Hubbard

I knew before I started my journey to Hubbard that it was going to be a long day. Three towns in one trip was an imposing task, but the weather was cool and unlike my previous excursion, the wind was all but absent. My first leg was along D20 into Alden before heading south on S27 which I would follow through Buckeye and finally into Radcliffe before heading East on Highway 175 towards Hubbard. I simply hoped for the best when thinking about visual options in my first two towns I would visit. I knew that Buckeye was little more than a grain depot situated on a busy section of railroad track. But being an optimist I simply hoped for the best and rode on without hesitation.

The road between Alden and Buckeye was the busiest of the day, with a constant flow of large semis passing the feeble frame of my bike. I caught a break as I rolled into Buckeye proper. As expected, the town had minimal activity besides along the towering silos. But there was a certain silent beauty as I rode my bike down mains street, most likely drawing more attention than I had intended, since I can safely say that the village is rarely visited by passing bicyclists. 

South of Buckeye the traffic decreased and the road improved to a point where I was making great time.

Heading into Radcliff I felt as if I could bike across the entire state of Iowa. Similar to Buckeye, Radcliffe's downtown is sparse. I stopped in at the local gas stations which borders highway 175 to refill my water and and have a quick snack since I planned on eating lunch in Hubbard. The busy station was filled with a constant flow of local farmers and residents on their way to work.

As I headed east towards Hubbard on Highway 175, I kept my quick pace. This stretch of road sports a smooth, flat top and a very wide shoulder making it a great stretch for bicyclists. I crossed the road to the north to check out Hardin Conservation's Hubbard Prairie plot which encompasses the north ditch along 175 from just outside Radcliffe all the way to where 175 meets up with Highway 65 just outside Hubbard. As soon as I entered the area a large woodchuck ran up the hill which used to be railroad tracks and have now reverted back into wildness. There where innumerable native plants growing along with many beautiful wild flowers which added wonderful color to the large expanse of space. The western part of the prairie is difficult to access for humans since there is no parking, but it was obvious by the large patches of matted grass that local whitetail deer had no problem finding the space and using it to bed down for the night. 

After leaving the prairie area I continued to ride East until I came to Meier Poind just outside of Hubbard city limits. The wildlife refuge was alive with the loud songs of many different species of birds. I spotted florescent Yellow Finches, speedy Killdeers, and noisy Redwing Blackbirds during my time walking the circumference of the pond.

As I finally entered the city limits of Hubbard I felt a strong craving for food and air conditioning. I stopped at the Zederbaum Restaurant on Maple Street in downtown Hubbard and was greeted by an effervescent waitress, Lilly Rice. Rice is a Hubbard native and was quick with my order and even posed for an awesome portrait with the most German type food item Zederbaum had available. It was an overflowing Reuben with loads of tender corned beef and a generous helping of kraut and dressing. I devoured the enormous sandwich in an embarrassingly short amount of time while I chatted with Rice and other locals diners in the expansive restaurant.

Back on the streets the sun had finally broken through the clouds and I could feel the temperature and humidity rising. After visiting the giant woodcarving by Krukow at the Hubbard Care Center and the grave stone of President Herbert Hoover's father, Eli Hoover, at the Hubbard Cemetary, I quickly rode to my final destination. I had been looking forward to the pool since I began planning for my trip to the area. Pool manager Brenda Winter welcomed me in for a free swim as my anticipation rose. Diving into the clear blue water I felt an overwhelming relief from the hot a muggy day.

After taking a few leaps off the diving board, though, it was time for me to head back toward Iowa Falls. Lucky for me, the wind had picked up in the early afternoon and was blowing straight from the south which pushed me along as I headed north towards Highway 65. Due to the wind, the pace I kept was incredible, arriving back in Iowa Falls in only 45 minutes. As luck would have it my front tire went flat just as I pulled into the Times Citizen parking lot signifying the end to another exciting adventure through Hardin County.