![Bass Clef Choir members Zion Ondoma, Henry Hansen, and Zerik Nicholson harmonize vocals while singing "Prayer of the Children". “[It’s] a piece dealing with the Bosnian conflicts of the ‘90s,” said Associate Director of Choral Activities Matthew Jensen, “but is applicable to what's happening today all over the world.” The students will perform the song during Large Group Contests in Cedar Falls in May.](https://riverhawkpress.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/20260414_111618-1200x554.jpg)
Have you ever felt left out? Like going on the news and seeing someone win the lottery? Or, have you ever opened your phone and watched your friends do something your parents said “no” to? Or how about Reward Day in Freshman Success, seeing your friends go to the fieldhouse without you because you have to work on grades?
I have felt that way. But this isn’t about money, my phone, or Reward Day. This is about a small town, a bike trail, and an idea.
As a person who lives in Rockwell, which is a small town 12 miles south of Mason City, I would love to have a bike trail that connects to Iowa’s trail system and other communities.
One, I would love to ride this bike trail during the summer when I'm bored. Because I live in Rockwell, I often can’t hang out with friends in Mason City because my friends can’t drive and our parents are always busy. It would be a lot easier to see friends! We could check out the new Prairie Rock Bike Trails in Mason City or take the trail east to Clear Lake.
Secondly, the trail is already there. The town of Rockwell has an empty old train track that starts at the south edge of town and runs North to Mason City. It does nothing now. It’s the perfect place for a new trail.
This idea is not new. The State of Iowa has been turning old train tracks into bike trails since the 80’s. In 2025, the Iowa Bicycle Coalition estimated 900,000 Iowans ride bicycles. More than a third of those bike at least twice a month. It’s also estimated bicycle tourism has an impact of $13 million dollars. This would also be a great opportunity for businesses in Rockwell, Mason City, and people overall.
Now you may be asking yourself, “Where will we get the money for this project?” Well to the person reading this, we do donations, fundraisers, and see if we can get the two cities or the state to help pay for it. We could also contact the Mayor of Mason City and the Mayor of Rockwell and see what they think of this bike trail and what it would do to the city and town.
