Turkey Burn Report: Part 1

Escape Route; Out of the darkness....Into the Light!

My Thanksgiving actually happened on Wednesday because all members of my household family had that day off this year. So, Thursday was a wide open day for me. It also was going to be the best day for the weekend to ride out in the country, but even then, it wasn't "awesome", despite the brilliant sunshine. A stiff Northwest wind kept the "real-feel" down into a pretty chilly range, and out in the open areas it was a brutal headwind if you were going North or even West. 

And as well, I had no gumption to attack the conditions to knock out the metric century goal in one ride. So, I made up my mind after much going back-and-forth to do a big push on Thursday and a few smaller rides sprinkled throughout what became a much chillier weekend. 

Plus, I had to get more time on that Tumbleweed Big Dipper bar, so I came up with a plan to hit the Washington-Union Access trail and then some gravel on the way back into town. The Washington-Union Access is Northwest of where I live, but much of the way out I would be hugging the Cedar River and staying in the woods, out of the wind. 

It isn't yet 2:00pm at this point and it looks like the Sun is setting! Well....at this time of year, it is!

 

The new bike trail along Center Street in Cedar Falls. (Old HWY 218)

The Singular Gryphon, with its big 2.8" tires, was like a floaty magic carpet ride on the way out. Those big tires would be a huge asset on the Washington-Union Access trail coming up. This trail has been a fire road type corridor for decades that not many people utilize in their riding. I first heard about it way back in my college days when I overheard some UNI football players speaking about using it as a training run course. 

I first went up it back in the 1990's on my MTB bikes, but since then I don't hear a lot of chatter about people using it. Fortunately it has received a bit of attention from the County as it has been maintained better than it had been in the early 2000's. 

The trail starts at this inauspicious looking gate. Beyond it is where Adventure begins!

Looking back here. Right off the get-go you get this very rocky section.

 There has been a bit of maintenance done quite recently that mitigates the former severity of the rocky section which I usually would have to dismount for. Loose, baby head sized river-washed limestone boulders were strewn across this section and if you had a full-suspension rig, yeah maybe then. But I wouldn't risk it on a slow-roll, such as it is, on a full-rigid bike previous to this new situation. Still, you never know what is underneath that carpet of leaves! 

The Washington-Union Access Trail is pretty wide and smooth in spots.

I made some navigational errors starting at this beautiful meadow

My original plan was to find the intersection of the Ford Road Access Trail with the Washington-Union Access Trail. I had been on the Ford Road section from Ford Road about a month prior to this ride, and it was looking to be in fantastic shape. However; I was snookered into following a trail that turned out to be a dead end instead. 

The Sunlight was running out and making circles in the forest was not on my radar. I was a bit frustrated, but I wasn't through making gaffs just yet. Not long after I rejoined the Washington-Union Access Trail I saw a sign that said something about the Cedar Valley Savanna Project and a fresh-cut trail that led off in the general direction of the Ford Road Access. 

That was a complete disaster as it was a trail so new that it had a thousand sticks and branches laying in the bumpy, tractor-tracked up trail which was a recipe for a sheared derailleur if I ever saw one. Fortunately I extricated myself without any damage to myself or machine. But not before I had probably wasted another fifteen minutes chasing a trailhead I never found. 

Back to the main trail! Time was running out on this day!

Coming back out of the Cedar Valley Savanna Project trail which was a total dead end for me.

This field marks the ending of the trail on the North side. Those woods are where the Washington-Union Access is located.

The Sun was Westering and I needed to get a move-on. I was smart enough to have a full lighting kit with me though, so I was only really concerned with getting back into the city environs before I lost all Sunlight. 

Plus, I would have the benefit of a fairly stiff tailwind all the way back home, and I was looking forward to that. I figured I might even claw back some of the time I lost going in circles trying to find that Ford Road cut-off. 

Riding alongside County C-57. I stayed on the gravel shoulder.

And now the tailwind section starts! Ford Road looking South from C-57.

I reached C-57 just East of the bridge over the Cedar River which marks that river's confluence with the Shell Rock River. Just a bit further upstream on the Shell Rock is where the West Fork of the Cedar River joins the Shell Rock River. This entire area was once a large hardwood forest and a gathering place for Native American tribes in the past to do their Summer hunting. This went on until the late 1850's until the last of the Ho-Chunk people quit coming there due to the encroachments of European settlers which began hacking back at the Big Wood for lumber, farmland clearing, and road construction. 

It was the Native Americans which gave this area its name, "The Turkey Foot", because the waterways formed a sort of "turkey footprint" on the land. Now it has become a popular riparian area and a place where Americans now build their rural "McMansions". 

Another new "McMansion" going up on the North side of Ford Road.

The shadows grow long on Ford Road

Ford Road was in excellent condition for fast gravel-travel. I pushed the pace to try to beat the Sun before it set and get back to Cedar Falls, at the least. I was pleased with my pace as the Sun seemed to linger on the horizon.

That round, dome shaped building is the Cedar Falls Ice House Museum. Yes- it is an old surviving ice house.

Our Redeemer Lutheran Church stands awash in the last glow of Thanksgiving Day, 2023.

I made it back into Cedar Falls. The Sun was setting, but I turned my tail light and head light on low anyway. I suspected not many motorists would think a cyclist would be out at that time of day on a Thanksgiving. 

I quickly rode along darkening city streets and bicycle trails. Maybe I would make it back before it got really dark. That tailwind really helped me out! I was thankful for that for sure!

I encountered an abnormal amount of people on the Trolley Car Trail, and amazingly, each group or individual was walking a dog. Weird! I must have hit the jackpot on dog walkers. 

A last ray of Sunlight strikes this graffiti art. As seen on my way through Cedar Falls.

The Sun finally sets just as I crossed Black Hawk Creek, a half mile from home.

I rounded the corner to see my home just as it was getting dark enough to have to have the lights on. I was able to squeeze every last bit of the day out enjoying that ride, for the most part. Those minutes lost scrambling around on fresh-cut trail notwithstanding. It was a great nearly four hour adventure, and I figure it left me with about half the mileage to go on a metric. (I should have run a GPS, but I didn't!)

Let's see in tomorrow's post if I am able to chew into that deficit some more.

Friday News And Views

The "Anti-Black Friday" Edition: 

Yeah, this whole "Black Friday" thing is getting long in the tooth, isn't it? I really hope that someday it just goes away.... 

But until then, I am all "anti-Black Friday". What's more, I am not doing any "holiday gift list" stuff this year either. Let me tell ya, the marketing departments aren't liking that decision. They are sympathetic to the anti-Black Friday idea, I feel, but - ya know - it's tradition! Or something like that....

All you need to know is that I am being leveraged to do the whole thing, and I just am not feeling it. So, I won't be shoving discount codes, "deals", or any "holiday gift ideas" down your throats here. You're getting bombarded enough by that garbage by this point anyway, most likely. 

So, I've dug up what I could of some interesting things I've found across the innergoogles for your reading enjoyment today. And as always, Thanks for reading the blog! 

Forget shopping! Get out and ride!

Hopefully You Are Riding!

Of course, the perfect antidote to excessive consumerism is a good bicycle ride. Be that 'round the block or out in the 'burbs', getting out and pedaling is good for you.

But you know that!

Need some motivation? Well, I put out this challenge last week. maybe that would be a nice way to kick off the weekend? Maybe. 

However; don't let that challenge and distance hold you back. Just getting outside and pedaling, or even walking, if you are stuck in the snow like N.Y. Roll is in New York now, is a good idea. Just get outside, breath the air, and move. I like to do that with a bicycle, but you do you. Besides, you probably ate too much yesterday anyway, yes? (If you didn't, good on ya!)

Are More Batteries A Better Thing?

Recently Magura announced a new Vyron dropper seat post that is activated by a wireless Bluetooth remote. The system is pretty technologically advanced, with the wireless thing, of course, but there is also a servo motor which controls oil flow in the post as well. 

Naturally, the system works on a battery, a Lithium-Ion battery, (two, actually), which is replaceable. And when that battery needs replacing? 

Why do we consistently (a) need to turn everything into a "device" controlled by radio waves and batteries with (b) environmentally toxic materials? These batteries typically are not disposed of properly, especially when they are of such a small size, as in the Vyron post. These disposed Lithium-ion batteries contain metals such as cobalt, nickel, and manganese, which are toxic and can contaminate water supplies and ecosystems if they leach out of landfills. 

I mean, bicycles are bad enough in terms of their carbon footprint, environmental impacts due to manufacturing, and in terms of the high-end bicycles, a further reliance on electronics, but a dropper seat post with disposable batteries?   

True- each seatpost mounted battery lasts a claimed year of service, but eventually, these all will probably end up in the landfill. Not to mention the CR 2032 battery used for the remote, which assuredly will not be handled properly at disposal.  That is- unless a concerted effort is made to persuade riders to do otherwise, and I haven't seen that yet. Meanwhile, mechanically operated droppers are working just fine without such concerns. 

Something to consider....

An Acknowledgement And A Lesson:

I read an article the other day that claimed that the youth out there feel that hand written notes are a "waste of time". Yeah.....that was the term used. 

Amazing. 

That's too bad, because these folks are missing out on something wonderful, if, in fact, that article is representative of what the youth out there really think. I am choosing to not believe this at all.

I think people really appreciate being thanked, recognized, encouraged, and well.....noticed. Doesn't a hand written note do those things? Yes, I am here to tell you that a hand written note does those things, because a recent hand written note has done that for me. Although, perhaps I am disqualified from being an example, because I am old. That's really dumb, by the way, if true.

That's my acknowledgement of this particular note. You know who you are that sent it, so "Thank you!"

The lesson? Anyone can do this to help another. It can be a text, a phone call, or a simple note like the one I received. Don't believe for a second it is a "waste of time". 

Update: Okay, this is kind of funny. A day after I wrote this about "Thank You's" I saw the following which is related. As quoted from an Axios Finish Line newsletter I receive nightly:

" Another study by researchers from Kent State University tested the effect of writing letters of gratitude to other people.

• The results were clear: Taking the time to say thank you in writing made people happier, more satisfied with life and even decreased symptoms of depression."

So: On the very unlikely chance that writing a "thank you" doesn't do anything for the recipient, it does something for you.

Reminder: If you are an old reader here, you know what is coming. If you are fairly new, maybe not so much. Here's the deal: The "End-OfYear"posts kick in starting December 1st with my first of many "Bikes Of 2022" postings. There will be four "Rear View 2022" posts, a "Top Ten Posts of 2022", and a "best-of" photo review for the year, all coming up.

Have a great weekend! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

Friday News And Views

The "Anti-Black Friday" Edition: 

Yeah, this whole "Black Friday" thing is getting long in the tooth, isn't it? I really hope that someday it just goes away.... 

But until then, I am all "anti-Black Friday". What's more, I am not doing any "holiday gift list" stuff this year either. Let me tell ya, the marketing departments aren't liking that decision. They are sympathetic to the anti-Black Friday idea, I feel, but - ya know - it's tradition! Or something like that....

All you need to know is that I am being leveraged to do the whole thing, and I just am not feeling it. So, I won't be shoving discount codes, "deals", or any "holiday gift ideas" down your throats here. You're getting bombarded enough by that garbage by this point anyway, most likely. 

So, I've dug up what I could of some interesting things I've found across the innergoogles for your reading enjoyment today. And as always, Thanks for reading the blog! 

Forget shopping! Get out and ride!

Hopefully You Are Riding!

Of course, the perfect antidote to excessive consumerism is a good bicycle ride. Be that 'round the block or out in the 'burbs', getting out and pedaling is good for you.

But you know that!

Need some motivation? Well, I put out this challenge last week. maybe that would be a nice way to kick off the weekend? Maybe. 

However; don't let that challenge and distance hold you back. Just getting outside and pedaling, or even walking, if you are stuck in the snow like N.Y. Roll is in New York now, is a good idea. Just get outside, breath the air, and move. I like to do that with a bicycle, but you do you. Besides, you probably ate too much yesterday anyway, yes? (If you didn't, good on ya!)

Are More Batteries A Better Thing?

Recently Magura announced a new Vyron dropper seat post that is activated by a wireless Bluetooth remote. The system is pretty technologically advanced, with the wireless thing, of course, but there is also a servo motor which controls oil flow in the post as well. 

Naturally, the system works on a battery, a Lithium-Ion battery, (two, actually), which is replaceable. And when that battery needs replacing? 

Why do we consistently (a) need to turn everything into a "device" controlled by radio waves and batteries with (b) environmentally toxic materials? These batteries typically are not disposed of properly, especially when they are of such a small size, as in the Vyron post. These disposed Lithium-ion batteries contain metals such as cobalt, nickel, and manganese, which are toxic and can contaminate water supplies and ecosystems if they leach out of landfills. 

I mean, bicycles are bad enough in terms of their carbon footprint, environmental impacts due to manufacturing, and in terms of the high-end bicycles, a further reliance on electronics, but a dropper seat post with disposable batteries?   

True- each seatpost mounted battery lasts a claimed year of service, but eventually, these all will probably end up in the landfill. Not to mention the CR 2032 battery used for the remote, which assuredly will not be handled properly at disposal.  That is- unless a concerted effort is made to persuade riders to do otherwise, and I haven't seen that yet. Meanwhile, mechanically operated droppers are working just fine without such concerns. 

Something to consider....

An Acknowledgement And A Lesson:

I read an article the other day that claimed that the youth out there feel that hand written notes are a "waste of time". Yeah.....that was the term used. 

Amazing. 

That's too bad, because these folks are missing out on something wonderful, if, in fact, that article is representative of what the youth out there really think. I am choosing to not believe this at all.

I think people really appreciate being thanked, recognized, encouraged, and well.....noticed. Doesn't a hand written note do those things? Yes, I am here to tell you that a hand written note does those things, because a recent hand written note has done that for me. Although, perhaps I am disqualified from being an example, because I am old. That's really dumb, by the way, if true.

That's my acknowledgement of this particular note. You know who you are that sent it, so "Thank you!"

The lesson? Anyone can do this to help another. It can be a text, a phone call, or a simple note like the one I received. Don't believe for a second it is a "waste of time". 

Update: Okay, this is kind of funny. A day after I wrote this about "Thank You's" I saw the following which is related. As quoted from an Axios Finish Line newsletter I receive nightly:

" Another study by researchers from Kent State University tested the effect of writing letters of gratitude to other people.

• The results were clear: Taking the time to say thank you in writing made people happier, more satisfied with life and even decreased symptoms of depression."

So: On the very unlikely chance that writing a "thank you" doesn't do anything for the recipient, it does something for you.

Reminder: If you are an old reader here, you know what is coming. If you are fairly new, maybe not so much. Here's the deal: The "End-OfYear"posts kick in starting December 1st with my first of many "Bikes Of 2022" postings. There will be four "Rear View 2022" posts, a "Top Ten Posts of 2022", and a "best-of" photo review for the year, all coming up.

Have a great weekend! Thanks for reading Guitar Ted Productions.

Brown Season: Turkey Burn 2021

Escape Route: Sergeant Road Bike Trail

 This post could also be called "The BH,G,B and B Ride", or the "Four County Tour", and it could also be called "The Horse And Barn Route". But since this is part of the Virtual Turkey Burn thing I proposed, I'm going with the "Turkey Burn" theme on this one. But those other names should give you a clue as to how the route was for visuals.

But before I get to any of that, I have to lay the foundation for this year's Turkey Burn. The idea of this goes back into the 00's when we would gather together and ride at what was then Camp Ingawanis (North side, natch), and we'd ride around the trails and then have some chili at the end of it all. This idea carried onward for several years until at some point in the teens it kind of died out. No one locally was picking the idea up. So, I just decided to start doing my own here a few years ago. 

This year I had options and then......I didn't, and I had to go Saturday or it wouldn't have worked out. The Saturday after Thanksgiving was always the traditional date for this anyway, so that was nice. Then the weather.... At first it looked 'okay', then it was saying we'd have a spot of rain, then at the last minute, the forecast looked spectacular. Well, as good as you can hope for in late November, at any rate. Temperatures were supposedly going over 50°F by noon. Then there was wind. Of course, there always is wind. I had a route planned out, but when I saw the final wind forecast on Friday I quickly amended my route plan, came up with an entirely different plan, and set off to go get a good night's sleep. 

I also had a time limitation on the ride. I had to be back by 2:00pm. So, no full-length century. I could squeeze in a metric though, and with the Sun coming up around 7:00am, I could squeak out that distance with time to spare if nothing went wrong.

I had to dodge this liquefied poop spreader machine on Ranchero Road.

Looking off into Grundy County headed West on Ranchero/170th

It was chilly to start. Low 30's, but the winds were light and out of the Southeast. The flags were barely moving on the houses I passed by on Ranchero Road. My plan was to head over toward Dike, Iowa, head North a bit, more West, then a big push North through Grundy County and into Butler County. The wind was to switch around to the West and then Northwest and get really brutal by around 11:00am. they were talking 22mph with gusts to 35mph. My hope was to cover most of my North and West bits before the wind got up and was tough to ride against. The back half of the route would be tailwind city. 

Horses. I saw LOTS of horses on this route.

That is Dike, Iowa off in the distance as seen from 150th in Grundy County

By the time I had gotten up Vista, over a bit on the black top, and up Vale to 150th, there was some wind happening, but it was light. I kept on the gas riding my Twin Six Standard Rando v2 single speed and pushed Westward to "S" Avenue where I turned North for a bit of a longer run.

The clouds gave way to Sun for a bit as I rode North on S Ave.

 

Looking down at the Beaver Creek Valley riding North on S Avenue.

Crossing Beaver Creek on Terrace Avenue

Eventually I turned East on Westbrook Road and the another push North on Terrace Avenue which is in Butler County. By now the Sun had set the temperatures off up through the 40's and as I labored up the steep, long-ish climb after crossing Beaver Creek, I was considering taking a clothing change stop. But not just yet. I had packed my Twin Six vest and a lighter pair of gloves against what I was expecting for temperatures later into the ride. 

I don't ride much in Grundy or Butler Counties, but I think after this ride I may make a change in that. The terrain was flat in places, but nearing the Grundy-Butler line things get a lot more interesting. Hills kick in and in Butler County you have a lot more streams which have deeper valleys, making for more climbing and more interesting landscapes. 

The big climb on Terrace Avenue dead ahead.

And the other side.

My biggest climb was tough, but I didn't have to walk it, which was good! Then onward to 310th, over to Willow, up North a bit more across the West Fork, and then onward to the last of what could be headwind trouble. 

A big truck kicks up a dust trail behind it. I'm riding East on 310th here.

A few farmers were on the other side of this equipment here getting it ready to store for the Winter.

By this time I was running across traffic out on the roads. It was really dusty out there and I had issues with gravel dust inhalation during and after the ride. I should have pulled out one of the buff thingies I was packing but I was too busy trying to get all the North stuff done before the wind got up. 

My goal was to reach Janesville, at about mile 45 on the loop, before noon. I was doing well on that front, but I kept pushing on. By the time I had 30 miles in I still had not stopped at all. My first stop would be to swap out clothing as I was getting hot and I was feeling it as I went up Willow Avenue toward the West Fork crossing.

This is the only bridge in the area that crosses the West Fork via gravel.

It's crazy that this iron has lasted for decades. How much longer can this bridge survive?

I decided to stop and swap out clothing at the bridge over the West Fork (of the Cedar River). This is one of the three rivers that forms the "Turkey Foot" confluence area of three rivers including the Shell Rock and the Cedar. The indigenous peoples that used to come to this area to hunt in Summer would convene at the Turkey Foot for councils and other gatherings. 

Now most of the Big Wood that covered this area has been cleared for agriculture. It was an odd area for Iowa. Most of the surrounding area was open prairies. As I rode through on Saturday I couldn't help but think about how maybe that old growth hardwood forest should have been preserved. But, too late now.....

Old West Point Cemetery near Waverly Junction

 

Headed toward Janesville here on 265th.

 From the West Fork it is hilly. East on 290th, North on Butler Road, then back East on 265th. By the time I crossed County Road C55 and went up the big hill North of that, the wind went on big time as if a switch had been flipped. But it was okay as I was juuuusssst about done going North. 

A jog North on Badger and then it was over. I was getting pushed down 265th in Bremer County, the fourth county I'd been in that day, (BH, G, B and B- get it? Tour of Four Counties?), and I was off to go through Janesville and back on much more familiar roads to me.

East Janesville Church as seen from the intersection of Burton and Marquise Road.

 

The Sun shines through an American flag on this mailbox on Sage Road.

I actually beat my goal to get to Janesville by an hour and as I made my way down Garden Avenue to Marquise Road and back East I was looking at finishing well ahead of my self-appointed cut-off time of 2:00pm. The tail wind on Marquise Road was fantastic as the wind picked up in intensity now. It was downright hot going East and I actually welcomed  somewhat of a side-wind when I turned South on Sage Road as it cooled me back down a touch. 

A tractor discs up a field just off Sage Road

 

Round bales of corn stalks in a field off Sage Road near Co C57.

I had no real reason to push hard anymore. I was easily going to come in under my time limitation, so I backed it off and planned to take an extended break at The Big Rock. I hadn't stopped for any real length of time just to rest since I swapped out clothing at about the halfway mark into the ride. 

Taking it easy at The Big Rock.

So I ended up swinging back into Waterloo with just over 65 miles in a total time gone of five hours and fourty-five minutes. I was pretty pleased with that result and I felt good for not having put many longer rides in of late. 

I was tickled that I had nailed the route plan and that the winds came up when they did. It all just worked out perfectly. That said, I was ready to be done when I got back to the house. The bike worked great, and everything I used worked well. No complaints. 

I saw a lot of interesting things on the ride. Horses were everywhere on this loop. I don't think I rode more than a few miles at a crack without seeing a horse or two. I saw a bunch of pheasants at one point in Grundy County. I scared up a huge buck and four does in Northern Butler County. I saw another mated pair of Red Tailed Hawks. Of course, there were cows, dogs, and other birds. It was a good time. 

Is that the last 'big' ride of 2021? Probably. I'd be surprised if I get another chance like I had there Saturday with how the time, weather, and everything came together.

Brown Season: Turkey Burn 2021

Escape Route: Sergeant Road Bike Trail

 This post could also be called "The BH,G,B and B Ride", or the "Four County Tour", and it could also be called "The Horse And Barn Route". But since this is part of the Virtual Turkey Burn thing I proposed, I'm going with the "Turkey Burn" theme on this one. But those other names should give you a clue as to how the route was for visuals.

But before I get to any of that, I have to lay the foundation for this year's Turkey Burn. The idea of this goes back into the 00's when we would gather together and ride at what was then Camp Ingawanis (North side, natch), and we'd ride around the trails and then have some chili at the end of it all. This idea carried onward for several years until at some point in the teens it kind of died out. No one locally was picking the idea up. So, I just decided to start doing my own here a few years ago. 

This year I had options and then......I didn't, and I had to go Saturday or it wouldn't have worked out. The Saturday after Thanksgiving was always the traditional date for this anyway, so that was nice. Then the weather.... At first it looked 'okay', then it was saying we'd have a spot of rain, then at the last minute, the forecast looked spectacular. Well, as good as you can hope for in late November, at any rate. Temperatures were supposedly going over 50°F by noon. Then there was wind. Of course, there always is wind. I had a route planned out, but when I saw the final wind forecast on Friday I quickly amended my route plan, came up with an entirely different plan, and set off to go get a good night's sleep. 

I also had a time limitation on the ride. I had to be back by 2:00pm. So, no full-length century. I could squeeze in a metric though, and with the Sun coming up around 7:00am, I could squeak out that distance with time to spare if nothing went wrong.

I had to dodge this liquefied poop spreader machine on Ranchero Road.

Looking off into Grundy County headed West on Ranchero/170th

It was chilly to start. Low 30's, but the winds were light and out of the Southeast. The flags were barely moving on the houses I passed by on Ranchero Road. My plan was to head over toward Dike, Iowa, head North a bit, more West, then a big push North through Grundy County and into Butler County. The wind was to switch around to the West and then Northwest and get really brutal by around 11:00am. they were talking 22mph with gusts to 35mph. My hope was to cover most of my North and West bits before the wind got up and was tough to ride against. The back half of the route would be tailwind city. 

Horses. I saw LOTS of horses on this route.

That is Dike, Iowa off in the distance as seen from 150th in Grundy County

By the time I had gotten up Vista, over a bit on the black top, and up Vale to 150th, there was some wind happening, but it was light. I kept on the gas riding my Twin Six Standard Rando v2 single speed and pushed Westward to "S" Avenue where I turned North for a bit of a longer run.

The clouds gave way to Sun for a bit as I rode North on S Ave.

 

Looking down at the Beaver Creek Valley riding North on S Avenue.

Crossing Beaver Creek on Terrace Avenue

Eventually I turned East on Westbrook Road and the another push North on Terrace Avenue which is in Butler County. By now the Sun had set the temperatures off up through the 40's and as I labored up the steep, long-ish climb after crossing Beaver Creek, I was considering taking a clothing change stop. But not just yet. I had packed my Twin Six vest and a lighter pair of gloves against what I was expecting for temperatures later into the ride. 

I don't ride much in Grundy or Butler Counties, but I think after this ride I may make a change in that. The terrain was flat in places, but nearing the Grundy-Butler line things get a lot more interesting. Hills kick in and in Butler County you have a lot more streams which have deeper valleys, making for more climbing and more interesting landscapes. 

The big climb on Terrace Avenue dead ahead.

And the other side.

My biggest climb was tough, but I didn't have to walk it, which was good! Then onward to 310th, over to Willow, up North a bit more across the West Fork, and then onward to the last of what could be headwind trouble. 

A big truck kicks up a dust trail behind it. I'm riding East on 310th here.

A few farmers were on the other side of this equipment here getting it ready to store for the Winter.

By this time I was running across traffic out on the roads. It was really dusty out there and I had issues with gravel dust inhalation during and after the ride. I should have pulled out one of the buff thingies I was packing but I was too busy trying to get all the North stuff done before the wind got up. 

My goal was to reach Janesville, at about mile 45 on the loop, before noon. I was doing well on that front, but I kept pushing on. By the time I had 30 miles in I still had not stopped at all. My first stop would be to swap out clothing as I was getting hot and I was feeling it as I went up Willow Avenue toward the West Fork crossing.

This is the only bridge in the area that crosses the West Fork via gravel.

It's crazy that this iron has lasted for decades. How much longer can this bridge survive?

I decided to stop and swap out clothing at the bridge over the West Fork (of the Cedar River). This is one of the three rivers that forms the "Turkey Foot" confluence area of three rivers including the Shell Rock and the Cedar. The indigenous peoples that used to come to this area to hunt in Summer would convene at the Turkey Foot for councils and other gatherings. 

Now most of the Big Wood that covered this area has been cleared for agriculture. It was an odd area for Iowa. Most of the surrounding area was open prairies. As I rode through on Saturday I couldn't help but think about how maybe that old growth hardwood forest should have been preserved. But, too late now.....

Old West Point Cemetery near Waverly Junction

 

Headed toward Janesville here on 265th.

 From the West Fork it is hilly. East on 290th, North on Butler Road, then back East on 265th. By the time I crossed County Road C55 and went up the big hill North of that, the wind went on big time as if a switch had been flipped. But it was okay as I was juuuusssst about done going North. 

A jog North on Badger and then it was over. I was getting pushed down 265th in Bremer County, the fourth county I'd been in that day, (BH, G, B and B- get it? Tour of Four Counties?), and I was off to go through Janesville and back on much more familiar roads to me.

East Janesville Church as seen from the intersection of Burton and Marquise Road.

 

The Sun shines through an American flag on this mailbox on Sage Road.

I actually beat my goal to get to Janesville by an hour and as I made my way down Garden Avenue to Marquise Road and back East I was looking at finishing well ahead of my self-appointed cut-off time of 2:00pm. The tail wind on Marquise Road was fantastic as the wind picked up in intensity now. It was downright hot going East and I actually welcomed  somewhat of a side-wind when I turned South on Sage Road as it cooled me back down a touch. 

A tractor discs up a field just off Sage Road

 

Round bales of corn stalks in a field off Sage Road near Co C57.

I had no real reason to push hard anymore. I was easily going to come in under my time limitation, so I backed it off and planned to take an extended break at The Big Rock. I hadn't stopped for any real length of time just to rest since I swapped out clothing at about the halfway mark into the ride. 

Taking it easy at The Big Rock.

So I ended up swinging back into Waterloo with just over 65 miles in a total time gone of five hours and fourty-five minutes. I was pretty pleased with that result and I felt good for not having put many longer rides in of late. 

I was tickled that I had nailed the route plan and that the winds came up when they did. It all just worked out perfectly. That said, I was ready to be done when I got back to the house. The bike worked great, and everything I used worked well. No complaints. 

I saw a lot of interesting things on the ride. Horses were everywhere on this loop. I don't think I rode more than a few miles at a crack without seeing a horse or two. I saw a bunch of pheasants at one point in Grundy County. I scared up a huge buck and four does in Northern Butler County. I saw another mated pair of Red Tailed Hawks. Of course, there were cows, dogs, and other birds. It was a good time. 

Is that the last 'big' ride of 2021? Probably. I'd be surprised if I get another chance like I had there Saturday with how the time, weather, and everything came together.