I rode 23 miles today total. Butch adjusted my brakes last night and they must have been holding me back because it felt much easier today. He is playing in a golf tournament in Ankeny with his brother Bill. 

Partridge Pea...I was intrigued by the shadow created on the trail 

Another beauty 

I also do not know what these flowers are but they are beautiful with their spikes coming from their centers. 

Elderberries and it reminds me of a 'Brain on Drugs"

I stopped on a small bridge to take some photos when I was surprised to see this Bull Snake. We were kind to each other. 

Partridge Pea This flower is abundant along the trail unless they have mowed, as it always grows very close to the trail. 

Goldenrod 

Horse nettle 

A run-down shack in Cooper Iowa. My mother was born in Cooper where her father was a barber. Butch was born on a farm a short distance from Cooper. He also pitched softball for a Cooper team for many years. Cooper holds many memories. The bike trail goes through Cooper. 

A former business building in Cooper Iowa 

A House in Cooper Iowa. It looks so very small but I am sure there was someone living in it not that long ago. 

Cone Flowers 

Common Mullein 

Burdock 

Black-eyed Susan 

Purple Cone Flower 

BellFlower- Taken July 29th 2004 on the Raccoon River Valley Bike Trail 

Friends Dave and Marge Scott sent the following message about the flower pic. I didn't have time to relate the whole story yesterday. There are many flowers in bloom along the bike trail and this Wild Bergamot is one of them. I have always liked to find out the names of flowers. On a ride last week I noticed that the trail was abundantly abloom but I didn't have my camera with me so I decided to ride again the next day with the specific purpose of photographing the flowers as I happened upon them. The mower beat me to most of them but I did manage to get a few good ones.


" Marge looked the plant up and it is a BEEBALM, also called Wild Bergamot, Oswego Tea, Horse mint. They vary in color from scarlet red to Pale Lavender. Many different types mostly native. Some brought from Europe. Indians and earlier settlers brewed a medicinal tea from the leaves."

Can anyone tell me what these "Fancy Hat" flowers are? To me they look like fancy hats...