Why do I ride so far? A snappy answer is, " Because I can." and I must say that is somewhat accurate. But there is so much more to it than that. I want to still be able to do it in 10 years and if I don't do it now I won't be able to then and I am sure of that fact. Another reason and this is a big one is that there is a two mile stretch just north of Winkleman's Switch that is basically downhill and I can fly like the wind and feel like I am nine again. When is the last time you felt like you were nine again? :-) 

Yesterday Butch and I rode 21 miles on the Raccoon River Valley Bike Trail. It was cool and misting at times but a very pleasant ride. Butch spotted 4 wild turkeys about 3 miles south of Jefferson. That isn't a site you see every day. Butch is mowing for his brother Leo so I rode the trail alone today riding to Herndon and back. Just past the Raccoon River a deer and I startled each other. He did a quick u-turn on the trail and was gone before I knew it. Little did I know I would see another on my return to Jefferson and get a fantastic photo op. 

In Herndon...this was the road to Uncle Jack and Aunt Gar's place. All the "streets" in Herndon look this way. 

Chicory and Pea Partridge on the trail. I laid down on the trail to get this shot. It didn't turn out nearly as spectacular as it was in reality. 

This is in Herndon Iowa. I am standing just a few feet from where my Grandmother Zimmerle's house used to be. To Herndon and back was a 28.20 mile ride today. 

This is when I first spotted the deer on the trail. My method is to start taking pictures as soon as I can and then keep inching closer until the opportunity is lost. 

This is the final picture in a series of 13 I snapped after spotting the deer on the bike trail about 1 1/2 mile south of Jefferson IA.