Ely Fall Fest 5k
The Ely Fall Fest 5k will be using a portion of the Hoover trail from Ely Road to the City Park from 7:00pm tonight to 8:15pm. The trail is not closed to other users, but please be considerate of the event, and follow all safety and etiquette rules when using the trail.
Area trails are closed due to flooding.
The City of Cedar Rapids has closed the Cedar River Trail at two locations due to flooding. The trail is closed under the 8th Ave SE Bridge (above left). The Cedar River Trail is also closed along A St SW between 15th Ave SW and the landfill due to flood protection measures and flooding (above right). The Sac and Fox Trail near the Indian Creek Nature Center is closed due the high river level. Part of the Prairie Park Fishery Trail is also closed. The Ellis Trail is closed near Ellis Park and Manhattan Park as result of water over the trail. In addition, the City of Marion has closed a section of the Boyson Trail near Donnelly Park due to high water on Indian Creek. All closures are marked with signs and barricades with no designated detours.
For your safety, please use caution and remember the following:
• Avoid riding or walking through water that covers an entire section of trail.
• When sections of trail are closed due to flooding, obey all barricades and signage. Refrain from moving and/or going around barricades.
• Slow down when standing water, mud and/or debris are found on the trail after the water recedes.
• Linn County has several other trail opportunities to explore while these trail sections are closed.
These sections of trail could reopen this weekend as the river level falls below flood stage.
Upcoming flooding next week will impact area trails.
The National Weather Service is predicting the Cedar River at Cedar Rapids to reach a flood stage of 14.7 feet on Tuesday, June 24th. Flooding will impact the Cedar River Trail near the 8th Ave. Bridge, at the CRANDIC Railroad Bridge underpass, and south of Sokol Park as early as Sunday, June 22nd. In addition, high water may restrict trail usage of the Sac and Fox Trail, between the Indian Creek Nature Center and Cole St., and the Prairie Park Fishery Trail. In the past, river stages above 11 feet limit the usage of trails located near Cedar River. For your safety, please use caution and remember the following:
- Avoid riding or walking through water that covers an entire section of trail.
- When sections of trail are closed due to flooding, obey all barricades and signage. Refrain from moving and/or going around barricades.
- Slow down when standing water, mud and/or debris are found on the trail.
- Linn County has several other trail opportunities to explore while these trail sections are closed.
Current river levels can be found at the National Weather Service's Advanced Hydrologic Prediction Service website: http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/hydrograph.php?wfo=dvn&gage=cidi4. LCTA will provide updates of trail closures and openings during the next week.
Pass With Care
By: Mindy Seiffert, LCTA Board Member
Five weeks ago, on the first beautiful day of spring, I broke my right collarbone in a bicycle accident on the Cedar River Trail-South.
Always Wear a Bike Helmet!
This was my first serious bike accident (after about 15 years of riding). I am relieved that all I had was a broken collarbone along with some bruising, scrapes, and soreness. On that day--like every day that I ride--I was wearing a helmet. And thank goodness! I landed on my helmet and my right-shoulder. I knew immediately that my collarbone was broken.
Luckily, the young man that I collided with was not injured. However, he was not wearing a helmet. Hopefully, this accident will be enough to make him start wearing one.
Pass with Care!
Teaching kids about trail safety is critical in order to create an enjoyable experience for all trail users. It is very important that children understand they should always ride their bikes on the right-hand side of the trail. Frequently, younger children do not understand the speed that others may be traveling at or even be aware that others may be coming towards them.
And just like on roads, there are certain times when you should NEVER pass on the trails. For example, if you are approaching a tunnel and can’t see if someone is coming out of the tunnel, you should stay in your own lane.
On the day of my accident, the young man I mentioned earlier went to pass some pedestrians as he was approaching the tunnel on the trail. I am confident he had no clue that someone was coming out of the tunnel. And unfortunately, that someone was me.
There was not enough time or space for me to react in order to avoid the situation completely but I did manage to slow down, avoid the pedestrians, and avoid injuring the other biker.
Be a Good Trail Citizen!
Thankfully, there was no shortage of good trail citizens on that day.
I would like to thank the very kind bikers who happened to be out on the trail that day. Numerous people stopped to see if they could assist and offered everything from phones to ibuprofen. Many of them even stayed and waited until my husband arrived to take me to the hospital.
Get Back Out There!
Until this happened, I hadn't realized how common broken collarbones are for cyclists. Apparently, I was lucky to make it as long as I did!
Today, my damaged bike is still leaning up against the wall in the garage (not that I could ride anyway). Soon, I will take it in to Hall Bicycle to get repaired. But in the meantime, I am still using the trail—now just as a walker instead of a biker.