Archive for the ‘Photo of the Day’ Category

September 5: Trail Closed

haven’t we seen this kind of crap before? Good thing signs like this don’t apply to people on bikes…

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oh.

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September 4: hennepin Canal Lift Bridge

Why am I hooked on bike trails? Scenes like this. A big reason for bike touring is to go places where cars can’t. Hennepin Canal was 60 miles of just about perfect car free travel packed with scenes just like this.

September 3: Hennepin Canal Trail | Illinois

Mornings like this are why I ride bikes. This great trail starts in Colona, IL just east of the Mississippi river and runs along an old canal tow path all the way to Bureau Junction nearly 60 miles east. One of my favorite rides of the tour so far – the trail include a mix of paved paths, gravel, and dirt. In a few places it becomes little more than a grassy strip along the canal. There are plenty of places to camp, and other than waking up in the morning with some kind of 24 hour bug, I loved it.

September 2: Illinois – More Corn

September 1: Corn branding

This sign is from a field of test crops for a major seed company. There are dozens of these plots – if not hundreds – all through the midwest, and many fields have signs just like this telling what brand of corn or beans are being grown in that particular field. I had a closeup look at some of them though, and from my decidedly unscientific view, I couldn’t tell the difference from one type to another. This got me wondering about a few things.

• Is there a difference or is it kind of like designer sunglasses where they are all the same thing with different lables attached to them?
• Do farmers get in arguments like the PC/Mac debates?
• Do you think any of the less well-off farmers just snag a few signs from the rich farmers field so they can appear to be more cool?

I’m sure I’ll never really know the answer. But I am certain that the feeling I get from DKC 62-63 can’t be matched by any other corn. I can tell the difference. really. C’mon, I’ll do the blind taste test and everything. I’m no sucker for marketing I just think DKC 62-63 tastes better. (Actually I liked their older stuff, you know the 60-61 series, before they went all mainstream. But this stuff is pretty good too.)

August 31: Chevrolet | Pioneer Village | Minden, NE

August 30: John Deere Green

I was riding on a bike path along the Mississippi, when a bit of construction closed the path and forced me to turn up onto the main road right in front of the John Deere Pavilion in Moline, IL. Pretty cool little place.

August 29: At least the bike is cleaned up

August 28: Household Cryptozoology
This is Ella. They say she is a dog, but I saw her running along side a car I was riding in late one evening and she was faster than any dog I’ve ever seen. I’m pretty sure she is a mix between an Ewok and a Chupacabra. Sure she looks sweet, and she’s friendly enough, but I’m still not turning my back on her…

August 27: Houseguests
This little critter decided to spend the night under the rain fly of the tent. I figured that so many people have taken me in over the last few weeks it would be wrong to turn him away so I didn’t. He was still there in the morning.

August 26: Midwest Elevators
Yep, I did post another one of these from back in Limon, Colorado. You can always tell when you are getting close to a town because every single town has a grain elevator right off the main street. I haven’t quite got the ratio figured out but if it has three silos there is usually a convenience store close by. Four or more silos and we’re talking Subway baby – and maybe an ice cream shop.

August 25: Power Wagon

“I’m a steam-roller, baby. Gonna roll all over you.”

August 24: Dan B

Dan and his family were my hosts the other night, and after meeting up at his jewelry shop in Atlantic, we made the short ride back to their house in the country. The next day, Dan wanted to make a trip into Des Moines to see his son so we hit the road together and cruised through 82 miles of highways, trails, crosswinds, rain, and mostly cool air. Thanks Dan!

August 23: I Got That Funk | Funk, Nebraska

August 22: Corn and Windmills | County Road 30, Iowa
Some fill their fields with the Holy Spirit, Some think the prevailing winds are a bit more reliable.