The Bridge is Open!

It was a beautiful day for the bridge opening - Sunny, clear, light breeze and in the 70s. Starting at 9am, wrist bands were distributed as a lottery to see who gets to be the first person to cross the bridge. The crowd started arriving just after 11am. The opening festival started at noon.

You can see my photos of the festival here:

Bridge Opens!

Watch for helmet-cam video of my first ride over the bridge. (It was a crowded crossing).

Manawa MTB Mayhem

The weather was gorgeous for the last race of the 2008 Psycowpath Season. The result was a big turn-out.

Some words about the photos of this race... I got the shots into the computer to process the photos. I am not happy with the results. Looks like I forgot all (of much) of what I learned over the last 2 years. I did NOT follow well with the camera (like not at all), resulting in blurred riders and clear backgrounds.

Here's the link to the photos:

Manawa Mayhem

Capital City MTB Challenge

My photos of Capital City MTB Challenge are on my web site.

Here's the link...

http://www.tomwinfield.com/bike/mtn-bike/mtb_races/psy20se08.html

Cross the Bridge

Celebrate the grand opening of the Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. The festivities will take place on Sunday, September 28th.

Here are the details, per the Council Bluffs Parks & Recreation web site:

Free Event! Everyone Welcome!

• 12:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

• Playland Park in Council Bluffs (2 N. 40th Street)

• Free children's activities, with inflatables, face painters, magicians, and more!

• Performances by Monticello's Regiment from Thomas Jefferson High School and Omaha Central Eagles Marching Band

• Ribbon cutting with Council Bluffs Mayor Tom Hanafan and Omaha Mayor Mike Fahey

• Food and beverage concessions available.

• Free parking!

• From 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. free wristbands will be placed on the wrists of interested participants in the park. A drawing will be held just prior to the ribbon cutting to determine who will get to be the first person on the Bridge!

I understand there will also be information booth(s) for local cycling, walking, and running clubs.

See you there...

Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge

Last night was the illumination gala for the new (recently named) Bob Kerrey Pedestrian Bridge. The bridge links trails between Council Bluffs, IA and Omaha, NE.

After several days of rain, the evening ended up clear and pleasant. As the sun was setting, the nearly full moon rose behind the bridge.

The bridge lighting ceremony was held at Lewis & Clark Landing (Omaha side of the river). The evening started with a free blues concert. Bridge illumination and fireworks capped the night.

I had not seen the bridge from the Omaha side until last evening. The bridge, lighting - and of course the fireworks, was impressive.

You cannot walk or ride your bike over the bridge yet. The opening of the bridge takes place on Sunday, September 28th. Those festivities will be held on the Council Bluffs side of the river - at Playland Park.

Opening festival starts noon. The bridge opens at 1pm. Now, who gets to be the first rider/walker across the bridge?

NEW (9/18): Check out my web site page - photos of construction and lighting of the bridge.

Race Photos Posted

I really am still out and about. Busy with other stuff - riding, working on photos, creating a calendar, doing trail work, etc.

Anyway, at Tranquility Tire Tantrum, I took over 500 shots. They are posted on my web site.

http://www.tomwinfield.com/bike/mtn-bike/mtb_races/psy16au08.html

Enjoy

Trail work -- Friday evening 8/22 5:45pm. Saturday morning 8/23 8:30am.

Checking Out the Trails

Feeling really good yesterday morning, I headed out for a ride checking out damage to the trails caused by the recent storms.

The from the Wabash Trace Trailhead, I rode about 3 miles down the trail. I rode that same section Sunday. This time, I took time to photograph some of the damage. Today - Tuesday the 1st, trail work is scheduled. Meet at the Trailhead at 4:30. Should end up in Mineola about 9pm.

From there, it was over to Lake Manawa Mountain Bike trails. Lots of branches down on the trail. A big tree down across the trail close to the kiosk. Trail Work scheduled to Thursday, July 3rd - 6-8 pm. See the THOR-Trails blog for more information.

Still feeling good - on to the Trail Center. Lots of signs from the storm - broken trees, limbs/branches down, corn ripped from the wind. On the way back, I saw how the flood waters of the Mosquito Creek has damaged the paved trail.

Rode over to Xtreme Wheels to see what's happening. By the time I got back to the car, I logged just short of 29 miles. That made it over 1100 miles for the first 6 months of the year.