Along the Cedar Falls Trail -- Sunday, 5/29/16

After days of warm and humid -- which is a little better than hot and humid -- today's rain prediction was negligible.  In fact, the sun shone brightly when we bounded out of bed ... or, maybe just rolled out.  We'd been waiting for a cooler, less muggy, and drier day to explore some of the Cedar River Trail on our bikes.  This was our opportunity!

We got an early enough start, and our only plan was to take as long as we wanted and explore as much as we could.  But, first came a hearty breakfast of Kodiak flapjacks and bacon -- yum!  The Cedar Falls area has over 80 miles of recreational trails that course beside lakes, through river bottomlands, along forested riverbanks, and prairies, much of it shaded with hardwoods.  This being a Sunday and part of a three-day weekend, plenty of people were enjoying the great outdoors, same as us.  Seeing families (with youngsters) together using the trail was especially nice.

We pedaled around Big Woods Lake, where kayakers paddled.

Above and below:  A signboard gave us stats:  Prior to pioneers settling the countryside, almost 30 million acres of Iowa were covered by a vast ocean of waving tall grasses and wildflowers.  Today, fewer than 30,000 acres of original prairie survive as scattered remnants amidst the agricultural landscape (think: corn).  We were fortunate to ride along a 13-acre reconstructed prairie, and it was gorgeous.

I think I mentioned in a previous post about all the water hereabouts.  From a powerful river to a mud puddle, Cedar Falls has water!  This may be hard to believe, but despite lots of standing water, we didn't get bit once.  No skeeters, no gnats, ticks or flies -- didn't see a one.  It was great!

We pedaled next to the river for a while.  Downtown Cedar Falls is to the left where the red building is, and our bike trail is visible on the right.

Wildflowers from all habitats.

We crisscrossed the river.  On the south side, we realized we were on an old railroad when we spied obsolete power poles and an old rusted signal light and box, which Jimmy was examining.

Up the hill behind Jimmy are homes in Cedar Heights and the river streaks by in front.  This is where we stopped to eat a granola bar and sip a Gatorade.  The bike path was mostly flat, or a mild grade.  Another perk of the trail is all the benches provided, as well as an occasional picnic table.  Really very nice.

As we rode back into town, we got off our bikes at the "falls."  It's only about a ten-foot drop from the low-head dam, but the water at the bottom creates a rolling action, and if a person was go over, they'd get caught in there.  Jimmy and I talked about what would happen if a kayak went over.  The person might never get out.  It's dangerous, but thankfully, a chain is draped from the bridge (where I'm standing to take the picture below) to the water.  The river was high, so the drop may have been more now.

We had a lovely day out riding.  The temp was just right for a spot of exercise.  We managed to fritter away five very enjoyable hours outside, and biked a bit less than 25 miles.  Returning on the trail to Black Hawk Park c/g, we made preparations to leave in the morning ... still heading east.  Two more "I" states to go!

"When in Rome ... Saturday, 5/28/16

... do as the Roman's do."  Or, in our case, when in Iowa, do as Iowans do. Drive a tractor! At least, pay a visit to the John Deere Tractor and Engine Museum in Waterloo, Iowa.  It's mostly a guy thing, but I was willing to step up to the plate, so to speak, and fiddle with the gears.  A bright, shiny showroom holds many models and sizes of bright, shiny tractors.

Twas a dark and gloomy sky as we entered the museum.  Behind me, the sky was black, so we brought an umbrella in with us, just in case.  Turns out the umbrella wasn't necessary, as the sky "fell" while we toured inside, a rip-roarin' gully-washer.  I've lost count, indeed, have given up counting, the number of thunderstorms we've seen on our trip in the past two weeks.  When we left the museum, the sun was peeking thru the clouds!

A natural fit.

Jimmy's in the driver's seat!

Above, Jimmy's in front of the tire.  Below, he's between the tires.  That's one very huge tractor (7000 series), with LED lighting, a refrigerator, and lots of other advanced features.

Turns out the rain wasn't finished.  We can certainly see why the Midwest is green.  This remarkable lushness is a delight to us; we mention it frequently -- "Look how green everything is!"  Coming from drought-stricken California, green is not a color normally seen!

After dinner at Black Hawk Park c/g, a full, double rainbow appeared.

Now that's the proper way to end a rainy day!

Back in the 'hood? Friday, 5/27/16

Because of the three-day Memorial Day weekend, we got a move on early to snag a site at first-come, first-served Black Hawk Park in Cedar Falls, Iowa.  We lucked up and got the last available site, signing up for three nights ($18/night) -- in a nice pull thru with electric, at the edge of a forest.

What better place to spend Memorial Day than in the Heartland of America -- Iowa, and all that she conjures:  cornfields and farmland, rolling hills and silos, patriotic and friendly folk, front porches with red, white, and blue bunting, Mom's apple pie (just kidding about that one, I didn't see any apple trees) and even an Iowa boy named Marion Morrison, who might not have been the famous actor he became if he hadn't changed his name to John Wayne.

I had a special reason for being here ... to revisit the city and home where I lived as a youth fresh out of high school, a very long time ago.  Truthfully, more than 50 years have passed since then, a lifetime ago for me.  Cedar Falls is where my paternal grandparents lived, where my Dad and his sisters grew up; a quiet place in middle America.  This was a way station for me, a spot between point A and point B for my gypsy feet -- my home in Niagara Falls and the land where I wanted to be:  California.  I spent nearly a year in this house with my grandmother (Grandpa had passed earlier that year), and I was company for her.  But I couldn't stay; for me, it was, "California, here I come!"

It's still a lovely-looking home, although I didn't see a porch swing.  It looks loved, well cared-for, and I'm glad.  Our family has scattered to the four corners of this nation and I don't think we have relatives in Cedar Falls, none known to me anyway.  Jimmy asked me if I thought I'd ever come back, if I'd ever see the house or the city again.  It wasn't on my radar, I guess, 'cause I didn't think about returning, not in all my travels.  Iowa was just middle America and not a destination, I thought ... till today.  Now, I'm happy to have made it back, relive some good memories, and show it to Jimmy, tell him all about it. 

We have three days to spend, to look around, ride our bikes.  Cedar Valley has extensive bike trails.  Black Hawk c/g is full of holiday revelers, lots of people.  It's very, very green here.  Ponds, sloughs, creeks, streams, low places, and the Cedar River -- water is everywhere.  Weather forecasts call for rain and/or thunderstorms (that stuff is following us or something!).

Cottonwood or Willow "snow" -- airborne fluff that looks like snow dots the pond.

We managed a short bike ride to get an overview of the park, and a look-see at the river.

As we've seen in these Midwestern states, rivers and streams are at or above flood stage, fast and wild.  I had no idea the river was this BIG!  It's cloudy.  Expect more rain!

We had beau coup chores to take care of today, laundry and etc.,

and we got it all done, plus a bit of touring the town.

The old gas station on 1st Street is now a visitor center.

Enlarge the picture if you can't read the text.  A Danish newspaper was printed in Cedar Falls from 1882-1954, which drew a lot of Danish settlers to the city.  My grandmother was from Denmark.  My granddad was a merchant tailor from Sweden.  They married and settled in Cedar Falls in the early 1900's.

Near the visitor center is the Little Red Schoolhouse, which we checked out.

One room for all grades.

This is the teacher?

He's the apple of my eye! 

It may be redundant to say it rained today, but it did.

Happy Memorial Day, everybody!

Down on the dairy farm! Thursday, 5/26/16

Oh my goodness, if this wasn't a fun place to overnight!  When Jimmy called Jeanne at Hansen's Dairy Fresh Farm in Hudson, Iowa, to ask about us staying there Thursday night, her answer was YES.  Hansen's is our fourth Harvest Host stopover this trip, and each HH site has been completely different from the others and each has been good.  Hansen's has been the most entertaining, so far! 

Where in the state is Hudson?  A bit south of Waterloo/Cedar Falls.  An easy drive for us from the night before.  We had no idea what to expect; neither of us had ever been to a dairy farm.  We were willing to give it a try, even tho everybody knows that cows produce, uh ... smelly manure!   Well, we'd find out.

Hansen's is designated as a Heritage Farm, which means it's been owned by the same family for 150 years. It's also a designated site in the Silos & Smokestacks National Heritage Area. Jay and Jeanne Hansen are the sixth generation and their grown sons are actively involved at the farm.  After Jay introduced himself and we chatted about ourselves and the farm, he asked Jimmy if he'd brought fishing poles with him!  Of course he did!  The pond is 27 feet deep and full of Bluegill, so have at it! Jimmy made a quick run to a local store for night crawlers, and we fished.  First time we've been fishing in I-don't-remember-when.  This was just the beginning of a great afternoon.

We caught Bluegills, and I caught one catfish, which we released, and then we both caught "sunnies" repeatedly, which were too small to keep.  I figured it was the same dumb fish over and over!  Maybe we had enough fish in the bucket for dinner!

This was so interesting to me.  The Bluegills were spawning.  The males make a depression in the warm, shallow water, hoping to entice a female to join him.  Sort of like Salmon, only a lot smaller. The females lurked just beyond.  These little guys were fiercely defensive of their nesting holes.  If you enlarge the pic, you'll see a male in nearly each hollow.  (Tergel is parked on the gravel driveway next to the pond, just out of the picture to the left.)

Sunfish suspended?  

Farm tours are offered and Jimmy and I decided to "do" a complete hands-on tour, meeting in the dome at 3:30, after fishing. The tour included lots of things, beginning with a small cup of their 1% pasteurized but not homogenized milk, quite tasty and no ill effects ....

First was calf feeding!  This day-old calf just about pulled my arms out of my shoulder sockets, he pulled so hard on the nipple.  Little fella was strong!  The milk in the bottle is his own mom's.  Jimmy fed a calf, too, and said the same thing.  The calves were capital H-hungry!  I didn't wear fancy clothes for touring a dairy farm!

Each calf born is named with the first letter of it's mom; as in, Apple would have a calf named Agatha, and so on.  That way the farm can keep track of the line.

Next up was the air-conditioned milking "shed."  Perhaps a milking "parlor?"  Anyway, the cows are milked right here and they're very, very ready to be relieved.  Nice to be in where it's cool on a hot day. The cows are milked every day at 4 am and 4 pm.  Every single day.

All right now ... my turn!  Here I am, and if you look closely, I am actually milking this cow; never have before this day.  Milking a cow may not have been on my nonexistent bucket list, but if it was, I can cross it off!  Joyce, our excellent tour guide in the background, was amused.

Ohhh, Jimmy's turn!  He milked the faucet on the right, but he said the cow couldn't turn off the other faucet, the one on the left!!   

Four young people were in our tour group, probably seniors in high school -- one guy and three girls, one of whom was wearing flipflops!  Yikes, in a barn, no less!  The young lady above was trying to protect herself from an overly-friendly cow kiss!  Get back, Bertha!

The Hansen's herd numbers about 175 purebred Holsteins, each with a name.

Hello, Aligator, spelled with one "L".

After visiting the cow barn, learning about silage and hearing about on-farm processing and so much more (most of which neither of us retained, but it seemed interesting at the time), we moved on to:  wait, that's not a cow ... it's a 'roo I'm petting!  A Red Kangaroo, named Pogo, with soft, velvety fur.  A kangaroo serves as mascot for the farm, and they have three here, two friendly females, and one aloof male.  Kangaroos squint, who knew?  She'd dug this round dirt pit, and was still working at it. Geez, we're on a roll here, we'd never been close to a kangaroo before, much less touched one, or watched one hop around!  Cool beans!

Jay, on his tractor, gives trolley rides from the dome to the farm and back.

When Jay returned us to the dome, we were in for a treat.  Joyce handed each of us a small container with cold raw milk.  We were to hold the container in both hands and shake it like mad, till our arms fell off or till we'd made BUTTER!  Both in my case!  By golly, we did it.  Another bucket list item checked off.  Joyce brought a salt shaker to the table and said to add a pinch to our patty of butter, and then handed out saltine crackers.  This was good.  Real good.  Butter and crackers were followed by home made ice cream from the freezer.  I picked the butter pecan as you see, and I tell you true, this was THE BEST ice cream I've ever tasted.  Bar none.  (They only use half the sugar others use.) By now, it was 5 pm, and we've just enjoyed an appetizer and dessert, so supper was "lite!"  We left our shoes by Tergel's door and hosed ourselves down in a cool shower, which felt wonderful.  It was pretty warm in Tergel.

Believe it or not, while parts of our tour included a free manure fragrance, we slept with windows open and smelled nary a whiff of cow flops.  What a great day we had, very enjoyable.

Jimmy cleaned those cute little fishies we caught and we stuck 'em in a baggie in the fridge.  Supper the next night at Black Hawk Park was fresh steamed asparagus, baked potatoes and pan-fried Bluegills.  Small, but delicious!  Yum.

The End!