There used to be a brick factory on the north side of Des Moines, and mountain bikers writhed among the rocks, bushes, trees, and occasionally bricks still lurking in the mud.
“It requires three trailers and four-wheel drive to get it out,” he jokingly said. “My dad is angry.”

As development creeps in from the south and west, jeeps and off-road vehicles give way to cyclists and hikers.
“It’s crazy to me to think of this 3-mile loop in the woods, it’s really close to the city center or wherever you want to go, and it’s still just this hidden gem,” he said.
“For the bottom of the river, it is a bit remote, even if it is often flooded,” Cook said. “For those who want to take advantage of it, we have turned it into a very good recreational place.”
Following the cycling boom caused by the COVID-19 lockdown last year, Cook said that the Trail Association saw greater participation on Monday night in Sycamore and other trails that the organization brings to its weekly activities.

Cook said: “When you are surrounded by concrete and buildings, it is really a beautiful natural scenery, and this is what I think is the best part. We have these trails throughout the city.” Everyone can. Visit them. ”
The photographer and videographer of the register, Brian Powers, is a cyclist who spends most of his non-working time on bicycles, or tries to keep up with his wife and their husbands.

Our Des Moines is a weekly special report that introduces interesting people, places or events in the Des Moines subway. This treasure makes central Iowa a special place. Any ideas for this series?