Fall Views: Inter-Urban Colors

I decided to document some of the colors along my regular commuting route.

This past weekend was an oddball where I had to work on Saturday. This was because Andy, of Andy's Bike Shop, committed to being a sponsor of the local cycling team's annual cyclo cross race called "Twisted Cross". The main thing there being that Andy was to be at the race venue to help anyone in need. 

That meant I had to man the shop, so I didn't get out on Saturday to ride any gravel and Sunday I played in the church band and then hung out with the family. That left me with Friday off, so I had a window between doing some work around the house and taking care of some errands to get away for a bit to ride. I also assumed that with the forecast calling for weekend rain that the farming activities would be off the charts Friday so I stuck around town on this particular ride. (Later I learned that I was correct in this assumption)

So, I had to test out these Tubolito tubes, (look for my take on those tomorrow), so I rode my Raleigh Tamland Two which was the bike I decided to use to test those out with. I decided to trace most of my commute to work until it reached the inter-urban park area where George Wyth State Park and Hartman Reserve straddle the Cedar River.
 

The unpaved portion of the Trolley Car Trail near to where it crosses over Hackett Road.

Sumac and Asters make for a nice color combination in the Fall.

I detoured off my route to work at Hackett Road and then headed on over to Shirey Way, the old gravel road that once cut through Shirey property where they dredged sand from the Cedar River. This connected Hackett and the East end of Cedar Falls along the river back in the day. There used to be a few homes along this gravel road until the Hartman Reserve got the land and they eventually blocked off the gravel road which has since deteriorated into a two-track. Essentially, an inter-urban Level B Maintenance road. 

I stopped to check out the old boat ramp access and saw little to no color along the Cedar River yet.

But obviously, the Cedar has picked up some colorful leaves from someplace!

I ended up cruising down Shirey until it terminated and then I took a side route into Hartman Reserve where it looks like they are trying to establish a native prairie again. Lots of trees have been grubbed out and only mature trees were left, which weren't many. 

Part of Shirey Way.

There isn't too much color to speak of yet. I'll have to come back in a week or so. I also want to get up around the Denver, Iowa area to the remnants of the Big Wood and see if I can spy out any colors up that way soon as well. 

Fall colors are just barely getting underway, but this warm weather maybe is putting off the rush to changing colors a little longer. It isn't supposed to cool off much this week so I don't know quite what to expect. Generally things have quit being so hot by now. 

Stay tuned.....