Waterloo to Cedar Rapids - Six weeks on the Great American Rail Trail plus! - CycleBlaze

May 11, 2022

Waterloo to Cedar Rapids

Still in Iowa

Another very hot day! But it started out okay and the heat didn't get bad until the afternoon. We spent the 30 miles or so on the Cedar Valley Nature Trail and it was pretty shadey so that was good. John and I rode with Stan who is an experienced bird watcher - very active in Wisconsin Audubon - and good at identifying birds by their songs as well as all the visual attributes. So - we took it slow and stopped often to check out this bird and that: warblers, vireos, swallows, sparrows, red winged black birds, robins, gold finches, orioles, etc. It was so fun!

I kept asking myself, "What do you suppose he sees?"
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The trail was lined with spring flowers - so pretty!!!

These pretty blue purply flowers were everywhere. I don't know my flowers so can't name them.
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And a close up!
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Bill ShaneyfeltVirginia bluebells
https://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/flower/virginia-bluebells
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1 year ago
Cindy SenningTo Bill ShaneyfeltThanks Bill for both these id's. I thought so but wasn't sure!
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1 year ago
And these white snow drop flowers!
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A pretty light purple.
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Bill ShaneyfeltPhlox
https://www.florafinder.org/Species/Phlox_divaricata.php
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1 year ago

We also saw cows up close for the first time on this trip.

Hi!
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People We Meet

Meet Alan who guided us through a detour. It was so hot and so helpful that he just led the way. He was having some shortness of breath from the heat and we shared some Gatorade with him and also made sure he made it to his car which was in a parking area along the trail just before we got off.
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Today's ride: 57 miles (92 km)
Total: 376 miles (605 km)

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