Observing the outside (and a bit of the inside) world from a bicycle
73 degrees F with light rain at about. 8 am.
Had a short birthday ride to the little prairie planting on Florida and Orchard. was pleasantly surprised by a cluster of bright red star-flowers: royal catchfly!
What a great birthday present!
Also on hand in bloom were purple coneflower
yellow coneflower, Monarda, rattlesnake master,
rosinweed,
and tick trefoil.
Felt grateful for being alive to see these flowers, for my birthday.
It was 67 degrees F and mostly clear with 5 mph SW wind at 5:35 am.
Again tried not to stop so much and to ride with some sustained effort. Did stop for a look at Weaver Park to check on the bloom and found, on casual inspection found cup plant, Monarda,
yellow coneflower,
rattlesnake master, mountain mint, and tick trefoil.
The sun was well-clear of the horizon by the time I reached the KRT.
Noticed vegetation springing up in the middle of the trail. The life force is strong.
Stopped to view few summer flowers.
Crossed the Salt Fork on that delightful wooden-decked bridge and rode into St. Joe.
Rode out of St. Joe on 2300 E to Homer Lake Road just west of the railroad crossing.
On the edge of the Homer Lake Prairie spotted some royal catchfly!
Turned in to the first Homer Lake entrance, rode up close to the lake, dismounted, and inspected the native plants along its edge.
Monarda were abundant and full;
there were other native flowers,
but didn’t see any cardinal flowers. Was it too soon? Rode to the park office and then turned back.
On the way back noticed that most of the corn looked healthy, some with fringed tassels and slim, pale silk-topped ears, others plumper and topped with dry, browned silk.
On the way back did not take the KRT but proceeded west on Homer Lake Road till it became Washington Street. At Washington and Lierman, looked up to the northwest and saw about 30 vultures circling the island of trees surrounded by fenced in soybeans.
Vultures seem to be more common than I remember from past years. Can’t see that it’s a problem, but who knows?
It was a good 20-mile birthday-eve ride.
It was 76 degrees F, partly cloudy, SSW wind 3-5 mph at 5:30 am. Headed east on Main Street
and stopped at Weaver Park to check the bloom; most common were yellow coneflower, Monarda, mountain mint, cup plant, rattlesnake master.
Then on to High Cross Road.
Stopped on High Cross Road across from Brownfield Woods for Joe Pye weed, brown-eyed Susan, and American bellflower.
Rode straight (with the little sway at Leveret Road) up High Cross to 2400 N
turned west and just across US 45 then north again into Thomasboro. Stopped to peek into St. Elizabeth of Hungary church.
Got a quick view of the water tower
but didn’t go into the “business district.” Continued past houses and some kind of factory, I think (Altamont?). Then turned east at 2600 N through a whole lot of corn (=no dogs) and a very flat stretch.
At 1600 E turned south to 2400, where there was a stretch of yellow coneflowers and false sunflowers, the presence of which makes me wonder why more farmers don’t have any native plants at all around their fields.
On the way back stopped to view some feathers—hawk? owl? pheasant?) scattered on the road.
Stopped along Brownfield Woods for yellow jewelweed.
Back in town, this huge pink rose mallow caught my eye.
Was pleased to have made 28 miles.
It was 67 degrees F and clear (with a hint of the fog reported on the phone weather app). Felt an intermittent south and west breeze.
Rode south on Race Street and east on Windsor along the north edge of Meadowbrook Park, intending to put on some miles and not take so many pictures as I tend to do. But could not resist pausing to register the many and various summer prairie flowers.
Had planned to loop around Meadowbrook and continue south on Race Street, but saw a lot of people on the path and detoured back to Windsor eastward to Philo Road. Then south to Old Church and west,
stopping at the Barnhart Prairie Restoration,
to Race and south to Airport Road. Felt a little adventurous and turned west on Airport,
then south on First Street.
The roadside prairie planting south of Airport Road was invaded, alas, with many exotics, yet it still bloomed with natives,
including royal catchfly!
Turned back and stopped at the stream crossing (close to a housing subdivision with an artificial waterfall) where I’d see a beaver last time I was there.
Saw ripples on the water that might have been made by a beaver, but didn’t see the actual critter.
Shot back to Urbana on Curtis Road and north on Race. Had a good workout (16 miles) but still accumulated a lot of photos.
It was 67 ( if I recall correctly) degrees F at 6:45 am.
Under some pleasingly arranged clouds, the Meadowbrook prairie was abloom with purple and yellow coneflowers, false sunflower, Culver’s root, compass plant, rosinweed, still some Baptisia flowers, although maturing pods were becoming more evident.
And, of course, there was royal catchfly,
which appeared to be near the peak of its bloom. Saw royal catchfly mostly on the north side of the “soft” path, but there was at least one blooming plant on the other side as well.
Made a trip to my childhood home in the heart of Chicago. My dad had died less than a month earlier, and I wanted to do what I could to help my mom adjust to this new phase of her life.
And of course no visit to my childhood home would be complete without a trip to McKinley Park, the place where my love for nature was born and first nourished, a testament to the genius of the Chicago park system and the value of urban green space.
On the way stopped for a front-yard moon flower
and poor fledgling robin marooned on top of a car.
It was pointed out to me by a guy who said I looked like someone who would care (and maybe had a little time on her hands); he had to hurry off to work. Alas, while I felt bad for the bird, I didn’t know what to do that would have improved its lot, so wished it well and walked on with a heavier heart to McKinley Park.
I love that this park that brought nature to my neighborhood even when it was just a pond with grass and trees and ball fields now is richly planted in native species.
In the field house and gyms were conducted countless activities for people of all ages.
I thought of being at the park with my dad and felt consolation for his loss from its beauty.
It was 71 degrees F, wind SW 5 mph at 5:25 am. The sky was cloudy but with enough gaps to show color in the sunrise,
Noted the goose gathering on Main on the lawn in front of ILEAS.
Stopped at Weaver Park on the way to the KRT, there were cup plants and a few rosinweed in bloom, false sunflowers,
and summer’s signature yellow coneflowers and Monarda.
Rode east on the KRT as the sun rose behind the clouds
to Full’s Siding
then a little way farther on the trail then north on 2000 E to 1700 N and then east again.
It was a pretty ride; there were curves,
stream crossings,
and even a sign warning of a hill.
Rode along the north edge of “outer” St. Joe.
Turned south on 2350 E and through town,
then back on the KRT,
back over the high Salt Fork,
and homeward under the clouds.
Stopped to behold and photograph the currently blooming flowers.
Logged 24.5 miles.
79 degrees F, party cloudy, the clouds wide, thin, and textured, SW wind 10 mph at 6:15 am.
Rode to Meadowbrook Park, were all around were prairie wildflowers in bloom.
Dismounted the bike and walked through the middle of the prairie on the “soft” path.
The middle of the prairie was comfortable (it tends to warm up faster there than on the paved outer path) with the breeze.
Then, there they were, the fresh red star-shaped flowers!
They are so spectacular, a beauty among beauties, a highlight of the summer.
And their companions contributed their own charm.
Then rode out Philo Road
to Old Church.
The Barnhart Prairie had even more prohibitive fencing at the entrance than last time I was there. Not friendly, but I guess it may need to be protected.
It was 67 Degrees F at 5:40 AM with mostly clear skies and almost no wind, like 1 mph, from the east. Rode east on Main Street, the sun coming up behind the little grove of oaks across the street from the Dart plastics factory.
Stopped at Weaver Park, where there was a thin layer of mist over the prairie.
Saw lots of yellow cone flowers, compass plants,
also mountain mint,
Monarda,
and common milkweed, pods well along.
Headed to the KRT trail, at the head of which
was a lot of fog.
Loved riding on the misty KRT Trail,
but today’s route was to be Cottonwood to the north
till almost Thomasboro,
then back east to High Cross and south towards Urbana.
Passed Trelease Woods where there were the beginnings of the bloom of Joe Pye weed and American bellflower.
Thought the fog had subsided,
but then it got thick again. It actually was a little spooky.
On Cottonwood north of Ford Harris, saw out of the corner of my left eye the shape of a German Shepherd or similar dog close to the road, but with no time to worry just kept going, and the dog didn’t bark or give any kind of chase. Whew!
Turned west on 2300 N, which was a perfect cycling road: smooth surface, slight roll of grade, and few farm houses (no dogs). Back south on High Cross traversed Leveret Road where it (High Cross Road) has a lovely little squiggle.
Was relieved that the fog was beginning to clear.
Stopped along Brownfield Woods to see lots of Joe Pye weed
and new American bellflower,
as also noted earlier at Trelease Woods.
Was glad the High Cross bridge over I-74 was open. Cut through the Beringer subdivision and saw a few Canada geese,
noting that I’d not seen the goose families I’d seen many times on East Main near the ILEAS office.
On the north side of Main near the Quaker church saw a groundhog posing patiently and obliged him or her with a photograph.
In the wildflower garden of a house across Main from the west end of Weaver Part were some lovely lead plant, still in bloom.
At 5:39 am it was 68 degrees F, with flat, wide clouds with ripples and feathery edges and some sun, wind SSE 4 mph.
Rode south on Race and ducked into Meadowbrook just to cross the rabbit-statue bridge over McCullough Creek
and take a couple photos.
Out in the countryside, kept an eye out for hail damage to the corn.
Not sure what effect it will have on yield.
Rode east on Airport Rd (1100 N), along a pleasant stretch that varied slightly in grade and sported a line of trees, not all very healthy but still lending a welcome vertical element to the landscape.
Reached the crossing of Rush Creek where it had been flooded the last time I was there. (See “Thursday 4 June 2020. Crossing Water to the South and East” for comparison.)
Today the road was dry and the crossing uneventful.
The goats at the farm near 2000 E were farther apart than when the water surrounded them.
Rode south on 2125 E (a road with a center stripe) past a sign (and over the bridge) indicating the Salt Fork Vermilion River.
Looped back through the edge of Sidney (1000 N) and back along the Salt Fork to 1250 N (Curtis Road),
thinking about how strange, a little scary, but also close and purposeful, it felt for my siblings and me to figure out how to take care of our mother now that Dad is gone.
Was grateful to have another nice long ride (26 miles!) in beautiful weather.
Velo du Jour 