Iowa, High Trestle Trail

Prairie States Trip -- Day 5

Today I'm just outside Des Moines to ride the High Trestle Trail.  My route begins at a parking lot in Ankeny, IA.  The paved path is busy with joggers, walkers, and strollers as is any suburban bike path on a nice summer day.  After a few miles the crowd thins out and the buildings give way to Iowa farm fields.  

Straight, paved and flat

UFO sighting in Sheldahl, IA!

At night the High Trestle Bridge's "frames" light up,
illuminating the bridge in a ghostly blue.

Kayaker paddling the Des Moines River

Trail crew

#HighTrestleTrailBridge

Route

After the ride, I take a power nap under a bush next to the parking lot in preparation for the 5-hour drive back home.  While I was disappointed by the Upper Buffalo mountain biking, the rest of trip was above expectations and the High Trestle Bridge was an excellent finish to a sweet biking trip.

State:	Iowa
Date:	2016-08-31
Route:	High Trestle Trail, Ankeny to Woodward
Distance:	60 miles

Kansas, Prairie Spirit Trail, Learning to drive

Prairie States Trip -- Day 4 

Conveniently, the bike trail runs right in front of the hotel.  After a quick breakfast, I'm on the trail headed north.  A rural rails-to-trails, I am pleasantly surprised with the nicely shaded limestone trail.  Very quiet on a week day, the miles fly by.

Much of the limestone trail is nicely shaded

Is it worth a 5-hour drive?  Perhaps not, but I mind don't driving.  Working out of the house these past years, I like driving.  I've liked driving ever since my first job at the Northwest Auto Wash.  In fact, that's where I learned to drive back in 1976...

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A faint mist rose off the wet rollers as they trundled down the car conveyor.  The many apparatuses of the car wash burst to life.  Humming, squeaking, and rattling in anticipation of the cars that would soon be arriving.  Around the garage entrance stood the crew of high school boys waiting for their work assignments.  Groggy on an early Saturday morning, they quietly conserve their energy for the 10 hours of work ahead.

“A thousand-car Saturday, shit!” said Stevie.

“A thousand what?” I asked.

“A thousand-car Saturday.  I bet we wash a thousand cars today.  Look at the line already.” explained Stevie, pointing at the cars lined up from the entrance, across the lot and now queuing in the right lane.  “This is gonna suck.”

Prairie Spirit Trail, Welda Trailhead

My first job and my second week of work at the car wash, I was still getting used to the grind of a workday.  As I gazed at the line of cars thinking “that’s one hundred cars per hour – more than one per minute!” the interior garage door burst open and in stalked the manager, Big Danny.  Big Danny wasn’t very big actually -- his name was derived to differentiate him from the assistant manager Little Danny.  He always seemed to be leaning forward as he walked.  Big or little, when he barked out orders, we didn't ask questions, we jumped.

“You two, blowers.  You, mats and towels.  You, rear and passenger-side windows. You, driver-side windows.” Big Danny said, delegating the jobs to the crew.  Big Danny never referred to us by our names.  We were pretty sure he didn’t know our names.  With the high turnover of employees, why would he bother. “And you,” pointing to me, “drive out.”

Up until this point, I had only performed the simpler jobs, wiping the car dry after it went through the blowers or washing interior windows.  “Gee, I must be doing something right,” I thought as Big Danny had just assigned me the prime job of driving out.  My feeling of achievement was tempered by one thing though, I didn’t know how to drive.  As a 16-year-old, I was old enough to work and old enough to drive, but I was a victim of the school district’s Drivers Education schedule.  It wasn’t offered until spring semester, so here I was working at a car wash having never driven a car.  My only relevant experience consisted of the many hours I spent driving go-carts at an amusement park in Door County.  

I had gleaned the "drive out" procedure by observing my co-workers from the back seat.  Step 1, get in.  Step 2, start the engine.  Step 3, spray the interior windows with cleaner.  Step 4, wash the windshield.  Step 5, when the car gets to the end of the conveyor, put the car in drive.  Step 6, pull out into the parking lot and make a quick right turn.  Step 7, put the car in park.  Step 8, jump out and run to the next car before it rolls off the conveyor.  Repeat.

With the sequence in mind, I waited nervously as the first car emerged from the spinning blur of red and white brushes.  The blowers screamed as they scattered the water droplets from the car.  I waited until the door was clear and got in.  Stevie hopped in the back seat.  Carefully, I turned the key.  I knew enough not to turn the key too long and thankfully I could feel the engine turn over.  OK, spray the windows.  Now, wash the windshield.  So far, so good.

The trail between Welda and Garnett is particularly nice

At the end of the conveyor, I carefully put the car in drive and then, as my extensive go-cart driving had taught me, I floored it.  A 5-HP go-cart engine is pretty sluggish unless you really give it some gas.  A full-size 4-door sedan with wet tires responds quite differently.  With both rear tires squealing, I was halfway across the parking lot before I knew it.  Quickly, I applied the brakes, again using my go-cart pedal technique.  Screeeeech!  The car slid to a halt.  Poor Stevie, careened off the seat back and into the footwell with a grunt.

Lake Garnett Park, The Perfect Spot for Lunch!

After a moment of stunned silence, I collected myself and apologized to Stevie’s feet. The driver’s side door ripped open and there was Big Danny.  He was definitely leaning forward.

“Jesus Christ, don’t you know how to drive?” he spat.

“I don’t,” I admitted.

“Get out of the car!”  Big Danny glanced at Stevie staggering out of the rear door.  “You drive out!”

I stood still, clutching the spray bottle and rag, waiting to be fired.  Big Danny looked back at me, “Rear and passenger-side windows!” he said as he stomped off.  “Surrounded by a bunch of virgins. Jesus Christ!”

Prairie Spirit Trail Route

The good thing about Big Danny was that not only didn’t he remember names, after a while he couldn’t remember who messed up, so three weeks later, Saturday morning, “You, blowers.  You, mats and towels. You, rear-window.” And he points to me, “You drive out.”  This time I was ready.  I carefully turned the key, washed the windshield and slowly eased the car out to the parking lot.  Hey, I can do this.

By the time I took Driver’s Ed months later, I was an absolute expert with right turns at under 5 MPH.  And I was pretty good with a stick-shift too -- as long as I never had to leave first gear.

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Next stop, Iowa!

State:	Kansas
Date:	2016-08-30
Route:	Prairie Spirit Trail, Iola (America's Best Value Inn parking lot) to Garnett City Park
Distance:	60 miles

Oklahoma, Talimena Scenic Drive

Prairie States Trip -- Day 3

From the Upper Buffalo Wilderness, it's a short 3-hour drive to Oklahoma.  While Oklahoma evokes visions of endless prairie, the eastern end is surprisingly mountainous.  Here, the Ouachita Mountains and Ouachita National Forest poke into Oklahoma.  Tonight my destination is Cedar Lake Recreation Site in the heart of the forest.  A nice campground on the shore of a pretty lake with decent showers and, best of all, the campsites are free.

Cedar Lake Recreation Area, Free camping w/showers

In the morning, I drive to the Talimena Scenic Drive which runs between its namesakes: Mena, AK and Telihina, OK.  The distance from the eastern visitors center to the western visitors center is 60 miles with a 5,000 foot climb and descent.  The well-paved two-lane road climbs and falls with along the spine of the Winding Stair Mountains and has absolutely no shoulder.

Shawnee Outlook

I'm not ready to tackle a mile climb, so I drive up to the first pull out to start my ride, the Shawnee Lookout.  The 180-degree view of the mist-covered hills in the morning sun is absolutely stunning. 
   

Note the climb ahead!

The lack of a shoulder is not an issue as, aside from a forest service truck, no vehicles pass me for first 45 minutes.  Even with the elevation head start, I can't avoid the Talimena's climbs.  Soon I am forced to my lowest gear and a serpentine ascent.  

I'm not the only rider today, two road bikers whiz by downhill as I slowly work up an ascent.  Later when I return to the van, I see one of the riders on his return route looking strong.  A few minutes later, the second biker pulls up to the van as I am loading my bike.  He's not looking strong.

"Hey man, do you have any extra water?" he asks.  It was by now mid-afternoon and pretty hot in the full sun.

"Yea, sure, of course.  I filled up at the campground so it has a bit of an aftertaste,"  I said as offered a spare water bottle.

"Oh, that's OK.  Thanks a lot!" he said as I poured my bottle into his.

This guy still had a couple hours to ride.  Out of water and with no place on the drive to refill, he was lucky to meet me.

"No problem, have a good ride."

Panoramic Vista

When folks ask me about my favorite Frizbo Fifty bike rides, I always include the Talimena.  The physical route itself is epic offering miles of rolling ridge line punctuated by intimidating climbs and exhilarating descents.  Furthermore, the view is spectacular.  But the fact that it's Oklahoma makes it something really noteworthy -- a hidden gem.   If you get anywhere near here -- ride it -- you won't forget it.

Talimena Scenic Drive Route

I drive out of the mountains down to Talihina.  The heat of the Oklahoma plains hits me like a sledge hammer.     

Down in the Oklahoma prairie, the afternoon temperature spikes

Next stop, Iola, Kansas, a 5-hour drive.  As I pass through Eufaula, OK, I see a bank sign announcing a three-digit temperature.  A quick check of Google Maps shows lake-front park.  Still sticky from the long ride, I pull off to see if I can jump in the lake.  A modest beach by the Eufaula Cove Marina provides me a quick swim and respite from the heat.  Late in the evening, I arrive at the America's Best Value Inn in Iola.

(Add story about construction workers grilling on their tailgate.)

State:	Oklahoma
Date:	2016-08-29
Route:	Talimena Scenic Drive (Shawnee Outlook to Panoramic Vista)
Distance:	25 miles, 2,850 ft. +/-

Arkansas, Upper Buffalo Wilderness, an IMBA Epic Ride

Prairie States Trip -- Day 1 & 2

Today begins a multi-day biking trip through Arkansas, Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa.  The first official stop is Arkansas, but as I am driving right by the Katy Trail, I stop for a quickie to stretch my legs.  I have just enough time to park at the Busch Greenway Trail Head, ride to the I-40 Bridge and then west to MM 58 and back (20 miles).

Closed access to the Katy Trail

Some anti-biking bureaucrat has closed access to the Katy Trail just because some of the bridge's spans were washed out in a flood.  What nonsense!  I never respect such closures as officials are too motivated to close bikes trails at the slightest hint of risk.  Furthermore, they'll barricade a mile of trail, when the washout is only ten feet wide. 99% of the time an able-bodied biker is able to easily navigate the short disruption and continue on their way.  The hardest obstacle of today's disruption is climbing the  barrier.  The washed out span barely required a dismount. 

I-40 Bridge over Missouri River

My destination is the mountain biking trails of the Upper Buffalo Wilderness.  Designated an "Epic Ride" by the International Mountain Bikers Association (IMBA), I am really jacked to test myself on these trails. 

Arkansas Dawn

The Buffalo River is also a popular canoeing river

After wandering around local roads, I park at the Dahl Memorial Trailhead in the wilderness on head out on a forest road towards the mountain bike trails.

Forest Road 1463

I link up with the Knucklehead Trail (near Nuckles Creek) and start climbing into the Ozark mountains.  The trail is not exactly what I was expecting for an IMBA Epic Ride.  It's obvious this bit of trail is rarely ridden as it's overgrown, littered with small branches and blocked by larger tree limbs.

Not only am I slowed by the frequent blow downs, but I am distracted by the frequent spider webs hanging across the trail -- they are quite big and sticky.  As most hikers know, the first person blazing a trail each day will have the pleasure of breaking through a few webs.  These aren't errant threads though, but full webs centered eye-level in the middle of the trail with a large Arkansas spider sitting dead-center.  I'm finding it hard to ride the trail, peel the web off my sunglasses while wondering where the hell that pissed-off spider ended up.

Spiders waiting for their prey -- me!

I have to give credit to the local club for posting maps at trail intersections, but  I get lost anyway, climbing up a one-way downhill run.  I get my ass kicked.    

Trail-side map -- the butterfly is pointing to my current location (not)

By the time I reach the fire tower, my legs are cramping and my brakes are shot.  Chagrined, I ride the forest road back (aka a green trail) to my van.

Arkansas hardwood forest (Dahl Memorial Trailhead)

On the way I meet some locals out for an after-church Sunday drive.  The road is so rugged I easily keep up with their four-wheel drive pickup.  Arkansas forest roads are not for the faint of heart.

Upper Buffalo Wilderness Route

Next stop is Oklahoma!

State:	Arkansas
Date:	2016-08-28
Route:	Upper Buffalo MTB Trails and forest roads, Dahl Memorial Trailhead to Fire tower
Distance:	20 miles, 1,900 ft +/-