R16 4 Release the Hounds! And the Bees! And the Hounds with Killer Bees that Shoot Out of Their Mouths!

Screech..."wait, wait, wait. There's something wrong with my pedal." 

Little did I know the sound of those brakes screeching would come to haunt my dreams. 

We weren't halfway down the block and already bikes were falling apart. We paused on the side of the road as Steven tinkered for a moment and then proceeded. We were headed to a bike trail that would take us to the bike trail that would take us to the Raccoon River Trail that would take us to Redfield. 

We just had to find it first. I knew the directions, but when we arrived at the spot, an elementary school, well, we could see the trail but there was no sidewalk that led to it. We each foraged our own way. Me pushed through some deep, very rain soaked grass and a flooded out mulch pile. Steven, through the playground and then down the stairs to the basketball court. 

The bike trail was windy, steamy, and often covered in mud. Huge rainstorms in the last few nights had sent pound after pound of loose soil, grass, trees, and stale rainwater into the trails--all adjacent to streams. As we wound our way down the trail, we navigated this detritus as carefully as we could. 

We were nearly to University Avenue when we passed a lady walking her dog. Both she and we were forced off the side of the trail because of a huge puddle and as I slowed to pass her, I could hear her mutter, "Well, some people have terrible ideas."*

Turning on to University, we had to cross the road to hop onto the Urbandale Greenbelt Trail, right at 515 Brewery. We were nearly there when I heard, "Ouch! Wait. Wait. Wait. I think I was stung by a bee." 

Honestly, I didn't know bees got up that early, but apparently they do and they are out for Steven's blood. On her neck, just behind her ear and below her helmet strap was a small white dot, slowing beginning to swell. 

"Are you okay? Should we just quit now?" I asked, but Steven said she would be fine and we pressed onward. 

Finally, and after many fits, starts, mud puddles, pet-related disasters, and animal and human attacks, we were headed west. The adventure was on. 

*Actually, I can't remember exactly what she said, but it was mean and grumpy and perfectly mirrored my own feelings about our upcoming adventure.