Post Thanksgiving Ride South of Cumming Iowa

My black stainless steel growler.  Mooncat Porter from Court Avenue Brew Pub.  A toasted coconut porter.  thick, heavy, delicious for a cool autumn day.   The glass is from Twisted Vine Brewery.  Holds a tallboy.

Had to take advantage of the weather.  Sunny and in the 50s.  Not too many of these days left in 2017.  Took the last growler of beer, left over from Thanksgiving, and my Trek 520 packed with extra clothing because I was sure it was going to get very cold on the way home.

First stop was at the picnic table we call the Lean To.  Since the  Land Rapers and Greed Heads decided to pave new roads through the Great Western Trail the Lean To has never been the same.  They removed it and people placed a picnic table there instead.  New roads are located too close to the trail.  Then they reconstructed the trail to avoid this spot anyway.  The trail to the Lean To has been closed off but one can get around the orange fencing.  Time to move the table.  I suggest that the table be placed at the intersection of the new section of trail and the section that has been blocked off to fade away.  This is near the original Lean To.

Nothing lasts forever.  Soon this will be paved over.  Fitting that Cortez the Killer is playing on my stereo right now.  The Hildreth farmstead is across the field and highway from here.  The patriarch bought it after WWII and raised a family there.  Soon it will be gone and paved over.  Thoughts like this have me laughing at the fact the sun will turn into a red giant and fry us all assuming the human race survives 3 billion years.  Too bad it cannot harm those that harm the earth right now.

That farm way off in the distance, that belongs to the Hildreth family.

Speaking about the Hildreths, I text my friend Donnie Hildreth to join me but he invited me to his place south of Cumming.  Hang out in his barn and drink beer.  So I finished my beer and rode on.  Donnie collects junk to sell at auctions and flea markets and his barn is full.  He gave me two small chairs with backs that will be perfect for touring when the Spring and Summer return.  I asked if he had any vinyl records and i was directed to a ladder that lead to a tall shelf where a covered peach crate was.  I snagged two Led Zeppelin Lps and Neil Young and Crazy Horse, Live Rust.  I could have had revolver by The Beatles but I felt that he should get money for it.  Oh well, good vinyl scores!

I left after dark.  Saw one bike ahead of me before I hit the trail and one on the way back to Des Moines.  The Tap looked bicycle-less.  Two other bikes were in Water Works Park.  Weird riding in late November.  Few ride after dark.  6 pm feels like 9 pm.  No issues.