Category Archives: RECREATION

July 1, 2012 · 3:08 pm

Looking for a farmers market in Iowa? There’s an app for that….

A visit to the farmers market in 2010

There’s no shortage of farmers markets in Iowa (230 according to the state agriculture department) and now you can find them all via smartphone by using a free Iowa Farmers market app. My favorite Des Moines area markets are, of course, the downtown DM market on Saturday (see photo above), as well as the Drake neighborhood market on Wednesday and the Valley Junction market on Thursdays in West Des Moines. Here’s more details below on the new farmers market smartphone app:

super soynuts at the Des Moines farmers market!

The app is available for both iPhones and Android phones and allows users to find the farmers market closest to them by using GPS location services or to search for specific farmers markets by city or zip code.  Once they have located a market, the user can view the hours of the market, browse a list of vendors and see a phone number and email address of the market manager.  App users can also leave reviews of the market and vendors and upload their photos to share with others.

The app is free to download and is available through Apple’s App store and Google Play by searching “Iowa Farmers Markets.”  The app for android phones can also be found at https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.utc.titaniumapns2, and the link for Apple devices is http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ia-farmer-mkts/id501591188?ls=1&mt=8.

Farmers markets continue to grow in popularity as Iowans seek fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables.  An Iowa farmers market survey completed for the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship showed that market sales have increased an average of 18 percent per year from 2004 to 2009.  It also showed that Iowa markets had $38.4 million in direct sales in 2009 and a $71 million impact on Iowa’s economy.

Crowd at the Des Moines farmers market 2010

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June 18, 2012 · 2:20 pm

Eeking out 30 miles biking the Chichaqua Trail east of Des Moines

Intriguing sign outside Valeria, Iowa

We just managed to get in 30 miles of biking on the Chichaqua Trail, east of Des Moines – riding from the tiny town of Valeria (pop. 62, which may be an overcount) west through bucolic farmland (including surprisingly high corn for June) through the slightly bigger towns of Mingo, Ira (featuring an uncommonly clean, spacious port-a-potty in the park, which believe me, is good to know), and Baxter. We had to ride a little around the town of Baxter in order to accumulate a few more miles, including riding up the hill on the highway into town to the convenience store for some ice tea.

Part of the problem with clocking 30 miles on this trail is that it’s technically closed for repairs west of Valeria. (I’m not sure how far west. When we were on the trail last, in October, it was closed through to the start of the trail in Bondurant.) But even though there’s a big barrier blocking the trail at Valeria, when we were driving home and crossed the trail a little west of Valeria we spotted two riders we’d seen earlier on the trail who appeared to have ridden it west from Valeria. Hmmmm.

Valeria, by the way, has got to be one of the friendlier little towns we’ve ridden through. As we rode up and down the town’s two very short main streets, we were warmly greeted by everyone we passed – including a large group of people gathered in a circle on lawn chairs, who waved at us, and a guy mowing his lawn who stopped to wave and say “Howdy.” We remain intrigued about why – as the sign on the highway boasts – Valeria is the “Town of A Railroad Romance.”

On the way back to Des Moines, we stopped at a favorite east side ice cream stand, Granny’s on Hubbell Ave. That was dinner before we went to see the last performance of “Billy Elliott” at the Great Des Moines Civic Center, which was – as expected – fantastic.

A post-biking treat on Des Moines’ east side

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June 8, 2012 · 8:05 pm

Touring Iowa’s beautiful barns

The NYTimes travel section had a good story with great photos last week of barn touring in northeast Iowa around Decorah, one of my favorite Iowa cities. Here’s some tips on how/where to do it:

– The annual Iowa Barn Foundation All-State Barn Tour is scheduled this year for Sept. 22 and 23. (see: iowabarnfoundation.org)

– There’s also a barn tour in the Johnson county-Iowa City area on June 23 and 24.

– Stone-Haus Farm, a 165-year-old Norwegian farmstead in northeast iowa near Waukon, will soon be available for vacation rentals. (stonehausfarm.com) Photos below!

StoneHaus Farm

The NYTimes travel section had a good story with great photos last week of barn touring in northeast Iowa around Decorah, one of my favorite Iowa cities. Here’s some tips on how/where to do it:

– The annual Iowa Barn Foundation All-State Barn Tour is scheduled this year for Sept. 22 and 23. (see: iowabarnfoundation.org)

– There’s also a barn tour in the Johnson county-Iowa City area on June 23 and 24.

– Stone-Haus Farm, a 165-year-old Norwegian farmstead in northeast iowa near Waukon, will soon be available for vacation rentals. (stonehausfarm.com)

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May 21, 2012 · 3:07 pm

Trying a new (new to us) trail in Des Moines

One effect of the new signs posted along the many miles of trails in Des Moines, for us, is that it has tempted us to go in new directions. So yesterday, we rode  along the Waveland Trail  from the Franklin Library south toward the Walnut Creek Trail  (Am I the only one who can’t keep track of the names of theses trails?)  to a point just south of 63rd Street and Grand, where we decided to go west instead of our usual east and see if we could connect to the Jordan Creek Trail we’ve tried off and on in the past.

We were able to go further than we remembered on a trail, crossing busy 63rd Street just north of the river and riding on a levee. But not too scenic. Very industrial with a gravel pit. After awhile we ended up coasting along E.P. True Parkway – a little too suburban and close to traffic for our tastes. We ended up in a pleasant pocket park near Fairmeadows School where we had a picnic, then wound our way back east through Valley Junction (stopping briefly at an art fair there) then got back on the trail at 63rd and Grand and headed our usual direction – East.  Which we enjoyed even more after our ride west. We also stopped for the first time at Mullet’s – just south of Principal Park where we had a drink on the top deck with a superb view to the north of the big city.

I did find a map today of Jordan Creek Trail http://www.wdm-ia.com/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentid=297 and next time, it looks like we should head west from Fairmeadows School. And we should check out the new trail extension circles the 230-acre lake in Raccoon River Park.

 

 

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February 24, 2012 · 7:45 pm

ragbrai 2012 – the 40th great ride across Iowa!

It took me, um, over 20 years to muster up the energy to ride Ragbrai (the Regster’s Annual Great Ride Across Iowa) last year – and even then I did only one day. (And 37 of the days’ 56 miles.)  But what a glorious ride – even if it was sweltering. I loved the scenery, the scene, the camaraderie, the food, the entertainment, even the physical exertion.  I really had fun and wished I could do more. So maybe this summer, the 40th RAGBRAI, I’ll give it a shot (although we have family obligations in Kansas on July 28 – the last day of Ragbrai.)
Here are the overnight spots for the 2012 Ragbrai Route:
  • Sioux Center – Saturday, July 21
  • Cherokee – Sunday, July 22
  • Lake View – Monday, July 23
  • Webster City – Tuesday, July 24
  • Marshalltown – Wednesday, July 25
  • Cedar Rapids – Thursday, July 26
  • Anamosa – Friday, July 27
  • Clinton – Saturday, July 28

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October 8, 2011 · 7:46 pm

Yes we can…bike in Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park

I found a place that has half day and full day bike tours through Hawaii Volcanoes National Park – for $99 vs. $129 per person. Kinda pricey but includes bike rental and some other handy things like a guide and sag wagon. More details below and at: info@bikevolcano.com

The next question is if we can just rent a bike – and not take the tour….

 

BIKE VOLCANO SUMMIT TOUR SPECIALBIKE VOLCANO SUMMIT TOUR SPECIAL – {Half Day Tour}

Our Summit Tour Special is the perfect way to be introduced to the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The short duration of this tour allows you ample time to explore other beautiful areas of the Big Island of Hawai’i.
{10am – 1pm daily; 1pm – 4pm b.o.d.}

 

HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK & WINE TASTING BIKE TOURBIKE HAWAII VOLCANOES NATIONAL PARK & WINE TASTING – Full Day Tour

A day tour of the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park followed by an optional wine tasting session at the Volcano Winery.

{10am – 3pm daily}

 

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October 7, 2011 · 7:20 pm

Following in my parents’ tire treds – in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park

I often end up going places – from the Dordogne region of France to Grafton, Vermont and Columbus, Indiana (an unlikely architectural hotspot) – because my parents went before me.   I  am driven not only by vague memories of their travel tales but because I inherited their tastes and sensibilities (if not their budget.)

Soooo, when I was trying to figure out where to go in Hawaii, the main reason I  settled on visiting the Big Island and its Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park  is a vague memory of my parents’ story about riding a bike into a dormant volcano there. Sure enough, here’s my dad’s  recollection of  that trip – which makes me want to go all the more…and on a bike! (Note to self: find out if/where we can rent bikes at the national park.)

We did a bike trip around the big island many moons ago. There is one road that circles the island at the high level…it goes thru several kinds of climate from rain forest to barren lava beds. We would stay at hotels near the water, ride up the big hill to get to the road, ride down to have lunch by the water, ride up again and then ride till the end of the day and come back to the water. The only change was when we got to the volcano where we stayed overnight in the hotel right next to the volcano mouth. Some hardy soles actually rode their bike up the hill but mom and I opted for a sag-wagon ride. In the morning we could then walk out onto the volcano which still had some small smoking holes. The next morning was the culmination of the trip. We rode our bikes down the mountain, coasting for almost 2 hours without peddling once. The final miles were down the route of the Ironman marathon, which was run uphill in the opposite direction. There was a town near the base of the volcano that was famous for being the home of the hippies…more pot smoke came up from the town than from the volcano. Don’t neglect buying macadamia nuts while you are there…they are the single most caloric food possible. Also, the Kona coffee is a major tasting.

My dad adds:  It was an organized bike trip, either VBT or another like it.While there I bought a tee shirt that said I did the Iron Man…people looked at me differently when I wore it. Same result as when I wore the Ragbrai jacket.

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October 4, 2011 · 10:37 pm

Daring to ride a bicycle on Iowa’s county roads – Chichaqua Trail east of Des Moines

You can get very spoiled riding bikes on Iowa’s trails – no cars to worry about except at infrequent intersections with usually pokey gravel roads. But yesterday – in part because one of our favorite trails, the (unpronounceable) 20-mile Chichaqua Valley Trail from Bondurant to Baxter, east of Des Moines,  is partially closed – we decided to try riding on a few county roads paralleling the trail.

It helped that the roads we were (S52 and F24)  were chosen by the Iowa Bike Coalition as good – and included as part of a recommended loop on their new biking map that I recently picked up for $2.50 at a bike shop in Des Moines.  On a gorgeous fall Sunday, the two-lane roads were mostly quiet – but every once in awhile a car or truck would come up from behind and scare the be-Jesus out of us. My husband was particularly worried about combines and grain trucks – since it’s harvest time.

The roads were very hilly – so a challenge to ride from that standpoint too – with visibility limited. When I could banish my fear of approaching cars, riding the country roads was fun – you get a really different feel for the countryside than on the trails where you are more insulated and your view more restricted. You’re riding in the middle of the corn field rather than on the edge of it, if that makes sense.

Anyway, by the time we got to the small town of Mingo on county roads we were very ready to return to the safety of a trail – and we gladly hopped on the Chichaqua Trail, riding  south to Valeria, where the trail was closed thru to Bondurant, due to damage caused by flooding last year.  We had the trail from Valeria to Baxter (via Mingo and Ira) almost to ourselves – about a 10 mile stretch – because, I’m guessing, 1)  people think the trail is completely closed and 2) the High Trestle Trail has become so popular that it’s siphoning off riders on the the Chichaqua Trail.

The weather was a balmy 75 degrees or so and the trees and light were in their autumnal glory – we rode through tunnels of trees changing color, our tires crunching on fallen leaves, the sun making shadows that dappled the path, gliding past fields of browning corn and golding soybeans, past the occasional combine harvesting away or tractor in the distance making hay bales. Iowa in its glory.

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August 16, 2011 · 10:21 pm

Riding the Great River Trail along the Mississippi in Illinois

A friend just returned from biking the Great River Trail along the Mississippi. She started in Moline, staying overnight at the Stoney Creek Inn, then rode north to Port Byron, about 25 miles, where the “tugfest” – a tug-of-war contest with LeClaire Iowa (across the river) was going on. She stopped at a good ice cream shop in Hampton (I think called Remember When) and explored the towns north of Cordoba, ending up in Savanna which turned out to be a biker (as in motorcycle) mecca. She and her friend picked up some food for a picnic with a good view at Palisades Park. They also ate at Bass Street Chop House  in Moline, which was good.

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July 30, 2011 · 5:03 pm

Great Western Trail from Park Ave./Des Moines to Cumming – quiet friday

As expected, we had the trail almost to ourselves on Friday because 1) it’s a week day 2) so many cyclists were away on RAGBRAI. We had an easy 20 mile ride from Park Avenue in Des Moines to Cumming although we almost had a collision with a fast-moving golf cart when we rode through the golf course. In Cumming, we found a good picnic spot in the local park on a picnic table under an overhang. And got my friend N’s soft tire filled with air at a very cool shop that redoes vintage English sports cars (on tap – a very sweet pale green Jaguar convertible and a jaunty white and red paneled Aston Healy convertible.). Was sorry to hear that the guy who fixes and shows off vintage juke boxes in town – I did a story about him years ago – has retired.

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