A DAILY RECORD

SIX (6) PARKS IN ONE DAY!  Wow!  I feel like I am making progress.  Sunday, May 18th, was another gorgeous day for "pedaling."  We visited some beautiful parks, rode our first gravel park, found another "non-existent" park, substituted a park, logged nearly 300 miles in our van, and rode on two (2) very nice bike trails.  The first gravel park was T.F. Clark Park, in Traer, Iowa.  It appeared that this "listed State Park" must have lost funding years ago, and has settled into a small, quiet, country park, in the middle of no where.  There wasn't a paved section of road anywhere.  A unicycle doesn't perform well on gravel. But, I was there and Patty felt it was "good" gravel and well  packed, so I accepted the challenge.  The challenge proved successful, and I completed the mile with NO falls.  A "high five" was accepted, as well, at the end of the ride.  The Steamboat Rock bike trail was ridden as a substitute for the "non-existent" Steamboat Rock Wayside State Park," which was next to a "bad" graveled Pine Ridge Park.  All in all, it was a great day in our pursuit to ride the 95 listed parks.  Six (6) miles (on a unicycle) in one (1) day, I'm not sure I ever did that as a kid.  We have now completed "a mile ride" in twenty-five (25) State Parks.  It feels good to be over 25% complete after only two (2) months.  We continue to ask for your support in our challenge to raise money for Meniere's Disease Research.  Please log on at www.givetoiowa.org/burkey and help in any way possible. Thanks for the continued interest and support.

Gladbrook, Iowa

Crossing  "double yellow" lines??

First "gravel only" park

This is "GOOD" gravel

Patty with "deceased" T.F. Clark

LaPorte City, Iowa

Waterloo, Iowa

Just "enjoying" the day!

First "substitute" park

Substitute trail for substitute park

Enjoying the mile!!!!

Eldora, Iowa "The last of SIX"

FINISHING THE TEENS

Saturday, May 17th, was a "big" day on the unicycle.  I rode a mile in five (5) parks, a new record.  The day was not without challenges, but the weather was beautiful, and it seemed great to complete the nineteenth park.  In Otho, Iowa we encountered our first "mislabeled" State Park, Woodman's Hollow, which was a land preserve with no roads or areas to ride. We also encountered our first "non-existent" State Park.  We spent two and a half hours (mostly on gravel roads) searching for Barkley State Park, in Pilot Mound, Iowa, with no success.  The locals and farmers had never heard of it. We finally found it listed on a cell phone GPS app, but could not locate the park.  It appeared that the State may have given the land to the many scout camps, in the area, and never deleted it from their records.  Despite the many frustrations, it was great day for riding and we enjoyed five (5) beautiful Iowa parks.  While completing these parks, and finding some questionable to ride and/or missing, an "executive decision" was made.  "A 'substitute' park will be ridden, to keep our committed number at 95."


Lehigh, Iowa

Please, NO face-plants

Just, cruising

Lehigh, Iowa

One of many lakes this day!

Boone, Iowa

Grand Junction, Iowa

Yale, Iowa

THE DUELING UNICYCLES

A crazy work schedule has delayed my progress. Saturday, May 10th, I rode my 14th park.  Banner Lakes at Summerset, welcomed a friend, customer, and fellow unicyclist.  Ken Setzkorn, road the mile with me, as we shared a few stories along the way.  The ride was quite easy, as the road was wide, flat, and free of potholes, cracks, and debris.  The weather was beautiful as well, and an adult beverage awaited us at the end.  Patty kept us company, as she computed the exact mileage and recorded the event with pictures.

SUMMERSET - SOUTH OF DES MOINES

KEN SETZKORN - NOTE HIS LARGER (FASTER??) WHEEL

DUELING UNICYCLES

REFRESHMENTS

 

ANOTHER RIDE COMPLETE - 81 TO GO!

 

 

 

A Healthy Diversion

The weekend, of April 25th -27th, was spent working the Drake Relays.  Consequently, no parks were ridden.  We did share the weekend with our "child bearing" daughter Nichole, who came to help with our work at the relays.  We also took part in a 10K walk, through the streets of Des Moines, which ended in the Drake Stadium.  The event was postponed for thunder storms, but was completed during a break in the rain. We finished below our goal time and it was a good way to be catch up on Nichole's life in the Pacific Northwest. Nikki was instrumental in kicking off this "Pedal the Parks" endeavor and will deliver our "first" grandchild in August. Many records were set at the Relays, and the weather was beautiful Friday and Saturday.


THE DRAKE 10K IS HISTORY

CHILLY BUT DRY -----FOR NOW!

The Trail to Lucky "13"

Another three (3) park day. The first was Bob White State Park in Allerton.  It is managed by Wayne County, instead of the State, thus the sign distinction.  The familiar brown and gold sign, of the DNR, has been replaced.  There was a question raised about whether these were actual "State Parks" when tallying the total number, but I didn't want to leave any out.  This "questionable executive decision" increased the parks from 73 to 95.  I'm not sure this was the "intelligent" decision, but it was probably the "right" decision.  It was a "good" mile ride and the weather was great.

The second park was Red Haw State Park in Chariton. It was quite hilly and presented some challenges.  I did however, pass Patty and her trike, while ascending a hill.  The riding is becoming more comfortable.  After the ride, we ate lunch and visited with a couple of families that stopped for a picnic. Surprisingly, one of the families had a friend suffering from Meniere's Disease.  They seemed pleased to hear about what we were doing, and took information to pass on to there friend.  With the warming weather, more people are showing up in the parks.  It will make for a good opportunity to "tell our story."

The third park, Lake Ahquabi in Indianola, was full of hills.  This "hilly" challenge forced me to think of the hills as an "inconvenience" instead of an "avoid at all cost" item. We had our first "personal fans" on this ride, as a co-worker and his family came to see the ride first hand.  He wasn't convinced that his 64 year old boss, could really ride a unicycle.  We had another "odometer calibration" as the "pre-planned course" was only .97 of a mile.  The remainder of the ride was on a "nearly flat" circular drive.  This completed our "13th" park, only 82 left.

 

First non-DNR sanctioned State Park

 

 

Nice easy ride!!!

 

 

Beginning of long downhill!

RECORD DAY

Saturday, April 12th, was a record setting day for my unicycling venture.  I rode four (4) parks in one day. I rode the second park with NO stops.  I even completed a full 360 with no problems.  I also completed the tenth park, which put me into double figures and brought me to beyond a 10%  completion rate.  Riding, with no stops, was my best ride so far, but I was also treated to the worst road conditions so far.

The highlights of the day were:
 > witnessing three (3) deer charging from a wooded area right in front of us. I had visions of an "old" unicyclist being broad sided by a running deer.  This was not a pretty picture.
 > taking a break, from riding, to watch a college softball game between Loras College and Central of Pella. ( A former neighbor was playing for Loras, and we were in the area.)
> Upon leaving Pella, we saw two (2) young boys riding their unicycles on the city sidewalks.  It brought a pleasant reaction, and I was inclined to join them
> Enjoying a 83 degree sunny day. (two days later we awoke to a snow covered yard)
> Completing a terrible mile at Margo Frankel Woods without having to resort to using the better roads at the cemetery across the street.

Don't forget to log into our direct link at www.givetoiowa.org/burkey to make a tax free donation.

Thanks for all the support in curing Meneire's Disease one park at a time.

Oskaloosa, Iowa

Not really watching for deer, are you??

Knoxville, Iowa

NO stops or dismounts!  Maybe I'm making progress.

Kellogg, Iowa

The third park in one day!!!!!

10th park! More than10% complete!

NICE ROAD!!!

Odometer Calibration

Pammel State Park in Winterset was the 5th park.  It is one of the oldest state parks in Iowa, and proved to be very challenging.  The riding day weather was very windy, and park's roads were hilly, rough, and filled with large cracks and potholes. At one point, I had difficulty getting started on a steep uphill, after encountering a dismounting pothole.  I walked the hill, mounted the unicycle, and finished the ride. Patty, my head photographer and mileage counter, informed me that the ride was not complete.  In an exhausted state, I asked "why?"  "The hill was 1.5 tenths long, you haven't ridden the committed mile yet."  So to keep things on the up and up, I rode the 1.5 tenths to make things official.  I'm not sure Guinness has been alerted to my endeavor, but Patty is following the rules.  God love her. She has been pedaling her Terra Trike right along with me on this journey.  She has voiced a complaint or two about the hills as well, but I haven't seen her pushing her trike yet.

With a refreshed odometer reading we headed to Big Creek State Park, in Polk City.  The entire ride was on the Neil Smith Bike Trail.  I completed the "full mile," including some hills, with no problems.  After the ride, we ate lunch in the park, and enjoyed a nice leisure bike ride on the trail.  It was a great way to end the week.  With six (6) parks complete, we entered into the 80's.  Only 89 left.

One on Iowa's oldest State parks

Tunnel through main Limestone bluff



Polk City, Iowa



 

Note the "uphill" grade