Today marked the peak of my training for the Overland Park, Kansas, Gobbler Grind Marathon on 20 Nov. 2011. I ran a 'reverse' route: instead of running from my house west of Charlotte to my destination a.k.a. my parents' place west of Grand Mound, thanks to a westerly breeze (and a husband willing to drive me) I flipped it.
After heading straight north out of Grand Mound along county road Y54, I turned
east toward Welton on county road E63 and was met with this lovely northern view.
Despite the darkening skies, it stayed dry the entire time. Yay!
east toward Welton on county road E63 and was met with this lovely northern view.
Despite the darkening skies, it stayed dry the entire time. Yay!
Creeping closer to Welton, another fall vista north of county road E63.
St. Anne's Catholic Church in Welton. My mother's family used to have
a farm feed store in town and it was beyond nostalgic to run the familiar
horseshoe road past their old home and this church. My aunts used to ride
me around on the handle bars of their bikes...and occassionally dump me!
Since my mom had driven me to Grand Mound proper, thus shaving
2 miles off my intended route, I opted to add some sojourns. This was the
view from the backside of the old 7th Day Adventist settlement
(earmarked "North Welton" on our Iowa Gazateer).
Continuing north along the old portion of Hwy. 61 leaving Welton, I spotted
this old hidden bridge. The only means of spotting it is from this closed stretch of road.
The last portion of old Hwy. 61 north of Welton now abandoned, replaced by
a newer 4-lane version. As a means of accessing county road Y60 (the line of telephone
poles in the right corner), I climbed through a ditch and ran in the grass along
said 4-lane for about a quarter of a mile before crossing it and heading north toward Delmar.
Evergreen Cemetary on Y60 on the south edge of Delmar. Hey, it's Halloween...and the sun came out!
About 1.5 miles east of Delmar on state Hwy. 136, looking south.
Apparently an old railroad went right through where that pond now sits.
Another mile or two toward Charlotte on state Hwy. 136. That dark brown line is the abandoned
railroad bed of the aforementioned train. This "ridge road" offers lovely vistas.
A posse of tractors 5.5 miles west of Charlotte on 136.
Blair Witch, anyone?
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