Back In The Saddle Again

<===The last day of October was pretty.......pretty windy!

So after several days off the bike due to weather, sickness, and work related reasons, I finally got a commute in on Friday and Saturday morning I got cut loose for a longer ride. Being that the trails had been soaked with several inches of rain of late, I launched an "adventure" ride instead.

I observed that the wind was out of the northwest and was gusty, so I set off in that general direction, which works great for me since it takes you right into the best adventure ride stuff around in Waterloo/Cedar Falls. I headed right for the new road through the old John Deere assembly works, just to see what was going on.

Amazingly, the old plant is being dismantled piece by piece, building by building. A process that started in the 1980's and continues on to this day. I have been casually observing the disappearance of the place all along. Well, now there are so many buildings gone that there is room for a new connector street. It is basically done, but I was just riding through to see it. Remarkable, since not more than four years ago where this road is I used to service tricycles in the truck shop there. Weird! But probably not as weird as what some of the former 16,000 strong labor force that used to work there thinks about it all.

Then it was on to Shirey way/Hartman Reserve. I had noticed grading and signs of construction there back in September, and it needed checking into. Dirt roads are always fun anyway. But to my surprise, the road had been graveled with some dang huge rocky chunk. Like rip-rap almost. That fact was made even more absurd by the observation that I made. The rock, freshly laid, was already sinking into the previous mud holes that had been there for years. Band aid- didn't work! Oh well! Our tax dollars hard at work and all..........

Well, I went through to Pfieffer Park, across the bridge, on over to the North loop trail around the lake. It was really windy, and pushing the 37 X 18T was working me pretty good.

<===Hey little guy! Kinda late for you to be out, eh?

I stopped here to use the restroom at the northwest side of the lake and adjust the grips and bars I was using. Amazing how a little tweak on the Antler Bar and the Ergon grips can make a huge difference in comfort!

Anyway, back on now and heading towards Black Hawk Park where I noticed I was running out of time. I needed to be home to get ready for church and play in the band, so I planned on just short jaunt into the park and back on the bicycle trail. However, the park was closed. Gated off. Seemed there was a bit of flooding. All that rain and all, ya know.

So on the way home, I saw where I had ridden once was now under water. Well! I guess the water is still on the way up! No wonder the park was closed. Not much eventful happened after that, but it was a great two and half hours anyway. Not the gravel adventure that was held up north this weekend that I wanted to go on, but it was something.

And I'm just glad to be riding!