2012 Hiawatha Classic

PERRY, IOWA - The 2012 version of the Hiawatha Classic Bike Ride, sponsored by Perry Parks & Recreation, was moved to May 19th of this year.  The ride is typically held in June, but to help celebrate Bike Month the ride was moved up.  Weather today was quite warm and very windy, with a strong south wind gusting into the 30's.  About an hour into the ride, a line of storms approached from the west.  Although some lightning and hail was reported over by Herndon, the bulk of the precipitation missed the route.  This year's route went through Perry, Dawson, Yale, Herndon, Cooper and Rippey although you could elect to take a shorter route.  As always, the RRVT west of Perry was in pristine condition with lots of flowers blooming and plenty of shade from the trees that line the trail.

Departing Perry heading west.  Just to the north of this area is where the Milwaukee Railroad once had a major operation and yard with maintenance buildings, a roundhouse, and several other facilities.  Today, if it wasn't for the trail, you wouldn't even know it once existed.

Further west along the RRVT west of Perry.

The Milwaukee Depot in Dawson has been restored and turned into a very nice trail head with a rest area, museum displays and restrooms.  If you saw this building just a few years ago before it was restored (at that time nearly ready to fall down due to neglect), you'd be amazed with how it looks now.

On the return trip storms were starting to roll in.  Note the ominous clods approaching from the west.