Planning my own celebration.

Each year, I strive for some sort of goal. This hiking 'thing' started out a few years ago when I turned 65. I wanted to do something special for my birthday.

I decided to do the Tromp and Chomp trail that the Kickapoo Valley Reserve put on each year. The half marathon used roads and the 8+ mile route stayed on the trails. My first distance hike was here---> The Hike.

I simply followed the 8 mile route that year since it seemed easy enough to follow on the map. 
I continue to do that route just because it is a nice hike. 

Two years ago, I found out about something called the MammothMarch. It is a long distance hike held as an event in different states. 

I couldn't afford the time off to travel to the March and pay the rather expensive fees to hike with a group of strangers so I tried another distance hike in the Reserve just to see what it was like. I didn't take Charlie, I wanted to see exactly how fast I could hike the hills and rough trails. 

It was a challenge between my mind, my body, and myself. The challenge ended up being 11.45 miles. I will admit. Fall is the best time for a long distance hike. The temperatures are more moderate and so are the insects.

Looking back ---👇

In my 20's and 30's I ran 5k's and 10k's and a Half Marathon. My sister and I did a 140 mile bike ride in two days. In my 40's and 50's I rode my mule in Endurance competitions [only a couple] but we trained together all year long for those events. 

That led to the hikes. I like doing things that just challenge myself. My 60's led to hiking and caring for my husband. I'd hike when I could. I discovered that it eased the stress of Caregiving. 

All I need to complete hiking is good shoes and some common sense. All I need to challenge myself is a route. 

I've decided not to do the MammothMarch. I'd have to pay for the ticket to go, and find a motel room to stay at. Then I'd hike with complete strangers for 20 miles. Nothing against that at all. However, I like Me competing with Me. 

~~~~~~~~

I haven't yet figured out how to make the 13-15 mile hike into a 20 mile hike yet, but I'll keep working on that. One goal at a time.

After all, when the Fall weather comes, I plan on breaking my record for distance hiked so far.

Why?

I don't know. I always fantasized about hiking the Pacific Coast Trail or the Appalachian Trail. But I am a realist. I'll have to hike what I know first.

I may consider Wisconsin's trail system instead and expand beyond the local Reserve and Parks. 

The WI Ice Age Trails offer some straight through hiking near where my cousins live. I could hike and make a visit at the same time. 

Hmmmm.

Gandy Dancer State Trail [47 miles from Danbury to St. Croix Falls]
Tuscobia Trail [ 65 miles from Rice Lake to Birchwood]

The Ice Age Trail offers approximately 1,000 miles of hiking in my own state.

For now? I need to get through the hike at the end of the next month. But I sure do like dreaming!

 

Just go for it...

Sometimes I go for the hard and swift hikes.

Thursday I took Hannah and left Charlie at home. I wanted to do a 'hard and swift' hike. I had the route all planned out.

I was using my running vest instead of a backpack.

They sort of look like this:

It is so light! It is nice to carry water and a few useful items in the pocket in back.

My average with Hannah was pretty fast. The fastest pace I set was 12 minutes for a mile. Hannah and I had a blast.

Whoo hoo!

With all of that aside, we saw some amazing sights. Imagine a valley floor covered in Dutchman's Breeches!

We found patches of Blood Root deep in the forest.

Alongside the trail we found hundreds of Trout Lilies.

We took quite a few short breaks. Hannah is a pup so I want to be careful with her.

I have this old coffee cup snapped to my belt loop so Hannah can drink out of it and eat kibbles so she can replenish her energy while I snack on a Protein Bar.

It works really quite well.

The West Ridge Trail 
was lined with 
Spring Beauties.

The Old Man Ice Cave looked rather sleepy when we went past.

These were morning views from Bridge 15. I really have to keep an eye on Hannah, she is a daredevil and I wouldn't put it past her to jump off the bridge. I don't think she would but I've seen her do some crazy stuff and ... she likes water.

Starting our journey before 8 o'clock was really quite nice. We had the place to ourselves. Now that we have earlier sunrises and longer days, I'll be adjusting our hike times to very early or very late.

👇

The Kickapoo River has been quite full for this month. 

The backwaters have filled in and come right up to the paved trail. This area is teaming with life and will soon be producing hoards of 'skeeters and other bitey flying insects. Although, I am happy to see these areas full of water again.

Here is a link to a video. Every time we pass this spot on Little Canada Trail, she has the super zoomies. The Video is 19 seconds long and just of Hannah running up to the tree roots and then zooming around. Her pure Terrier/puppy joy creates warmth in my heart.

I'm putting it here so when I am blue, I can go back and watch it over and over again.

Our total distance for this hike [we did rest and I was very careful with Hannah]...was 8.47 miles. We got home before noon and spent the rest of the day working on flower beds.

A funny note about dogs. This was Hannah's second time on this trail. When we got a junction on Old 131 trail, she chose left which headed back to the parking area a mile away. 

I imagine she either 'knew' which way was back or she was able to smell our backtrack.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Below--->

This is to remind me what I used on this speed hike.

Total time for 5.65 miles: 1 hour:53 minutes. Rated as Moderately Difficult.

Trails taken: Old 131, Little Canada, Ice Cave Trail, start at Parking area on County P
Gear: Running Vest with water, First Aid kit, Food

Foot Gear: Merrill Trail Running Shoes

Temperature: 73 F, Humid, North breeze

Additional easy/slow hike to the pond near the Mule Trail and back to County P Parking
Distance: 2.70 miles
Trail: Old 131, flat, paved
Time: 1 hour:02 minutes.

Rest and recovery walk/hike.

At the end of May, I am doing a Birthday Hike to celebrate my 7th decade here on Earth. The goal is to hike at least 15 miles to mark it. 

The Collector

Things Rich collected....

Here is a 1966 Chrysler Outboard motor in our little Red Shed. Apparently he purchased this at some auction with the intent of cleaning it up and reselling it.

As already established, I do not know a thing about motors or engine things. Here is a gem or piece of junk that was hidden in the 'junk' in the tiny shed.

Here is another motor. What was the obsession with old boat motors?

The closest I can figure on this engine is an outboard motor that was made sometime between the years of 1920 to 1940's.

Is it worth anything? Who knows? It will go in an auction, but I'll clean it up  first.

I searched through 'stuff' on the floor of the crushed garage and found this item.

What on earth is it?

A Vintage Kerosene Cowl Lamp from the early 1910 to??? [or tail lamp?]. Inside this lamp is a the  wick set up. The front light would be clear white and the side light would be red.

Odd, but cool, right? I think it is a great find for the following....I'm keeping it. If I put a light in it, it really works!

Dr. Cog and his dog Gear really like it!

Below is a photo of a vehicle in the shed. It is a 1992 4X4 Toyota with a clean engine. It is filthy from sitting in the dusty shed for years. 

The young man that was with the guys picking up the old Buick has offered me 4 times what we paid for it.😎😯

He sees something I really don't. It is filthy from sitting in the shed. The interior is in pretty good shape and the engine looks pristine for some reason. Restored it is worth a whole gob of money. I'd never even entertain the idea of restoration but had another guy comment that he wished he could have a stab at it.

I already promised Matt that is was his.

The Scrap Dudes piled tools on it so I have to clean that off this week.

After all this thing has an engine and we know how good I am with mechanical stuff.

Rich always meant to clean things up and get them running. He saved things for doing later which never came for him. He was good with old engines and could fix almost anything. He could weld and create almost any tool he needed or construct and repair anything else. 

I wish I'd been able to see him work on things in his younger days.

The kid that is buying the Toyota is very excited. He called it A Barn Find. Apparently there is a show where guys search old barns for classic cars to restore.

My grandson and his father are interested in our Allis Chalmer D17. They'd like to have it to restore. That would be an intriguing project to see. I think part of the engine is missing so it would be more likely to be sold as a parts tractor.

Oh the world of a collector....

😀

That time of year

I don't usually follow my own good advice. I woke up tired. I ate breakfast tired.
I did chores

tired.

Then I took the weekend's trash out and separated the recycle stuff for Wednesday's journey to the town 'dump'.

Then I looked at my messy flower beds. I put the black plastic [these are old round hay bale covers] over the areas that I am going to plant with seeds to block out spring weeds. 

I usually wait until the end of May to put seeds in the ground.

I dug out last fall's weeds, turned soil, weeded by hand, moved rocks, and did a major clean up. The dogs enjoyed laying in the grass and supervising.

I cleaned out the Hosta bed on the NE side of the house to prepare it for some fresh mulch and found 3 little bleeding hearts coming up.

Last year I'd put down cardboard in this area and mulched on top of it. It did a fair job of keeping the weeds down and so far still looks good.

I'll probably need to redo the whole thing next year.

I generally use those rocks as a border alongside this part of the garden. By midsummer, the hostas are so large one cannot see the rocks.

I might find another job for those rocks this year.

In my 'shade' garden, the tulips, daffodils, Virginia Bluebells, ferns, hostas, and snowdrops are all coming up like crazy. That garden is a true mess with grasses and other 'weeds' growing up. I guess I might get at it later this year or leave it.

I didn't clean it up last year as I was busy with caring for Rich in his final time with me. I let the gardens go last year.

However, the flowers still are coming up despite the mess and I am enjoying them.
 

I noticed that the yard was shaggy and overgrown. My little dogs had grass up to their shoulders. I guess I was going to have to break out the mowers.

I used my all natural mower to assist in difficult places.

I used my little mower to do a large part of the yard. I need to change the oil and the filter in it. Obviously, it needs cleaning too. But I love this mower, it really rocks. 

10 years ago Rich bought this Country Clipper Zero turn mower for doing our yard. It was his 'baby'. It uses a joy stick to steer which I have learned to use over the past 8 years. 

Since this is a complicated machine, I have the guy we purchased it from come each year to pick it up and tune it all up. He is not always swift in getting it done, but he is easy to deal with.

Over the past 30 years we've purchased all of our mowers and chain saws from him. 

Last year I didn't so it is Bad On Me.

It is running just fine but I am not sure about the oil, the hydraulic stuff, the blades, and the belt so I need an expert to exam it.

Machinery is NOT my forte. I don't understand engine things. 

If they stop running, I need help!

The yard below👇
The yellow tape is to remind the Scrap Dudes
not to pull into the yard where
the leach field is.

By 4PM, the dogs and I were all done in. I sat in the grass in front of the porch. 

I did some daydreaming. I dreamt of huge wildflower beds in that area on the left side of the photo above. After that area is leveled, I'll be spreading grass seed. But what if I made a nice area for wild flowers and butterfly flowers? I could watch and observe it from my own porch in the summer months.

Once upon a time, I had a huge flower garden that started at the wagon wheel and went 50 feet towards the house with a walking path down the middle of it. I'd had a job that allowed me more time on the weekends, and late afternoons to tend my huge garden. It was a sight to see.

Two shoulder surgeries and an elbow surgery within 3 years put an end to that garden. Rich removed it and made it into grass. 

This is a shot from 2005 before the garden got mowed down. 

It is nice to dream about things isn't it? At least I can imagine a huge beautiful garden. It may not happen, but I can close my eyes and see it.

It is that time of year, time for big dreams if you like gardening.

I need to get out my seeds I gathered last year and start plotting. It will all change as soon as I start planning.

I like pretending....😉and dreaming.

Wild 36 hours

I'm not even sure how to explain this.

Friday morning I left with Hannah to drive 3+ hours to my son and his fiance's place in Wausau. We were going to drive north to the UP in Michigan that afternoon after the kids were gathered from school.

The first leg was peaceful and quiet. I decided to take Hannah and not both dogs. Charlie has always been a bit nervous in the car and does quite a bit of 'talking' and complaining. I left him at home where a neighbor was going to let him out and later, my grandson Dennis would come and stay at our house. Dennis offered to watch over the place, do chores, and keep Charlie company.

I thought that this would be great socialization for Hannah as well as seeing how well she travelled distances.

Hannah proved to be an easy traveler. It seems the car vibrations put her into a sound sleep. I took periodic stops for leg stretching and peeing. 

I'd seen the weather and apparently we were in for more wild weather at some point on Friday afternoon. I'd have avoided travel any other time, but this was a trip for a small informal wedding to be held at dawn in the U.P. It was crazy enough for me to be curious and not to back out on Jer and Em's wedding. 

As we left Wausau under blue skies, tornado warnings erupted just a few miles south of us in a town called Ringle. We found out just a bit later that 75 homes had been severely damaged.

We headed north as the weather caught up to us and by the time we hit Michigan we were driving in a wild rainstorm through snow country. The rains came down, the fog from the snowpack was intense. If I had been driving I would have quit and looked for a place to stay. 
We made Houghton, MI in the dark and the fog lifted.

At 3am WI time, we were up and the bride to be was getting her hair done.

It was an honor to be asked to be a witness but so far things had been a bit insane.

We piled in two cars and headed out to the proposed site.

The temperature was around 19 F with a fairly fierce wind. This is Esrey Park. Pre-dawn. I climbed the rocks with my head lamp and loved the view. It was the first choice for the 'wedding'. 

[sorry for the poor shots, it was dark!]

After scoping out two other places, we stopped at Hunter's Point Park and sought shelter from the weather while the vows were read.

The 'I do's' were said, the bride was kissed, and we piled back into the heated vehicles.

Jer and Em wanted me to see at least one of the fantastic waterfalls in the area. The rest of the parks and trails were deep in snow so we stopped at Copper Falls Park in Eagle Harbor and walked out on the footbridge to admire the roaring water.

We drove 4.5 hours back to Wausau were I picked up my vehicle and I drove 3 hours back home.

Wild and slightly insane is the best way to describe this adventure. However, it did peak my interest in the Michigan area and the beautiful shoreline of Superior. I can see taking this trip in the future at my own pace and exploring the copper mine museums and the sights of the Upper Peninsula. 

Sunday was spent with my grandson Dennis who helped me finish two fencing projects. He had come up Friday night after the storms went through and cared for Charlie and the animals.

I think Monday should be a day of rest for the dogs and I!

One day, no rain mud hike

This was the beginning of the trail and I figured there would be water on it from all of the rains and the overflow of the Kickapoo River. It also came from the bluffs on the west side of the trail.

[It was too wet to stay home and try to do yard work...so off we went..]

As of April 15th, all dogs at the Reserve must be on leash so I had Charlie tied with a cord to my belt and guided Hannah with my free hand.

The cords are different lengths so Charlie can walk ahead of her without her nagging him.

It mostly works. I'm still getting the hang of it.

Not all of the trail was muddy and wet, only about a 1/4 mile stretch. In the other areas, the water had receded. Both sides of the trail had water in it.

The dogs were fascinated by watching a turtle and by watching frogs. We saw Swans and Sandhill Cranes, an Eastern Phoebe, and Red Wing Black birds.

No pictures, my hands were full!

I did get some great water-ish pictures that were interesting. This is overflow into the low lands from the river.

This is not a trail you want to stand around on when the mosquitoes and deer flies awaken.

We hiked with bluffs on one side and flooded low land on our right. It was kind of crazy and interesting.

Even the some of the bluffs had water running out of them. That is how saturated the land is.

This is20 seconds long. I just thought it sounded so beautiful. I've never witnessed this before, but probably because I've never explored this area just after so many heavy rainfalls.

I found more beautiful flowers and even got a few shots of them while wrestling Hannah, who thought she should be involved.

Charlie did his own thing.

It got quite warm in the valley so we found some shade and the dogs had water and some rest before we headed back.

The dogs really had quite a bit of wrestling and play through the muddy wet section of the trail.

They were ready to go home, but needed a bit of cleaning up first!

The late afternoon was dedicated to baths and supper on the porch. We all relaxed and watched the sun go down.

Another day in the books for April with a successful hike.