Relaxing trip to Wyalusing

We decided to go on a hike to Wyalusing State Park. There was a fair breeze and I figured we could stick to the shaded trails up on the bluff to take advantage of the shade and the light breeze.

With all the bright greens, I thought it would be fun to limit myself to my Infrared camera and shoot IR black and white.

I did bring a filter that allowed the camera to shoot in regular light. The greens and the sunlight through the trees were stunning.

The contrasts in B&W IR are startling. The 850nm light spectrum
shows green as white which gives the whole world a different look.
This filter also shows water and skies as black, and highlights barely perceptible clouds in the sky.

These are shots from deep in the woods from the Sentinel Trail.

This trail is has some demanding areas to negotiate.

The best part of this hike was being able to sit on some rocks and just have some peace and quiet while listening to the forest around us. Charlie enjoyed the rests, Hannah wanted to keep going.

I had brought plenty of water and snacks for the dogs to keep them occupied while we just chilled out.

In these shots, one can see how Hannah compares to Charlie. She weighs the same as Charlie, but Charlie is a small compact dog that has the Dachshund build and muscular body.

Hannah is slender, long, and taller. She looks as though she was built for running.

Her terrier energy seems boundless.

When we got to the 'stairs' I had to be cautious. The dogs are supposed to stay on a leash and I used the double leash. Hannah wanted to rush down the stairs and Charlie had to take one at a time. I may have to figure out a different way to handle that next time.

The double leash worked great until Charlie got tired.

At that point, I pulled out a separate leash for Charlie so Hannah wasn't pulling him.

More stairs!  👇

Our 5 mile route took us down to the boat launch at the Mississippi River.

We spent more time relaxing at the launch and cooling off to take the hike back up to the ridge top.

Hannah was in heaven when I tossed sticks into the river. She does everything with a certain amount of pure exhilaration. 7 seconds of fun....

Charlie got warm and tired on our way back up the Long Road. I tried to stick to all the shady spots, but at one point, Charlie just sat down and looked up at me. I can't refuse my pal so we took more breaks and a few times I lifted him up and carried him.

This is the Long Road ~ 

Seriously, that is the name of this trail/road that leads to a boat launch on the river at Wyalusing State Park. I walked this last fall with Charlie and was struck by the beautiful gentle curves through the forest.

November 3, last year...
It is amazing how different times of year
and the light changes the look of places!

Our last stop was a picnic table overlooking the overlook.

We had a fun trip and were tired enough for short naps when we got home.

I was relaxed and ready for the workers to show up on Thursday and my meeting with the person who has been our Financial Consultant for 14 years. 

Afternoon off

There it was. An afternoon without phone calls or appointments.

I scooped Charlie up and we headed out the door for some free time. 

I took my little pocket camera. It is an Olympus Tough camera which is 'weather proof' and waterproof. 

We started at the south end of Hay Valley and worked north. The trails are not groomed trails but mostly a one track trail. That means that horses, mules, and people have to give way to each other when we meet.

I met two sets of horseback riders. I could hear first riders as they were talking while coming my way. I scooped up Charlie and stuck him under my arm and called out "Hiker with a dog!".  I kept talking to them until they and their horses could see me.

This is called Trail Etiquette, especially in a dense forest. I don't think some hikers understand that even though it just makes sense. The riders were seasoned people and locals. We chatted a bit. They really appreciated my call out. I used to ride these trails and we rarely ran across hikers which is still fairly true. 

The trail section I was on is 8 miles of hard hiking from one end to the other. However, to make a loop I needed to take a secondary trail out to the highway and go back to where I parked.

The following shots are those I took along the trail. Just shots I took along the way to remind me of what this trail looks like as it changes colors. I've hiked this in the spring and once in mid summer. I recommend fall or spring.

I want to do it in the winter also so I can appreciate the bluffs and 'caves' I was able to see.

Near the Bailout Trail and Washout Trail turnoffs from Hay Valley I came upon two women who were sitting on their horses with a map discussing which way they wanted to go.

The signs at this juncture are pretty confusing. IF you are not familiar with which direction the trails actually take, you could very well take the wrong turn.

This was the second time in a year that I've helped horse riders figure out where they need to go. 

There is an advantage to having navigated each and every one of the trails. Having a compass and a map are essential things to have.

I told them to take the south trail.

"You mean turn left, right?" 

In the deep woods you cannot always tell which direction you are headed. "Correct, turn left." 

When we made it back to the 'Ru, I met an fella who was loading up some nice kayaks. I noted the kayaks, he noted Charlie and asked to pet him. The gent was in his 70's and was doin the Dam Challenge Race on Saturday. He was doing the kayak/canoe portion of the race.

I learned so much more about kayaking in such a short time. I also learned that the trail along the Pine River in Richland Center was more scenic than where we were at. 

What a vibrant 75 yr old. He hikes every Sunday with others, kayaks, and is an adventurer. Ever meet someone and immediately like that person?

What a wonderful afternoon. I not only got some great hiking in. I got to meet some really nice folks.

Charlie? He slept all the way home and cuddled up in the evening.

Hiking a well used trail

I think the most well used trail by bicyclers and equine riders is the Little Canada and Ice Cave trail loops at the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. Generally I can usually hike a trail and almost never run into others.

I met 2 sets of bicyclists and 2 groups of horses on my hike Friday. 

I've almost always met someone on these trails except in the dead of winter.

Even in the winter, it is a well used trail for snowshoers. It winds up and down and around the ridge and dry runs. It passes through a couple of pine plantations and a mixed forest.

The hike was around 5 miles, I took the hiking only trail that runs north of the first leg of Little Canada. It is a little used trail. It doubles as a maintenance trail for work and for events at KVR.

I'm going to just toss up some shots here and let you enjoy. These were with a cell phone.

While on the maintenance trail I walked down to the old trail we used to ride above the river. The old trail is still there and it was closed off years ago due to the fact that an equine and rider walk within a few feet of an 80 foot drop off.

Photo of my youngest son standing on the trail in 1996

I enjoyed the hike and mostly took my time just looking around at all of the light and shadows in the forest.

I took my infrared camera and enjoyed some shooting too.

What a beautiful day to be out in those woods. No bugs and no humidity.

However I sure do hope we get some rain tomorrow. 

The weather service upped our chance to 50%!