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 that 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!

Fall in the Air~

 At around 8 p.m. tonight - fall officially arrives.  The weather the last two-days has been exceptional,  especially after our Tuesday of record breaking heat.  Yesterday, our Garden Club group took a trip to Kimmel Orchards in Nebraska City.  A hay ride, tour of the facility & shopping made for a day of fun. 

Kimmel Orchards

Today, was a nice as fall weather can be!  Cool, mid-60's, overcast & no wind made it the perfect day to try my luck.  I planned to ride from Mineola north to Council Bluffs on the trail.

Bridge over Keg Creek~

I hadn't ridden this section of trail all the way to Council Bluffs since April of 2020.  I do ride it from Mineola to Margeritaville & back.  It's one of my favorite rides in the fall & colder months.  The 8-mile round-trip isn't bad when you climb the grade on the way there, then get to enjoy the downhill on the way back.

Keg Creek~

It's such a pretty area with some really nice, more territorial views than the section south from Silver City I usually ride.

"Cowboy Pass"~

Always bitter-sweet too, since the six-miles south of Council Bluffs is the only section where horses are allowed.  It was one of the places Farah & I rode often.  We'd even gone all the way from Mineola north, before we realized the rest of the section of horse trail had been abandoned & was totally overgrown.

Margeritaville~ 

Margeritaville had new refuse containers, new flags & was looking very picked up for nearing the end of the biking ride season.  I didn't stay long, as I had no idea how long it would take me to get to Council Bluffs. 

Underpass - Council Bluffs~

I was moving right along!  Doing a really nice speed & even coasting in spots.  I'd forgotten this section is one that reverses the usual 3% uphill grade going north & downhill grade going south.  Here, Margeritaville is pretty much at the summitt of the hills & from there, you're droping down into Council Bluffs.

Trail-head, Council Bluffs~

Arriving at the northern most trail-head, I'd covered the ten-miles in under an hour.  As usual, the smell of cooking food coming from Tastee Treet was so tempting!  I'l learned my lesson the first time I'd done this though!  Having a root beer freeze, then riding the uphill grade back was not fun!  

A stop at Tastee Treat!

I bought some smoked brisket for my dinner & ended up tieing it to my pack on the back of the bike.  I just had a tiny cup of the Dole Watermellon soft serve!  

Going back was a bit of work, but not difficult.  Especially since I've been riding all summer.  There were more riders on the trail than I usually see, but I'm sure the wonderful weather contributed.

On the way back to Mineola~

The cloud cover rolled in again & the temperature felt like it had dropped.  Two groups of H.S. cross country kids were running on the trail & the tractor was out cutting the bush back along the sides.  The fumes from the tractor were no fun, I felt for the kids running.  I had an opportunity to pass & took it. 

Mineola, under it's canopy of trees~

Besides dodging all the walnuts, the last four-miles of downhill was as fun as I remembered!   I love the view of town, even when the townsite is obscured by trees.  A totally different view, dependent on the time of year.