Better to be Lucky than to be Good

Hubby does most of the initial investigating for a geocaching excursion like the 11 day one we just enjoyed in NE and IA. He finds the area for geocaching, the geocaches, and a place to stay. I tweak the plan once we get to the location and add the fine-tuning and details we probably should have known before we started. We use the same computer programs, but look at those programs in a different way, giving us different information.

In the Adel IA area, he found a bike/walking trail of challenge geocaches along an old railroad bed. His initial thought was I would 'drop him off' at one location and be in the next town waiting for him. Hmmm. That plan needed some tweaking. 

Had we looked carefully at the permit flap, we may have been a bit more informed, but not us! Jump in with both feet in summer, in Iowa corn country...we can do this! I left Curt near the trail head in Waukee.

This cute and appropriate signage was at our first 'frog leaping' stop where I left the truck. No large parking areas, but enough room to get the truck off the county road and NOT on the bike trail. We were prepared with plenty of water, hats, walking sticks (someone who shall remain nameless forgot his on the first trek), the camera, snacks, bug spray (after the first day), cell phones and a GPS.

"The Raccoon River Valley Trail is an 89-mile paved trail beginning at the trailhead in Waukee, winding through 14 other communities and looping back to Waukee. The Waukee Trailhead is located on the north side of Hickman Road near 10th Street. The trail was built on a former railroad right-of-way. While the railroad used to connect these communities, now the Raccoon River Valley Trail serves that purpose."

We never intended to walk the 89 miles, but I will admit neither of us had any idea of the distance we needed to walk for those challenge geocaches. We started walking about 9 in the morning, each walking a segment on the trail. The first morning we each walked two segments, getting to Dallas Center. We had cell phone service along the trail each day.

sumac

Asiatic dayflower

commelina communis

I only saw these little beauties once 

eggplant rootstock

solanum aethiopicum

butterfly weed

asclepias tuberosa

still holding the raindrops from the earlier morning rain

denseflower mullein

verbascum densiflorum

The Waukee to Dallas Center had many bicyclists in the morning; sometimes groups of two or three, some on a very serious ride and others chatting while pedaling. Sometimes the trail was in shade, and sometimes, NOT. After the first morning, we each only walked one segment (around 3 miles each) as it was just too warm with long pants and long sleeves. The geocaches were easy to find, but required walking off the cement trail into the plants (poison ivy? thistles, and other possible poisonous plants) and the trees. The trail itself was flat and in excellent condition. The old railroad bed sides were another matter; sometimes steep and deep. Often vines and tall grass tangled our feet and hindered our steps. Tree branches slapped our faces. (Oh what we go through to find a geocache!!! LOL) 

Actually, other than getting very warm by the end of my section walking, I really enjoyed the trail. I had my camera and phone and took photos (Surprise. Surprise.) and was able to identify plants so I would know what I had seen and photographed. I rarely had sections of steep ditches, and always found the geocache container.

pretty yellow mushrooms

sometimes there were bird houses

almost always we were between fields of corn and beans

The first time I noticed these leaves, I thought how pretty. I wonder what plant produces such a delicate, lacy leaf. Then I noticed...

the bugs that were eating the leaves and creating the artistic designs. Disgusting creatures creating something beautiful. And they weren't small bugs. They weren't too particular about the type of leaves as they also attacked the milkweed plants, too.

soapwort

saponaria officinalis

as a kid on the farm I rode a dump rake 

similar to this one during haying season

Bigfoot? Daryl?

he was dressed for the Fourth of July

no name

I only saw this color once, on our last morning when I was walking the trail with Hubby. He was not taking the time to smell the roses, so I got my one or two photos and no opportunity to use PlantSnap for identification. It must be a type of morning glory, the wild kind that grows along the roads. Most of the ones I saw where pale pink or white.

Seeing this sign our last morning was when I realized how far we initially planned to walk. Thankfully, we had adjusted our thinking and became rather selective on the geocaches we would find and sign. We walked three mornings (We don't ride bikes anymore. Besides, riding bike was never that much fun in my opinion.) and rode in the AC in the afternoons and climbed steep, deep ditches to complete the Jackalope geo art pictured in the previous blog.

The town of Minburn does not have many businesses, but this one is a life saver! Nineteen 14 is a former railroad depot now bar with food options, right along the RRVT with real bathrooms open to those using the trail. Flushing toilets, running water, clean and spacious. I do not know if the restrooms are open 24-7, I doubt it, but they were a welcome relief for the group of bicyclists traveling along the highway and for us coming off the RRVT.

bottom right is Waukee to Dallas Center

first section we walked of the geo challenges

bottom right is Dallas Center to Minburn

second day and the sections we walked

and the 3 miles we did NOT cover

Hubby and I did most of those yellow circles on two mornings. On the third morning we did a few around Minburn (top left) before driving to Ames for another geocaching excursion that I posted earlier. On the fourth day we took a road trip to drive through IA counties, collecting county geo points. And once again, that little road trip yielded benefits neither of us expected. Stay tuned...