'Twas The Night Before The BIX 7....

Greetings from Davenport... or Iowa...  Or  really "home" at the moment.   Tomorrow is the Bix 7.   A Very Hot;  Very Large;  Very popular race for Celebrities and Locals alike.     Cheryl ran this several years ago and almost died.   She will see if she can actually accomplish it this year around.

As mentioned before,  Bix is always HOT!  Middle of summer and they wait until the Iowa Death sun is right above you before yelling," GO!"   It's a great time.  Filled with marching spines,  Rolling Harley Davison Parades, and three to five Elvises.   Oh,  And about 10,000 people!

Quik Bix Turn around...  Wimpy!

Most of them will only run the "quick Bix, though.  A 2 mile wimpy race for old people, children, lazy people, and folks sobering up after last night's Binge Drinking... (Basically,  people more like Me and less like Cheryl.) Seriously,  People sign up for this race still hung over from the night before.... ( Not Me!  Are you kidding?    I was referring to myself as the "old, lazy, childish people...Not the Alcoholics!)

The EXPO was pretty cool.  Seems the EXPOs were so much larger that first year.   But there were still plenty of vendors there trying to get exposure.


We happened on the Des Moines Marathon and got a look at the Finisher's medal they just unveiled.





 Also, we got to see the I 35 Challenge.   Two Half Marathons run in two days, back to back,  in two different locations. (Kansas City and Des Moines)   Cheryl wants to see if she is up to the Challenge...

I 35 Challenge. 

With our BIB and maps in hand,  we headed out for the festival outside.   Cheryl said it looked like the Iowa State Fair..without all the rides and as many people. 



Most of the food that was at the fair was also there.   Good to know if I get hungry watching all those people run up that hill.

Following that, we went out for a bike ride around the flooded areas of the old Bike Trail.   I should mention that we have not been to Davenport for quite some time.  And we have not been there since this springs flood.  Looks like the Mighty Mississippi has claimed another Human modification of Nature..  Namely:  The Credit Island Park.




The road was closed off to cars and pedestrians.   But we were on our bikes, so it was ok for us.  ( Rules don't apply to bike riders...)

The road was a total wash out.   You could see where it looked like the filled in serious holes with gravel.   There were many trees and logs scattered all around the park.

Still pretty flooded. 

Like riding in the everglades. 

  Several of the park benches, facilities and pavilions were still boarded up and had water lines on the siding.    Even as far north as the Bandit's Baseball Field, the City workers were taking down dead trees and repairing the sidewalk and parking lot.

End of the Line....

Picnic Tables stacked up. 

It was a nice bike ride though.  No cars or walkers to avoid.  Not even any other bikers!   We pretty much had the entire 7 mile loop to ourselves.  I wonder how long it will take to get everything back in order.   Personally, I think they should close the road, make it a bike trail, and just let nature have it back.  Save the picnic tables in a few locations and the Pavilions...  the rest,  just give it over as a walking/bike path.   The cars were always an annoyance anyway and never really used it.

Running in Muscatine. 

Running in Trueblood.

Other than that,  Cheryl also ran 7 miles this morning, and has been biking and running in Trueblood and Kewash.  We have been rather busy trying to get back in shape.  Hopefully, the BIX will be survivable and we can take our bikes to explore the other side of the river tomorrow afterward.  I'm sure that will be undamaged by the river since most of it is behind the dike.

Biking in Kewash. 

Running in Muscatine. 

So that is all for now.  Hopefully I will have some good pictures and stories about Cheryl's Second and perhaps last BIX.  At least she will get a Medal this time. ( 45 year celebration...  did I not mention that?  Opps.) I'm looking forward to the after party.  Not that I'm invited....  that is only for runners and BIX does not encourage, cater, or support the Spectators.   So I'm looking forward to Tee's in Muscatine.   I'll pass on the $12 dollar Turkey Drumstick this time...  See ya then!