Must be Raindrops ~

 A cloudy, cooler day!  I'd been hopeful for a while July would ease off just a bit & provide us with a day of rain.  The weatherman dissapointed me when at noon, our chance of rain had dwindled to none.  Dissapointed on one hand, but pleased on the other, a perfect day to get out for a bike ride.

Mari Jo was just coming off the trail when I arrived.  I'd planned to go to Council Bluffs, until I'd heard the rain wouldn't happen.  My change in plans nixed our ride together.

Smokey & tall corn!

Mid-70's felt almost cool after all the days of heat.  The humidity was high enough to keep me sweating - but there was also just a slight breeze.  The corn is getting so tall now, it's blocking our views!  :-)

The wild grape starting to climb up the bridge rails~

I stopped on this bridge, the Mulberry tree beside it has branches hanging right within reach, full of ripe berries.  It seems they've been ripe for most of the month, even after the big wind that took so many off the trees.

Mulberries!

I just love getting out on these rare cloudy days!  Such a nice break from our usual summertime blazing sunshine.

Smokey & the Walnuts

There are at least three areas of the trail where the Walnut trees dominate.  Two large ones were blown down this last time - the first time I've seen a Walnut go down.  I rode in to the Depot, then made a big square loop through part of the lower residential area of Malvern, before going back to the park.

Malvern Park pond~

It's seldom we have a still day.  As you can tell from the water, it was very quiet & what little breeze there had been when I started out, had died.  Just as I was leaving, I felt a few raindrops!  With 8-miles ahead of me, I decided I'd better make time or risk getting wet!  

Cottonwood Grove~

This grove of Cottonwoods is so pretty, they're big too, so tall the lens distorts them.  I'd only seen a lady pushing a baby stroller on my way south.  She'd parked off one of the gravel roads & I'd wondered what was making the marks on the limestone I'd seen.  On the way back, only two other people on bikes.  At one point a squirrel rain across in front of me, carring a baby in her mouth!  The first time I've seen that!

Ready to load~

With The Hood now closed for good, there's no longer a restaurant in town.  It was a draw to the many bicyclist who use the trail, but not enough to keep it open & so far no one is interested in purchasing the business...  

I'm peddling right along on this section of trail now with my speed staying over 10 mph.  Time to check out a more difficult section before the heat returns.

I stopped at the store on my way home.  The rain finally came just as I was leaving!  By the time I'd driven the few short blocks to home, it had quit...  We're several inches below normal for this time of year & another streak of possibly triple digit heat is due for next week...