Saturday ride to the High Trestle Bridge

Thanks to our relatively new system of taking days off at work, I got this weekend off. As such, I finally went on a normal Saturday ride, which for many in and near Ankeny, that's becoming a ride to the High Trestle Trail Bridge. Today was also the first day in a while that it wasn't either raining or super windy. The wind was present but not horrible and out of the northwest, so it was in my face basically the whole way from Ankeny up to Woodward. Perfect. This ride was also the first time I have seen the bridge in its completed form.

130 feet above the river in the middle. I've been across it before, but not since the additional metal work was finished around it. Looks great.
The offset design is awesome, good looking, and invokes a bit of a vertigo feeling, or it might if you rode across fast enough. Looks great too.

Here's a look from a tower/lookout/observation point just on the west side of the river, looking south across the bridge. On a sunnier day the view would be even better, but the river is pretty regardless.

Once home and thawed out, I had my favorite post ride beverage (surprise): beer. This time I cracked open a Brau Brothers Bancreagie, a scotch ale I grabbed to fill in a mixed six pack a few days ago.
It was okay. Nothing terribly special, but it's malty and very slightly smokey and pretty smooth. I really wanted the peaty smoked flavor to come through more, but alas, if there ever was a smokey note, it was covered by other malts. Without a significant smokey hit, it's another anonymous scottish ale. It's an okay example of the style, but even then it isn't exactly the one I'd show people as a "good" example. I generally like things from Brau Bros, so I hope this is just either a rare miss, or the brewers' palettes and mine don't agree. More beers later will probably make me feel better.