Pedal the Parks: I-29 Corridor

After my injury, I was a little "gun shy" about attempting any rides for a while. If all goes as planned, the left wrist is not necessarily needed. But, if another fall takes place, the hand would be a better "contact point" than a shoulder or head. Neither would be good.

Driving South on I-29, from South Dakota, I decided to check out Stone State Park in Riverside, Iowa. "If the road was smooth and somewhat flat, maybe I would venture a trial run." Well, it was and I did. I rode three (3) more parks that day, and completed the I-29 Corridor. I was able to find smooth and somewhat flat in each of the parks, and I proceeded with extra caution. Both Patty and I were relieved, after completing the rides, and decided to take a couple weeks off to let the injury heal. Two (2) weeks after the fall, the wrist is still badly bruised.

Preparation Canyon State Park, the last of these four (4) rides, took special patience to find. It was quite isolated, and the main road to get there was closed. Getting directions from several people, all of which were different, took us down several gravel roads, some more than once. Upon arrival, however, it appeared worth it. The park was rather small, but nestled in the Loess Hill, with trees everywhere.

Completing these last four (4) miles puts the total parks completed at eighty-five(85), only ten (10) to go. The last parks are located near the Okoboji Lake area, and may require only one more weekend to complete. We will attempt to complete this initial mission in two (2) weeks. Hopefully, this will be after my wrist heals and before Labor Day.