And then The Giant Snowball Hit Us

Look Ma!  No kickstands needed!

On December 29, 2018, I posted about winter or the lack of winter in Des Moines, IA.  It never arrived.  Some mornings were cold, 20s and 30s and the coldest morning commute was at 10*F.  My lawn and yard have turned into a swamp.  Perhaps the top 3cm  thawed and below it is frozen.  Rain has no where to go.  Living with a large dog is difficult, gotta clean paws every time he comes in and he likes to go out 2 times at night and once or twice before we go to work.  I keep my commuter bike in back of the house and now the path to the driveway is tore up from the bike sinking down into the mire.  I almost broke an ankle stepping on one of those frozen tracks, the few times it actually froze.  There may have been a day or two that I used the front door instead.

The worst thing about a weekend snowfall is that the trails won't get cleared until Monday.  Yet sometimes that is a good thing.  The snow was so deep that we did not deploy the kickstands.  A wonderful view of the Des Moines skyline.

As for riding, hell, it has been fantastic.  I think I may have had to add an extra leg layer once or twice this season for the ride to work.  Have not need to dress like an astronaut just to ride a bicycle to work.  Granted that work is only 2 and half miles away from home and I used to ride 12 to 15 miles to work last season.  Still, this I like.  After I cross the river the second time I have seen on several occasions this winter a full dressed motorcycle parked in front of the police station at least twice a week, often covered with frost.  A Gold Wing I believe.

As noted on my previous post, we took our best road bikes out for a 40 miler on January 5th.  That was 8 days ago.  The high was 56*F IIRC.  So everyday I look at The Red Phoenix, my winter bicycle with studded tires, the bike that has taken me on many epic winter commutes for the last decade, the bike that by March is ready for the scrapyard yet every November I rebuild it after a long Spring and Summer's nap, and it is uselessly in the damn way.  A sentinel waiting for that moment that it is actually needed.  It was time to place it back into its warm weather storage and wait for a real winter.

Then the Forecast was proclaimed.  Snow for late Friday night and most of Saturday.  Yeah right.  Des Moines was on the northern edge of the projection.  We might get a dusting to an inch.  The bike stays in the laundry room and a decision will be made on Saturday.  Been through this before, lots of hype about snow, City trucks pouring salt brine on the streets because their budget is fine since they have not had to plow.  Then nothing.  Snow misses us and dumps a metric shit tonne elsewhere.  Just to be safe we raid the grocery store Friday.  I wash the knives and pizza cutter and the ice cream scoop.  Coffee, half and half, pork loin, chicken, frozen pizzas, ice cream, dog food, cat food, kitty litter ect, all the essentials.  Swap parking spots of the Taurus and CR-V, the latter being having AWD and the former being quite crap in snow.  By 9 pm Friday night we are ready and the first flakes fall.

I recall that there was about 2 mm of snow on the deck when I left Fritz out at 230 am.  3 hours later we have several inches of snow and it is still falling.  Damn, they were right!  OK what's the plan?  Brew coffee, play on the internet, update Bike Log from yesterday's commute and watch a movie.  I picked the Battle of The Bulge since it is either hated for historical inaccuracies or loved as a star studded cast war yarn.  I only watched it as a child and the other day a co-worker lent it to me.  Watch the movie and hope that the snow ends sometime so I can shovel.  I pride myself on a well groomed winter sidewalk and driveway and path from the deck to the driveway and around the cars.

Somehow there is little to no snow in this movie based on the famous WWII battle.  I can forgive the lack of authentic German armor since there is only one or two King Tigers that roll under their own power but for the love of all that is good please try to accurately depict the battle.

Sometime into this film I decided that it was time to finish prepping Mary's winter bicycle.  Normally this would have been done by Thanksgiving.  That bike, a Specialized hybrid, has a spare set of wheels with a set of studded tires mounted already.  All I would have to do is swap the wheels, clean and lube the chain and adjust the brakes.  BUT I loaned those wheels to my son who wanted to commute by bicycle.  So I had to put on my old studded tires, Kenda Klondikes, on her remaining wheels.

Easier said then done.  I gave up during Thanksgiving break.  The scenario repeats.  On Saturday, November 24th, our anniversary, we take our best road bikes out for a 30 miler in the 50+ degree weather and the next day snow and ice.  Bike Log indicates not much snow but I rode my winter bike that day and the next day to work.  Mary had Monday off and when she returned to work on Tuesday she did not need studded tires.

And the lack of that need was a good thing.  I failed to mount those tires.  It was the worst time ever for me installing tires.  Just could not get the bead over the rim.  Tried dish soap and water but that did not work.  Used a lever on one and as expected the tube was ruined.  My hands abused, tore up and feeling arthritic.  So the wheels sat and her bike was left on the stand.  But the deeper we got into winter the likelihood that we needed to use our winter bicycles seemed remote.  Maybe once our twice I told her that she could ride mine and I'll take my adventure/gravel/roadie with wide tires instead.  Never happened.  Thought about buying new tires of a different brand maybe that would be easier.  Wheels and bike sat.

Then the giant snowball landed on Des Moines.  Time to get it done.  Secret weapon/tool...WD-40.  And it worked!  Both tires on and inflated!  Let them sit while I shoveled.  They held air!!  After shoveling it was time to clean the drivetrain and fix the brakes.  Her next winter bike will have disc brakes.  Disc brakes are easier to maintain.  I also adjusted my brakes.  By 430 pm it was time to ride.

My mug.  Had their Session Black IPA

Root Down!

 Just a short ride across the river and to the store and stop at the brew pub for some black IPA.  Photo op at the Jackson Street Bridge.  Where are all the bridge beer drinking bicyclists?  In warmer locations.  The Kansas City Chiefs were in the playoffs and that game was on.  We did find Walter, Jana and Kramer at Court Avenue Brewpub.  Time for one mug to celebrate successful bicycle work.  Walter bought a round of Root Downs for us (Jagermeister and root beer).  Thank you!  Walter and Jana biked home.  Kramer walked since he lives nearby.  Time for us to roll home as well.  One and done!  Chiefs win!  I needed to put a pork loin on the Weber grill for dinner.

The trail was plowed to Gray's Lake as far as I knew.  The Green Bridge was not.  One pass with the plow over the pedestrian bridge from Mullets to Principal Park.  The river walk was not plowed.  We took all three of these.  When we got home Mary's purse was not in her panniers.  We had to ride back  Fortunately, CABCo's staff secured it in the office and they tracked it by her mug number.  Whew!

What a day!  Probably my most productive Saturday in a long time.  One bicycle resurrected, another adjusted.  Shoveled.  Watched a movie and a few football games, Chelsea v Newcastle, KC v Indianapolis, Rams v Cowboys next.  Cooked a pork loin to perfection with indirect heat.  Rode my bicycle in the snow for the fun of it.  And watched a movie.  Really nice winter day.

January is the coldest month and we are half way through it.  In 7 or 8 weeks it will be March and Spring will be here soon.  The Red Phoenix will go back into storage to be neglected until around Thanksgiving break.  I'll have to pull those tires off Mary's bike and clean it up again.  And our roadies will start to accumulate miles.  The Cycle of Bike Life.

Cheater-mode: Waukee to Perry

Dallas Center, Iowa.

As usual, I spent the week staring at the forecast for the weekend.  As promised by the weathercons Saturday was in the 50s and dry.  Told Mary to make no plans because we are going to ride bicycles!  Took a few days to find out where said ride was to take place.

The problem of this winter is that it never happened.  Sure, we had had a dusting or two of snow.  But we have had a lot of rain and the ground is partially frozen and the rain and ice melt have no where to go.  In my yard for instance, about 2 centimeters is thawed and the below that all frozen had.  Mud.  Many trails are like that as well.  The surface is clear except where water stands and refreezes every night.  So we needed to find a trail that has a lot of exposure to the sun, away from water sources and flat to prevent puddles/ice.

Reports about the Clive Greenbelt were bad.  Between 515 Brewery and 128th St there was ice.  Having commuted on that trail for years I can attest how the trail is often submerged.  Avoid.  We thought about going south on the Great western Trail but we have done that in recent memory and there really is no destination except drink beer on a bridge.  There will plenty of time for social rides in 2019.  We wanted to ride our roadies and get get the cobwebs cleared out.  I also had a strong desire to remain sober, drank my share on NYE on Monday.

The Raccoon River Valley Trail was our choice.  Waukee to Perry.  Flat and sunny.  There's a coffee shop in Perry as well so a destination.  How we fail to do this?  The only problem was that the connecting trail, Clive's Greenbelt was bad.  Why not cash in some carbon credits and drive to the trailhead?  Surely we deserve to do that once in a while.  The Honda CR-V is perfect and the seats were never returned to upright position after giving Mary a ride home from work the previous Friday.  Cheating, I know but we have not driven that vehicle for a week and time was precious and we wanted to remain dry.

Time and temperature.  Dora had to be at work at 8 am so one of us would use the Taurus to drop her off and park it in the street so the Honda can get out.  Then we can slowly get dressed and packed leave in time for the ride to begin at a temperature appropriate for minimal warmth layers.  Ideally, light gloves, tights long sleeve jersey, light jacket and headband to keep ears warm.  Under Armor base layer on torso for good measure.  Wool socks.  Gotta keep feet warm.

We got to Waukee around 10ish and stopped at Taco Johns.  Something to throw down our gullets since we failed to eat breakfast.  I did drink a pot of coffee at home but no solid food.  Cheap and fast and a clean restroom.  BTW, the restrooms at the trailhead are closed and there is a large sheet of ice in front of the doors.  I considered leaving the truck there at TJ's but we decided to go to the trailhead.

Both trailhead parking lots were filling up.  People were biking in all directions.  Some heading to and from Adel to the west, others heading north toward Dallas Center and back.  A great day to ride and everyone wanted to be out.  There were other SUVs there with road bikes on racks.  I resisted the urge to ask why they could not haul their bicycles inside.  We have 58 inches from the front seats to the tailgate and are able to get both bikes inside without removing wheels.  We use a sleeping bag to prevent the vehicle from getting dirty and the bikes from getting scratched.  Bicycles are safest inside a vehicle during transport.  Saris bike racks scratch both bikes and cars.  Trailer hitch mounts expose bicycles to road dirt, salt and sand and the risk of the bikes falling off is present,  Scratches as well.  And some idiot may rear end said vehicle.

41*F and rising!  Ah, felt great to be on our finest road bikes.  Then it hit me, damn, these tires are a lot skinnier than the 38's I have been riding on my daily commutes.  I'll adjust.  Enjoy the speed.  Push it hard.  Get the heart rate up and blood flowing.  See if I can get the legs to hurt.  Keep up with Mary.   Then the dark thoughts.  I should replace the rear brake cable on Mary's bike.  Her wireless computer needs to go.  Once again I forgot to re-wrap my bars.  Neglected to fix the front derailleur issue on my bike.  Man, our bikes are filthy!

We rode the diagonal trail from Waukee to Perry.  This is the new section of the RRVT.  It was made from the former rail bed. Since trees do not make money for Iowa corn and bean farmers there are very few of them along the trail and what do exist are small.  This has been an issue for me.  I would like a canopy for hot windy days.  Exposure on all sides is not the best thing to ride in.  BUT today I appreciated exposure since it dried off the trail.

Not long after we started we encountered the first shady areas.  Sure enough it looked wet.  Even better there was ice.  Find the least icy line which was on our right or the eastern side of the trail.  Easy to spot these sections were.  No big deal.  We also encountered a patch of snow with the consistency of snow cone ice.  This was the first ever snow that The Century Machine ever rolled through.  No issues and I do admit that I went out of my way to ride through it.  Now it may seem that I was freaking out about the ice ect but I knew as soon as the sun went down it would get dangerous.  The night before I had a conversation with a friend about riding to Minburn for steak night and if we left right after the discussion it would be dark and cold and icy.

I needed this photo for FB's Bicycle Ride & Seek page.

We passed a group of five or six cyclists on our way up.  I asked if they we riding back north.  Curiosity of trail conditions.  Nope, they we heading north for the first time today.  We did not stop in Dallas Center.  A quick stop in Minburn to take a photo.  Nobody was at The Nineteen14 trail side bar.  Then our group of friends caught up and rolled ahead so we had to interfere with their nice formation and pass them again.  We had to get to the Perry Perk coffee shop before they closed at 1 pm.  Seems early but Perry, Iowa, is a small town and it was a Saturday.  Google Maps had the Perry Perk located in a building that is experiencing renovations.  Even on Saturday they were working on this so we rode through a bit of glass and headed to the Hotel Pattee.  Mary inquired at the desk about a coffee shop and the woman told us to go back to where we were and look to the left.  Damn you Google!!  So we rode back and found it.

The red X marks the location of the Perry Perk.  Lesson: always look around!

Really could use a bicycle rack here or across the street.  TBH we did not look around the corner.

Coffee!  I kept wanting to call this place the Perky Perk.  Perhaps I will open up a Perky Perk in the future.

Lack of imagination and desire to keep it simple since they were to close in 40 minutes, we ordered our usual.  Iced vanilla latte for Mary and 3 shots over ice for me.  Nice beans roasted in Valley Junction.  Beans available for purchase but in Mason jars.  Perhaps that was decor only.  Cannot fathom the pain of going down on ice and landing on a Mason jar in my jersey pocket, glass and coffee beans injected into my body.

The people we passed twice on the trail were at the Mandarin restaurant which was a good thing because it is an example of cyclists helping the economy of  trail towns.  Another group of bicycles were parked in front of La pasadita (yes uncapped) restaurant.  We strolled by on foot to explore the Ben Franklin.  Shopping oddity for us big city folk.  Blast from Mary's past.

Grandma or Grandpa, read us a story please.

On the way back we noticed that The Nineteen14's outdoor patio was packed with cyclists.  In fact, many more bikes were on the trail going both directions.  Mostly road bikes and an older woman on a fatbike.  We stopped at the Big red Chair in Dallas Center for a photo.  I placed our bicycles on it for a "grandpa tell us a story" photo.  People on the nearby bench offered to photo us on the chair.  Nice!  Time for the last 6 miles.

We were shy of 40 miles as Waukee approached.  I did the calculations and Mary and I turned right as if heading to Adel to make up the difference before tuning back.  By the time we reached our auto we had the 40 miles.  Mission accomplished!  we would be home in time to pick Dora up from work.  She never called.  Her boyfriend picked her up.  I showered and changed into shorts and rode the Verenti to Graziano's for link sausage and buns.  Easy filling meal.  Still warm enough to wear shorts.  Hard to believe it is January.

2018 the Last Commute

The bicycles Mary and I used for The Last Commute and Dogfight.  Photo taken on the rooftop patio of the Biciflats where the NYE party was held.

Much better than last year.  Despite the light rain and occasional flurries it was above freezing.  last year it was -3*F in the morning then it dropped to -14*F for the trip home.  27 miles and snow.  This year it was a 4 mile round trip.  Dry in the morning and I forget the temperature but suffice to say that I did not wear anything extra for the cold so it probably mid to upper 20s.  But the rain....

Craig and I discussed a lunch ride.  Very doable.  I suggested The Chicken,  He never had been there.  10 miles from Orlando's on the Great Western Trail.  But I could not get out of work early and as the day went on the rain and snow hit.  Although the temperature was to remain above freezing until the evening the possibility of ice was a risk we did not want to face.  Besides, rain when the temps are in the low 30s is the worst.  At 1 pm we changed the destination to Fuzzy"s Tacos.  Cheap food and beer, wifi and an electrical hook up.  I was off at 216 and told Mary to meet us there.  She had the day off.

Funny thing about my text to Mary, I typed Mullets not Fuzzy's by mistake.  Mullets was in consideration for a destination.  While we waited and waited for her the error was discovered and corrected.

Nice last lunch together with Craig.  Too bad Kim had to work.  Discourse on bike rides for 2019 ect.  Eventually it was time to go.  Mary had to help our daughter Katie set up for her New Years Eve party.  The rain was over.

Nothing to note on the way home until we approached our home.  The people who live catty cornered across the street have two small dogs that often are running loose on the streets.  They also have small children who are often running into the streets chasing said dogs.  One day, I fear, a car is going to kill one of those kids.  One of the dogs was attacked by people down the road, presumably sick of loose dogs, and nearly killed.  It was since calmed down somewhat but the scar on its neck bears witness to the lesson.  Its owner "maybe I'll have to keep him tied up."  Yes please do.

So as we got there the white dog gave Mary chase as she turned into our driveway.  I switched into am acceleration gear and gave pursuit.  Not that the dog would bite but it is annoying and does not belong in the street or our on our property.  The children were yelling at it to come back.  I was going to scare it!  And them!  School is in session!!

Popular in Asian countries these bikes are highly maneuverable and easier to store than traditional road bikes.  They are not, however, foldable bikes.  Someone downtown has a blue Schwinn, old iron Schwinn, with BMX wheels on it.  you can see it at Hy Vee or on Court Ave occasionally.

So I got it off Mary's 6 and back into the street and had its complete attention.  But there was a problem.  A wise person once said "never get into a turning battle with a Zero".  True.  I could charge at the dog but he could step back and avoid contact and turn on me.  Had to zoom and boom his ass!  My bike's 700C wheels just lacked the maneuverability need for this situation.  Feint away from the house to get room and speed and the dog headed back to his house and the waiting screaming children.  NOW!!  Full speed!!  Hop the curb!!  Avoid the tricycle that has been laying there for weeks!  Riding into that front lawn right on his ass!  Nobody knew what to say.  The oldest boy grabbed the mutt and I left hoping that my tires sunk in and left tracks.  Also hoping that there was not an ice patch hidden that would knock me down.  All clear and I rode it on in to my property avoiding the ice and mud pact near my fence.  Commute over.  Commuting over for 2018.

One ride left.  To Katie's NYE party!  Uneventful ride and much better than the -15*F from last year but that's another story.

Have a fine 2019!!!

So This Is Winter?

Magnum of Heineken or as my son in-law calls it "Lao Beer." The Verenti.

December 28, 2018
Des Moines, Iowa USA

It finally hit.  Sure, we have had a few cold days a few dustings of snow.  North of us they have a lot of snow.  After Thanksgiving south of us got hit with over a foot.  But in DSM, nada.  The previous post I mentioned the snow pile remnants in Indianola, IA.  Traveling south for Christmas we see the occasional snow pile but that day was warm.  I recall thinking my brother in-law was a wimp for donning hat and gloves to run dog food to the dog they have fenced in away from the house (he chases buses).  Discussions of climate change ect.  Enjoy this while it lasts, the hammer will fall.  Usually the weather is great until Black Friday since I now have that day as a play day after 20 years of babysitting away from home.  And then it is good until New Years Eve when it goes from good bicycling weather to 20 below Zerex.  I love riding in snow but when it dips to single digits with that 25 mph NW wind, only bike when necessary.

Photo credit: Rose Brooks

So it was.  Thursday it was almost 60*F and serious rain.  The weathercons showed the line between rain and snow on the map.  A nice warm mass kept it away for hours.  It did not feel like it would end.  Double rainbow to enjoy on my ride home.  Then a black sky and heavy rain.  Tornado weather.  Imagine my surprise when I let the dog out at 3 am Friday to see a dusting of snow on the ground.  Damn, party's over, well for a few days as 40*F+ forecasted later next week.

I took the "adventure" bike.  I left the winter bike at home for Mary.  We gave one of our sons her set of wheels with studded tires since he has committed to commuting via bicycle recently.  My old set of studded tires refuse to mount on her other set of wheels.  But we have not needed studs.  I was almost to the point of placing The Red Phoenix (my winter bike) back into storage.  I think I have commuted on it to work once this season.

The Verenti (adventure/cross/gravel) was fine.  Small snow drifts that I had to go out of my way to hit were the only issue.  Its wide WTB Riddler tires slightly under inflated worked well.  No slips or spills.  Mary took her pink mixte single speed.  Neither of us had any issues.

I learned how to drive in RWD American cars with V-8s.  FWD hit the masses later.  AWD was only for rally cars.  Now RWD is RARE but I see as many cars in the ditch these days as I did before FWD and AWD and SUVs took over the world.

Other people did.  Shortly after the sun was up my boss came out of his office and said that a car slid off the road and hit a tree.  Naturally, we went to the window to gawk at the misfortune.  A newer Ford SUV lost control and popped the curb and landed on a small tree.  The tree dampened the momentum thus preventing the driver from hitting the pole.  7th St is slightly downhill at this point.  Most drivers get a lot of speed when they travel on it.  Just enough snow to make it slick.  Americans drive like auto insurance is free and no one is ever held responsible unless they are drunk.

The ride home was fine.  I decided to pick Mary up from work since it was now colder and this would save time.  We had a few things to do and 17*F slow's down ones metabolism.  I had no issues driving except the doors on the Taurus were frozen and then refused to latch.  The Honda is what I drove anyway because it would except her bike inside without hassle.  I never felt the AWD kick in.

Today it may get above freezing.  40s tomorrow.  Then a freeze to single digit lows.  Then the 40s by the end of the week.  Much better than last year when it was -15*F January 2nd and the car would not start and my NiteRider gave out.  That's a real winter day.

Christmas Shopping Bicycle Ride on the Summerset Trail

The intersection near the GeoCouch Score.

Although it has been a very mild December for us in Des Moines, Iowa, our riding has been limited mainly to commuting back and forth to work.  It seems to be cold and wet on the weekends.  Finally we had a forecasted near 50*F and clear blue skies with a gentle to non-existent wind.  Everyone was talking about riding.  So we made plans.  Christmas shopping was necessary and we would be able to do this during our ride.  Mary and I also used this ride to test our new vehicle and since time was limited and sunlight as well we decided to drive to the trail.  This would save 2 hours and allow us to wait until it warmed up.  If I remember correctly, it was 23*F when we woke up.  Needed to give the Sun a few hours to warm Iowa up.

We took one touring bike with only its rear panniers and one road bike.  Now to get them into the vehicle.  My ideal requirement for a car is the ability to get two road bikes inside without having to disassemble them and close the doors and hatch.  The safest place for a bicycle during vehicular transport is inside the vehicle.  In the past we did this with a Saab and a Toyota Land Cruiser.  We could get two bikes in back of the Taurus but front wheels had to come off.  As luck would have it, an opportunity for me to spend all my Christmas money in December appeared in the form of a Honda CR-V which I bought at the beginning of the month.  Now it was time to test it.

The 520

Two bikes inside.

Seats fold down quite nicely providing 58" of horizontal room in back.  Lift open the rear window and then open the tailgate which sings to the right.  Put bicycles inside and close tailgate.  Window closes last which helps with adjustments of bikes and loading gear.  I placed the Trek 520 in first as it was longer and had racks and bags.  An old sleeping bag was used to keep the bikes separated.  Nothing irks me off more than stupid scratches especially during transport.  The Honda has a trailer hitch for an external bike rack and room for a roof rack but as stated earlier the safest place for bicycles during transport is inside the vehicle.  IF I wanted to I could make an internal rack to hold the bikes upright but that would require removal of the front wheels and thus putting unnecessary stress on the headset plus added steps.  Bikes safe we drove to the Summerset Trail in Carlisle.

Our 11 mile ride to Indianola on this trail was nice.  The people we met, every one of them, said that it was "a lovely day for a bike ride!"  Nice to encounter people not jaded by armleutching cyclists. As we rolled near Banner State Park and its shooting range we could hear gunfire.  That was on our left.  BOOM!!!  That one was on our right.  Mary saw the orange hat.  Deer season!  I hope that they were not shooting in the direction of the trail.  I had a Safety Yellow jacket on so I should have stood out in the brown December background.

Another thing we noticed.  The fields had a lot of water err ice.  Indianola had piles of snow here and there.  This seemed strange to us because we have only had a dusting or two of snow and relatively warm weather, but south of Des Moines was hit hard.  Indianola may have had 4" two weeks prior when we got nothing.  No snow on the trail.

Outside Crimson Anchor Coffee.  Had I been paying attention I would have noticed the flat tire.   Very apparent in this photo.

All our loot inside.  Merry Christmas!!

Once in our destination town we rode to the square.  We made our second visit to Crimson Anchor Coffee.  The previous trip was in September, coffee review, and our initial thought was that we should return here to purchase Christmas gifts someday.  The coffee shop shares the same roof with two other shops.  First things first, order coffee and thenlook around for presents.  We made sever purchases.  Bad news hit.  The owner of the building is ending their leases at the end of the year.  Crimson Anchor and the gift shops must relocate.  "No fear, this is his passion," she said.  Damn, finally have a destination in Indianola instead of the trailhead and turn around.  Good news.  A brew pub is to move in.  Bittersweet.  Not like there are not enough brew pubs near us but there is not one in Indianola.  I'll miss the coffee but enjoy the beer.  I know that CA will relocate.  Bittersweet indeed.

Still kicking myself for not making a purchase of beans back in September.  Not making the same mistake twice!

We left our bicycles outside the coffee shop and loaded our booty in them and then walked the square to see what else was available.  There is a business that does pottery, woodwork and powder coating so we stopped in and purchased a few items.  $75 to paint a bike frame.....  Another store gave me a free sample of CBD oil to put on my shoulder that has been bothering me.  Nice!  People saw us on bikes and smiled and said what a great day it was for biking.  After completing the square we loaded up and set off for home.

Universal sign of bike issues.

Something was wrong.  Flat tire.  SoB!!  Completely flat.  Rear of course.  Schwalbe Marathon Supreme.  Survivor of two week long tours.  1288 miles on that tire.  Mary decided to go back and revisit another shop while I dealt with the flat.  Fortunately I packed my tire repair kit, levers tubes and pump.  I grabbed a tube that I removed from another wide road tire that I was going to use for Mary's winter tires.  I also had a 700x25 tube for Mary's roadie.  Disconnect the brake and flip the bike over and remove the wheel.  Sit on the bench and get to work.  Appeared to be a puncture as a bit of something had embedded itself into the center of the tire.  Nothing sharp on the inside of the tire.  I pumped up the tube but could not find the leak.  Put the replacement tube in.  Something is wrong.  CRAP!!  I grabbed a 26" tube!  Wrong tube!  Fortunately, there is an outdoors shop here, canoes, kayaks and bikes.  I sent Mary there to purchase a proper tube.  Soon we were back on the road.  Daylight was limited.  Time to fly.  Glad we drove to the trailhead instead of riding from home.  It would have been dark by the time we got home.  For that matter I think it was dark by the time we did get home.

The trail was the same.  Downhill for the first 5 miles.  All the bicycles we encountered were heading to Indianola.  The gun range was still open.  More importantly for me, the restroom at the gun range was open.  I made my own explosion in the nick of time.  Steel cut oatmeal, Burger King and coffee was a near lethal mixture!!

Illegally dumped couch.

Ready for a long winters nap!

Then a GeoCouch Miracle occurred!  I spotted two couches discard on the side of a gravel road just off the trail.  One was a hide-a-bed partly in the ditch and frozen on the ice.  Obligatory photos were a must.  This may have been my 67th score.  After we left and when I went to take a photo of the street sign two truckloads of orange clad hunters rolled by.  Should have told them that the deer ran the other way a few minutes before.  4 of them, full speed over the trail.  For more information on Bicycle GeoCouching use the following link  Bicycle GeoCouching

At last we reached the trailhead.  The new tube did not spring a leak and it held the air I pumped in. No other mechanical issues.  Unload the purchases and then load the bikes.  Success.  Maybe take 4 panniers next time.

All the presents unloaded.  The snowman bowl is for Mary's collection.  Uncensored photo to be released after Christmas.  There is a possibility that the recipients may read this blog.

Return to Gilligan's Island

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.

Deadly Roads in Iowa Before Winter Hit

This is merely what was printed in the Des Moines Register, the newspaper Iowa depends on, from Thanksgiving through the weekend.  Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday editions November 22nd through the 25th, 2018.  Not included is what happened the following week such as a car driven at high speed crashing into a taco place or a car crashing into a pond.  This is just a peak into how bad drivers really are.  The snow storm hit on Sunday after the paper was printed and delivered.

Not safe to leave Iowa either!

Henry J's Tacos Closed After Driver Crashes Car Into Building

Medical Issue Causes Driver to Sink Car in Pond