55th Class Reunion - Greenfield~

 It had already been five years since our 50th Greenfield Class Reunion.  We had planned to meet again this weekend at the Greenfield Country Club.  Sadly, since our plans had been made, the town was struck by a horrific  F4 tornado on May 22nd. 

Greenfield Country Club~

The class as a group, decided instead of a catered luncheon; we would donate those funds to the Greater Greenfield Community Foundation.  We had arranged to meet at the Greenfield Country Club.  Thankfully the Club & golf course had been spared.

Beautiful views~

I drove over in rain for about the first forty miles.  By the time I reached Griswold, the rain had stopped, but the cloud cover remained.  The road check points had been removed since our trip last week & the driveway to the club was just before that point on Hwy 92 anyway.

Socializing~

Snacks & water had been provided.  It took me a while to recognize my classmates.  After all, it had been another five years!  We lost one member to the tornado & our group has been diminished by the loss of 4 others since our 50th.

Doug Armstrong, Connie & my fraternal Cousin Larry Glade~

Doug & I had been childhood friends, living just a couple blocks apart. Larry is the middle son of my dad's oldest sister my Aunt Evelyn.  His wife Patty was one of my best friends.  (Another best friend - Susan Williams was unable to attend.) 

Our group photo~

I think there were five others who were unable to make the trip & we missed them.  The afternoon conversations centered around the tornado; lives lost & damage to almost 200 homes.  

We held a business meeting, deciding to liquidate our bank account & donate that money to the GGCF.  Four of the Greenfield Firemen lost their homes to the tornado.  We donated another portion of the money to the Fire Department & another to the school district.  

When we were oh so young!

After I left, I stopped at my favorite store, Ed & Eva's, in the Opera House, on the square.  I found another handmade metal butterfly for the yard.

The Explorer in front of Ed & Eva's~

Everyone agreed, what a blessing it was the town square & historic buildings there were spared.  

Adair County Courthouse~

The majority of my early childhood memories are associated with this Midwest town.  Returning here is always like returning home.  Being recognized by name & associated with members of my family, is always an honor.

Our class has decided with the current attrition rate, our next gathering will be in three years, instead of five.  Same time, same place!  I look forward to it & I hope we're all still around to attend!

Warming Up~

 The temperatures are moving up into the 80's.  We've also shifted from the dryest May on record last year - to the wettest May on record - this year.  Quite a difference & a welcome one after three years of drought.  Tinkle Branch creek actually scoured some of the grass along the edges of the bank with the last storm.

The corn is growing!

Another Wednesday afternoon & as usual, I was ready for a ride.  As the month of May comes to a close, the days continue to warm.  I'm continuing to acclimatize, at least I hope so!  Working around home I work up more of a sweat than I usually do riding.  Shadow makes a nice breeze, which helps.

Lush greens~

The Walnuts, one of the last trees to leaf out, are finally contributing to the shade on the trail!  There were more people on the trail today than I'd expected for a mid-week afternoon.  I'd dropped Finnigan off with Doris.  The two of them really enjoy their time together.

Approach to the Silver Creek Trestle~

I've now discovered the downside to the new deck planking.  It's black & the surface absolutely absorbs & radiates a tremendous amount of heat! I doubt there will be as many riders stopping here for their break when it's a sunny day!

More lush greens~

I still can't get over how quickly the country can go from the barren browns of the winter months to the incredible greens of spring & summer!  Almost an ocean of greens.  When the wind is blowing, the undergrowth & trees provide a wave like action too.

The Trestle~

At least the crews left enough of the larger tree cover to shade the approach to the bridge, which is where I usually stop anyway.  I rode on into Malvern, did the usual town loop & stopped at the pond.  Troy was mowing & we chatted for a few minutes.  I called Butch too.  By the time I was ready to leave, it was later than usual.  

Silver Creek - downstream~

Here too, the scouring of the banks from our big rainstorm is plain to see, along with the silt turning the water so brown.  Obviously, this creek wasn't named after a storm!

Heading back - Upstream~

It would have been interesting to be out here during the height of the flow!  From this point on, I decided to open Shadow up a little.  I used the PAS system & gears to speed up to 15-16 mph.  I still wasn't using the fastest setting, but the sport mode was fun.  I was only a few minutes late returning to pick up Finn.  He usually knows when to expect me & is waiting by the storm door.  Another beautiful day's ride~

Tornado - Wabash Trace Trail~

 On the 21st., the rain hit & within just a short time, we'd accumulated 1.57 inches!  It came down fast & furious.  During the afternoon, the tornado sirens were blaring & we received another .20 inches.  It was a scary afternoon. 

By Wednesday morning, the sun was shining & the air so very fresh & clean.  It was like the earth breathed a sigh of relief after receiving such badly needed moisture.

North from Silver City~

After mat making, I decided to load Shadow & head to Silver City.  I spoke to Mari Jo & we compared rain & tornado information.  She told me a tornado had crossed the trail between Mineola & Margaritaville.  I decided to go see if I could find the area.

Just outside Mineola~

I crossed the bridge & Barrus Road.  I'd just ridden a few feet when I came to the washout above.  I'd heard that Barrus had been covered with water & now I know where it came from.  This mud is very slick.  I had just enough room to walk the bike along the far edge.

This must have been a waterfall~

The washout area was large & it was obvious that a huge amount of water had gone through this area.  Corn stalks had been pulled from the culvert under the road.

Keg Creek~

I could hear Keg Creek before I got to the bridge!  You can see how high the water had gone up the banks by the flattened grass along the sides.  Probably close to double the volume of a few weeks ago.

Tree down~

Farther along going north, this tree was down & ready to fall on the trail.  There was enough room to get under it, but I hustled!  I actually thought maybe this had been the path of the tornado.  I was wrong!

Tornado's path~

Another mile & seeing blazing sunshine ahead was the first clue & as I approached, the damage was impossible to ignore.  Here was where the tornado had crossed the trail.  It had wickedly torn the trees apart for a section probably 150 ft. long. Volunteers had come through & cleaned the debris off the trails surface.

Margaritaville~ 

The cyclist hangout had been spared by only maybe 100 feet.  There's a house too, just out of the above photo that had been narrowly missed.  I stopped to sit up on one of the benches & call Butch.  It was such a gorgeous afternoon.

Dumfries underpass~

I continued on, planning to turn around at the area I call the Lookout, just a few miles south of Council Bluffs.  I dismounted & started to walk Shadow around the edge of the mud, (my prints on the far right) when I saw a truck with two trail volunteers coming from the north.  I was sinking so deep & Shadow's tires were covered in mud.  

I decided just to forget my plan, trying to step backward into my own prints.  The truck made it through - I made it out - mud squishing under my feet.  Yuck is all I can say...  I tried to get it off my shoes & ran the bike through some grass, but it was a mess.  I turned back toward Margaritaville.  

Looking south at the Tornado's path~

Returning south, I again viewed the damage to the trees from the tornado. It's scary just how ripped apart this small area is & think of the destruction done to homes, businesses & entire towns this season.  No one can remember a year when the sirens have gone off so often.

My electric horse~

It felt funny riding with all the mud coming off the tires!  I was happy I had fenders to catch it before it came flying up at me.  Getting it all off the underside of the fenders was another story!  

Mineola~

I stopped one more time to admire the view just outside Mineola, thankful that the town didn't have any damage.  The last four miles back to Silver City I saw two Woodchucks!  One came up & started to cross the trail, then stopped right in the middle!  As I took evasive action, I narrowly missed his tail!  

Back at Happy Trails, Mari Jo was just closing the shop, but let me use the hose to get the worst of the remaining mud off Shadow.  What a mess is all I can say.  I washed my new tennis shoes & made the drive home with wet feet! 

Acclimatizing to Warmth~

 I'm going to say it was warm.  Mid-80's again, but not as much humidity as we'll see this summer when the corn starts sweating.  There was a stiff breeze gusting out of the east too.  I loaded Butch's Cannondale Adventure 1 bike onto the rack with Shadow. 

Ahh shade~

When I arrived at Happy Trails, it was a busy place.  A Gravel Series ride was just finishing up & cars were leaving.  I unloaded both bikes & took Butch's into the shop.  Mari Jo is going to help us sell it.  It's such a nice bike & so comfortable to ride. I hope someone will come along to enjoy it.

Mess from the fields~

Some of the farmers whose land adjoins the trail, use the easement as a place deposit the brush & trees they've cleared from the edges of their fields.  It's unsightly but does provide additional habitat for wildlife.

Bridge over the creek~

I expected more weekend riders to be on the trail, but lucky for me, only saw a few.  I can always tell the ones from out of the area, they never say "Hi" or wave an acknowledgement.  After riding a few years now, I know some of the local riders.

Virginia Waterleaf - Hydrophyllaceae virginianum

This season, rather than the Stinging Nettles of last year, the ground around the Trestle is covered with the beautiful Virginia Waterleaf.  Many people consider it a weed & it is hard to pull.  My hillside the woods is partly covered with it & I love the pale lilac-colored flowers.  It has gradually been spreading to the more barren side of the hill

5-13 Waterleaf in our woods, along Timber Trail~

I continued on to Malvern, doing my usual loop around the far side of town near Agriland, before turning back to stop at the pond.  It was a beautiful day to be out.  There were only a few people camping.

Boehner Pond~

I still can't get over the change the rain has made in the pond.  The water is much deeper & clearer than it has been for over a year, probably two.  I sat under the picnic cover; my favorite bench was still in the sun.  I'd started out a little earlier than usual.

Creek & Phlox~

In places, crossing the little creeks, you can hear the water running again.  I looked down to see Phlox growing along the edge of the water.  

Butch had made it home for an overnight stop late afternoon on Mother's Day!  He got out of the truck carrying a beautiful bouquet of flowers!  (Both daughters remembered me with gifts too!)  Butch cut the wood dowel rod I'd bought & put it down the stem of my bike.  Then he adjusted the seat height for me.  This was my first ride with the improvement & it made a huge difference.  I didn't have to stop after every bridge to raise the seat! 

Taking Advantage~

 Two rides in the same week!  It's been a while & may be again.  With the rain & warm weather, it's the time of year when I spend all my time trying to keep up with the mowing etc., at home.  As you can tell from the photo below, the trail volunteers are also putting in hours, trying to keep up with the fast-growing edges of the trail!

At the parking by Happy Trails~

I was just happy to get away from my new mower & on a bike!  (I bent the shaft of my old mower Stripe :-( Stripe had been such a good mower, but hitting an old honeysuckle stump was too much...  Now, I'm trying to get used to my new mower & it's just not the same.)

Shadow on the trail~

Again, the view of the trail has changed so much in such a short time.  It's refreshing to be back to enjoying all the shades of green.  Today I appreciated riding in the shadow of the newly leafed out tree canopy.

A perfect spring day in Iowa~

The fields are seeded & will soon be filled with the first flush of the green & growing crops.  Especially with the rains we've received, just in the nick of time.

On the Trestle~

A breeze blowing from the north helped push me along.  I also took Butch's advice & used the assist when my knees told me I needed it.  I made my best time to date getting to the Trestle.  I was still having an issue with the seat slipping down though.  Buying a dowel rod will be my next move.  It was the warmest day I've ridden yet & I did take an electrolyte.

Shadow at Boehner Pond~

It was incredibly quiet & beautiful at the pond.  The water level has recovered more than I'd expected!  I think Malvern has received even more rain than we have at home.  There was only one family of Canadian Geese on the water with no less than six goslings.

The way back~

The trip back, I was riding right into what had become a stronger wind from the north.  It was almost too easy to set the assist up to tour & continue to travel without the usual stress to my knees & legs.

Back at Happy Trails, I stopped to talk to Mari Jo. As we were standing by the front of the shop, under the deck to the upstairs apartment, we heard a loud crash!  It sounded like the deck was coming down.  Both Mari Jo & I jumped out into the street & looked up.  The deck seemed fine.  

Two men who had just exited from Silver Spokes on the far side of the street, came over to tell us the gentleman who lived upstairs had been on the deck & suddenly dropped to the deck boards.  (From their view on the far side of the street, they could see him lying there.)  911 was called & with the Fire Dept. only three doors down, help arrived swiftly. Within a few minutes, the person was talking, but taken to the hospital for observation.  Prayers for his swift recovery.

I decided to leave, before my access to the main street was cut off by all the vehicles from the Sherriff's Dept. & other responding agencies.  The trip home was uneventful.  Finn had stayed home & did just fine.  I praised him for being such a good boy!

Sunshine & Flowers~

 We had almost an inch of rain last night!  Last May had gone down in the record books as the dryest in the 150-year history of record keeping.  We'd received only .17 inches & continued into summer bone dry.  This May, I appreciate every drop of rain we get!  So far this month, we've had over four inches!  My Hosta's & flowers seem to be growing every day!

I checked with Mari Jo & was surprised when she said the trail was fine.  I'd gone to mat making in the morning, then dropped Finn off with Doris on my way home.  They day turned out much nicer than had been forecast & warming up to 80 degrees.  The humidity was a little higher too, but nothing like last year.  I loaded Shadow & left for Silver City.  I was about three miles out of town when I realized I'd forgotten my phone.  So much for an early start!

Anise Root~ Osmorhiza longistylis

Both along the trail & at home I enjoy seeing the blooms of Anise Root. It's such a pretty plant, tall & delicate looking.  Native American's & early settlers used anise roots for their sweet & aromatic taste.  A tea was made from them for a variety of medicinal uses.

Shadow on the Trail~

As you can tell from these two photos, the signage has really taken a beating in the last four years...  I thought it was pretty nifty that someone had made what had originally been very nice signs for a few spots along the trail.

4-1-2020 - Sunny in the same spot~

Since my first ride above, Shadow is my fifth bike.  This is also my fifth season of riding the trail. I'm still getting used to my e-bike.  Butch recommended using alcohol to clean the grease off my seat post, then tightening the clamp.  I did that after my last ride.  The seat post stayed in position until just before I reached the trestle today, when my knees told me it had slipped down again. 

Shadow on the trestle~

I also felt like I was working harder at peddling too.  My last ride I didn't think there was much difference in the new tires rolling resistance.  This ride though, even with the assist set to eco, it didn't seem like quite enough.  My tenth ride & I'm still adjusting things.  I'm finding the saddle that came with the bike is very comfortable.

Prairie Phlox~

The bright colorful taller blooms of the Prairie Phlox always get my attention!  I love the pink/purple color!  One of these days I'll find seeds & try starting them along the creek. 

I continued on into Malvern today, rode past the bicycle tree & looped through town before turning back for my usual stop at the pond. It was a quiet day, with only the sounds of the birds singing.

Shadow at the bicycle tree~

I have the seat post so tight now, it's almost impossible to open the clamp.  I used my riding gloves, lifted the seat back to the height I like & tightened it down again.  I made good time on the trip back to Silver City.

The way back~

I returned to town a little after 5 p.m.  As Butch & I had our evening conversation, I mentioned that I felt I'd had to work a little harder on today's ride.  He reminded me that the new tires are not as smooth as the one's that had been on the bike originally.  I'd rather have to peddle more, than get more flats!  He suggested putting the assist to better use & I'm going to take his advice.  He also suggested I buy a dowel rod.  He will use it as a spacer in the seat post tube to keep the seat up in place. I have no idea why this bike has the issue, but look forward to it being fixed!

New Tires & May on the Trail~

We'd taken my bike to The Bike Way on the 22nd to have my flat front tire repaired.  Since we had to purchase a new tube, the staff suggested Stan's tire sealant for inside the tubes.  Butch purchased two additional bottles & added it to his tubes too, which seemed fine at the time.  Thursday though - when Butch looked at the bikes - he found his front tire flat!  He took it off the bike & found a locust thorn had pierced through the tire & into the tube.  He removed the thorn, aired the tube & after a couple rotations, the sealant worked & the hole sealed.  

His Adventure Neo 2 EQ came with the tires Cannondale had advertised with the bike. The Kendra Kwick Seven.5 tires had the K-Sheild puncture resistance lining.  They lasted long enough for him to ride the 2 miles back to the car & held air for another two days.    

My new Schwalbe Marathon Tires!

I checked to see exactly what tires my bike was supposed to come with.  The tires were not Kendra tires with puncture protection.  When I called Cannondale, they explained the Kendra tires were out of stock.  They had substituted with a Schwalbe Hurricane tire.  The Hurricane does not have extra puncture protection.  Since the tires were e-bike rated, they would do nothing about replacing them with a better tire. (They offered me two free water bottles.)

Butch did some research & found Schwalbe had a highly rated tire & ordered the Marathon's.  When they arrived, I drove to REI in Gretna to get the tires changed.  The staff in the bike shop agreed with us.  The tires that had come with my bike were inferior quality.  My new ones not only have thicker rubber but have Smart Guard puncture protection.  (They also recommended Stan's tire sealant for inside the tubes.) 

Shadow with new tires~

I really like the look of the new tires & the reflective sidewalls.  I was anxious to try them on the trail. We've received 1.53 inches of rain since the first!  The last week of April - also gave us several good rainstorms. The grass is growing faster than I can keep it cut!  

Stunning beauty~

I drove to Silver City & parked at Happy Trails.  Mari Jo came out to talk & I bought a tin of saddle conditioner for my newly recovered leather bike seat.  Once I was on the trail, the change was incredible.  The greens so bright & vibrant they were glowing.  The new tires seemed to be rolling along easily.  I didn't think I noticed much of a difference in resistance from the heavier tire & thicker tread.

Prunus virginiana - Chokecherry 

The Chokecherry is now in full bloom & the second sweetest smell on the trail!  We have some in our woods & I hope they spread!  There were high, hazy clouds filtering the sunshine, making the greens stand out even more.

Silver Creek from the Trestle~

As you can tell from the above photo, the water level of the creek has risen.  The water is full of silt from the runoff, but it's nice to see enough water flowing to cover the bottom.

Burning terraces~

Just about a quarter mile south of the trestle, I could see & smell smoke in the air!  So thick across the trail I could hardly make out the lone rider coming towards me.  She stopped & I did - both of us said the same thing.  Commenting on how easy it was to ruin the clean, fresh air we'd been enjoying up until we reached this area.  With the winds blowing strongly, I was amazed anyone was burning.  But with the recent rains I guess the opportunity was there...

The pond~

I didn't stop at the pond until I'd make my circuit in town.  The park was a busy place on a beautiful Sunday afternoon.  A troop of Brownie Scouts were walking around the pond, notebooks in hand, observing the birds, bees, geese etc.  It was fun to watch them & see how excited they were when they found a bumble bee :-)

Shadow on the Trestle~

Back at the Trestle, it was getting later in the afternoon.  I'd stopped several times trying to keep my seat post in the correct spot.  Every time I hit the transition bump on or off a bridge, it would settle further in the seat tube.  My knees let me know immediately when it dropped too low.  I have the clamp so tight it's almost impossible to open it, so I know it's not that.  Another thing to tweak when I get home.

Otherwise, it was another beautiful spring ride & Shadow did a great job.  Mari Jo told me her husband has purchased an electric bike.  I was surprised since we'd both talked about riding a self-peddle as long as we possibly could.  I'm sure Mari Jo will outlast us all in that regard - lucky lady!  I didn't get to see the new Day 6 e-bike, but I'm sure I will soon!