Pedal the Parks: PARKS, LAKES & TRAILS

Sunday, June 8th, was another beautiful day in Iowa. Patty and I logged another 300 plus miles on our van and put five (5) more State Parks in the record books. The completed number of forty-five (45) parks is fast approaching our half-way point. A unique feature, of Sunday's adventure, was that all parks were near lakes, and all lakes were surrounded by a paved trail. It was sweet locating a safe place to ride, that was designated for only walkers, bikers, and unicyclists. Each had small, manageable hills to climb and descend, and were fun to ride. The many trees and lake views were nice to witness as well.

Twin Lakes, our first stop, allowed us to record three (3) miles. The first mile was ridden at Twin Lakes, a designated State Park on the Eastern shore. The second mile was ridden at Twin Lakes South, which is the second of the twin lakes, but not recognized as a State Park. This park was ridden in error, because we were given poor information by a local resident. It is completely surrounded by trees, hard to see, and had limited access. It did. however, have a trail near it. Once ridden, we decided this would be a "substitute" ride for Bixby State Park, which had NO accessible riding surfaces, as mentioned in an earlier blog post. The third mile was ridden at Twin Lakes West. It was a smaller park and located on the opposite side of the main lake. This too is designated as a State Park. The locals refer to it as the "Little State Park."

The fourth ride in Black Hawk State Park, in Lake View, Iowa was very nice. It also had a nice paved trail and very large trees along the access road. The trail was well used, and many people were enjoying the large park, picnic areas, and nice weather.

Swan Lake, our fifth destination near Carroll, Iowa was a different story. The lake appeared dirty and very mossy. This didn't seem to bother the fishermen, as many people were fishing from boats and along the shores. The trail was old and needed to be re-surfaced. The many cracks and potholes kept me alert, and Patty felt she was in an earthquake.

Since writing this blog, many people have attempted to comment about the parks or the rides with limited success. It appears that it is difficult to access the comment section, and it is somewhat restrictive. I would love to hear from you and answer any questions you may have. Please contact me through my email address dburkey80 @gmail.com

There will be a short break in the blog posts, as I will be attending a family reunion in the Black Hills. I will be taking my unicycle with me however, and hope to ride a mile in the two (2) National Parks located in South Dakota. Please continue to support our cause at www.givetoiowa.org/burkey

Please note our new banner. Staples in Altoona, Iowa wanted to help us spread the word about our mission. They donated the banner, set-up fees, and printing. Thanks to Staples for allowing us to advertise while we are "Pedaling the Parks."