Criss-Crossing Town

This is actually one of our bike trails. Unpaved. I REALLY like it that way!

Well, "The Truck With No Name" is repaired and back in my possession. I had to commute across Waterloo from end to end to get it. This made me think about our current bicycle infrustructure.

As a commuter who uses a bicycle, I find that the routes made for and designated as bicycle paths are really not practical. Recreational? Yes! That part is wonderful, but since where I have to go isn't served by good bike paths that are practical, I have to know the city well.

There are some good bike paths though, don't get me wrong. Plus, unlike a fellow cyclist I saw on Facebook who toured through here yesterday, I find the high ground out of the flooded areas and mosquito infested pools. That's what is good about paying attention to your surroundings and living in an area where Native American and Pioneer trails were preserved by traffic paths today. Routes exist that are useful and that are not high traffic or high speed (or both) throughways.

Plus new stuff that is useful is coming on-line all the time here. I hit up the trail on the North side of the Cedar River for a bit since that took me right where I wanted to get to, which was a residential area that had streets that paralleled the old main drag from Evansdale to Waterloo. Then it was an easy-peasy ride to the repair shop and my reuniting with my repaired truck.

I dropped in here to a bit of newer trail on the North side of the Cedar River through Waterloo.

I did have some "might-as-wells"fixed and maintained while the truck was there. Funny thing was that a small annoyance, the drivers side door lock, was the most expensive repair, and it wasn't even an electronic door lock! Fully manual! I suppose had it been one of those fancy-pants, key fob, touch pad entries, it would have been a LOT more money, so I am not complaining! My truck is back and good to go with a functioning, safely secured gas tank, a good working door lock, new belts, and an oil change.

And yes.....my bank account is a LOT emptier!