Dirty Dishes...

Shhhh. Don't tell anyone. I left dirty dishes in the sink, clothes strewn across the unmade bed, and a mess of papers tossed on the table next to a half filled cup of coffee I abandoned.

Why?

Spring Ephemerals. You know the flowers that come up in the spring for a few days and then disappear until next year.

If I miss them, I am sad to have to wait for another chance at it again in the spring.

My friend Pat wanted to come along and see these flowers for herself. She has caught the bug of  finding flowers, native plants, and of course mushrooms. Great minds think alike. 

We decided to meet in town at 7AM and head out.

I haven't had anyone else like my early morning hikes [I do them a lot in the warmer months to avoid the heat]. So I jumped at the chance.

Here is a shot of Pat taking a shot of a trillium. We seem to enjoy shots of each other from behind...

Here is her shot of me and Hannah...

Charlie stayed home. He was informed that he needed a rest day. 
[He was not impressed and held a grudge against both myself and Hannah when we got home! A pouting dog!]

Below are Bishops Caps

I know, I should link to the scientific name

but I like the common names better.

They are easier to remember.

 Another favorite one of mine.

Ginger

The flowers are under the foliage 

like they are hiding!

Mayflowers. Mayapples.

As a kid I called them Umbrella Plants.

I think that describes them well.

They have not flowered yet.

I'm not very good at telling different ferns apart. 

These were ferns unfurling.

Yellow Rocket. 

I've always

seen this as just a weed but found 

out it is edible. Not that I have 

tried it.

We found this flower too, but it was hard

to figure it out.
Swamp Buttercup
I think years ago I just called it a buttercup and

left it at that.

This plant is easy to overlook.

It is tiny and grows in very shaded areas.

I believe it is a False or Wild Lily of
the Valley.

The green in the middle will have tiny white flowers.

Oh... last but not least...

There was this wild Thing we had with us. Her energy was boundless and she showed off by leaping up on logs and diving off from them with wild abandon.

We applauded her achievements and laughed. She handled the hike like it was second nature to her.

I was surprised when I got home that the Dirty Dishes were still there, as was the other messes I'd left. Apparently the Dish Faery and the Housekeeping Faery had also taken the morning off.

Controlled Chaos

Some days I wonder why I thought 2 dogs were better than one. The extra demands, the extra attention, the extra training, and the extra effort along with considerations seem in some moments --- a stupid decision.

Then after a day of yard work, play, and walks, the 2 of them fall sound asleep next to me as I read a book on the couch.

And I know... 

 My blood pressure drops low, my heart rate slows, my heart fills with something warm. 

My longer hikes are slowed to an older dog pace while the pup races back and forth on her line that is tied to my belt.

The slow, quiet walk allows me more time to stop and look. There is no hurry. Charlie doesn't hurry when the weather is warm. He even asks for me to carry him so his short legs can take a rest [or he is tricking me into giving him a ride!].

Hannah bounds into quite a few photos that I try to take of the wild spring flowers. But she is learning that usually what I am looking at is nothing that is interesting enough to chew on, eat, or roll in.

Bellwort

Fern Curls

Jack in the Pulpit

Wild Ginger

The Crooked Kickapoo

Mayflowers

We take about 4 hours to explore the trails. I keep thinking I should hurry up and then I remember that I don't have to rush.

There is so much to look at on these out of the way trails.

The dogs get a drink and a dunk
in the foundation of an
old artesian well house.

We head back to the parking area and I think...

Maybe the chaos isn't so bad. 

It is keeping my mind busy and my body active.

Charlie goes to his side of the car and waits. I put him in his car seat and he settles down for a nap. Hannah tries to climb into the car too, she is ready to fall asleep in her crate.

When we get home the two dogs get up on the porch bench and watch me do yard work and hang out laundry.

I eventually join them on the bench and open my book on Hiking Wisconsin. I turn down pages of trails I am interested in and are labeled 'Dog Friendly'. 

Maybe this two dog thing is really worth it. 

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....

😀