaker was a Walnut limb.  The trail volunteers have to wait for it to come down, before they tackle cutting & removing it.  At least it's still high enough to ride under.

The Walnut Cathedral~

The Walnuts here were undamaged & as beautiful as ever.  It was a very quiet day on the trail.  When the fields are planted, the animals don't lack for cover.  No visitors on the trail, just the squirrels' gathering the fallen walnuts.

Silver Creek~

At the trestle I stopped, as I'm so used to doing, to take a photo.  Then...  I remembered my photo was being taken by the game camera.  I was furious I'd forgotten, too busy enjoying the day & too used to the routine of stopping here.  I left quickly & as I did, spotted the second camera on a tree at the south end.  I won't be riding here nearly as often or stopping on the trestle anymore.

Boehner Pond, someone got stuck~

The north end of the pond is in the photo above.  I think it must have been a riding mower that managed to get too close to the edge of the water & got stuck.  It had to have taken a car or truck to get it pulled out.  What a mess.  I bet the mower was a mess too by the time it was back on dry land. 

It was nice to see a few people camping.  Three kids were riding their bikes on the sidewalk around the pond & probably made at least five loops!  The youngest boy had an unplanned dismount but got back on & kept peddling!

Shadow at the covered picnic spot~

The tree to the left with the green trunk, is covered with poison ivy vine.  I hope whoever is taking care of the landscape notices & gets it removed.  I made a loop around the pond before I left & spooked a beautiful Great Blue Heron!  I wish I'd had time to get a picture of him.

Swallowtail~

I'd started back north, still on the mile of concrete when I felt something swoop over my head!  I hit the brakes in time to watch as the beautiful butterfly landed on the flowers at the side of the trail.  The first large butterfly I've seen this season.  I keep hoping to see a Monarch or two, but so far, no luck.  

Where the tall corn grows~

The corn is tall!  In the many fields where it's planted, it blocks the view out from the trail.  It also blocks the breeze on humid days.  Even with the smoke, it was a beautiful day to be out.  I had ridden a loop around the side of Malvern & finished the ride at just under 18-miles.  I've learned how to use Shadows gears to my advantage & my knees don't ache after a ride like they used to.  The benefit of a bike with assist.  Back in town, all was quiet.  Mari Jo has removed the cute Happy Trails Cycle sign from her building; it looks so plain now. 

Return to the Wabash Trace~

 The weatherman kept repeating himself, "Get outside, get outside!"  It was our first day without the awful heat & humidity.  Tomorrow we'll go into the feels like triple digits.  It's the time of year when we blame the corn sweating for our high humidity.

I'd been planning a ride on the trail for a while & today was the perfect chance to go.  I parked at Silver City, still sad that Happy Trails Cycle is gone...  There were several cars in the parking area, only one with a bike rack.

So lush & so green!

As I entered the trail, the lush greens & dappled shade were an ah moment!  With the Walnuts providing the high canopy, the trail this time of year is at its most beautiful.

Loaded Mulberry tree!

I was surprised to see the Mulberry trees still ripe with fruit!  Especially since the one's at Lake Manawa had been ripe at least two weeks ago.  It took me longer to make the trip to the pond, since I had to stop & partake of nature's abundance!  My fingers were purple by the time I took my break.

A beautiful Iowa corn field~

Just past the Hwy 34 underpass is this beautiful field of corn.  Absolutely manicured to perfection.  Such a beautiful scene, quintessential Iowa.  The Grade B roads had been very soft from the rains, but were dry enough to cross without sinking in.

Boehner Pond~

The park was quiet, just a couple families camping & the Canadian Geese.  Truly one of the most enjoyable July days we've had this year.

Silver Creek from the Trestle~

Returning to the trestle, I stopped again to admire the view.  The level of the creek was up especially compared to this time last year.  It was so quiet, only the sound of the birds in the trees.  I was not happy though to see that riders continue to deface the steel structure of the trestle with stickers.

Trestle over Silver Creek~

Stickers pasted everywhere.  One on each upright & another on the cross beam just in the photo above.  I could probably count close to 15.  Each with the name of a bike club or group.  Of course, they pale in comparison to the booze bottles strapped to the uprights.  I didn't bother to get a photo of those.  It seems some people have little regard for the historic beauty of the bridge.  I watched this type of thing happen over the years of riding trails in WA, now it seems Iowa is no longer immune.

Trail Camera mounted to the Trestle~

Evidently attaching Trail Camera's to the Trestle is now fair game too.  It had been quite a while since I've been here, so I'm not sure when they reappeared.  This time mounted to the upright, rather than trees.  Monitoring each & every rider who crosses or stops on the bridge. I didn't spot it until I was leaving.  It sickens me to think some unknown person will have photos of my stop.  Such an incredible invasion of privacy.  I posted to the Wabash Trace Facebook page & mentioned that signage should be posted to alert trail users of the surveillance cameras now in place.  It took the sense of peace out of a place I've appreciated so much. 

900-miles!

I was just a couple miles from Silver City on my return north, when Shadow's odometer turned over 900-miles.  My first ride on this bike was March 28th of last year.  I enjoy it more every time I ride. It was after 2000, when Lithium-Ion batteries were introduced.  The improvement in e-Bike performance - distance, speed etc. contributed to the explosion in sales.  Practical for commuting & everyday pleasure riding, they are a boom to riders in their 70's, 80's & beyond, allowing them enough power assist to continue to enjoy the trails.

Into July ~

 I've mentioned before that July is not my favorite month.  This year though, with the rain we've received, my usual watering chores have been non-existent.  The Walnut limbs are drooping under the weight of their nuts & a few are already dropping.  The trees by the swing have grown so big, it's hard to remember the size they were when we first arrived.

July first~

Butch wasn't home for the fourth.  He did come in for what was originally to be a quick overnighter on the fifth.  He pulled into Nationwide to drop his trailer with two minutes to spare on his ELD.  He'd left the Farmland Rest Area in IL early in the morning & even with construction driven 494-miles.  He was to make a delivery in Lincoln, NE the following day.

9:00 p.m. On the 5th, Butch & Maverick are Home!

We had a late dinner & he left at 6 a.m. Sunday morning.  Finn & I slept in - but were soon awake when Butch reappeared asking if I wanted a latte?  The warehouse he'd been scheduled to deliver to, was closed.  Yippee!  He would have Sunday home!  It was another in a string of hot & humid days.  We went to see F1 & really enjoyed it. 

7-8 Flowers~

With the rains & humidity, the flowers are amazing this year.  I've spent a lot of time weeding & spraying the weeds I can't pull, but it's been worth it.  Everything I've planted, has had plenty of room to grow.  I still have a lot of the hillside to tame, but the Hosta's are more numerous than the weeds!  

My Appleblossem Rosebud Germanium~

A relative of my dark red germanium, it too has the small, tight full blooms.  I read that it was a favorite of Queen Victoria & I can see why.  I've kept it on the deck rail this year & it loves the spot.

Presto Dark Red Germanium 

The red is still impossible to find.  Even the page I had bookmarked for this variety is gone.  I have the five plants I wintered over sitting out in pots with full south exposure.  They're compact & covered in blooms.  The new starts I have on the deck, with morning sun & afternoon shade.  I'm thankful that daughter Courtney still had the variety I'd shared with her years ago & paid back the favor when mine accidentally froze!

7-13 Finn in his favorite spot~

Finn is one tough boy!  He'll spend time outside, no matter how hot it is!  One afternoon he was laying on the sidewalk in the full sun!  I told him he'd be a baked Finn if he didn't come in!  He spends a lot of time watching for Woody the Woodchuck who seems to have taken up residence on the abandoned property to the east of us.  The other morning, he even managed to corner him again under the lawn tractor!  You'd think Woody would wise up!

East end of the deck~

The polycarbonate panels make such a huge difference on the deck.  The filtered light is perfect for us to sit out & for the fern, orchid & Hosta.  I've given up putting any plants on the west end.  The afternoon sun bakes them to a crisp, even with watering twice a day.

Here we are, almost midway through the month & yesterday I was back on two wheels!  That post to come~

Back on Two Wheels~

Saturday was a cooler day than we'd had in a while.  There was a high haze in the air, filtering the direct sunlight.  I hadn't ridden since the 6th of June & that was my only ride the entire month.  I looked back at last year & I'd only ridden three times, so didn't feel as bad about it.  

Ready to ride~

Lake Manawa was calling my name, the hard surface & more open riding is much more appealing to me than the bugs, dust & higher humidity of the Wabash.  I was surprised to be the only car in the parking area.  For a weekend, the park was surprisingly quiet.

North toward the I-29 underpass in the distance~

I took the far eastern trail that connects to the Wabash just over halfway, before turning back into the park.  The wide-open views are so pretty out here.

Looking toward I-29~

I rode along E Manawa drive & turned west to ride parallel with Veterans Memorial Hwy. before turning left for a couple blocks to ride west on Wright Rd.  From there I cut around the gate into the old campground.  No wildlife today, no mulberries either, but a really nice view from the north end of the lake.

Sailboats on the choppy water~

I love seeing the sailboats on the water.  The wind had picked up & it looked like a perfect summer afternoon to be out.  

Along Indian Creek, I spotted feathers at the edge of the trail.  I hadn't found any feathers at all last year.  I stopped to check them out.  There were the two bigger ones I took & two smaller ones.  All dark in color & I was pretty sure they had to be from a Turkey Vulture considering their size.  Not my favorite raptor, but a nice addition to my collection.

Turkey Vulture feathers~

There are a couple trees in town, where the Vultures congregate.  They are noisy & dirty when gathered in numbers.  I'm thankful I seldom see them fly over at home.  The first time I ever saw one, Butch & I were riding the horses in Eastern, WA.  We came around a corner & saw several roosting in a pine.  I thought they were the ugliest birds I'd ever seen & my opinion hasn't changed!

Indian Creek looking south toward the Missouri~

The Missouri is just a short distance from the south end of lake.  I didn't take the access road today & haven't for a while.  It was nice to see so much water in the creek.  The level of the Missouri has been up & we're expecting more rain this week.

Sailboats from my bench~

By the time I reached my rest spot, the haze had thickened & I was glad of it!  The breeze made the day one of the most pleasant in a while.

Hoary Vervain

Very unusual & such a color standout, I've admired the above wildflowers for several years.  (Thank you to daughter Jentry for the i.d.)  They brighten the open field I pass on my way to  the lake shore.  I didn't see the turkey's this visit either, it's been a couple years now.  I stayed for a while, enjoying the breeze off the water before heading back.

The Park & the Missouri~

As you can see in the Google Earth photo above, the river is almost the southern boundary of the park.

South trail, west~

I was glad to be back on my bike, but it's hard to stay motivated during the heat of summer.  I work outside in the morning, before the day heats up.  I'll hope for another cooler day or two so I can revisit the Wabash.  At least I don't have the limestone dust to clean off my chain when I ride here!