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The beach is iced out!  At least there are no trucks stuck out there.

Busy day yesterday was.  I had one opportunity to get out for a quick ride.  For whatever reason I had the desire to take the Verenti out to the off road trails on the north bank of the Des Moines River.  Been there at least once and that was on a fatbike.  This time a disc braked roadie with a set of 38s.  The terrain is flat and the trails were created by decades of motorcycles and 4WD trucks.  Original 2014 Ride

The place I rode is the triangle wooded area to left of the pond and the highway 69 (SE 14th).  The strip of land in the middle of the pond holds a rail bridge.

Access to the trails is found just off SE 14th, highway 69 on the river's edge and the old recycling plant.  I took the easy route by taking the Des Moines River Trail to go under SE 14th and access the sidewalk to cross the river.  Lots of broken glass beer bottles to dodge and little room for the dodging but it is a mercifully short jaunt.  Once across the river I rode along the levee until the paved river access appeared.  This I assume is for boat access.  Often from the other side of the the river I see people fishing here.  The powers that be even provide a kybo for nature's call. 

I don't think they were fishing today.  There was the proverbial "van down by the river" parked there and two other trucks.  I was greeted by two barking dogs that charged me but their owner told them to stop barking and they did.  No chase was offered.

The ground was a bit muddy.  I thought it would be hard because it was a cold morning and not above freezing yet.  Must have been the sun warming up the high river bank.  One bad move and into the river I would have gone.  Into the trees and away from the bank the trail was dry.  A bit sandy in places from the summer's flooding and covered with leaves.  The track was wide from truck use..  Nothing technical, just watch out for logs and large sticks and logs and sandy dips. 

Abandoned tent.  I wish I would have photographed the metal shelters but there were people around them.

Things have changed since that Easter Sunday a few years ago.  A lot more homeless people have moved here.  Far from the eyesight of the City and its inhabitants they can live here without the being told to move out.  None of those white and red signs posted telling the homeless that they are in violation of code and their meager belongings will be taken away and their shelters be torn down.  There are several abandoned tents and the accompanying debris of urban frontier living.  But I also saw larger structures built using metal sheets and tarps.  These look to be a better place to call home than a tent.  I said nothing and resisted the urge to take photos.  I was glad that I left my helmet at home and wore a dark jacket.  No need to stand out in full kit like some privileged bastard in these parts.  Blend in.  I was hoping that these people may have heard of the Urban Food Ministry and cut me some slack because I was riding a bicycle.  I also hope that the UFM reads this. 

The shell of a Mustang.  All combustible material burned.  Lots of tire tracks in this area.

Motor is there for the taking.  If this was an extremely rare car and someone had a lot of stupid money I suppose it could be restored like an airplane recovered 70 years after a crash.

My reason for choosing this area was to see if any new GeoCouches and SUV were abandoned here.  As noted in my first write up on this area, this is the place where SUVs come to die, usually bashed and burned.  Nothing new except a SN95 New Edge Mustang (1994 to 2004) in ruins.  Another immolation to Moloch. 

The Blazer or Jimmy.  Last time there were children's toys in back of it.  I did not look today.

The Blazer was still resting near the eagle nest.  If it was possible, which it was, it looked worse.  This vehicle is visible from the DSM River Trail across the river.  I recall that it was a red SUV but now all the paint is gone, just a rusty shell with it's motor underneath where the hood was.

Eagles nest.

The view of the eagles nest and Blazer from the Des Moines River Trail.

Zoom shot.

Eagle in flight.  This is a great trail to see eagles.  The colder it is the more eagles there are.  A juvenile was in this area as well.

Sitting above the Des Moines River Trail.  I need a real camera.

The eagle nest it still there and active.  This looks so huge from the trail but smaller when underneath it.  While on that trail I stop and look at it.  Its occupants often being sentinels on nearby branches and one protecting the eggs.  On this ride an eagle was flying in the area. 

I bet it taste like Budweiser. 

I reached the beach so to say, the place where the lagoon begins.  Last time I walked on it and saw a man waiting for his buddy to arrive to pull his 4WD full size truck out.  This is where the pile of bicycles were burned.  Here's the link to what I saw here in four years prior Fire of Children Bicycles 2014 Ride  The water and ice were high so I stayed up and could hear the ice crack.  Two cans of Guatemalan beer were littered here.  Where does one in Iowa get Guatemalan cerveza?  Cool label, almost thought it was University of Iowa.  I heard someone moving around in a tent so i decided to leave.  On my way out one of the dogs greeted me again.  Barked a few times and stared away to the east.  Brown and white he looked to be of retriever origin and old.  Probably a nice dog.  Glad his companion was not around as it looked to be more of a guardian dog pedigree, pit bull.  He was the more vicious barked when I entered this area.  The dog did not follow me and I took a different route out to avoid the dog and people at the boat ramp.