Boehner Park - South ~

 Tuesday & I was ready for a longer ride.  We'd received .27 of rain overnight.  Just enough of a sprinkle I was hoping it had cut the horrible dust on the trail.  We'd also had one-night last week where the temperature had dropped to 27 degrees.  I was hopeful it had killed off some of the biting bugs.

Shadow & the Explorer~

Finn was visiting Doris, the sewer construction was still going on at home, so time away was welcome.  I chose to leave from the park & go south.  I don't ride this section as often.  There's really no place to sit & take a break until you reach Imogene.  

Leaving Boehner Park~

Imogene is a tough 14-mile stretch one way & takes a while for me to do.  The last time I'd ridden the this direction was with Butch in March.

Fields harvested~

There are some beautiful views.  I only had one issue seeing a loose Rottweiler dog ahead on the trail, with a woman trying to catch it.  She grabbed him by the scruff of his neck & smacked him as she led him away.  I had slowed my approach, planning to wait before trying to pass.

White Cloud Trestle~

My view of the White Cloud Trestle was perfect.  The new boards of the railings actually matched the golden color of the leaves & the fall light.

West Nishnabotna River~

The river was still low, but at least flowing & so beautiful.  I knew I wouldn't have time today to reach Imogene, but planned to ride a ten miles out before turning back.

Shadow turns over 500-miles~

I was almost surprised when I saw Shadow had turned over 500 miles!  It didn't seem to take long from my first ride at Lake Manawa March 28th.  There are times since my leg injury, I wonder how I rode Smokey, my analog bike from December of 2021 until March of this year.

New Signage & my turnaround spot~

The new signage for the marathon that was run on the trail, faced north.  I decided three miles from Imogene was over ten miles from where I'd started & turned back.

Hedge Apple tree~

I spotted a Hedge Apple on the ground.  (If you click on the link above, you'll be directed to a fascinating article on the history of the Hedge Apple - through National Geo.  You must enter an email address.)  My thoughts instantly went back to the first time I'd seen one.  

I'd been riding Farah at Pierce Creek.  She had stopped from a full trot to grab one she'd spotted at the edge of the trail.  Before I could stop her, she'd taken a big bite out of it!  She dropped it faster than she'd picked it up!  Obviously not the taste she had expected! :-) 

 I thought about bringing one home with me, but didn't have a bag.  The trees have thorns too, which would have made them perfect for marking property lines & acting as fence in the old days.

Cottonwood Pass~

I stopped for my break when I again reached Cottonwood Pass.  A good climb from either direction.  The Cottonwoods here had already lost most of their leaves. The wind had really come up as the afternoon warmed into the high 70's.  I was riding right into it & thankful for power.

White Cloud Trestle, fall colors~

Back at the Trestle, I stopped again to admire the fall colors.  With winds of 20-mph almost every day & the ongoing drought, our color won't last long.  We're on track for the dryest Sept. & Oct. in history.  A record no one wanted to break, especially the farmers.

I was happy to be back at the Explorer having logged 22 miles.  The back of my neck at my hairline started itching on the way home.  I ended up with six big bites along the neckline of my t-shirt.  No, the bugs aren't gone yet!