Pictured While Cycling: August 2011

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Monday, August 29, 2011

On this narrow road south of Iowa City, where there is no shoulder and the cars fly past at 60 mph, I heard a vehicle coming up behind me but slowing down. Seeing no driveway or road intersection ahead, I instinctively hunched down and pulled over as far to the right as I could in case I was about to be pelted with a half-empty milkshake or similarly shaped words. It happens. Instead, a white-haired grandma in a two-toned mini van slid up and matched my pace. Leaning toward me, she hollered across through the passenger's window, "Is this the road to the casino?" Dead-panned, from under my sparky-blue helmet, and from behind my clip-on sunglasses, I nodded a distinct affirmation. She nodded a firm thank you back, stomped on the accelerator, and sped off to her appointed destiny leaving me hanging on the edge of the road doubting who was more cool. See location on a map: Facing north.

Self portrait.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

August 25, 2011

I left home on my usual 25 mile ride wondering if I had taken all of the interesting pictures I could take along this route... And then... See location on a map.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

August 24, 2911

Rare sight: three people tubing down the diminished Iowa River below Iowa City... This past weekend the paper ran a three-part story about the condition of the river... saying 100 years ago you could drink from it but if you did that today you might not walk away.

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

August 22, 2011 90 Miles on the Hoover, Cedar River, and Cedar Valley Trails

Living the dream in Brandon, Iowa; the view from the Cedar Valley Nature/Bike Trail.

Once, driving to Cedar Falls, I hopped off the freeway to take a quick look at the rest of Brandon to see if it lived up to this house across from where I often stop on the trail to eat my lunch... it does.

Friday, August 19, 2011

August 19, 2011

I really want to sit down but...

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

August 16, 2011

The Iowa River... The Mayflower Dorm... And, ah yes, the reason I started carrying a camera on my bike in the first place: a horse grazing in City Park.