Back early to be with Lily

More rain

We have been weaving our way east of ames and then north maximizing bike trial travel between back roads. We woke this AM to thunderstorms and decided we should skip the last trail that was farther north (this took a little pushing as Jim doesn't like to cut bike trips short). 

We went strait into the wind limiting us to  a snails pace of 7-9 mph.

Into the wind

After we left the trail, we went strait into the wind.

But we were able to do 50 miles in the mid50 degree weather and are spending the night at green acres motel in Rockwell.

Cloudy and chilly, but great trail

Thunderstorms last night lulled us to sleep. The rain stopped just before we hopped on our bikes around 10:30. I've kept my 4 top layers on the whole day. 

Our first 20 miles were once again on a bucolic rural trail that wound through farm country, meandering creeks with wooden bridges and wooded areas. The highlight was the wind at our backs going 22 miles an hour with two deer running alongside us.

Lily loves cows, so every time we pass a herd I serenade them with, "moo, lily manda saludos." And trains are greeted with her gesture of pulling my arm down and "choo chooooo!!!"

In Carroll IA after 56 miles

The second half of the day was on back country roads and the final stretch was on 8 miles of a gravel shoulder of the busy 2 lane hwy 30- an intense end to a lovely day of biking. 

We are spending the night at the Adam's Street bed and breakfast. We spoke with lily at dinner who had another fun day with her abuelitos.

Tired.....

Beautiful trail

We slept in this morning, a luxury possible without our two and half year old(whom we miss lots). Breakfast at hotel patee and then hit the beautiful rural trail. we didn't pass a single other biker.

Jim has been biking to work but my Swimming has not prepared my behind, which is paying the price for my not having biked much at all.

We are having lunch in jefferson at a cafe. i ordered the fish dinner and jim a veggie burger. his burger arrived but it was a beef burger. He hailed the waitress, pointed to the burger and said, "I ordered the veggie burger". The waitress replied that that was the veggie burger. The two exchanged quizzical looks and jim explained he was a vegetarian. the waitress said, "son, this is iowa and this is a veggie burger- a burger with veggies" veggies being lettuce and tomato. 

Time to get back on the road....

Night at historic hotel Pattee in Perry

We are saying in the Ragbrai room....

Sabbatical tour

I've been with AFSC for 10 years and am kicking off my three month sabbatical with an IA bike tour before we head to Chachapoyas, Peru.

We left our amazing Lily with my parents in Ames and hit the road (and bike trail- about half of each today). We put in 38 lovely miles.