First Wreck~

 It had to happen sooner or later...  I totaled up my miles out of curiosity & I've ridden 3,672 since April 1, 2020.  Butch & I had pulled the bikes out of the shed Easter Sunday of 2019 & rode the Wabash for the first time from Mineola to Silver City & back.  By 2020 I had some control over the invasive bushes on our property & time to ride more often, almost always on my own.

Friday was a nice day, not too hot, not too humid & rain was forecast over the upcoming weekend.  It was the first time in forever I've managed two rides in a week.  I decided to leave from Silver City & travel the just over 8.5 miles north to the area I call The Lookout.

Parked in Silver City~

I was looking forward to riding a section I hadn't seen since November 17th of last year.  The trail would be in its late summer lushness.  I like riding this section in the fall for whatever reason.  I guess because the views are more prominent with the foliage gone.

The Bronco waits by the old Jail~

Rather than make the sharp turn up onto the trail in town, I circled around & came back past the Bronco on my way north.  My plan was just to enjoy the ride.  It didn't take long for the enjoyment of the fresh air & green scenery to take effect.

This pond is as beautiful in the Summer as it was in the fall~

The first rise out of town goes from about 1,047 to 1,181 ft.  Even with assist, it's a good gradual grade. Next is the downhill to Mineola.  This area has seen huge improvements over the years I've ridden through.

1,015 ft. Elevation.  Mineola Trail Head~

Leaving town is almost flat across the valley & since the first time I admired this view between Farah's ears, I've enjoyed it.

Across the Valley~

I didn't see anyone out on the trail, which surprised me.  It was smooth sailing to the bridge at Keg Creek.

Keg Creek downstream~

The day had warmed into the mid-80's but it seemed mild compared to the 90's.  It wasn't long before I began the next climb.  I was amazed at how the Wild Grape had literally exploded in this area!  It used to cover the trees & shrubs for a way, but now it dominated the landscape for close to half a mile.

The Grapes, the Grapes!

The buds were almost ready to open & the fruit will be enjoyed by wildlife.  But - it's so invasive!  When I rode further & saw it climbing high into the Walnuts, I was glad I've kept the ones that have started in our woods under control!

Wild Grape climbing the Walnut trees~

Another uphill grade before I arrived at Margaritaville.

Flags flying at Margaritaville~

Again, no one around.  I didn't stay, as it's only a short way to the bench at the Lookout.  It came up so fast I almost rode right on by!

My turn-around spot~

The Eastern Red Cedar in the background have grown enough they're starting to block the view.  I'll be sad when it's gone.  This is pretty much the high spot of the ride at 1,250 ft.  I called Butch & enjoyed the peaceful quiet of the afternoon.

Starting back, I'd mentioned to Butch the trail was in pretty rough shape in several areas.  A couple large, unexpected holes right in the bike track, branches hanging over the trail at rider height & areas where the gravel & grit had washed to the low side.

The downhill to Mineola is always so much fun.  I kept to a reasonable speed, knowing the trail could be rough in spots.

Coming back to the Mineola Trail Head~

Less than two miles out from Silver City, with a moment's inattention, my front tire was pulled into a rut filled in by a fine sandy grit on my right.  So fine & deep I didn't see it in time to avoid it.  A split second later, the surface of the trail came right at me as the bike fell away toward the shoulder & ditch.  The bike went right; I went left - hard...  I threw up my left arm to shield my face as I hit & slid.  I remember seeing my sunglasses flying off to the side.  I'd grabbed the right rear brake as I lost balance.  When the momentum stopped & I stopped, I hurt!  My left forearm was a bloody mess.  My left knee, even though my tights had started bleeding. My right shoulder really hurt, feeling wrenched from holding the brake with the weight of the bike as it fell/slid off the trail.

As I got to a sitting position, my next thought was - Thank you Lord!  Nothing felt broken!  I got the bike up & on the kickstand, then opened my bag.  I had very large band aids & lots of paper towels.  I rinsed all my wounds with clear water, dried them with the paper towels & used the band aids to cover them all up.  (I remember my mentor Dean saying the worst thing about ageing was thinning skin & he was so right!)

Last bridge, Silver City~

Checking out the bike, I didn't find a mark on it.  I cowgirled up, got on & completed the ride back to the Bronco.  I appreciated the assist loading from the Lift Caddy, since my shoulder was giving me fits.  

When I arrived at Doris's to pick up Finn, she didn't miss the bandages!  Doris reiterated what my horse-riding friends have said for years - that my guardian Angel works overtime.  At home, I unloaded the bike & called Butch to tell him my news.  He wasn't happy about it but was kind with his comments.  In the shower, it was no fun at all when the water hit the wounds!  Looking in the mirror, the bridge of my nose had turned black & blue.  

Though feeling a little beat up, my shoulder seems to be just a pulled muscle.  I've worked so hard this season to make improvements to my plantings etc., it would be nice to be able stay on top of things into fall!  I definitely learned a hard lesson!  As beautiful as it may be, staying aware at all times is key.

The Flood~

Tinkle Branch was flowing bank to bank on the thirteenth.  It rained most of the following night & the temperatures had warmed.  Keg Creek was already at capacity & woody debris had jammed under the bridge on Vine St.

Vine St. Bridge~

Gavin's Point Dam in SD, started releasing huge amounts of water & everyone downstream was told to take precautions.  Word came Thursday afternoon, the ice on the Niobrara River had caused the Spencer Dam in NE to fail.  That released an eleven-foot wall of water. The Missouri was already running near to flood stage...

Log pulled from Keg Creek at the bridge~

When Butch got home, we drove south of town, following the creek. Water was completely out of the banks & spreading rapidly over the farmland.

Bridge at Kesterson

The wind was blowing bitter cold!  The temperature was around freezing, with the wind gusting over 30 mph. 

Keg Creek - Looking SW

Friday, the evacuation order went out. Anyone living between Interstate 34 & 29 were told to evacuate.  I hauled what few boxes we could gather & packed books for a friend who's farm was surrounded by creeks & levees.

March 15th water to the top of the Levee.  Iowa side of the Plattsmouth bridge - Photo credit - Silver Cloud Photography

 Levee's, not all repaired since the 2011 flood, started to fail. There was nothing to hold back all the water coming down the river... It was a sunny beautiful day, making it easy to imagine everything was normal. At least in town...

Glenwood Municipal Water Plant

Soon, a call went out for people to fill sandbags!  The City Municipal Water was in the area where the evacuation was in effect.  Over 400 people turned out & worked non-stop.  It wasn't enough...

Saturday, another sunny day.  Butch rented a dump trailer & started hauling rock for the walkway to the cabin & more for that driveway.  On his third trip, after hearing about the water he was seeing, I went along.  We arrived at the gravel company & told they'd been waiting for our arrival, before evacuating.  The road would soon be under water.

By day's end, the scope of the disaster was just too large to believe.  Photos like the one below started appearing on our local Facebook page. 

Photo credit Steven Bogert

Above is Hwy 29 north toward Council Bluffs, with the on ramp from Interstate 34 to the right.  You can see the campground to the right of the ramp.

Campground~

Sunday, since our exit to Interstate 34 was between the two closed sections, we drove west & parked off to the side of 195th, just shy of the bridge.

Steve's photo of 195th, north to Council Bluffs

The road along the hills is the one we took to Council Bluffs. You can see how the elevation of the Loess Hills protect from the Missouri flood basin.

West of 195th & Hwy 34~

Butch had to point it out to me twice, for me to see the railroad crossing sign.

Hwy 34 in the background~

Water was pouring through a culvert & this property on the north side of Interstate 34, was completely flooded.  The road had just opened, but was down to one lane in spots.

By Monday morning, even more water had flowed in...  Schools were open, volunteers were helping out everywhere there was a need.  Our local food bank was in full swing.  We were notified on Tue. to conserve water & by that afternoon, to no longer drink water out of the tap.

The City of Red Oak sent trucks full of water for the town.  Bottles of water started coming in from businesses in Council Bluffs.  As this week has progressed, the strength & resiliency of the mid-west people has been demonstrated again & again.  Homes around town, on wells, have offered water to anyone who needs it.  They have also put together a color coded plan - offering to do laundry!  The schools have had porta potty's delivered & all water conserving measures are in effect.

The latest news is that it will be at least 30-days before we again have drinkable water coming through the faucets.

Tinkle Branch ~

With a forecast for pouring rain, I wasn't surprised to wake to the sound.  As I was getting ready to leave, there were two huge bolts of lightning, followed by a big rumble of thunder.  High winds were expected too, but lucky for us, after a few big blasts, the wind dissipated.

A creek runs through it~

Butch & I arrived home at the same time for lunch. Butch asked me; "Have you seen the creek?!" I had not, but as soon as I looked out the back, I understood his question. Yes! I could certainly see the creek now.

Bank to bank~

Tinkle Branch, was so full, we could easily see it from the house. Normally, we have to walk down & look a couple more feet down the bank to see the water.

Pretty with all the snow~

After Butch left, I put on my boots & walked down to get photos. Definitely the most water I've seen since a big rain storm in October of 17. It did seem a little strange to have all the ice gone & that much silt laden water racing past the snow covered ground.

Upstream~

Area's where I'd tossed big chunks of old stumps & wood were completely underwater. A couple of those holes were over five-feet deep. I'm glad I put them there, hopefully they kept more of the bank from eroding.

Downstream~

As I walked downstream, my footprints were filling with water near the big old cottonwood. At this point the creek was ready to go over the bank. There's another three-foot rise, then the drop to the marsh on the far side.

Keg Creek~

Today was early out, at the schools.  Butch came home & we drove out to see Keg Creek. Towards the far end of Tinkle Branch, the water was stalled & pooling.  I wondered why - until the first view of Keg Creek!  It was running so full that the water coming in from Tinkle Branch literally had nowhere to go.

Further east~

On the road to the bus barn, there were several areas where Keg creek was overflowing it's banks.  By later this afternoon, we had sunshine, blue sky & 60 degrees!  We have a 60% change of more rain tomorrow.  With the snow pack still melting & the ground frozen solid, we're under a flood watch through tomorrow.  March came in like a Lion, I hope it goes out like a lamb!

The Fog ~

No one is complaining!  40 degrees feels absolutely balmy after the sub-zero temperatures we've experienced!  With the warm-up came the fog...   We drove to Tabor for a late lunch.  Returning to Glenwood, we visited the Mills County Historical Museum for the first time!

I've been looking for old photos of our property before our house was here.  I also was hoping to find photos of our other lots.  There are historical photos, but not more current views.  The museum was impressive!  We met the curator & discussed several local topics.  My favorite, was about the history of the creeks & rivers in our area. 

Convergence~

That discussion & the old map below, took us on a short drive to find where Tinkle Branch Creek merges with the waters of Keg Creek. I had to hike though a foot of snow & make my way down a steep little hill that was very slippery.

Tinkle Branch from our Timber, to Keg Creek~

It was really a beautiful spot, very surreal in the fog. There were still  few large chunks of ice floating down Keg Creek.

Keg Creek on the left, Tinkle Branch on the right~

No one knows how Tinkle Branch got it's name, or where it starts. I'm hoping to do some hiking & see if we can find it. There are times, when it carries a lot of water & the water flows all year long.

We drove up to the Resource Center. This property is on the highest hill just at the edge of town. The grounds are beautiful, regardless of the time of year.

Late Afternoon~

There's something about winter fog that seems to distort distance.

Thick & gray~

There was enough of a breeze that my vest wasn't quite adequate. The weather is supposed to warm to the mid-50's tomorrow before turning cold again (13 degrees for a high!) & snow by Thursday. 

 The sign at the Gathering Place really does say it all!  I'll be ready to spend the rest of this month in the warmer climate of the Pacific Northwest!

Chasing Clouds~

I'm still far from competent when it comes to judging what the weather will do on any given day.  Starting out shiny bright, clouds moved in.  It would have been a good day to work in the yard, but I know the real heat will come & I won't ride then.  By the time I arrived at the farm, the clouds were again burned off by the heat of the mid-afternoon sun.

Grass, grass & more grass!

Leaving on what's become our favored west side of the farm, it surprised me to see the tiny shoots of corn already sprouting!  Such a light tinge of green against the dark soil.  The grass on the  greenway's is up to Farah's knees already!

Tiny green shoots of corn!

Our first break spot is at Keg Creek, there's shade & of course more grass!  I've given up tightening Farah's girth to the hole it goes, until after we've gone a couple miles.  It's not as though we have any mountains to climb & it's easier on my hands.

Keg Creek "Rapids" :-)

This section has old logs & trees in it.  You can just hear the tiniest sound of the current rushing over the debris.

Of course another "break"~

  To get in some fast trotting, we took the long way to the dirt road with a nice section that's pretty much flat. On the way, Farah stopped & sure enough - we spooked up our deer friends. We pretty much herded them from one side of the field to the other.

Herding deer~

I've noticed that most of the corn fields haven't been disked or planted yet.  Soy bean's must be a faster growing crop than corn - or they mature later in the season.  I'm going to have to ask.

Burrows~

Our last ride, Farah finally stepped into a hole with her right front leg.  With the grass so long, it's getting harder & harder to see them.  She dropped in, at least to her knee, but pulled her foot right on out the next stride.  Walking is the only safe speed.  Of course her walk is grand!  It's easy to understand why the gaited breeds developed on the large plantations.

Looping back~

At the dirt road, we trotted it four times, then galloped it twice.  All that got us 1-1/2 miles of speed work.  I'm so spoiled that we're still avoiding the gravel roads while we can.  A light haze almost obscured the windmill, but the humidity was blessedly lower today.

Sweet, sweet, smell!

As we looped the timber, a rich smell enveloped us!  The leaves almost look like a Laurel, so I have another tree/bush to identify!   Another beautiful May day - still staying ten degrees above what's been normal though.  I think that's why I enjoy the cooler weather so much!  A good clue as to where we came from :-)

Days Gone By ~

A busy day, I'd talked Linus out of more of his marigold seeds & wanted to get them planted. Hopefully, they'll all bloom about the same time.  Now - we finally have our spring - there's so much I want to get done.  Even so, I couldn't pass up the good weather & wanted to get Farah out again this week.

Toward the east side of the farm~

Out at the farm, the wind was blowing much stronger than it had been at home.  I decided that since a farmer was disking in one of the fields we ride along, we'd head to the yet unexplored east side of the farm.  This gave Farah an opportunity to see the neighbors horses through the timber.  But though they were interested in her, she ignored them.  

The Windmill~

It was an almost cloudless, blue sky!  I forgot my camera, so used my phone - no zoom :-(  Farah loves our rides, because we take short breaks to let her take a bite or two.  The grass is just so lush now that it almost looks edible to me!  From the top of the hill, I could see a line of trees in the distance & decided to go that way.

Keg Creek

We were rewarded with beautiful views of Keg Creek.  There was a nice wide grassy strip running parallel.  I turned south to follow along.  In exactly a mile we came to another Level B road.  This one more rutted & used than our running hill.

A very old bridge~

We crossed a culvert that went from the road to the field, holes rusted through it in places.  Easy for Equipment to cross, but I worried about Farah breaking through.  Turning west, we came to the above bridge.  Safe for 12 tons :-)  We turned back here - saving this road for another day.

Cattails~

Turning back north, then east, we followed the edge of the cornfield to a little secluded gully area where I thought I'd seen something on our way out.

Timber & a deer trail~

It was a beautiful spot for a stop.  Though we're both used to the wind, it's nice to take a little break from it when you can.  We'd been hit with a couple terrific blasts that blew my helmet back on my head.  I've got the chinstrap now as tight as I can stand it.

Farah enjoying our break~

Farah will be very happy when her new pasture is fenced.  We hope to get a start on that this weekend.  I was looking at the trails, when I spotted a fallen building in the trees.

Fallen Barn~

I'm so leery of running into barbed wire & other assorted rusted stuff, that I followed it on foot, staying on the deer path.  Wandering around, I wondering what it had all looked like way back - when it had been a working farm...

Roof down~

We carefully made our way to the far side.  I wondered where the house had been - but there was no sign of it.  Once back at the farm, I did chores until Butch arrived. 

We enjoyed dinner with Janice & Dean.  Janice warned me of yet another hazard I hadn't thought of  - old wells...  Where there was a home site, there would have been a well & some have never been filled or capped.  There aren't many of these places left, as I've mentioned before, but I sure enjoy visiting them.  

(This was the last ride I did with vision in both eyes.)