Hwy 34 Detour Dust ~

 A truly fine Monday & Mari Jo wanted to ride!  September is the last month that the shop is open during the weekdays.  In October it will be weekends only & Mari Jo's ride season will start! 

The wind was supposed to pick up & gust in the afternoon, but it wasn't much more than a strong breeze as we left Silver City heading south.

The bikes are ready :-)  Except for the one that had a tree grow into it!

We were about three-miles out & a way back from Gaston Rd. when we saw a lot of gravel dust.  Getting closer, it was crazy!  Cars were whizzing by at a high rate of speed, one right after the other, not even slowing for the trail crossing sign.

Puffs of flying dust!

Mari Jo & I both realized about the same time, the closure we'd heard of on Hwy 34, due to an accident, had resulted in traffic being rerouted onto the gravel roads.  We thought we could wait for an opening, but it was car, after car, after car.  We stood at the edge of the trail still waiting when one car finally stopped & put on it's lights.  Then, after another truck with camper came flying by the other direction, the next car stopped.  

As we started to cross, the car behind the first car that had stopped, started to pull around!  Out into the middle of the road, I guess in such a hurry they needed to not only pass the car in front of them, but run over us!  Thankfully - they realized the errror & waited for us to get across before gunning their engine & passing!

Mari Jo & the bikes on the trestle~

Whew!  It was a relief to get across & back on the quiet of the trail.  We were at the final road crossing southbound to Malvern, when traffic coming the other direction - again diverted off Hwy 34 came flying by.  Not quite as many cars as what were on Gaston, so we waited for a large enough gap to get safely across.  Of course, we could feel all that dust settling onto us! 

More fast moving car traffic!

We reached Malvern & stopped for a short break before heading back.  Mari Jo always keeps me moving right along & she had already ridden 8-miles!  We've made plans to do a round-trip to Council Bluffs...  I've just ridden it from Mineola, but it's been a long while - since the one time I managed the round-trip from Silver City.  That additional 8-miles on top of 16, can seem like a long way, especially with the long uphill grades.

The bikes may continue without us!

Heading back, the highway had re-opened & the roads were again safe to cross.  It's so enjoyable to have a companion on a ride now & then even though we both like riding alone too.  We ride slower when we're together - we're always too busy talking!  :-)