Six weeks, four days~

 It seemed like it had been forever since I'd had my bike out on the trail!  My last ride had been with Butch at Lake Manawa on July 5th, the day before my accident.  I'd recovered & could walk just well enough to leave on our trip to WA August 7th.  

Just south of Silver City~

We returned on Sunday the 18th.  Butch left early Monday morning, but a couple hours later I heard the front door open!  He'd picked up a trailer & gone to his pickup in Omaha, only to be told the load wouldn't be ready until Tue. at 6 a.m.  We were sitting out with lattes when another text came in, the trailer was loaded!  So, for a second time, he was again on his way.  I spent the rest of the day on Monday doing laundry & cleaning house.  Neither of which are my favorites.  

Tuesday dawned with heavy cloud cover & a light rain before noon.  It wasn't enough to register on the rain gauge.  I'd planned to get my bike out & hoped that Silver City hadn't received any more rain than we had. I dropped Finn with Doris; they were both happy to see each other.

Tree broken~

A cool & cloudy day is rare for August, the rain had been just enough to settle the dust on the trail.  Leaving from Happy Trails, I told Mari Jo I might only make it to the trestle.  I was a little worried about how well my legs would hold up.  First the injury & secondly after the long drive & little exercise.  Once I was pedaling & warmed up, my legs were fine.  (I'd taken my first steps without limping on Thursday the 15th.)

The Walnut Cathedral~

The trail seemed so rich & green after days of traveling across the dry west.  Grandson Ben, looking at pictures, had mentioned how green everything was here & he was right!  After a bumper crop of walnuts last year, the trees have produced just a few this season.  I'm not complaining!

Shadow on the Trestle~

Only two riders passed me the entire way to Malvern.  No one going my direction.  Very quiet & beautiful, with just a little breeze.  A perfect day.

Silver Creek from the Trestle~

The river had gone down since my last visit several weeks ago, but still had more water than during the months prior.

New maintenance shop~

I was surprised to see a new building going up by the Depot in Malvern.  I asked Mari Jo about it when I returned to Happy Trails.  She said it's to be a maintenance shop with storage space for trail equipment. 

Boehner Pond~

The pond was the most beautiful it's been in forever.  With all the rain, the cattails have taken over what had been a strip of mud along the low water line.  The geese were gone, thankfully.  They leave such an awful mess on the sidewalk around the pond.  The heavy equipment doing dirt work on the new housing project ruined the quiet of the little park.  

I made my usual call to Butch when I took my rest break at the pond.  After being together on our trip, for the longest in a very long while, it's an adjustment to have him back on the road.

Little Blue flowers~

Where the grass was longer, these little blooms were everywhere.  I hadn't seen them before, but I love the color.

Hairy Sunflowers~

It's the time of year when the last of the flowers are blooming.  I enjoyed seeing the bright yellow of the hairy Sunflowers along the trail.  They too, have enjoyed our wetter than usual summer.

Shadow, almost back to Silver City~

The afternoon was looking more & more like rain as I returned north toward Silver City.  Only a few drops fell by the time I reached Happy Trails.  It was good to catch up with Mari Jo.  She gave me two of the largest most wonderful looking tomatoes I've seen this season!  The shop was busy this summer with Ragbrai & the Rooster Tail rides.  We're both hoping for a nice, long, cool fall so we can enjoy more riding.