And we had a blast

The Big Bike Adventure.

It rained all morning and by noonish, we mounted up and headed out on the Sparta-Elroy State Trail. Sparta-Elroy State Trail. 

My cousin and his wife wanted to ride along the trail where we could go through the most old train tunnels. The trip one way would be 13 miles to the longest tunnel. The tunnels were for trains and some of the tunnels are over 140 years old.

Map below of the out and back route we took:

Photo in Infrared of my bike and at one of our first stops. 

The Kickapoo River near Wilton. Here the river looks more like just a little stream.

[photographed in Infrared with my little Canon ELPH]

Aaron brought his dog Ringo along. Ringo is his Spring Spaniel that he hunts pheasants with in the fall. Ringo is also considered as one of the family. 
Aaron said he hated to leave Ringo with others while he and his wife go on fun biking trips so he thought he'd train him to ride in the cart.

It went pretty darn well. I do have to say that Ringo was an extremely well behaved dog.

Speaking of carts. We saw a little tiny cart with 3 miniature Dachshunds in it! The dog's owners said the little dogs loved going on biking trips!

Hmmm. Wonder if Charlie would like to ride in one???

The first tunnel was made out of bricks. The work to make this tunnel was amazing. This tunnel is a quarter of a mile long . Bicyclist are to dismount and walk with headlamps or flashlights to get through the tunnel safely.

The second tunnel was short, more like an underpass than anything else. It was also full of water from the rains. We scooted through that and then pulled over and had sandwiches.

This last tunnel is 3/4 of a mile. This is where we stopped after peering into the tunnel. It was time to turn around and head back to camp. This tunnel had been blasted and chiseled out of rock.

All the tunnels had water in them and water dripping from above.  They were also quite cold!

On our way back, Monica decided that Aaron and I needed to have a photo together. Hint. I have the green helmet on. [Monica's photos]

Aaron, Monica, and me. Group selfie!

Me -- inside the first tunnel we went through. There were little alcoves all along the length of the tunnel. We have no idea what they would have been for.

The trip was so much fun.

On the trail and at camp, we talked about our childhood and all the adventures we had together as kids. The Tarzan Rope. Arnold the Grump, sledding the big hill, climbing trees, hunting frogs and snakes and all of the things we did while spending time in the summer together.

As kids and teens we were always the best of friends even if our mom's situations changed. We still don't understand all of it and don't dwell on it. 

The important part is we still enjoy each other's company and having adventures together.

I had such a great day. Good food, good conversations. AND a whole day off the farm! I have to thank my good neighbors for keeping an eye on hubby for me and making sure he was okay and had meals in my absence.

Conclusion regarding their E-bikes. They had pedal assist e bikes. Which means if you pedaled, it assisted the rider. I got to try it and I thought it was pretty neat. After all Aaron pulled his rather large dog in a carrier along the trail and I don't think he could have done that without the assist. 

One day I may even consider one. But I did fine with my regular bike. The trail did not have steep inclines in it.

---Oh... FYI: I am not sore today Eddie. 

Just Go...Part 1

The idea was this. I get in the car in the morning and head south to southeast with an eventual destination of Kenosha/Racine county.

I got to Spring Green and saw an interesting road and went south. It meandered all over the place. It twisted and turned and led me past beautiful homes tucked in the hillsides. I saw mostly crop farms and almost no dairy. I came to an intersection of county roads. Road Closed, it said, BRIDGE OUT! Okay.
The tiny road to the left looked interesting and I followed it. 

I couldn't find a safe place to pull over and take photos. But that was not my intent anyway. I just wanted to go, play music and drive the backroads without a time frame imposed on me.

Eventually I ended up at Mt. Horeb and saw a sign for a county park. I followed the signs and we stopped. My idea had been to find a drive thru and grab something to eat. Instead, Charlie had some dog cookies and I had water to drink. 

We walked along the hiking trails and observed some Canada Geese. 

As we got back to where I had parked, a family pulled up and got out of their vehicle. The kids said something to the Grandpa and he told them to 'Ask if they could see the puppy.'

This was the first of many Charlie/kid/people/ petting encounters on our trip. 

We ended our road trip at my son's house. His dog Teslin saw Charlie and turned around and went upstairs to bed. Teslin is somewhere in the 16 to 17 year old range. She wanted nothing to do with a bouncy young dog.

My son took me for a drive and we ended up at Kenosha Public Brewery. I don't know if I'll get this all right, but there is a unique master plan to revitalize downtown Kenosha. And I have to say, it is working.

Now don't freak out. If you google Kenosha, WI, you will find all sorts of things about the riots, the shooting of Jacob Blake and the murders by Kyle Rittenhouse. I'm only going to say this. The town did not burn down. Yes some buildings were destroyed and people from outside of Kenosha caused a lot of problems. 

I do have a long range plan to move back to Kenosha. 

BUT it is a scary place! [I've been told all about it from folks who don't know this city] Yes, that is why [thanks for saying this Ed] Jockey International put there headquarters there. 

Okay. The building in the above photo is the original spelling of Kenosha. Kinoja or as this painted building says Kinoje. 

This photo is in an alley way as we walked between buildings to go to another pub.

Enough said about K-Town. It really is a rich and diverse place. There is always something going on. 

So.

I made it to Eddie's house just fine. 

The scenery and atmosphere was completely different than the farm. I could walk around with Eddie downtown and see the sites. 

And for the first time in nearly 500 days, I felt unencumbered.

I had checked in with Rich and he was fine, the neighbor girl had called down to see how he was and she brought him some homemade airfryer french-fries.

Make an Adventure

To say that I have a 'normal' life would be somewhat of an exaggeration. What is normal?

In my mind's eye a normal person of my age and stature putters around in the morning and then has some coffee while reading the news.
Then she should prepare breakfast for her guests and set the table.

Later on, this nice little hostess would get a proper noon meal planned and sit on the porch and visit with her guests and husband.

The day would drag on to supper, chores would be done. The nice hostess would whip up an exotic supper and present it to the guests. Some nice conversation would occur around the table with cups of coffee.

Later everyone would go to bed and slumber.

Not
how it
happens
here!

I get up pre dawn and make coffee, let Charlie out and pretty soon my company starts to drift down the stairs. First comes Daryl and Scout, followed by his youngest daughter and Amanda. The dogs start to wrestle and play in the living room, so they are taken outside for a potty break.
Coffee is passed around along with some Kringle that was brought from the Racine Bakery.
We all look out the window and decide to go for a walk to look for spiders and dewy webs in the meadow.

Rubber chore boots go on over PJ pants for some...no need to dress fancy. The dogs chase each other around and around in the yard with dew drops spraying up from their legs.

We go walking in the tall weeds and grasses of the meadow and begin to spread out each person looking for webs and we begin to find many of them.

It is a bit of a fuzzy shot but then again...HOW close do I want to get to these guys or girls??? Not close!
We wander the meadow brushing up against weeds, and keeping an eye out for Charlie who is so small that he seems to disappear in the wet grasses.

Daryl gets close up and personal with the Spiders and we find dozens of small or 'baby' spiders.

We are like excited children, calling out to each other each time we find an incredible specimen.

Finally, soaked with dew, we all head back to the house for more coffee and to visit with Rich.

The kids do the chores and drag out Mt. Tank and fill it. The dogs are toweled off and we visit with Rich and have coffee and conversation. We discuss the meteor showers and decide we'll go on the ridge to try and watch them around midnight.

And that is just the start of our morning.

To be continued....

Can You come over and Play??

...Or lets introduce Val to the basics of rock climbing.


There was a phone call on the answering machine from our ex-neighbors.  "Hey the kids are missing you, can you come by for a hike with us for a bit this afternoon?"

Ben and Terri moved away to a rental home last month. It isn't too far away, perhaps about 12 miles.  
I've known the family since 2009 when they became the new owners of the house at the top of the hill.  

We shared a driveway and a sense of 'adopted' family.  
Terri is the same age as my youngest son and I've seen her family grow as well as babysitting for her over the years.

So off I went to go for a hike at the home they are staying in until they get ready for their next home.

Before I could put the Subaru in park, the kids and Terri were blasting out of the house.  

"Hi Val!" they hollered and the kids came on the run.  I got hugs from them all.
Pretty quick Terri got Dutch and Manny, their dogs and we were ready for the hike.

The place they are renting is in a deep valley, there is a beautiful rock outcropping high above the house and a deep rocky dry run that runs down through the property.

The kids led the way up the trail, which we old timers call a 'ridge road'.  Brier who will be 5 soon, stopped me and told me that we would cross a bridge and that it was a very safe bridge and he could help me.

We crossed the bridge over the dry run and the kids dropped into the 'gulch'.  
"Come on Val," they said, "Let's go, we want to show you the cool rocks we have here."

At the beginning, it sure looked innocent enough.  Terri had Dutch on a leash and said she had to go up to the trail because Dutch couldn't climb.

Of course I just thought to myself.  Dutch is very old and has a hard time negotiating mossy rocks.  

Brier waved me on, his sisters had gone ahead.
"Come on Val!"

Then we came to an area that reminded me of a gulch.  We walked in among the rocks and the girls simply disappeared around the corner of a sandstone formation.

Brier waved to me, "Come on!" he said, "We get to climb here!"  

I followed figuring this wouldn't be such a big deal.  After all the kids were doing this, how hard could it be?

Indeed.
How hard could it be?
The ledge where Ambrosia is braced is about 5 ft off the rocks below her.  We were in a circle of sandstone carved over the years by water into a circle.  When heavy rains occurred on the ridge or a large snow melt occurred, the waters would rush down this 'dry' run and cascade off the boulders and rush down the valley.

I stopped and watched.  
"You guys have done this before?" 
Ambrosia answered while trying to wiggle herself into a position so she could climb the boulders above her.
"Oh yes!" she answered, "With Dad!"

Yikes.

Brier tugged my sleeve.
He said, "You need to help me and Clover get up on the ledge."
Clover turned and said, "If I get a boost, I can get up there."

I looked down at Brier, his 5th birthday was a month away and here he and his sisters were climbing fearlessly doing basic real rock climbing moves.

Surely an old fart like myself could figure it out.

I boosted Clover to the ledge and she struggled and I kept as close to her as possible until she made it over the boulders and to safety.  Ambrosia had laid over one boulder and extended her hands to pull Clover and steady her.

Next was Brier.
I don't have the strongest upper body, but I managed to get Brier on to the ledge.  Both sisters lay across the boulders above to offer a hand.  I climbed half way and hung on by bracing my legs against stone.
I put my hands under Brier's feet so they wouldn't slip and he continued to climb.

Finally he was up and over and it was my turn.  
Okay.  An 11 year old, 9 year old, and a nearly 5 year old had just done this, right?

I got safely onto the ledge and had to stop and think. There were no hand holds to get a safe grip.  The climbing had to be done with bracing.  I couldn't brace with my back as I had my camera sling pack on.
I wiggled around and got situated to go over the mossy boulders.

Ambrosia came back and offered a hand. 
"Need help?"  

"Just stay there while I rest a moment," I replied.  My heart was pounding.  This was hard!

I was able to grasp enough of the rock to pull myself over and up.

Climb completed.
Ambrosia turned to catch up with her brother and sister.

"There's one more," she said over her shoulder.

I turned and looked down.

That was a climb!

The next one was a bit tricky too, but I was able to climb it after helping Clover and Brier.  When I got to its top, the dry run became quite a bit tamer.

At the top of the second climb we meet Terri and Dutch.  
I chided her for 'misleading' me on the little bit of rock climbing I'd just done.

I said, "Jeeze Terri, I'm 59 years old!  I've never climbed rocks like that before!"  I laughed and she replied.

"Val, our intention is to never let you get old."
I grinned like a kid.  

I looked back down after we'd gotten up further.  It was beautiful, even in November.

I followed them to the top of the dry run.  Ambrosia took a side trip in order to climb and old tree and its roots that were hanging on the side of the huge ditch.

The kids loved climbing.
I thought how wonderful it was to see them so confident in their abilities. 

Children need this sort of activity or something like it.  I can recall being the Queen of antics on the Monkey Bars in school and being called a Monkey by my mom with my tree climbing abilities.

I still had it at my ripe ... old... age.

We walked up to the ridge and investigated a doe that had been killed by coyotes.  The kids looked down into the rib cage and I told them that this kill wasn't that old, perhaps 24 hours only.
I showed them that half of the lungs were still there.  I didn't present the deer kill as gross or scary, just as a curiosity.

The kids called it "Cool."

We followed the ridge road back down to the house. After the rocky adventure, it was quite mundane.

I fell asleep last night thinking about how exciting it was climbing those rocks.
And as I drifted off to slumber-land, I wondered if I was too old to take up a new sport.

Kids & Feeling like one

The grand kids wanted up at Sunrise ... well at this time of year it is later than usual.  Daylight savings time put it back an hour, the grands were pretty tuckered and just barely made it up to see the sunrise.

Even Morris wasn't really willing to get up.

But we got going and Ariel, Morris, and I decided to head out for a walk in the woods and down the valley.

I really didn't realize until the two of us were further down the valley exploring things through her eyes, how much I missed having another person to hike with.

I put my arm around and hugged her tightly and said "I wished you lived close enough to go hiking with me all the time."
Oh I meant what I said.  Hiking and exploring is okay with Morris, but it sure was more fun with Ariel along.

We went to some of my favorite spots and to places that Ariel had not seen before.

I guess I realized then that even though I knew nearly every inch of this huge forest, that sharing its wonders with someone else would be like a fine gift.

We turned around at this point of the valley.  And Ariel led the way confidently with Morris close on her heels.

I told Ariel about the 'ice cave', the back valley, the big rocky dry runs, the out cropping that overlooked a valley, and more...

In my mind I was truly trying to figure out how to take her there and show her these amazing spots.

I felt like a kid with a new playmate.  
Oh yes, I am her grandmother.  
But for the time we were hiking and talking I felt like a youngster showing my 'playground' off to my best new friend.

I guess that makes me a bit odd, but I can't wait for our next hiking adventure.

The making of a new adventure book

Each year it seems that Morris's stuffed toys decide to go on some sort of adventure.

Sometimes they take a Tonka truck for a ride, sometimes they get lost in the woods...and occasionally they meet new friends such as mules...or new toys.

Imagine me carrying a gym bag full of stuffed toys through the woods finding ...'Just the right spot' to take some shots of the 'characters'.

Hint for the preview of the book.
Morris is getting the surprise of his life.

Lots of new characters are going to enter the story.

I'm looking forward to how these characters take me on an adventure.