Country Views: The First Hot Day

Rollin gravel Eastbound.

Wednesday it was a gorgeous day and was the very first day I would call "Summer-like". The skies were blue bird clear and the wind was nought but a breeze, not even worth mentioning, really. I was itching to get out there, but I had to work on RidingGravel.com first and then all the drama about the Almanzo events distracted me for a bit. But shortly after noon, I managed to load up the State Bicycle Company Warhawk single speed and I headed South, but with a twist.

Generally speaking, I go South and a mile over or so east or west and then straight back North when I'm headed out that way. But yesterday I decided to travel more toward the East than is my norm. The roads East are good, and I don't know why I don't get out that way more than I do. So, I made a concerted effort to get out of my rut in the route choice and go a different way. I am really glad that I did for several reasons, as we will see here.

Now, of course, the Warhawk is a single speed, but I took it out of fixed mode since I wrecked my hips riding it fixed a while back now. So, I wasn't worried about that, and the hills aren't super steep East and South of town until you get around Hickory Hills, but I wasn't going to have time to go quite that far.

I was able to wear just shorts and a shirt, a wool shirt, to be exact, from Showers Pass. It's a light weight Summer wool shirt with a chest pocket and it doesn't look like a cycling jersey at all. The shorts were also Showers Pass and were baggies. (Note: I reviewed the clothing here) I like not wearing Lycra stuff whenever I can. Oh yeah, and I put flats on the Warhawk and rode in the new Giant shoes I have for flat pedals. So, I was total non-racer out there. With my 39 X 18T gearing, I was all good to go. It was just gorgeous out, actually, borderline too hot at times.

Barns For Jason: Check out the pattern in the brickwork of the silo.

The roads are really coming around too. There is still a lot of damage to take care of, but the mud is gone, many of the ruts have been graded down, and there were lots of fresh gravel patches. There are also a lot of smooth-as-a-table-top parts, and along with that are plenty of loose, almost sandy parts. The dust was bad coming off the cars and trucks I met. So, the roads are bone dry now.

'merica. Check out that rare cab-over semi tractor. Don't see many of those around anymore.

Lots of gravel, green grass, and black earth on the ride. Farmers are planting like crazy now.

Like I said, there wasn't really anything to the wind, and despite it being a headwind going South, it was no big deal. I was glad for it actually. It helped drift the clouds of gravel dust off the roadway whenever a car or truck passed. Plus, it helped keep me cooler. It wasn't humid, but I was sweating! The softer roads in many places was making me earn those miles.

Lots of chunky, fresh gravel is being laid down too.

Another of the several planter rigs I saw working the fields of Black Hawk County. Note the dust.

I ended up crossing Kimball, then Highway 21, but I didn't get as far East as V-37, so then I turned South for a bit and back West on Reinbeck Road. When I came back across Highway 21, I saw that where I crossed was a stopping point for a pilot car to guide folks through a construction zone. The man holding the stop sign was busy looking at his phone, (what else?!), as a long line of cars and trucks waited behind him for their turn to follow the pilot car. As I crossed the pavement, I said hello to the man, who looked up in amazement with his mouth agape. I don't think he ever thought he'd see a cyclist on a gravel road, much less one that far out of town.

There are planted fields everywhere, but many are waiting to be worked yet.

It was a great ride. I was super happy to have gotten out and going a different way than usual was fun. As I rolled up the last miles into Waterloo, I realized something. I hadn't been accosted by any dogs! Maybe all I had to do was declare 2019 as the "Year Of The Dog" and that took care of things. Maybe I have paid my dues. Maybe it was just too warm for those furry beasts to give chase. I don't know, but that was the first time in a long time I haven't had to dismount to deal with angry mongrels.

It could have been the different route. I don't know, but I'll take it. Almost 30 miles, and I felt fantastic. The sickness I had been battling is almost a distant memory now and I am starting to feel more like myself again. Both on and off the bike.