my_bicycle_saved_me, 2013-04-20 12:09:48
Got in my first 50 miler of the year today, riding south to Garnett & back on the trail. Trail is in EXCELLENT shape. It was a little bit soft due to recent rains – more so in the morning heading out than later-morning on the return – but it wasn’t not bad at all.

There was a MASSIVE Boy Scout presence on the trail today, which was good to see. A ton of them descended on the Garnett trailhead shortly before I departed it on the return; they were riding north to Richmond. Then on that return, I saw a bunch of them also heading south.

Wonderful day for a bike ride; our trail is looking really lovely. I saw a few rabbits, few squirrels, a dog (I think!), a few different kinds of hawk, and just north of Richmond (I think) a beautiful large white bird which I took to be an egret. Saw him on the way out and then a couple hours later, he was still there on the return. He seemed content to just hang out there 🙂

Can’t wait to do my first Ottawa-Iola-Ottawa two-day “tour” over a weekend!

JD_Shawnee, 2013-05-01 04:21:32
Nice going MBSM.

Since my outdoor training has been spotty this year, I couldn’t face the strong southerly winds Tuesday (30th). I’m not in shape for it. Instead I trained-on-the-trails by taking the FHNT-East to Osawatomie. It is somewhat protected from the southern gales.

The FH-trail is firm. No cracks to speak of, nor were its horse tracks/droppings a problem. The corridor’s side ditches had various levels of moisture in them, mostly still water, while its bridged creeks and drainage ditches held moving water, much of it clear. Saw about eight early species of wildflowers (violets, mustards, anemone, verbena), some of them small. The later bloomers are greening up okay, too.

Had my second very satisfactory late-morning breakfast at the Whistle Stop in Osawatomie. Most of these meals are named after railroad cars or RR terms. Coffee 0.92; soft drinks 1.29. Daily buffet: weekdays 6.99; Sat 7.29; Sun 7.99. Full order of biscuits/gravy 3.69. Yay.

It was a refreshing ride. Normally, it is a 44-mile round-trip for me from the Old Depot Museum in Ottawa to downtown Osawatomie. It was closer to 48-miles this time because I took in the iron Marias des Cygnes River bridge 1.5-miles west of the PST on 1st Street in Ottawa. The fallen tree there last year has been removed. Beyond the west side of this bridge looks cleared too, but it has tons of large ballast rock on its pathway.

Now I can’t wait for the real stuff on the PST. Intend to use my season permit a lot this year.

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