Nationwide - Two-year Anniversary~

 In the beginning~

10-31-2023

Butch's first Nationwide Semi, Maverick~

10-31-2024 - McMahon Truck Center, Indianapolis, IN

Maverick's only trip to the shop, with a loose sensor wire.

10-28-2025 Maverick II - Home

Home for Halloween - 

Odometer ~

With a new engine, the miles have continued to accumulate.  Total mileage driving for Nationwide - 251,415.  

10-27-2025 In the Caves~

Butch is getting very close to the half-million-mile mark.  He hopes to reach that milestone at the completion of his fourth year OTR coming up February 1, 2022.

The first year~

Back on the Trail~

 Sunday & a beautiful day.  I hadn't ridden the limestone since my wreck, so I decided to leave from the park, go south & see if I could find the hedge apple tree. (I didn't find it, or someone had already picked them all up.)  It's one of my favorite sections of the trail to ride in the fall.

Ready to leave~

There were several families having a picnic near the playground swings.  With this weather, everyone who's been hoping for nice fall days are out enjoying them!

From the woods to the open~

To say I was more careful on the limestone is an understatement.  I've ridden through some sketchy areas many times, but now I'm aware of the consequences of one wrong move.  I'm considering removing my metal pedals & changing them out to the originals.  Those metal grips didn't feel good at all when they hit my leg.

White Cloud Trestle~

I miss my old route to the Silver Creek Trestle, but I'm determined to avoid it all I can, since the installation of the game cameras.  I just pray they leave this bridge alone.  It doesn't get the traffic, since it's a longer ride from the Mineola area, the origination place of some of the organized rides.

Stunning October day~

The leaves seem late to turn this year, maybe because we had some decent rain over the summer months.  In the next couple weeks, the colors should be at their peak.

My break & turnaround spot~

I'd ridden 7.41 miles to this point, according to my Garmin.  I took a short break & called Butch before starting back.  The trucks were roaring along the gravel roads with loads coming from the harvest.  I stopped short of the crossings.  I dismounted to let the drivers know I was waiting & wouldn't be trying to dart across in front of them.  That would be insane.

Very dry corn~

The fields that are still up, look dry & ready for the harvesters.  Beautiful gold in the afternoon sunshine.

Looking north at the White Cloud Trestle~

Back at the trestle, the trees are still green, just starting to show some gold.  It's always a fun ride back, mostly downhill.  I did moderate my speed though, lesson learned.

Back to Malvern~

Things were quiet in town, just a few cars going by on main street.  

Return to the park & Bronco~

Returning to the park, I was sorry the ride was over, but I'd left Finn home & try to limit his alone time to four hours or less.  He's always so good while I'm gone & meets me excitedly at the door when I return!  I'm hoping to get out for a few more rides this month, but the month seems to be flying by.  I'm still mowing & of course the Walnut had the most bumper crop of our years here!  For the last two weeks I've picked up at least 1-2 five-gallon buckets of walnuts a day!  (I counted & a full bucket holds over 250 walnuts!  I wish I was close to one of the collection sites!

Spirit Lake to Silver Lake~

It was a beautiful Friday morning, warm with high clouds.  The only detraction was a good stiff wind.  We went out for lunch before driving to the trailhead.  The mileage was anywhere from 11 to 14 miles, depending on what trail map we used.

Ready to leave from the Tatanka Ska Trace Trailhead, Spirit Lake, IA~

As I mentioned, the colors this year weren't nearly as bright as last year.  The red/orange of the Virginia Creeper lit up the trees as we left town.

Color from Virginia Creeper~

In another mile or so, I caught a glimpse of white through the bushes as we approached a bridge.  I called to Butch & stopped.  Swans!  What a beautiful sight!  The first one's I've ever seen so close & in a natural setting.

I was so excited to see this swan family!

When I looked at Google Earth later, this wetland area is the Jemmersion Slough Wildlife Preserve.  It's totally stunning & covers a huge area.  The most beautiful marsh/wetland I've seen so far in the state.  The swan family was totally unconcerned by our presence.

Beautiful countryside~

The trail put us out in what I like to call the great wide-open.  Out in the countryside this time of year, is one of my favorite places to be.  Up ahead of us I could see a clay-colored structure.

The old grain elevator, now for sale~

As we rode nearer, the old grain elevator dominated the landscape.  There was a "For Sale" sign posted nearby.

Shadow turns over 1,000!

Not too much farther, my bike's odometer turned over 1,000 miles!   My first ride on this bike was the end of March 2024.  I haven't ridden as many miles the last few years as I had before my injury, but even so this has been a great bike & given me the ability to continue riding the trails.

Shadow & me, 1,000 miles~

Butch's bike is new in comparison, but we manage a few rides every year.  Finding these trails near one of our favorite spots has been great.  Soon, we could see dust flying ahead & knew we were nearing Silver Lake.

A busy place!

These grain elevators dwarfed the old one's we'd passed!  The semis were coming & going non-stop.  The piles of corn were impressive!

Mountains of corn!

The trail came to an end at South Market Street.  We decided to turn south; I knew the park & lake had to be nearby.  We rode through a neighborhood & found our way to Silver Lake City Park. 

Silver Lake from the park~

It was such a nice area, an old-fashioned park with a playground that reminded us of our childhood.  

Informational signage~

That the area is interested in preserving the shoreline with native plants was great to see.  

The Knox Cabin~

The Cabin was amazing - with signage explaining the historical significance of the structure.

History of the log cabin~

The Cabin was off to one side of the playground area.  A camping area was there too, along with rest rooms, showers etc.  Probably busy in the summer months, we had it to ourselves.

It's a race!

Some of these playground spring riding toys are well over 50-years old.  This is the first time we've seen any similar to ours.  One was an exact replica of our red horse, only made from a plastic material rather than cast aluminum.  

Silver Lake Park~

Yes!  We played on the merry-go-round & swung on the swings!  You can go pretty high!  It was already late afternoon by the time we started back.

Stunning fall evening~

The wind had picked up & was gusting out of the south.  We both used our highest PAS gear to make any headway.  The high cloud cover gave the landscape an eerie cast.

Our way back east~

Butch set the pace & I could tell he was getting hungry!  I did stop to recover my sun bill.  A gust of wind had taken it right off my head!

Trail Signage, rolling hills~

The photo above gives you an idea of the undulating nature of the landscape.  The road crossings were covered with concrete.  Really a nice feature of the trail, mitigating the usual heavy gravel of road crossings.

The swan family at Jemmerson Slough Wildlife Management Area~

On the way back, I had to stop again & sure enough, the swans were still there.  By the time we'd returned to the Bronco in Spirit Lake, we'd ridden a round-trip of 24 miles.  

Our favorite restaurant~

We always have to plan at least one meal at the Okoboji Store.  With the Iowa Hawkeyes playing, we were lucky to get the last empty table on the deck.  Drinks in front of us, dinner ordered!  The perfect way to end the day!

Our Anniversary Trip~

 By 11 a.m. on our 43rd anniversary, Butch was backing Maverick into the Cabin's driveway!  I'd made reservations at Okoboji for the following night & we planned to leave Friday morning.  His dispatcher didn't seem to know the difference between one day & the next, having scheduled him to make a delivery before midnight, the 9th.  He would have had a wait to be unloaded, then have a three-hour drive to Omaha. After an intense phone conversation, his dispatch changed & he dropped the loaded trailer at Nationwide for another driver to deliver.  This is the one time he expects to get home when he's scheduled home time weeks in advance.  It's been an on-going issue & it's difficult to make reservations.

Butch is Home!

I didn't know for sure when he'd be home & was mowing when he arrived.  Butch got out of the truck, after hours of driving & finished the job for me!  I finished packing & made lunch.  Later, we enjoyed a rare evening sitting out on the deck, before dinner.

Friday morning, we dropped Finn off with Doris. He was a little unsure when he met Doris's daughter & niece - who were visiting too! (Celebrating Doris's 94th Birthday!) Doris said later, it didn't take Finn long to make new friends. 

 It was a perfect fall day & I was looking forward to the drive. We stopped in Spencer for lunch before arriving at our hotel to drop off our things.  We drove to East Lake Park on the shore of East Okoboji Lake.  We unloaded our bikes & left on the Great Lakes Spine Trail.  I realized I'd forgotten my Garmin...  (I took a photo of my bikes odometer mileage & used that to log our rides.)  Our first goal was the Tatanka Trail head.

At the Tatanka Ska Trailhead~

Admiring the views, we noticed things appeared dryer here than at home.  The colors we'd enjoyed last year weren't in evidence.  The leaves were dry & littered the trail.  It was just before 6 p.m. when we reached the Dickinson County covered trailhead in Spirit Lake.  Taking the same trail we had last year, we didn't have too far to go.  We were out about five miles when we came to the barrier in the photo below.

Trail Closed...

We'd seen pipe going in several places along the trail, but there was no notice of a closed trail posted.  We turned back, disappointed.  It was just before 7 p.m. by the time we'd returned to the Bronco.

Back at the shore of East Lake Okoboji~

Our plan for Saturday, was to leave from the Tatanka Trailhead & take the newest trail due east to Silver Lake.  According to the map, 14-miles one way.  We'd ridden out a few miles last year & hoped to complete the route this time!

Granddaughter Skyla comes to Visit!

The afternoon of the 24th, granddaughter Skyla boarded a plane at Sea Tac in Seattle to make the flight to Omaha!  I was so excited when I'd heard from our daughter Jentry that Skyla wanted to visit!  The family lives on Camano Island, north of Seattle.  Her mother made the 75-mile drive south to Sea Tac through the usual heavy traffic.  It was a relief when Skyla texted, she was on the plane!  

I left home plenty early & at Eppley, stood in line for a guest pass that allowed me to be at the gate when she disembarked.  Since I didn't have a ticket per sea, I couldn't use my TSA pre pass & had to go through the usual security line.  Even so, I arrived at the gate in plenty of time.

9-25-25 Grammy & Skyla on the Bob Perry Pedestrian Bridge, Omaha, NE

I knew the bridge was just a short distance from Eppley, so after we took the shuttle to the Bronco, we Googled our way to a parking area.  It was my first time at the bridge & we really enjoyed the walk & views of the river.  We met another couple & exchanged a photo op.  The lady had flown in from Virginia & Skyla from Seattle.  Here we were, meeting in the middle of the country, over the middle of the Missouri River on the state boundary between NE & IA.  After our bridge walk, we had an early dinner at The Mattress Factory!

9-25-25 Skyla at Lake Manawa~

Skyla had tried Butch's e-bike, but it was too big for her.  Smokey, my analog bike fit her perfectly!  Watching her peddling along, standing up on the pedals, reminded me so much of when I was a kid climbing the hills of Boulder.  She was a trooper & even with the heat & bright sunshine we finished my usual 13+ mile loop!  Tastee Treat was next on our agenda!  We ordered two dinners to go. It was Skyla's first-time trying barbeque pulled chicken & hush puppies.  Of course we had dessert first!  Ice cream for the trip home!

I didn't take photos on the 26th.  Skyla wanted to help me with an outdoor project.  I had several small Ash trees in the marsh that needed to come out.  I used the small chain saw to cut them down & planned to cut them into short lengths.  There's an area across the creek where the bank is sliding, the perfect place to throw them.  Skyla grabbed one, gave a huge heave (Her Javelin throwing skills were on full display.) & it sailed over to the far side!  We ended up taking down seven trees!  

9-27 Skyla in front of the Adair County Courthouse, Greenfield, IA

The following morning, we dropped Finn off with Doris & were on our way to my hometown.  We parked just off the square. Skyla saw her great grandfather's name etched in the Veterans Memorial wall.  We shopped at Ed & Eva's; where Skyla found a super cute denim, handmade bag.  

We made the circuit of town, driving by the house my maternal grandmother lived in before moving to the farm, the house I lived in when I was only four, my paternal grandparents' home & the homes of my two best friends etc.  

We visited the Greenfield Cemetary & the graves of my parents & brother, paternal grandparents &  great grandmother.  Skyla is now the sixth generation to make this trek.  From Greenfield, we drove on toward Creston.  I turned onto the gravel road going out to my grandparents' farm where Skyla's mother spent a summer visiting, too.

The Fleming Farm~

We turned back to the main road & took another gravel road to Nevinville.  Just a wide spot in the road now, the town was bypassed when the train lines were built across the country.  My maternal grandmother went to school here & our family has had ties to the town for a very long time.  The church was where my maternal great-grandparents celebrated their 50th anniversary.

Skyla~

Every time we visit this area, I have to drive by the church.  Each time the deterioration has increased.  I find it so sad, to see this little country church with such historical significance go to ruin.  

Family plot~

We visited our family plot where Skyla's great, great grandparents & her great, great, great maternal grandparents are buried.  I hope she remembers & returns with her family someday.  I'd shown Skyla photos the evening before of our relatives so she would have a point of reference.

By the time we arrived in Creston, we were starving!  Pizza Ranch was our next stop.  Skyla had never had a dessert pizza!  The Staff made us a peach pizza & delivered it to our table hot out of the oven!

Our ride at Green Valley~

The final stop for the day was a bike ride at Green Valley State Park.  The temperature was in the 80's & Skyla isn't used to our blazing sunshine.  Her forearms were coloring red from our ride at Lake Manawa.  Not to be dissuaded though, we unloaded the bikes, wiped the gravel road dust off the seats & away we went.  It was a beautiful afternoon & is such a gorgeous place to ride.

Sunday the 28th, we arrived at Fontenelle Forest about noon.  Skyla's reservation at TreeRush Adventures was 12:30 p.m. She had three hours to do as many of the Adventure Courses as she wanted.  In the video Skyla is navigating through the most difficult challenge of the Osprey Course.  Skyla had done several of the courses when the family visited in 2023, but the courses are changed somewhat each season. I was amazed at how easy Skyla made it look, especially after seeing other's fall & dangle from their harness! 

Skyla cooking our dinner!

Skyla loves to cook; she doesn't get that from me!  We'd gone shopping for the ingredients needed for Eggplant Parmesan.  Even after spending three hours in the trees & expending a lot of energy, she still put together a wonderful dinner!  I told her it was the first time in forever I didn't have to be the one in the kitchen!

Skyla at Eppley

Monday, we were up early.  Skyla was packed & took her bags to the Bronco.  We dropped Finn off with Doris & left for Eppley in plenty of time.  We had to wait in line at the ticket counter for my guest pass.  Skyla had lunch before we went through security.

The little germanium makes it safely to WA!

I'd rooted one of my little red germaniums & potted it that morning for Skyla to take home. At security, the plant was taken & set off to the side.  After I went through, I mentioned to an agent it was ours. They took the pot & did several tests.  When it was returned to me, I asked what the tests were for & was told; "Explosives".  Over the years, I've made at least a couple trips carrying on small plants, but this was a first.

It seemed like a whirlwind visit, the days flew by so fast...  It was very hard to see Skyla leave...  She was the first of our little group of now four grandchildren, to visit on her own.  I'm so proud of the young woman she's becoming. She promised to come again & I will hold her to it!  

After the Wreck - Lake Manawa~

 When I told Butch I was a little nervous about riding again, he reminded me after the wreck, I'd ridden back to the Bronco.  I decided on Lake Manawa's smooth surface trails.  A little less demanding than keeping my eye on the trail.

Ready to ride~

The experience is familiar to me.  After numerous accidents, related to equestrian pursuits over 25-years, it should be.  With a bike though, it's all me, I can't blame the bike!  I tried though!  I explained to Shadow that I'm done hitting the ground in the literal sense!

Along the south side of the park~

After the first few pedals, the nerves melted away & the enjoyment of the ride replaced them.  It was a simply stunning afternoon & I was happy I'd decided on the park.  I did make a couple stops.  One to adjust the front fender, which was rubbing on the tire.  I hadn't noticed that after the fall.  My rear brakes made a tiny squeak when I stopped, too.  Since the bike is coming up on 1,000 miles, Butch is going to replace the pads when he gets home.

Returning south on the spur trail to the Wabash Trail head~

I did what I call my usual loop, which includes going out the spur trail that connects to the Wabash Trace trail head about halfway.  At the high point, I turn back to the park.  The train overpass is in the distance, I-29 is behind me.

The corn is drying out~

The fields of corn are drying & turning yellow.  The sweating is over for this season!  Farmers are hoping for a bumper crop, but that depends on how the weather treats the fields going into fall.

Goldenrod~

I envy a friend in Florida, who does a lot of hiking in a mostly native area.  The flowers she finds are so diverse & beautiful.  Here in IA, ours are much more limited, except possibly in the native prairie areas.

The Old Campground~

The old campground had been mowed.  I love the wide-open look so close to civilization.  Too bad it couldn't be incorporated into the park.  I know the park has lost acres to development over the years since it's inception.

On the Indian Creek Bridge~

There wasn't much wind today & the temperature was perfect in the low 70's.  As I returned to the south end of the park, I still had it mostly to myself.  A surprise on such a nice weekend.

Across the lake at Council Bluffs~

I called Butch from the bench at the lake shore as I watched the sail boats work to catch what wind there was.  For a day so close to the end of summer, it could not have been nicer.  Next week we're supposed to get another stretch of heat/humidity before the real fall cool down begins. 

This coming Thursday, our Garden Club is traveling south to tour Kimmel Orchards!  The weather is expected to be unseasonably warm.  We've enjoyed this trip a few times over several years & always come back with bags filled with apples, canned goodies, wonderful wine etc. A little heat won't deter us!