Before The Monsoon

I managed to sneak a ride in Saturday before the monsoon that was Sunday set in. I decided that I would just head out on my Badger and see where things took me.

I decided to head south on the bike path to Hudson. Straight into a pretty stiff Southwesterly breeze. I was working pretty hard, and the path is dead level! Must have been a pretty decent wind, or my legs sucked!

Actually, my legs did not feel all that snappy, so it probably was a bit of both.





The ditches along the path and the fields beyond them were all full of water. They are saying that things are getting to the 1993 flood levels around here. Hmm............don't know about that, I do know that Iowa City/Coralville is pretty much there, but we've got a ways to go before I'd say it was that bad. Don't get me wrong though.....this is really bad!

That line of trees in the distance, yeah........that's where I would have normally been riding. The Green Belt dirt trails are all under a lot of water right now. I doubt we'll be able to ride there until fall. Too bad because all our local off road choices are pretty much down for the count.



I saw this looming in the distance as I went west on Ridgeway out of Cedar Falls. It's laminated wood. Hmm......about time they figured that out. I dunno, maybe they have been doing this where you live for years, but that's the first I've seen of this.

Anyway, I thought it was rusty painted steel for awhile!

You can also see the sky is getting darker. Yeah, it was about this time I decided to head for the shed. I wasn't keen on getting caught out if things got nasty, and that Southwest wind told me something was up.


I was sporting the Snappy Cap and the Twin Six look on the ride. Those are some Tifosi shades there. I like Tifosi stuff, not expensive and it works. My favorite model isn't these but the Vogel. It wraps around my face for better peripheral vision. My two examples of that model got roached though, so I'm back to wearing these!

I was riding with the wind here, so I thought it would be a great time to practice the "Kerkove Shot"

How am I doing, Blue? (He's the only local I know that has perfected the "Kerkove Shot") Well, I suppose The Jackal has it down, but he hasn't been using his skilz that way lately!


Here we have one of the most dangerous intersections in town.........for cars! We can't even measure the danger factor for local cyclists, yet in their infinite wisdom, the city has the bike path cross this intersection twice! Brilliant! Then there is that other intersection to the south of here where a bike path crosses the road again! Oh yeah, did I mention that folks get killed out here in their cars all the time?

Usually, I try and avoid this area like the plague because of this situation, but I was in a hurry to get back home, and this was the most direct route.

Just across the road on Greenhill Roads bike path I got passed by a recumbent rider and a Cannondale roadie rider as I was getting clipped in. On the slight uphill I caught them and the recumbent rider called out to the Cannondale roadie dude that I was coming through. Well, the Cannondale roadie dude clicks down a gear. You know, the cyclists signal that "I'm not gonna let you pass me. This is a race!" signal? Yeah, well I just kept on the guys wheel. I figured that if he had the motor to keep this pace up the hill then I'll let him pull me up too.

Well, about three quarters of the way up, he sat up. I pulled through and I just upped the cadence a hair and next thing I know he's gone. Off the back. Now on the down hill I just kept it on until I decided to pull off to the left for a few city back streets. (More turns = more fun) I ended up getting directed to the old Green Hill street which dead ends at cedar Heights drive. You have to pass over a bit of grass and go around the signage with a bunny hop over a curb or two thrown in. Well, I look to my right and there is Cannondale roadie dude at the corner of Green Hill Road and Cedar heights looking at me. He just rolled up as well, only he was on straight bike path and was about half a block to the south of me. He looked a bit surprised. Ha ha! That was fun.

I rolled on home just in time for lunch with my family. Perfect timing. Not only for lunch, but for a ride, since Sunday was a complete washout. Well, I hope this rain quits, or the Ballyhoo is gonna be a mess!