Glorious Saturday

WAUKEE, IOWA - This Saturday was one of those types of days where we just wanted to stay outside as much as possible and soak up the warm sunshine, feel the gentle breeze, and enjoy the aroma of springtime around us.  Besides getting a fair amount of yard work done, there was also some time spent cycling on the Raccoon River Valley Trail and around the great trail system in the City of Waukee as well as a visit to Big Creek State Park again to spend some time paddling on the open water.  It sounds like we have a couple more days of this nice, mild weather until later in the week when highs only in the 40's (!) are predicted.  Farmers are pushing hard trying to get anhydrous applied, wrap up tillage, and some have even started to plant corn while there was a window to get some field work done before the next system moves in.
     The BikeIowa.com calendar is starting to fill up with several rides in and around Central Iowa....just about every weekend there is something going on around the area.  Bike Month begins this coming week with several activities planned.  Locally the City of Perry has several activities coming up including the Hiawatha Classic which I hope to participate in again this year.  Also preparations are well underway for a couple of big cycling events locally - the grand opening of the North Loop of the Raccoon River Valley Trail on June 1st, as well as RAGBRAI's trip across Central Dallas County in July.  Looking forward to both of these activities and many others for both the cycling and paddling enthusiasts here in Central Iowa!

We encountered this little guy basking in the sunshine himself on the trail this morning.

A peaceful moment on Big Creek this afternoon.

April Paddle at Big Creek

POLK CITY, IOWA - I was fortunate to attend a couple of events put on during the past several weeks by the good folks at Canoe Sport Outfitters in Indianola - Paddlefest and Demofest. These two events provided a great way to learn more about the different styles of kayaks that exist and better yet offered the opportunity to actually test various models in the water to dial in what best fits a given paddler's skills and intended use.  After attending these events, and trying different models out, I had determined that a recreational type kayak that had elements of a "transitional" class of kayak was probably the best fit for me.  This past Saturday was the first opportunity I had to get out on the water with the Kestrel 120 and chose to visit Big Creek State Park near Polk City.
     Conditions were partly sunny and in the lower 50's with very light winds when I arrived at the beach area of Big Creek.  There is currently a lot of construction going on at the beach were it looks like several new shelters, a boat house, and other structures are being built.  Not knowing if the boat ramp was accessible, I elected to embark on my journey by launching from the beach area that was still open outside of the construction area.
     Once situated in the boat, with my PFD in place, I pushed off and was quickly enjoying the beauty of Big Creek from offshore.  The kayak was very stable and it didn't take long to get comfortable as I moved further from shore.  I paddled along the east edge of the lake, and enjoyed observing several species of waterfowl along the lake.  There was a handful of folks fishing around the east perimeter of the lake along with a few fishing boats and one other paddler on the water.  Outside of that, it felt like I had the lake to myself.
     I have typically done most of my kayaking on the local rivers in the area, so it was a bit of a different experience paddling around the lake.  I certainly didn't have the advantage of a current pushing me downstream, so I was reliant on my own "engine" to keep me moving.  It didn't take long to get warmed up and I probably could have gotten by without wearing the jacket I had on under my PFD..
     After paddling for about three miles, it was time to return to shore and head home.  It will be fun to check out some more of the various Iowa water trails this coming summer!
    

Trail Cleanup!

DALLAS CENTER, IOWA - We have been water logged the last week or so all throughout the area (what a difference a year makes!) but the weather finally "broke" this weekend and treated us to some gorgeous sunshine, light winds and a great day for some trail maintenance along the RRVT in Dallas Center.
     Since biking the newly opened segment of the RRVT running north out of Dallas Center, I have been bothered with the amount of litter and junk that had accumulated along the former railroad right-of-way.  So this past weekend, with the help of the city we organized a small group of volunteers to clean up that stretch of trail and try to make it more presentable to folks coming through town.
     After only two hours of work, we were able to scour both sides of the trail and fill up a pickup load full of debris to take to the dump.  Paper, cardboard, metal, glass, plastic and just about anything else you can imagine was picked up.  Thanks to the efforts of these volunteers, that stretch of trail looks much more pristine as you come through town.

Biking in the 'Burbs

CLIVE, IOWA - Activity seems to have picked up on the RRVT the last week with the milder
weather we've been experiencing.  On several jaunts between Minburn, Dallas Center and Waukee the past several days folks are definitely taking advantage of the opportunity to get outside and enjoy the tranquility of the rural Dallas County countryside.
     After riding the RRVT into the heart of Waukee today, I veered off onto a "spur" trail that was recently expanded through several neighborhoods, across Alice's Road, and eventually into Clive where you can continue on to the trail system that eventually takes you to downtown Des Moines (without some of the big hills on the existing stretch of trail along Hickman Road).  It sure is exciting to see how easy it is to get just about anywhere in the Des Moines metro nowadays via the excellent network of paths and trails throughout the area.  We're quite fortunate to have these assets in our backyard!

Where's Spring?

The Redfield Dam at Dawn

REDFIELD, IOWA - Saturday I had hoped to ride the RRVT from Adel to Redfield to enjoy a weekly event that draws a big crowd from around the area, the Saturday morning all-you-can-eat breakfast at the Redfield American Legion.  The fine folks in Redfield recently completed construction on a newer, more spacious and modern Legion Building where they hold the weekly breakfast which draws quite a few cyclists, paddlers and others from around the area for the great food.  Well, it was in the upper 20's when I departed so I opted to stay on four wheels today.
     Various community groups in Redfield volunteer to "work" the breakfast each week, this particular weekend it was the Redfield Historical Society.  As always the food was great and filling.  Once it warms up a little more I look forward to cycling to Redfield to enjoy the event again.

Sunrise on the RRVT over Waukee

     I took time to stop by the Redfield Dam to see how water levels were looking. Downstream it looks as if the river was up compared to the last time I was here, I'm hoping for better flows than what we saw last year as a result of the drought.  Paddling from Redfield downstream toward Kuehn Nature Area is one of my favorite spots on the Raccoon River.
     Snow is in the forecast for this weekend, but it looks like we might start to see some recovery in temperatures by next weekend.  Still managed to cycle the stretch of trail between Dallas Center and Minburn this Saturday, however.  Even though it was cold, it was not so bitter that one could not enjoy hitting the trail this weekend.  I encountered a couple of other "hardy" souls out enjoying the trail along with me.

Hints of Spring

Snowmelt filling the marsh between DC and Waukee.

DALLAS CENTER, IOWA - Finally, temperatures this week managed to get into the upper fifties on Friday.  With the switch to daylight savings time a week ago, it should make it easier to hit the trail and start getting some more time in the saddle!  On a quick ride between Waukee and Dallas Center on the RRVT today, I encountered about a dozen other cyclists out enjoying the balmy weather.  Looks like the weather is going to turn crummy later in the weekend, so today was probably the "choice" day to get out and enjoy the trail.
     Spring is getting closer.  Saw the first red wing blackbirds of the season along the trail today, and also heard a meadowlark.  Typically when those avian species start to show up, it's a pretty good sign that warmer weather is just around the bend and here to stay.  Also saw a few ducks, several hawks, and a lot of robins which is also a good sign.
     Lots of rides and activities are starting to show up on the bikeiowa.com calendar for the upcoming riding season.  Looking forward to the many opportunities to enjoy some organized rides around central Iowa this coming year!

Wolf Creek Snow Trek

Approaching the trestle just east of Beaman on the Comet Trail.

BEAMAN, IOWA - Central Iowa experienced what was, perhaps, the largest winter storm so far this season as March "roared in like a lion" and dumped several inches of snow from the southwest to the northeast portion of the state.  The bullseye of this particular storm seemed to be in a swath near Marshalltown northeast through Grundy and Tama Counties toward the Waterloo area with several reports of a foot or more of snow from communities in this area.
     It just so happened that we were planning a trip to the area to visit family the weekend after the storm so it provided the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the freshly fallen snow and trek a stretch of the Comet Trail from Beaman toward Gladbrook on the snowshoes.

The Beaman Lions' Club sponsors this 1/4 mile trail section.

     Temperatures were in the upper 20's as I departed from the shadow of Mid-Iowa Cooperative's "prairie silos" (cement grain elevators) and headed eastbound on the former CNW right-of-way.  As I was lacing up the snowshoes, a trio of snowmobiles appeared and were easily overheard contemplating taking the trail which, at least on this section, is prohibited according to the posted signage and makeshift barricade that had been put up across the trail.  A previous snowmobiler had obviously disregarded the signage as seen in the photo above.  The group then determined that the "official" snowmobile route out of Beaman (one that has been well laid out and organized by a group of snowmobile enthusiasts from Central Iowa) took a different path and they headed back west.  The Comet Trail from Beaman west to Conrad is open to snowmobiles, and based on the tracks is being well utilized this winter - which is great to see.

Looking west from the K Avenue Trail head

     I am used to seeing the Comet Trail from the saddle of a bicycle in more temperate conditions - spring, summer, and fall - so this particular journey was a different experience.  Having no foliage on the trees permitted you to see some things that you normally don't during those seasons, such as a glimpse of Wolf Creek through the heavily wooded area on the southeast side of Beaman.  The snowmobile tracks on this stretch actually made trekking through the snow fairly easy; once I reached the trailhead a quarter mile down the trail the snowmobile tracks were gone and now it was a good opportunity to see if the snow shoes would hold up in deep, powdery snow.

Snowshoe Tracks

     As I progressed east, there were more open areas where the snow had drifted to at least three or four feet deep.  Trudging through the snow was still a workout, even with snow shoes on.  The shoes did, however, prevent me from sinking as deep as I would have without them, and on the drifts that had hardened just a bit I was able to sail right over the top of them without getting buried much at all.  I made it just about to Wolf Creek Park before I had to turn around in order to get back in time for us to wrap up our visit. The return trek was obviously a little easier since I had already blazed a trail.  The snowshoes worked flawlessly and in relatively short order I was back at my starting point.
     After a long week of being inside, mostly in front of a computer, it was a tremendous feeling having the chance to get outside and enjoy some fresh air, get some good exercise, and enjoy the serenity of the winter time along the corridor of the former "Toledo and Northwestern Railroad" that laid rails here back in 1880.  It was the dose of Vitamin "N" that I really needed this weekend!