Taking
to the Trail III (a)
It was good to be back in the Michigan woods again after - literally - months away. I discovered that I still had the Michigan State Parks sticker from last year in the window of the Escape! The blue-green carpet of vincas was still in the same place in the Island Lake Recreation Area, however, Queen-Anne's lace and jewel weed was still in bloom, and blazing star was everywhere in the waste places. What was really striking this first day of September is that the trees are still a rich green rather than the tired gray green so common at the end of summer here. I'm sure the wet, cool summer has been a major factor.
Today isn't the first attempt to get ready for another leg of the North Country Trail, but it's the longest walk (about 9 miles) that I've taken in a while. The month of July was spent mostly with my son and daughter-in-law in Colorado, where my son led me to a pass in the (Aspen-area) Maroon Bells that topped out at 12,400 feet and about 14 miles total. The hike was only two days, but the trail was rugged. The Colorado designations
of difficult vs. medium trails only covers the relative steepness of the trail. It assumes a trail tread that is studded with rocks and brutal on the feet. The callusses on the outsides of both my big toes were bruised rather than blistered. My son decided that there is a measure called the Colorado Mile that is decidedly longer than the one he grew up with here. The experience was fabulous! We should have, perhaps, taken three days instead of two, but I would not have missed it for the world.
I have finished my itinerary for The Trail and have decided that I will try to double my mileage in hopes that I will at least finish the Michigan section before I die, or the legs become seriously incapacitated. That means 150 miles in two weeks. We'll see.
As I hiked today, I was keenly aware that I have lost my concerns about whether my knees will hold up. All extended walking seems to do is work out the stiffness - albeit at the expense of short term muscle stiffness. The work on a ladder at the playhouse last night along with kneeling repeatedly had left some issues that were resolved after just two or three miles.
to the Trail III (a)It was good to be back in the Michigan woods again after - literally - months away. I discovered that I still had the Michigan State Parks sticker from last year in the window of the Escape! The blue-green carpet of vincas was still in the same place in the Island Lake Recreation Area, however, Queen-Anne's lace and jewel weed was still in bloom, and blazing star was everywhere in the waste places. What was really striking this first day of September is that the trees are still a rich green rather than the tired gray green so common at the end of summer here. I'm sure the wet, cool summer has been a major factor.
Today isn't the first attempt to get ready for another leg of the North Country Trail, but it's the longest walk (about 9 miles) that I've taken in a while. The month of July was spent mostly with my son and daughter-in-law in Colorado, where my son led me to a pass in the (Aspen-area) Maroon Bells that topped out at 12,400 feet and about 14 miles total. The hike was only two days, but the trail was rugged. The Colorado designations
of difficult vs. medium trails only covers the relative steepness of the trail. It assumes a trail tread that is studded with rocks and brutal on the feet. The callusses on the outsides of both my big toes were bruised rather than blistered. My son decided that there is a measure called the Colorado Mile that is decidedly longer than the one he grew up with here. The experience was fabulous! We should have, perhaps, taken three days instead of two, but I would not have missed it for the world.I have finished my itinerary for The Trail and have decided that I will try to double my mileage in hopes that I will at least finish the Michigan section before I die, or the legs become seriously incapacitated. That means 150 miles in two weeks. We'll see.
As I hiked today, I was keenly aware that I have lost my concerns about whether my knees will hold up. All extended walking seems to do is work out the stiffness - albeit at the expense of short term muscle stiffness. The work on a ladder at the playhouse last night along with kneeling repeatedly had left some issues that were resolved after just two or three miles.
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