Day 19 - ending at Imogene, IA - Getting Aligned - CycleBlaze

August 24, 2017

Day 19 - ending at Imogene, IA

rode on Wabash Trace Nature Trail

Posted via email Fri Aug 25 08:49:02 2017 PDT

I started working on the report just after I was up (at 4:25am). At 7:00am I heard "Reveille". I wish I had those sleeping hours! I put on sunscreen the last thing, then left Haworth Park at 8:50am.

I wasn't looking forward to the uphill climb to Bellevue's downtown, but there wouldn't be any other options for breakfast otherwise. I arrived at the Downtown Coffee Shop at 9:10am. They were busy, but no one was at the counter, so I sat there. I had a pecan roll with my eggs and bacon. Very good! Left at 9:30am for the coasting ride back to the river. I noticed an auto and truck repair place on the way, and stopped to see if I could get some air in my tires. A young worker took over from there, using his own gauge to check his work. He reported the front at 52 psi, and the rear at 48 psi. They're both at 70 psi now.

I was at the toll booth for the bridge at 10:00am. My toll - 50 cents. At 10:08am, I was off the bridge and in Iowa. I could see the Loess Hills in the distance. For now I was on level IA-370. At 10:35am I crossed over I-29. Two minutes later, I turned north onto a five-mile gravel road that would get me to a trailhead for the Wabash Trace Nature Trail. This gravel road was level, with the right size rocks for bicycling on.

At 11:25am, I was at the trailhead, where I paid the suggested trail fee ($1 per day) and added a donation. There are bikes here to rent from a self-serve rack. I noticed they're Trek three-speeds.

At 11:40am, I headed down the trail. At first I met walkers and bikers along the way. One cyclist passed me while I was recording the noon mileage: 12.5 miles. Later I passed him, then he passed me. Eventually, he turned around for his return trip.

This is a beautiful trail, in the shade of trees most of the time, with lots of places to stop and enjoy the scenery. I was doing too much of that, but had to stop, none-the-less, to check out a laydown recliner bench-chair. I don't actually know what it's called, but it sure was comfortable!

Finally moving along, I was at Dumfries at 1:00pm, "Cowboy Pass" at 1:22pm, and in Mineola at 1:35pm. There was a sign at the trailhead at Mineola indicating that food was available in town at Tobey Jack's. I decided to have a light lunch there. Instead of Fish & Chips, I was able to have "Fish & Mashed Potatoes" with two glasses of Mr. Pibb. It was sure cold inside there.

Back at Mineola's trailhead (at 2:30pm), I figured out I was not even half-way to my planned evening destination - Imogene. Started pedaling with the plan to keep moving, but then had to stop to look at railroad cars in the ditch along the trail. OK, now I'm on my way. Passed through Silver City at 3:06pm and Malvern at 4:22pm. The trail is concrete through both those towns.

At 4:45pm I stopped to set up for charging my smartphone as I ride. I'd been using the bottle dynamo off-and-on during the day, but left it constantly engaged now.

Came to the bridge over the Nishnabotna River at 5:12pm. More wrecked railroad cars - these in the river.

Finally, I arrived at the Imogene Trailhead - at 6:56pm. I knew ahead of time about the bathrooms being in a silo, but this is so much cooler than I'd expected! And they have electricity! I'm impressed.

I set the tent up where my extension cord could reach an outlet box, sorted through pictures, and called it a [great] day at 9:45pm.

Jeff

Spent: $13.48 plus $3 (breakfast) + $5 (compressed air donation) + $0.50 (bridge toll) + $5 (trail fee plus donation) + $11.49 plus $3 (lunch) = $41.47.

+ plus signs indicate pictures added after returning home from the trip +

Day 19 - Bellevue, NE to Imogene, IA
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+ Downtown Coffee Shop - Bellevue, NE +
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+ heading north on 192nd Street - Mills County, IA +
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+ Southwest Iowa Renewable Energy plant near Council Bluffs, IA +
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+ bicycles for rent at Iowa West Foundation Trailhead Park - Council Bluffs, IA +
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+ Wabash Trace Nature Trail near Dumfries, IA +
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+ bridge over Silver Creek - Mills County, IA +
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+ railroad cars in Silver Creek - Mills County, IA +
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+ railroad cars in West Nishnabotna River - Mills County, IA +
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+ on the trail southeast of Straham, IA +
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+ squeezing in between the power box and the silo - Imogene, IA +
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Today's ride: 44 miles (71 km)
Total: 696 miles (1,120 km)

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