North from Shenandoah~

 Sunday was such a beautiful day!  I mentioned a bike ride to Butch & he agreed.  We hadn't been to Shenandoah for a long while.  The Depot was open for indoor dining - so we stopped there first for lunch.

Butch at the Train Station~

There wasn't much activity at Sportsman's Park.  I couldn't remember much about the trail from my last ride south from Malvern.  It had been since early May of last year.  I thought it had been relatively easy.

Bridge over the Nishnabotna River~

With just a light breeze & riding on the paving, it didn't take us long to reach the river.

Butch on the bridge~

Soon after, we ran off the paving & back to the limestone.  It was dry, but had deep groves each time the trail crossed a road.  I think the run-off from the road softens the trail & bikes had been on it, when it was still too wet.  In the photo below you can see the ruts.

To the pond~

We took a break on the bench here.  The frogs were croaking, a sound we both miss from nights in WA, during late winter & early spring.  To this point, we'd gone three-miles, all of it an uphill grade.  The wind had picked up too.

Where we turned back~

The next mile, continued on the same.  We reached 160th.  It looked like we'd have downhill from this point on, toward Imogene, but my leg said;  "No!" in a big way.  It had bottomed out - with the continual climb. :-(  We decided to turn back.

Butch coming up the grade~

Butch stayed game throughout!  He never mentioned turning back, until I did!  At least - as I told him - we knew the way back would be all downhill!

Back at the Park~

  I was a little discouraged my leg hadn't worked better, but I'm still a way from the year the Doctor's told me healing would take.  We did get a workout, 8-miles, half of it up!  Pretty good for so early in the season.  Enough of one, we stopped for ice cream before heading home! 

First Ride of Spring!

 It started as a strange day.  A heavy fog in the morning, changing to higher cloud cover late morning.  Eventually, the sun appeared & I ran out to finish my painting job on the cabin rafters.  I'd planned an afternoon ride with Mari Jo - the light breeze was brisk.

Ready to go - a little after 2 p.m.

We both wondered if we'd get wet on this ride!  I wanted to walk up to see the progress on the bridge.

Lots of material~

We were told the pre-fab bridge will be here next week!  Of course Mari Jo is anxious for it to be done in time for the April opening of her shop!  This week the crew had homemade cinnamon rolls!  They may slow down progress just to continue to receive all the goodies!  :-)

A big hole!

Once on the trail, we were glad to have jackets.  It was quiet, the trail surface was a little sticky.  In a few spots, we had to watch where we rode, to keep from sinking in.

Through Speedy's handle bars~

The countryside is turning green!  We felt a few raindrops, but the skies didn't open!  Neither of us wanted to turn back.  It wasn't long - before the clouds disappeared & the sun returned!

Beaver Dam~

The Beaver are releasing water from the side of their dam.  Mari Jo says this is a sign we'll have a wet spring.

Silver Creek from the trestle~

I'm hoping it won't be too wet, as I'm so happy to be out riding again!  We turned back at the Trestle.  With the sun out, the day instantly warmed.  I am determined to ride all the way to Agriland next week!  The weather is supposed to be possibly up to 70 degrees & windy on Monday. 

Mari Jo on the trail~

Mari Jo cruises along, making it look way too easy!  Her bike is built for speed & she has the fitness to do it justice.  I could tell a difference from last week though.  My leg is getting stronger, but my foot wants to slip forward off the peddle.  My ankle doesn't have enough bend yet.

Our bikes~

Both bikes enjoyed the ride!  Speedy & I are hoping to do a longer & way more difficult stretch of the trail by mid-summer.  If we could do that & even begin to keep up with Mari Jo - it would be grand!  Of course Speedy said something about her new friend - the Marlin having larger tires...  :-) 

Back on the Limestone!

 It has been just over six-months since I've ridden on the trail.  I certainly didn't expect it would be more than a few weeks, when I left for WA last September.  I'd been so looking forward to the cooler months.  Watching as the trees turned color & smelling the sweet scent of fall in the air.  But - the natural world had other plans for me.  In spite of it - I set a new goal.  To be back on Speedy & riding the trail by spring.

Today was the day!  Earlier, I'd asked Mari Jo if she wanted to ride at Lake Manawa.  Not nearly as quiet, or as scenic, but with today's weather scheduled for sunshine & a break from the heavy winds, it would work.  Yesterday, Mari Jo suggested we ride on the trail.  All the wind had one positive effect - it had dried the surface.  We decided on the Trestle over Silver Creek as our destination.  The round-trip would give us over 8-miles & be an easy start to my first attempt back on the limestone.

Our route~

I was so excited to be going, I forgot my phone & didn't even miss it until I was parking at Happy Trails. Oh well, a post without photos! Just a few miles out, we stopped on a bridge & watched as a pair of Hawks took advantage of the thermals. Mari Jo kept her speed down for my benefit. The trail was littered with small twigs & branches, but no trees were down.

Reaching the bridge felt like a pretty big deal.  The thought of riding there again, had kept me motivated through some dark hours.   

My last ride on Sunny - April 1st, 2020

The photo above, was taken my first ride on the Wabash, almost a year ago.  My next ride, I had a new bike - Speedy! 

On our way back, another rider stopped to talk to Mari Jo.  He mentioned he was just getting started riding again, after surgery on his knee to repair old damage from his Basketball days.  The recovery issues he mentioned, were exactly what I experience!  Getting up in the morning thinking I'll whiz along & by evening hardly able to walk.  It made me feel better to know I'm not alone.  We all talked for quite a while, the warm sunshine on our backs, felt so good.  Jeff was riding a bike with a titanium frame & rides gravel.  He explained Gravel Grinders work for total elevation gain over the course of a year.  His for last year was over 300,000 ft.!  Impressive!  Getting back on Speedy, my leg had stiffened up.  It took a while to warm up.  I was more than happy when we reached town.  

We were out for 2.5 hours & as Mari Jo said, it was the kind of day where we could have ridden on & on.  Not yet for me though - but two rides under Speedy's wheels is a good start.  I achieved my goal with a day to spare!  

Rain - Wind~

I looked out at the Woods during the height of the wind/rain event last weekend & the view wasn't what I'd expected... One of the dead trees on the far side of the creek, had come down.  The last few gray days, continued the spell of big winds, cold & damp. Everyone was complaining - even the weatherman! Dismal - far from the taste of spring we had a week ago. 

Regardless, I went out to see just how much work we'd have to do. I could hardly walk. My leg & both knees were giving me such fits, I was starting to wonder if my mobility will be more compromised than I've expected. Butch took me out for a meal & trying to keep up with his walk made me feel like a squaw - limping along behind :-(

Today~

But today - the sun returned! I could never move back to the never-ending gray days of WA now!  I'm back to being a sun worshiper!  Above, is the dead snag from the far side.  The squirrels & racoons have a new bridge!

The second snag, down~

The one above really made me unhappy though!  It managed to hit right on the exact center of the glass post cap on the signpost!  It was broken to bits!  (At least the post & sign weren't damaged.)  When I was down there today, I found two pieces, but there should be at least two more, someplace.  I'd emailed Island Post Cap, but hadn't heard back, so I put in a call yesterday.  My replacement was already in the mail!  What a great service!

A miss!

It did manage to miss one of my remaining, surviving Rhody's!  As you can see in the photo below, there are two other big dead snags.  I'm surprised they didn't come down too.  I wanted to leave them up - but am now reconsidering.  The honeysuckle was sucking the life out of these woods.  At least the Walnut trees are healthy.

Two more to go~

Now, when navigating the woods & stepping over logs, I have to remember my left leg doesn't go up as far as it should.  Instead, my foot hangs up on whatever I'm going over & the result is a faceplant.

The last week, Karen took a fall & managed to break her right arm.  Doris fell too, but came away mostly unscathed.  I told them both - we are done falling!  Done!  Spring is so close - I can smell it today!  The greens are returning - none too soon!

Wabash Bridge Progress!

 A cloudy cooler day - storms predicted to move in tomorrow afternoon with rain & wind heading our way.  I spent the morning painting the ceiling rafters for the cabin.  Yesterday afternoon, I worked out by the horse trailer, sanding down the rough spots.

Thursday afternoon - my view~

  My view couldn't be nicer.  I realized the tulips I planted last summer, are up!  I have no idea what colors they are - I'm looking forward to the surprise!

After lunch this afternoon, I brought Nika in.  She gets so excited when she knows we're going walking.  We were in Silver City to meet-up with Mari Jo & Gracie right on time!

A big change~

I wanted to see what progress had been made on the bridge replacement.  Wow!  What a difference!

Pouring concrete~

Today they were pouring concrete for the south end bridge retaining wall.  Mari Jo had taken the crew cookies, they were appreciative!  The foreman told us they'd be working on Sat. too, trying to finish this before the rains come!

Nika & the new flag!

Soon, we were walking south on the trail.  It's finally dry enough for walking, but there were big scars where people were trying to ride bikes.

Gracie & Nika~

We set a decent pace going out - but by the time we started back - I had to slow down.  I wore a rain jacket, but didn't need it.  I've decided it's much easier to ride Speedy than walk!  Less impact on my knee & ankle.  That said;  I'm going to keep up the walking, the impact is needed too.

After our walk, I drove over to Agriland.  Nika found Butch!  :-)  This week has been a busy one, lots of activity in the fields.  We decided to try dinner in Tabor.  We hadn't been to YeYa's for almost a year.  They were busy - too busy for two people to handle both inside dining - along with all the take-out orders.  

A fun way to end our week :-)

The Long Wait is Over!

  Many times, it seemed like a long lost dream, to ever ride again...  Just shy of six-months - I'm Back riding Speedy & peddling under my own power with both legs!  Lake Manawa was the perfect place to see how I'd do.  Flat, smooth trails, easy going.  The lake was so beautiful, still covered with a sheet of ice.

Connie & Speedy~

The day was absolutely perfect!  Hazy sunshine, mid-60's & just a little breeze.  I have to be super careful with my starts & stops.  Otherwise, just my knee & ankle were very stiff when we started out.  I wondered how far I would be able to go?  But I kept on going!

Construction near the lake shore~

From what I've read, this is to be a new campground.  This park is busy, so a nice camping facility will be appreciated by many in & out of the area.  The tall buildings in the background are in Omaha.

Butch with Silver & Speedy~

I was Not out to break any records.  My only goal was to make the complete loop & enjoy the ride.  Butch let me lead, we were passed by a few professional speedsters.  With the Wabash still closed, they take advantage of the hard surface parks trails.  

Our favorite~

We stopped in at Leach Camper Sales to check out the latest trailers.  It's amazing how nice they are!  We were the only ones to ride in on bikes!  :-)  Silver & Speedy received a lot of compliments.  I admit I took a short break on one of the nice soft seats in our favorite model.

The bridge~

If there's any wind, it finds us along this stretch.  Coming up to the bridge, we were passed by an electric bike, really whizzing along.  We're seeing more & more of them.

The truck waits~

I could hear the Garmin ticking off the miles, but didn't even look until we were back at the truck.  

Our Route~  Shopping top left corner :-)

We covered 7.5 miles.  Speedy & Silver weren't even tired!  It felt So Very Good to be back, together, on our bikes again!  

Friday Walk & Wabash Bridge Replacement!

 This weather is so glorious - it's to continue on well through next week!  What's left of the snow is melting more by the minute.  The Explorer came home last evening, steering gear box replaced.  I decided to drive it to Silver City today for our walk with Mari Jo.  Nika prefers the smooth ride to the Bronco :-)

Almost to Silver City~

Mari Jo & Gracie met us in front of the shop. I wanted to check on the progress of the bridge replacement! 

You can see the bridge supports~

Things are moving right along!  The crew is working Monday through Fri.  The weather is supposed to hold for the next ten-days, with the exception of a rain chance mid-week.  

Big Crane!

You can see the arm of the crane to the left.  The new bridge will be pre-fab, so we're hoping it will be ready by the time the trail dries out.

Mari Jo's photo from this morning~

You can see the broken timbers on the right side.  A comment was made on the Happy Trails Cycle Facebook page - this was the first bridge decked & rails installed when the development of the Wabash Trace began in 1989.

Far from rideable~

We walked along the road that runs parallel to the trail for a way.  Where there was access, we stopped to see how the trail surface looked.  This particular spot had drifts over three-feet deep.  Mari Jo had snowshoed through, just over a week ago.

Not even walkable~

Someone had tried to walk on the trail & left deep imprints...  Nika could stand on top of the surface, but we couldn't.  The day was so grand, just being out felt wonderful.  It's so quiet too, we could hear the birds singing.

Damage from a golf cart~

A golf cart with two passengers had started off down the trail as we left town.  Luckily, they only progressed a short distance before turning back.  We were pretty excited to see a pair of Robins flying through the trees!

Nika & Gracie~

If we'd turned these two loose, I doubt we've have found them for weeks!  You could tell they were discussing what fun they would have without us!

Two-miles seems longer when you're walking a road, I wore my broke-in old riding boots, but my ankle really gave me fits.  It's still very stiff & now more swollen.  I don't care!  It's so worth it to be back out & going someplace!

Speedy waits ~

 Warm temperatures have arrived!  Yesterday started the trend, but we had enough wind that it still felt cold.  I changed out my winter décor to spring!  With the sunshine & warmer temperatures I was more than ready!  In the afternoon I walked Nika to Doris's - we returned home going up the Big hill.  My leg was worse on the downhill.  Butch & I sat out on the front porch, when he came home from work last evening!  It was that nice!

 Today, we soared into the mid-60's!  No wind & the bluest of blue skies overhead!  After matt-making Doris & I decided the day was Way too nice to go to the Y!  

At the Cabin, I opened the doors & windows.  Speedy was staring at me...

Soon - the Cabin will have a ceiling!

I haven't ridden for almost two-months.  The Wabash, is now a defrosting mess.  But Speedy was persuasive...  What the heck - I took her out to the street & rode up the block & back.  I felt more strength in the leg than last time.  Enough ROM to peddle, but far from the leg I once had.  (I tried to go off the Gabapentin last week & lasted three-days.  By Monday, the misery was intense.  My lower leg still feels like a burning club.)  

Speedy, fit & ready~

I have to constantly remind myself the expected recovery is a year.  Next week, will be six-months.  Some say, the ROM you have at six-months is what you will have.  I hope not - but as hard as I've worked, I don't think I've gone beyond 120°.  My PT schedule is now complete.

The melt is on!

I took a bucket out to pick up all the rock from the Cabin driveway, scattered from the plow.  I ended up with the rake & shovel & broke a sweat!  The streets are a mess with all the sand, dirt & ice melt.  I used the blower to clean the drive-way & walks.  We still have ice along the curbs in front.

I'm going to try to talk Butch into taking the bikes up to Lake Manawa this weekend.  It's pretty easy going & it would be so fun to ride again!