Take A Hike!

There is an App that can be used with cell phones called MapMyHike. I had been using my Etrex Garmin GPS for years, but it seems to have issues now, so I thought I'd try this out.

I thought this graph was pretty interesting. It shows that I kept a fairly good pace even with the elevation changes. I know that since May I have increased my power and strength for hill hiking. I surprised myself last weekend when hiking the KVR. It was rather flat and I covered ground in 12 minute miles or less depending on when I stopped for taking photos or re-routing along the river.

My hands may ache and feel horrid, but my legs are strong and can carry me along. Some of this route was similar to what I can ride Sunshine, Mica, or Siera on. However the majority of this hike was on deer trails and not groomed trails.
It involved 'creek leaping' as well as ducking and hopping over dead falls.

I love to chose to go along the creek first anyway. I've even tossed out some flat rocks to assist with the creek crossings.
I went past the Ice Wall to see if there was any ice forming. This area is wet with a lot of water seepage so the ice is forming.

Last year....
in January...

The temperatures will be dropping drastically through the weekend and since I have some avid hikers coming to visit, I thought I'd check out the route we like to take together.

These are the trails I take. There is an old logging road that is a bit wider but nothing is groomed so it is always rough going. I am not complaining as this has been my backyard hiking for the past 20 some years.

I wanted to see if the 'Ice Cave' had any ice on it yet. The ice formation on these rocks are dependent on moisture from the ridge. There hasn't been enough rain or snow melt to create any formations here.
The raccoon have taken over the 'cave' area. I could smell the scat from above it.

As I entered the cropland area I saw this mud-grass bird nest full of cracked corn and berries. I wondered if some field mice didn't use this as a storage bin.

Then it was back out onto the cropland. I hiked through the corn stubble and cut across to our property line.

I hustled down the steep hillside to the creek. I checked my time and I wasn't far off schedule. I'd told Rich that I'd take about an hour and a half. I had 20 minutes to spare.

I marched an slid down the hillside and back to the creek. I grabbed the knotted rope we call "the elevator" and used it for balance while climbing up the steep bank.

The arrow points to the rope I use to go up the bank.

View from the top of the bank into the creek.

I made it home with two minutes to spare.

I grabbed some dry clothes [I'd sweat through my shirt and sweatshirt] and helped Rich finish the stock tanks.

How did I feel afterward? I thought I'd ache all over.
I did not.
I thought I'd feel it today.
I do not.

However, I did sleep like a baby last night. 8 full hours of sound sleep. After 9 years of odd shift work and no sleep pattern, I am finally feeling a bit more normal. I feel like leaving that job gave me back years of life.

I'm already plotting my next hike.