Sunshine to Overcast ~

 Butch managed an overnight visit Friday night.  He'd delivered to the HyVee in Chariton, IA that morning.  He was returning west to pick up a load at ConAgra.  (He's not used to traveling across a state at 55!) By the time he'd had the trailer washed out & picked up the loaded one - he arrived home at 9:15 p.m.  By 7 a.m. yesterday morning he was pulling out, on his way to Clearfield, UT.  One of those short but sweet visits where he had a good shower, meal & slept in his own bed. 

2-25-23 Butch ready to leave~

With March around the corner, the winds have moved in.  Sunday dawned with bright, beautiful, sunshine, if breezy.  Mari Jo wanted to meet at Lake Manawa for a ride.  Rain was due for Monday - so today was our choice.  

The Explorer & Smokey~

I'd unloaded Smokey & was riding the parking lot to warm up when Mari Jo arrived.  Today we parked inside the Park to save ourselves fighting the wind out from the Wabash Trail head.

Mari Jo & the bikes~

The sun dissapeared within just the time it took Mari Jo to unload her bike  The clouds moved in & with them, the temperature dropped.  Not that it wasn't already somewhat brisk!  Once out on the trails, we kept moving right along.  Mari Jo mentioned turning back the way we'd come by the time we were ready to do the long stretch along Indian Creek.  I mentioned we were already well past the half-way point & would still have the wind coming at us if we went back along the east side.

The lake through the trees~

It was a challenging little ride, but we both agreed it felt so good to be out & moving!   It had been almost two-weeks since I'd been out.  

Smokey~

The south end is the prettiest part of the trails anyway & I didn't want to miss it in favor of riding back along the streets.  In spite of the wind, we made really good time & ended up riding eight-miles.  We both miss the Wabash riding.  The limestone trail is in the middle of an ongoing freeze/thaw cycle that could last well into March.

Looking east across the Lake~

Driving out of the park, I stopped to get  this photo.  The surface of the lake looking like pale green slush, frozen in place!  With the rain in the forecast - it may melt the rest of the spots of ice.  Our advance weather forecast for the first part of March - is - unseasonably cold!  As much as 20-30 degrees below normal.  Not what I was hoping for!

Winter's First Ride~

 I'd been weather watching, looking for a warmer day & less wind.  Today, we made it up to 50.  No wind, but cloudy - which made it seem colder.  I was excited to get Smokey out on what's my usual section of the Wabash.  

In front of Mari Jo's shop~

At Silver City, I had to get the obligatory photo of Smokey in front of Happy Trails!  

Butch made some changes to Smokey.  The rear rack that came with the bike, was almost impossible to attach my bag to.  We decided to switch it out for the Sunlite Gold Tec Disc.  We didn't realize the rear fender attached only to the rack, not to the hub.  Also, the attachment for a rear reflector wasn't the same as the rear light.  Those changes required some ingenuity on Butch's part!  Wire to attach the fender to the rack & electrical tape to keep the rear light in place.  Tomorrow, my husband has promised me he'll come up with a much nicer looking solution. :-)  I like the Sunlite rack so much better.

Derecho's mess!

This storm was the first December Derecho in Iowa's history.  It left us without power for three days & many more for much longer.  The trees along the trail took a terrible beating.  The volunteers have done a great job of getting all the big limbs cut & off the trail.

Smokey with the new rack~

Even most of the bridges were covered with sticks & twigs.  If I stopped, I tossed them over.  The great thing was, I didn't have to stop!  The gears are so nice & this bike so much easier for me to ride, it's a breeze to keep peddling down the trail!

Tree torn down~

There were lots of dead branches broken off, but seeing healthy trees down, is just that much less shade in the summer.

Almost to the Trestle~

It was like riding a slalom course!  I found out how handy the Cannondale is at avoiding ground clutter!  

On the Trestle over Silver Creek~

The temperature kept dropping.  I made it to the underpass of Hwy 34.

Turn around at 6+ miles~

I turned back but felt good enough I could have gone on the last couple miles to Malvern.  I was feeling a cold chill in the air, the sky looked like winter.

On the way back~

About three miles out of town I saw people walking the trail ahead.  Two friends who belong to the Mills Country Trail Board.  It was fun to exchange holiday greetings!  I was making great time!  When I downloaded my Garmin, my traveling speed was 7.5!  The fastest I've gone since before my injury!

In less than a mile, another rider was coming toward me - Mari Jo!  She'd been busy baking but finished in time to ride out & find me.  As we stopped, she said; "You were traveling!"  We rode back to town together & I kept up & didn't have to stop & take a break from peddling!  Mari Jo noticed how much easier this bike is for me.  I finished 12.5 miles & felt the best I have in forever.

Back at the shop, she wanted me to see her latest acquisition!  A gift from our mutual Veterinarian.  He'd had it in his greenhouse forever!

A tree grew into the bike!

Photos don't do it justice!

Growth around the spokes~

Mari Jo plans to display it outside the shop.  It will be quite the conversation piece!

I'm very happy the Cannondale is the answer to my riding woes...  It felt great to take on the trail without all the extra effort I had to expend on the Verve.  I felt lucky to get out, since next week, winter is supposed to let us know it's really here!

Wishful Thinkin'

The sun is shining, the day is warm, again I really wanted to ride.  At home, the ice was all melted.  Surface of the ground seemed to be drying & the wind was blowing.  Butch had hitched me up, probably easier than hearing me moan & groan that I could have ridden... 

The gravel road out to Farah's barn, goes from sunshine to shade & can be so very slippery.  I have to be able to turn the trailer around on the shoulder.  The road wasn't bad, but when I went to make the U-turn, I could feel the outside tires of the trailer slipping.  The Bronco was up on the gravel & pulled it right around.

Farah was filthy!  No other way to say it.  This time of year there's no way of picking up outside on the hill, so they are a sloppy mess.  Since she's shedding - rolling is mandatory as far as she's concerned - regardless of what she's rolling in...   I spend at least half an hour with the shedding blade & was filthy myself by the time I was done.

On our way~

Only a couple cars in the parking lot, truck traffic was non-stop, dust flying high into the air.  The noise from all these trucks is so loud you feel like you're in the middle of an industrial zone.  We waited for a break in the traffic & made it across to the trail.

In the woods~

The first half mile or so the surface was really not bad.  Farah was sinking in a little in spots & but we weren't leaving much of a mark.

Sheet of ice~

As we entered the underpass, I could see white on the ground up ahead.  It was a solid sheet of ice, reaching all the way from one side to the other...  I've seen what can happen when a horse falls on ice - so I decided the smart thing to do was turn back.

Grazing~

 Farah wants her friends in WA, who are enjoying green grass, to know that here, you take what you can get!

The large grassy field~

 We stopped at the far end.  I picked up beer cans, beer boxes & other trash.  There was a blue tub for trash right next to the picnic table, but obviously no one had used it.  The limestone surface was rutted with bike tracks & even footprints were visible.

Our track :-(

 As we were coming back, we met a new friend, Jim.  He owns this beautiful farm that I've admired from my first ride past.  We talked horses, the trail, the weather etc. for quite a while.  A nice excuse to sit & enjoy the sun.  Farah cocked a hind leg & tried to take a nap.

Jim's farm~

 Jim said that the water table is very high through this area, so even though the surface looks dry, just a few inches down things are still frozen solid.  He said it would be at least another week - with No moisture - for things to dry out.  Since we have rain & even snow in the forecast, I think it will be a while.

Heading back~

 Even with Jim's horses running at the fence that goes alongside the trail, Farah kept her cool & walked right along ignoring the commotion.  She was as happy to be out as I was, even if it wasn't the longer ride we'd hoped for.  I can understand now, why riders stick to the gravel roads this time of year.

Coal Plant~

Corn fields & the Coal Plant.  What a view...  I took Farah back to the barn, then went on down the road to my turn around.  It was a little firmer than it had been earlier.

Trailer Tracks~

It can look so dry & yet Be so mucky just underneath.  Once in town I went to the car wash & spend $10. washing the Bronco & Trailer.  The road grime sticks like concrete to the underside of the vehicles & with the sand & salt that goes on the roads, it's no wonder most of the older vehicle's here have signs of rust.

We'll be waiting on mother nature now - to dictate our next outing~