I Couldn't Resist!

 A stuning day!  Light breeze & mid-50's!  The first day the feeling of Spring was really in-the-air!  We met at the Wabash Trailhead in Council Bluffs right at 2 p.m., both of us happy to be out on such a great day!

Mari Jo & the bikes~

I'd forgotten to turn on my Garmin, but I've done the route so many times I know the mileage by heart.  We rode through the old campground, then along the Veterans Memorial Hwy & turned onto the trail along Indian Creek.  We noticed a man up ahead, off his bike in the middle of the trail.  As we came up on him, Mari Jo asked if everything was OK - to which he responded, "No, I took a hard fall." 

We stopped & offered assistance.  We introduced ourselves & Mari Jo took a look at his bike. The front rim was badly bent & the brakes were jammed between the fork & the tire.  She disconnected the brakes & got the pads away from the tire.  She removed the front tire & the three of us tried to straighten it.  No luck - when he stepped on - he about launched Mari Jo & I into the air!  He was a big guy, well over 6'.  

No way was he riding the bike any further.  Mari Jo offered to ride back to the trailhead, get her truck & meet him at the nearest parking area.  He would still have quite a walk, pushing a broken bike - but he decided it would be a better solution than calling his wife! :-)

We took off, Mari Jo setting a good pace.  By the time we reached the turn-off to the lake trail, I told her to go on without me, she'd make better time.  We split up & I watched her fly off down the trail, with just a few miles to get back to her truck.

At the Lake~

I rode on to the picnic area & called Butch from my rest spot on the bench.  He was happy to be leaving CA, heading back to ID.  It was so beautiful out; it was hard to start back.

Smokey on the trail~

I was finding it a whole lot easier to ride with two properly inflated tires today! :-)  

Long shadow~

The final long stretch back, I did notice we'd left a little later than usual today, since the sun was already getting low in the sky to the west.

I-29 up ahead~

This is where the wind had been so awful the last time I was up here.  Today, was much easier!  Back at the trailhead, Mari Jo's truck was gone, which was what I expected.  I'll touch bases with her tomorrow to hear the rest of the story.

Where am I?  :-)

Tastee Treet has opened!  Happy Dance!  My only excuse is - it's on my way home!  I rewarded myself for a long winter season of suffering without my favorite sherbet!  It was just as yummy as I remembered.  I bought the pulled pork dinner, complete with potato salad & hush puppies!  Enough food to last me two dinners!  

I had to brag to Butch when he called! :-)