Smokey & Cooler ~

Ready to leave from Silver City~

 The first of August, already!  As you can tell, what would have been a perfect day, was enveloped in heavy smoke from the fires in Canada.  Even so, I didn't want to let a day without the usual heat & humidity go by without getting in a ride.

View to the west~

Once I was on the trail, the smoke wasn't noticeable.  It was more like a day with cloud cover.  At the open area's though - the smoke was all too obvious.  I could see through it to clouds above & the sun kept trying to burn though.

Damage from our last wind~

June & July gave us a few days of terrific winds.  This widowmaker was a Walnut limb.  The trail volunteers have to wait for it to come down, before they tackle cutting & removing it.  At least it's still high enough to ride under.

The Walnut Cathedral~

The Walnuts here were undamaged & as beautiful as ever.  It was a very quiet day on the trail.  When the fields are planted, the animals don't lack for cover.  No visitors on the trail, just the squirrels' gathering the fallen walnuts.

Silver Creek~

At the trestle I stopped, as I'm so used to doing, to take a photo.  Then...  I remembered my photo was being taken by the game camera.  I was furious I'd forgotten, too busy enjoying the day & too used to the routine of stopping here.  I left quickly & as I did, spotted the second camera on a tree at the south end.  I won't be riding here nearly as often or stopping on the trestle anymore.

Boehner Pond, someone got stuck~

The north end of the pond is in the photo above.  I think it must have been a riding mower that managed to get too close to the edge of the water & got stuck.  It had to have taken a car or truck to get it pulled out.  What a mess.  I bet the mower was a mess too by the time it was back on dry land. 

It was nice to see a few people camping.  Three kids were riding their bikes on the sidewalk around the pond & probably made at least five loops!  The youngest boy had an unplanned dismount but got back on & kept peddling!

Shadow at the covered picnic spot~

The tree to the left with the green trunk, is covered with poison ivy vine.  I hope whoever is taking care of the landscape notices & gets it removed.  I made a loop around the pond before I left & spooked a beautiful Great Blue Heron!  I wish I'd had time to get a picture of him.

Swallowtail~

I'd started back north, still on the mile of concrete when I felt something swoop over my head!  I hit the brakes in time to watch as the beautiful butterfly landed on the flowers at the side of the trail.  The first large butterfly I've seen this season.  I keep hoping to see a Monarch or two, but so far, no luck.  

Where the tall corn grows~

The corn is tall!  In the many fields where it's planted, it blocks the view out from the trail.  It also blocks the breeze on humid days.  Even with the smoke, it was a beautiful day to be out.  I had ridden a loop around the side of Malvern & finished the ride at just under 18-miles.  I've learned how to use Shadows gears to my advantage & my knees don't ache after a ride like they used to.  The benefit of a bike with assist.  Back in town, all was quiet.  Mari Jo has removed the cute Happy Trails Cycle sign from her building; it looks so plain now. 

Return to the Wabash Trace~

 The weatherman kept repeating himself, "Get outside, get outside!"  It was our first day without the awful heat & humidity.  Tomorrow we'll go into the feels like triple digits.  It's the time of year when we blame the corn sweating for our high humidity.

I'd been planning a ride on the trail for a while & today was the perfect chance to go.  I parked at Silver City, still sad that Happy Trails Cycle is gone...  There were several cars in the parking area, only one with a bike rack.

So lush & so green!

As I entered the trail, the lush greens & dappled shade were an ah moment!  With the Walnuts providing the high canopy, the trail this time of year is at its most beautiful.

Loaded Mulberry tree!

I was surprised to see the Mulberry trees still ripe with fruit!  Especially since the one's at Lake Manawa had been ripe at least two weeks ago.  It took me longer to make the trip to the pond, since I had to stop & partake of nature's abundance!  My fingers were purple by the time I took my break.

A beautiful Iowa corn field~

Just past the Hwy 34 underpass is this beautiful field of corn.  Absolutely manicured to perfection.  Such a beautiful scene, quintessential Iowa.  The Grade B roads had been very soft from the rains, but were dry enough to cross without sinking in.

Boehner Pond~

The park was quiet, just a couple families camping & the Canadian Geese.  Truly one of the most enjoyable July days we've had this year.

Silver Creek from the Trestle~

Returning to the trestle, I stopped again to admire the view.  The level of the creek was up especially compared to this time last year.  It was so quiet, only the sound of the birds in the trees.  I was not happy though to see that riders continue to deface the steel structure of the trestle with stickers.

Trestle over Silver Creek~

Stickers pasted everywhere.  One on each upright & another on the cross beam just in the photo above.  I could probably count close to 15.  Each with the name of a bike club or group.  Of course, they pale in comparison to the booze bottles strapped to the uprights.  I didn't bother to get a photo of those.  It seems some people have little regard for the historic beauty of the bridge.  I watched this type of thing happen over the years of riding trails in WA, now it seems Iowa is no longer immune.

Trail Camera mounted to the Trestle~

Evidently attaching Trail Camera's to the Trestle is now fair game too.  It had been quite a while since I've been here, so I'm not sure when they reappeared.  This time mounted to the upright, rather than trees.  Monitoring each & every rider who crosses or stops on the bridge. I didn't spot it until I was leaving.  It sickens me to think some unknown person will have photos of my stop.  Such an incredible invasion of privacy.  I posted to the Wabash Trace Facebook page & mentioned that signage should be posted to alert trail users of the surveillance cameras now in place.  It took the sense of peace out of a place I've appreciated so much. 

900-miles!

I was just a couple miles from Silver City on my return north, when Shadow's odometer turned over 900-miles.  My first ride on this bike was March 28th of last year.  I enjoy it more every time I ride. It was after 2000, when Lithium-Ion batteries were introduced.  The improvement in e-Bike performance - distance, speed etc. contributed to the explosion in sales.  Practical for commuting & everyday pleasure riding, they are a boom to riders in their 70's, 80's & beyond, allowing them enough power assist to continue to enjoy the trails.

Into July ~

 I've mentioned before that July is not my favorite month.  This year though, with the rain we've received, my usual watering chores have been non-existent.  The Walnut limbs are drooping under the weight of their nuts & a few are already dropping.  The trees by the swing have grown so big, it's hard to remember the size they were when we first arrived.

July first~

Butch wasn't home for the fourth.  He did come in for what was originally to be a quick overnighter on the fifth.  He pulled into Nationwide to drop his trailer with two minutes to spare on his ELD.  He'd left the Farmland Rest Area in IL early in the morning & even with construction driven 494-miles.  He was to make a delivery in Lincoln, NE the following day.

9:00 p.m. On the 5th, Butch & Maverick are Home!

We had a late dinner & he left at 6 a.m. Sunday morning.  Finn & I slept in - but were soon awake when Butch reappeared asking if I wanted a latte?  The warehouse he'd been scheduled to deliver to, was closed.  Yippee!  He would have Sunday home!  It was another in a string of hot & humid days.  We went to see F1 & really enjoyed it. 

7-8 Flowers~

With the rains & humidity, the flowers are amazing this year.  I've spent a lot of time weeding & spraying the weeds I can't pull, but it's been worth it.  Everything I've planted, has had plenty of room to grow.  I still have a lot of the hillside to tame, but the Hosta's are more numerous than the weeds!  

My Appleblossem Rosebud Germanium~

A relative of my dark red germanium, it too has the small, tight full blooms.  I read that it was a favorite of Queen Victoria & I can see why.  I've kept it on the deck rail this year & it loves the spot.

Presto Dark Red Germanium 

The red is still impossible to find.  Even the page I had bookmarked for this variety is gone.  I have the five plants I wintered over sitting out in pots with full south exposure.  They're compact & covered in blooms.  The new starts I have on the deck, with morning sun & afternoon shade.  I'm thankful that daughter Courtney still had the variety I'd shared with her years ago & paid back the favor when mine accidentally froze!

7-13 Finn in his favorite spot~

Finn is one tough boy!  He'll spend time outside, no matter how hot it is!  One afternoon he was laying on the sidewalk in the full sun!  I told him he'd be a baked Finn if he didn't come in!  He spends a lot of time watching for Woody the Woodchuck who seems to have taken up residence on the abandoned property to the east of us.  The other morning, he even managed to corner him again under the lawn tractor!  You'd think Woody would wise up!

East end of the deck~

The polycarbonate panels make such a huge difference on the deck.  The filtered light is perfect for us to sit out & for the fern, orchid & Hosta.  I've given up putting any plants on the west end.  The afternoon sun bakes them to a crisp, even with watering twice a day.

Here we are, almost midway through the month & yesterday I was back on two wheels!  That post to come~

Back on Two Wheels~

Saturday was a cooler day than we'd had in a while.  There was a high haze in the air, filtering the direct sunlight.  I hadn't ridden since the 6th of June & that was my only ride the entire month.  I looked back at last year & I'd only ridden three times, so didn't feel as bad about it.  

Ready to ride~

Lake Manawa was calling my name, the hard surface & more open riding is much more appealing to me than the bugs, dust & higher humidity of the Wabash.  I was surprised to be the only car in the parking area.  For a weekend, the park was surprisingly quiet.

North toward the I-29 underpass in the distance~

I took the far eastern trail that connects to the Wabash just over halfway, before turning back into the park.  The wide-open views are so pretty out here.

Looking toward I-29~

I rode along E Manawa drive & turned west to ride parallel with Veterans Memorial Hwy. before turning left for a couple blocks to ride west on Wright Rd.  From there I cut around the gate into the old campground.  No wildlife today, no mulberries either, but a really nice view from the north end of the lake.

Sailboats on the choppy water~

I love seeing the sailboats on the water.  The wind had picked up & it looked like a perfect summer afternoon to be out.  

Along Indian Creek, I spotted feathers at the edge of the trail.  I hadn't found any feathers at all last year.  I stopped to check them out.  There were the two bigger ones I took & two smaller ones.  All dark in color & I was pretty sure they had to be from a Turkey Vulture considering their size.  Not my favorite raptor, but a nice addition to my collection.

Turkey Vulture feathers~

There are a couple trees in town, where the Vultures congregate.  They are noisy & dirty when gathered in numbers.  I'm thankful I seldom see them fly over at home.  The first time I ever saw one, Butch & I were riding the horses in Eastern, WA.  We came around a corner & saw several roosting in a pine.  I thought they were the ugliest birds I'd ever seen & my opinion hasn't changed!

Indian Creek looking south toward the Missouri~

The Missouri is just a short distance from the south end of lake.  I didn't take the access road today & haven't for a while.  It was nice to see so much water in the creek.  The level of the Missouri has been up & we're expecting more rain this week.

Sailboats from my bench~

By the time I reached my rest spot, the haze had thickened & I was glad of it!  The breeze made the day one of the most pleasant in a while.

Hoary Vervain

Very unusual & such a color standout, I've admired the above wildflowers for several years.  (Thank you to daughter Jentry for the i.d.)  They brighten the open field I pass on my way to  the lake shore.  I didn't see the turkey's this visit either, it's been a couple years now.  I stayed for a while, enjoying the breeze off the water before heading back.

The Park & the Missouri~

As you can see in the Google Earth photo above, the river is almost the southern boundary of the park.

South trail, west~

I was glad to be back on my bike, but it's hard to stay motivated during the heat of summer.  I work outside in the morning, before the day heats up.  I'll hope for another cooler day or two so I can revisit the Wabash.  At least I don't have the limestone dust to clean off my chain when I ride here!

The Last of June ~

 It's been over a month since I've written a blog post.  I was so busy in June working outside & trying to keep ahead of the grass, weeds, transplanting, watering etc.  I was too busy & worked myself into a hospital stay.   It took me, stubborn as usual, several days to realize I wasn't getting any better & by that time I had to ask a friend to drive me to the Dr.'s office.  From there, it was an ambulance ride to Bellevue Medical Center on the 18th.  

Butch made it home Friday evening of the 20th.  By Saturday I was released on my own recognizance. It was a real wakeup call for me, the first time I've physically been unable to carry on.  Now, I'm taking things a bit easier, hopeful my strength will return & anxious for a cooler day to get out on my bike.  Mid-June we received a few drizzles & one really good rain.  It made such a difference!

6-24-25 - Rain!

In the meantime, I've been enjoying the fruits of all that labor.  The garden that runs all along the edge of the woods is finally coming into its own.  The years of transplanting Hosta's have paid off & they are getting huge.  The flowers are blooming in waves, first the iris, now the day lilies, Zinnia's & soon the Tall Garden Phlox & most of the varieties of Hosta.  

6-25-25 Zinnia's & Day Lily's 

Each afternoon when Finn & I take our walk, there are fresh flowers to enjoy.

6-27-25, the Hosta's are now mature~

I admire the Hosta's so much.  I'd always liked them, but in WA the slugs usually took a huge toll.  Here, no slugs!  Just the deer wandering through.  I've kept them covered in deer & rabbit repellant.

6-27-25 Along the woods~

This area used to be a wasteland.  Covered in invasive Honeysuckle & Autum Olive.  The evergreen shrubs were the first thing we planted, to delineate the edge of the woods from the yard.  They've gotten huge & add color in the winter months.

6-29-25 Tall Garden Phlox~

From just a few straggly plants, the Phlox have flourished!  The white was the first to bloom this year & soon the pink should join them.

Double blooming Old-Fashioned Day Lily

I have one patch of the above flowers along the hill that drops down to the marsh.  I'm going to transplant a few more to other locations.  

Zinnia's~

This is the second year I've planted Zinnia seeds along the south fence of the backyard.  They haven't done as well as they did last year.  I used at least six bags of Miracle Grow mixed into the soil the first time & cut back this year.  Obviously, I'll be using more again for future plantings.

6-30-25 Sharkey's Revenge~

Sharky is putting on his usual amazing display of color!  The plant must have at least ten buds!  My favorite of the plants I've purchased from Hillsdale Lily Farm.

The woods~

Two of the biggest trees in the woods have died.  I have no idea why.  They are so huge, there're going to stay standing as snags.  The loss of their canopy has let in more light.  The flowers I've planted on the hillside to the left in the above photo seem to be doing just fine.  There's still plenty of shade to enjoy.

We'll be looking for shade with the month of July upon us!  The weatherman assures us that after today, we'll be heading upwards into the land of muggy & steamy soon! 

A Sad End to a Beautiful Day~

 With June's arrival, comes the increase in temperature & humidity.  Today was overcast & humid from the inch of rain we'd received on Wed. & the .08 last night.  The temperature was only in the 70's. I was looking forward to getting in a ride.  The Wabash trail, with the humidity & emerging insects wasn't appealing.  I decided to make the drive to Lake Manawa.  Being Friday, I was surprised to be the only car in my usual parking area.

Ready to ride~

As I left the air-conditioning of the Bronco, the humidity hit.  I'd better continue to prepare myself, because summer is around the corner.  Looking back at the last few years, my best riding months are usually April, May, September & October.  

On the trail~

The shoulder of the trail hadn't been mowed in a while.  The bushes lining the trail in several places were in full bloom & the air was rich with their sweet smell! 

Gray Dogwood, Cornus racemosa

They grow huge too as you can see in the above photo.  After an internet search, I think I've identified them as Gray Dogwood.  

Mandatory Mulberry Stop!

The other native plant dominating some sections of the park, Mulberry!  I couldn't believe the berries were already ripe.  In several areas, my ride was liberally interspersed with multiple stops to consume fresh, rain rinsed Mulberries!

Mulberry~

The old campground was full of both mature & young Mulberry trees, almost all sporting a heavy load of berries.  I wish I had vehicle access to collect them!

Almost to E. Manawa Drive~

Riding down E. Manawa Drive was awful though!  The construction is off in the far distance from where the above photo was taken.  Just past this spot you go from trail to a sidewalk along the road.  The construction side-dump traffic was non-stop.  The dust & dirt was thick in the air.  A street sweeper was operating without success, to contain the dirt left from all the trucks.  As it swept, the cloud of dust rose 50 feet into the air.  I shifted Shadow into Turbo, went up to my highest gear & flew through that area!

View South along Indian Creek trail~

It was a relief as usual, to make the turn south & ride along Indian Creek.  The quiet is palpable after the noise from the truck traffic.  It was nice to see a flow of water in the creek.  My last ride here had been April third. 

On the bridge over Indian Creek~

You can almost see the humidity in the air~ I enjoyed the southern section & passed the Bronco.  A mile further I took my favorite trail out to the lake.  Only one car was in the parking area by Picnic Spot #7.  

Lake Manawa~

The view is never the same & I always enjoy stopping here.  After a call to Butch, I started back.  For whatever reason, the little meadow below looks so remote yet is surrounded by civilization. 

Riding South~

Butch's analog bike had sold; I stopped at Extreme Wheels before heading home. I found crocheted riding gloves for summer. Driving home, I took I-29 south & exited onto Hwy 34 eastbound.  Cresting the hill, I saw a school bus stopped in the left lane.  It was near the bottom of the hill just past the intersection of 195th.  A white car was totally smashed & on its side in the median.  

Approaching the accident, I started flashing my brake lights at the traffic coming over the hill behind me.  The last thing I wanted was to be slammed into from behind.  The two cars in front of me had slowed & stopped.  Debris covered the road.  Within a minute or two, the cars in front of me started winding their way past the bus & through the debris.  I followed.  Behind me, cars in the left lane began merging to the right.  In my rearview mirror I could see the front of the bus was destroyed.  No first responders had yet arrived.  A man had pulled off to the side & was approaching the bus.  Another lady was running across the median toward the car.  

Once home, I checked our Mills Scanner page.  I'd missed the accident by seconds. The highways have become dangerous places.  In this area the speed limit is 55, but the usual speeds are 65 & higher. 

When we first moved here, the traffic was light & accordingly fast.  Now, with nine years of continued growth, the traffic is much heavier, but speeds haven't diminished.  It's rare to see a State Patrol vehicle.  In other states, Butch tells me the State Patrol stations patrol cars all along the busy highways, making a visible presence which slows traffic to the posted speed limits.  

Two lives lost & lifelong emotional trauma for the bus driver & young team.  My condolence's to all involved.