Vacation

This is the first official trip for two retirees, as Shelley retired on Friday, May 2. We had planned to leave at 6:00 AM and drive to Arkansas. However, Leslie (Shelley’s daughter) called last evening and said Sawyer (the 4-year-old) had the flu, so we reevaluated our plans in case the entire family got sick, and visiting wouldn't be wise. 

After waking up and packing, we left for the High Trestle Trail in Iowa. Later, we planned to visit Judy, Shelley's longtime friend, in Kansas City. By then, we would have information about Leslie's family health condition and decide whether to go there on Friday or return home.

We hit the road by 7:45 AM, with clear skies and a temperature of 60 degrees. It was wonderful weather for a drive and a bike ride. Since we aren't using E-bikes and Shelley isn't a strong rider, we decided to ride three miles on each side of the high trestle bridge, starting in Madrid, Iowa, and heading west to Woodward, Iowa.

The drive to Madrid was longer than it would have been since we had stopped to see Slater, Iowa. It's a typical farm town of 1,500 residents that experienced significant growth in the 1970s and has remained largely unchanged since then. It has a charming downtown, but many storefronts are vacant. The town features an animal hospital and veterinary clinic, a market, a gift shop, a real estate office, a bike shop, an auto repair shop, a coffee shop, and a bar and grill.

We arrived in Madrid at 11:00 AM and hit the trail by 11:20 AM. The trail is a smooth concrete path that goes through two small tunnels and passes an old mine shaft before covering the 2.25 miles to the High Trestle Bridge. It’s a sight to see and might make some people anxious. Shelley said she felt like she was looking through a kaleidoscope, and the height was quite noticeable. In the evening, they light up the panels, creating an impressive sight based on images found online.

Shelley is riding across the High Trestle Bridge

On the bridge

Bikes are mounted on poles to see the Bike crossing.

Retirement is good!

Access to an old mine

We continued to Woodward, where a campground was next to the Whistlin’ Donkey bar and grill. It was a great spot to share a sandwich for lunch before heading back to Madrid. We also noticed that all the street crossings had bicycles on poles to mark them. That was unique! We returned to Madrid around 2:00 PM. The ride was about 11 miles, and Shelley was tired. We averaged about 9 miles per hour.

Great place for lunch - Whistlin Donkey

We decided to drive to Kansas City and stay with Shelley's friend Judy. The trip was mostly smooth, except for Interstate 35 in Missouri, which is the worst I have ever seen. It's almost like a washboard, since the repair work is handled by a company that specializes in something other than road repairs! There were no traffic problems, and we arrived shortly after 6:00 PM. 

Judy had choir practice, so we unloaded the car and went to Talk of the Town Grill and Bar. The food was average at best, but it was enough for a decent dinner. It's not a place I would look for, but it's convenient.

We got back to Judy’s around 8:30 PM and were both tired. Since Judy won't be home until after 10:00 PM, we decided that sleep was the best option!

Carry on my friends!