There was a lot of overnight rain and this morning it continued. We waited around a while and decided to pack up and go.
We completed about 35.5 miles today. This does not seem a lot, but we had to look for detours and a lot of road cycling occurred on wet gravel roads. I rank today as a very good day in terms of progress.
Outside the hotel, as we left.
We stopped at the Post Office to pick up our second care package sent by Lizl. It was there on time and filled with goodies we did not request, but that we shall certainly enjoy. 🥰🥰🥰
Next to the Post Office is a piece of land specifically set aside to commemorate Pres Hoover's time. His birth home is in the foreground with his presidential library sticking out among the trees.
We also picked up a developed portion of the Hoover Nature Trail and left West Branch with happiness.
The Hoover Trail is part paved and part completed with crushed limestone. Both surfaces are great, but today the limestone was quite wet and it made the cycling harder.
However, the surroundings were a joy.
At Oasis (probably a station name from years ago) the improved trail ended and we had to go on the road for a while. Most roads in this area are gravel and we took a long time to get to the next town.
While we were struggling a bit with the wind (it was blowing quite strongly at times) and the rain, the corn happily grew.
Just before Morse, we came to this bridge construction site. There is a small pathway within the construction site, but so muddy that it is a no go. I walked upstream along the creek and found a small bridge, complete with a Toll Booth.
Luckily for us the toll both chair was empty at the time and we crossed without problems.
We crossed the Hoover Nature Trail again on our way to Solon.
We also passed this beautiful barn (above), and loved this comfortable width road shoulder (below).
The wind was tough today, blowing from the Northeast with the road sections changing direction from north to east (the worst) and west (great).
We bought coffees and cheese breadsticks at the Casey's in Solon.
Christine wanted me to show off my legs - what you can see of them through the mud we picked up on the gravel roads.
The Solon cemetery was fully decorated with large flags. Everywhere the towns are getting ready for Memorial Day Weekend.
Outside Solon we were surprised to see a completed section of the Hoover Nature Trail. This was a bonus and Christine was over the moon.
And where it ended, we smoothly connected
with the Cedar Valley Nature Trail.
We passed this farmstead.
The Cedar Valley Nature Trail is well designed, this section is along the main street going into town.
and the Ely Recreation Park.
This trail is in tremendous shape, even after the rain.
We noted that several shorter Trails, among these the Hoover Nature Trail, combined to form the Cedar Creak Nature Trail. This is a section outside Ely.
At several points along the trail, the original rail alignment has not been available for the Trail. At this point, the trail followed an acceptable route around the farm on the left and
a housing development.
We also loved the kinks the designers put in the trail. This is an old rail line and the kinks certaily make for a better and more enjoyable ride
than the long, straight sections.
As we came closer to Cedar Rapids we noted the devastation the 2020- derecho left all around. Almost all trees suffered damage and piles of broken off tree limbs are lying next to the trail as work crews cut and removed the broken branches and downed trees from the trail.
One of the many plants we saw along the Cedar River.
We also passed this nursery without any mishap. A couple of days ago, an overprotective gander decided to give us the chase.
Soon we saw part of the skyline of Cedar Rapids
while looking backwards we saw Mount Trashmore, the name given for the rubbish dump in the background.
We came to the Czech Village where we saw this mural and numerous small shops. We were cold and were pointed to the Cafe Saint Pio. We were unhappy to see that we were twenty minutes late. I knocked on the door and the owner, Brad Danielson, told us that coffee shops close early in this part of the world.
However, he invited us in for two special cups of Ethiopian coffee on the go. We ended up staying for more than 30 minutes while he shared some of the local history - at one stage this area had the largest Czech population in the world outside Prague and how a very large flood in 2008 and the Derecho of last year affected life here.
Thanks, Brad, your coffee and friendliness
certainly helped to warm us up.
This is how the wind churned up the Cedar River surface as we crossed into Cedar Rapids.
We gave this ice cream shop a miss,
took a photo or two of some murals
but soon arrived at our hotel, the Doubletree, for the evening. Contrary to yesterday, both of us were looking forward to a warm shower.
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