Green Valley State Park~

 Saturday, Butch drove an activity, so we loaded our bikes & left for Creston, Sunday morning.  The drive over is always so pretty.  Rain was predicted, it was overcast & cool.  Once in town, we stopped for lunch, before driving to the family plot north of town.  From there, on to Greenfield, to put fresh artificial flowers on my parents, brother & paternal Grandparents headstones.  Always a sad time for me.

Back in Creston, we signed into our room before driving out to Green Valley State Park.  I'd looked online & discovered there was a bike trail at least part way around the lake.  It was just before 6 p.m. when we found a parking area.  

Ready to ride~

Signage wasn't explicit, as to just where the trail was.  Butch saw a concrete trail just across the road from where we'd parked.  It looked to me, like it was heading the wrong direction, but away we went!

The top of the first hill!

Well...  I need to amend that statement!  Away Butch went, gears clicking!  My poor leg - was cold out of the gate...  I also haven't had any practice on BIG hills!  I was all the way into my highest gear, flying downhill.  Then - when Breezy hit the steepest part of the climb...  Well, too late to shift...

Butch at the crest~

When I was done walking my bike up to the top, the view that greeted me, was not the one I wanted to see!  I'm used to gradual inclines, not monster hills!  I continued on though - the downhills were a blast!  I did my best, but ended by walking at least a third of the way up.

Thankfully, the trail ended at a gravel road.  There were two ladies walking & I asked if there was another trail around the lake?

Well, yes!  There was one, the other direction from where we'd left the Explorer.  Oh No...  Now I had to do the same thing all over again!  My poor knee & ankle, were just not up to the multiple rotations of the lower gears.

Butch waits as I catch up~

It was a stunning evening!  Cool, no wind & the park freshly mowed.  We rode by a stand of young Walnut trees, my favorites.

Breezy at the lake~

I had to stop for a photo...  The sky, with clouds moving in, reflecting on the water was amazing...

The trail dropped us off at a road, with a share the roads, bike sign.  We took the road & came to the sign below, where the trail continued.

Entrance~

My Garmin hadn't recorder the earlier part of the ride on the hills & I hadn't noticed until we were on the lake trail.  From when I'd turned it on, we'd gone just over three-miles.

Such a beautiful park~

We whizzed right along & found the campground, where the trail again disappeared?  We stopped to talk to the Ranger & ask where the trail continued.  It didn't, except for a grassy way not mowed.  He  asked how far we'd ridden?  When I told him about 4-miles, he knew we'd started from the spillway parking area.  Our only option, was to ride back the way we'd come.

Tree Swallow~

It was such a nice evening, the ride back would be beautiful too.  The campground was full!  A couple young boys came up on their bikes & I asked if I could get a tow?  Oh - for the energy of youth!

Connie on the Causeway~

There were a few fishermen out on the lake, but the park was overall, very quiet.  As we rounded a corner, Butch had stopped to see the family of Geese below.  

Canadian Geese ~

We finished the ride at just under 8-miles, not counting the Big hills!  

The very bottom is where we'd parked~

The road you can just see at the bottom of the image, goes to Creston.  It's gravel from the parking lot we'd found - at the end of the concrete.  As you can see, it's a big lake!  Really a fun ride too!