Tall tails of Trails

Trail Challenge 2023 is coming along nicely. Of course a lot of my hiking is with Charlie or totally solo. 

My buddy Bill is dealing with asthma issues as well as honey-do issues. Olive has Spring Track Meets and she is coaching 5 evenings a week so she pulls double and triple duty, working full time, being a mom and a coach. However, she is enjoying it which truly matters.

I took Charlie with me to do the south end of the Hay Valley Trail which I did last summer. Time Out ~ If you want to review it...

I thought it would be neat to see the same trail in the springtime.

I brought along my infrared camera of course. I can't resist viewing the world in a different light.
These were taken with a 720nm filter.

Bridge 10 with traffic

Kickappo River

Kickapoo Backwaters

The North end of Hay Valley offers some neat places to note. One of the harder places to cross is what I dubbed 'The Swamp'. Last year it was wet, mucky, but doable by walking on logs and clumps of grass. It was rather shaded when I did it, but still noteworthy. A walking stick would have been good for some extra balance, but I'm terrible at walking with one. 
I generally set it down and have to go back for it.

Anyway. Spring brought a different view to The Swamp.

It was a bit more wet but more trees had fallen down. Over the years, hikers have place pieces of wood in strategic spots to use while crossing this spot.

All the plants that are in this photo below are Skunk Cabbage plants leafing out. The bright greens of fresh leaves and sunlight were amazing. 

Skunk Cabbage:

The next attraction was the Twin Caves. I don't know if anyone else makes up the names like I do, but it helps me remember exactly where these neat spots are.

I'd seen a hint of a rock shelter when I went through here last year. I wanted to see it in the spring before the undergrowth hid everything.

I was not disappointed as I found a trail that went right between them.

Each 'cave' or rock shelter was at least 6 or more feet tall inside. I didn't have time to hike down into them. I'll have to do that at another time. Perhaps in the winter when the water flows over the rock and forms ice walls.

The forest floor was littered with Virginia Pinks blazing away. We walked the trail rather slowly. I wanted to look at it all.

Most of the trail is part of the original trail system that existed before Kickapoo Valley Reserve took over from the Core of Engineers. Some of the trail has been re-routed to stay out of the steep gorges.

I don't find that trail extremely difficult, but this can be a long hike if you have to go back to where you started from. It was just under 5 miles when I hiked along Highway 131 to get back to where I parked.

Otherwise the distance from bridge 10 and Hay Valley to Bailout Trail is only a bit over 3.5 miles.

It took Charlie and I 2 hours and 40 minutes which included stopping often to look at things which included a trailside chat with a couple of older folks that were out hiking.

The next time I visit this trail, it may be during the fall or winter. Then I can say I've seen it in every season.

Sections 38 and 39 have been knocked off....

Trail Challenge Sections #4 and #1

We were so lucky to have a break in the cold weather. 

Bill and I hit the Wintergreen Trail which is Trail #4. Distance? .93 miles. It is an out and back trail so I'd call it 1.86 miles. 

This is always one of my favorite trails and this time there were some cool things added. Nature Discovery Markers!

I'm going to pause here for a moment and make mention of the Kickapoo Valley Forest School. Check it out. I know it has made news lately. I would have loved to have gone to school this way. I would have loved to be a teacher here too!

I imagine these markers were put up for those hikers who visited on January 8th for the Winter Festival.

Bill and I enjoyed finding the markers and reading them. EXTRA bonus for us!

The trail was compacted and slick, so Bill and I donned our YakTraks. I keep a set in my back pack. I think I should do a fund raiser for a new pair of boots for Bill.

Charlie, our trail master led the way as usual.

There are some incredible sights to see along the trail. In the winter you can see down to the Kickapoo River for most of the hike. 

I always stop and take a photo of the river from the bluff look out.

This time I took it in Infrared. 

There is a rock shelter along the way and later in the winter, it usually has a good bit of ice in it.

A few years ago I discovered what I call Layered Cake Ice. I'm positive this IS not a technical name but just what I made up.

Water seeps slowly over this rock formation and creates multiple layers of Ice Falls.

There is another section of the trail where water seeps across the path. This is another spot where ice cleats or YakTraks prove very useful. One can just walk around this ice patch by stepping up and walking through the woods. 

There was a mini ice formation just under the trail which we didn't bother exploring.

The ice didn't concern Charlie at all.

The trail dead ends at the edge of a bluff. I've taken 100's of photos of this part of the trail through the pines and it never has looked the same way twice.

We reach the end of the trail and spend some time gazing at the river which was frozen over. Underneath the ice we know the Kickapoo still flows. Bill and I discussed the ice and the dangers of stepping out on it.

I busied myself with looking through the camera lens. The way the pines cling to the rock never ceases to amaze me.

We headed back towards the Visitor Center.

Since it is such an nice day, we decided to knock of the .4 mile loop and Trail #1 on our list that circles the Visitor Center but allows us more views of the river.

Below us we could see the waters rushing over the ice where the bright sun has melted it.

I am pretty lucky to have a hiking partner that doesn't mind how often I stop to take photos. 

I'm always looking for that perfect shot. 

We are having fun and I think that may be the most important thing. Fresh air, socializing, exercising, and exploring nature. What could be more perfect?

Bill and I took our first steps on hiking the Reserve together on February 05, 2020. 

That day I took a wrong turn and we ended up laughing about it. Bill has continued going with me despite that.

3 segments down! 

51 to go.

I'll end with a Mary Oliver quote from one of her poems...

Instructions for living a life:

Pay attention

Be astonished

Tell about it...

Into the Woods

Sometimes I dance to my own music that only I can hear. The squirrels laughed and chattered along with the chipmunks.
The trees swayed and applauded by dropping golden leaves on me.

So this is some of what I did. My first real self portrait shoot of sorts.
I had some fun. 
I used a 25mm lens and a self timer. I really took some crappy shots.

Yes I tossed the flip flops and went barefoot. It felt so much better. A lot of shots were not in focus but some were just fine. I even used and Art Setting called soft focus which gave the whole shot an Orton type look like in the first photo.

One of the very hard lessons I learned is that I think I messed with the art filters too much. I'd set up the camera to recognize the face. Good move. Except that the Artsy Fartsy Filter doesn't recognize the face. Soooo many shots were neat, but alas I was not in focus. 
However. That was okay for some of the shots. I didn't want close ups of my freckle face.

I learned that my glasses should be left on... no matter how much I wanted to have them off.

I have a ridge across my nose that shows up in the photos. But who is looking that close anyway? No way am I smoothing this out. 

Yes! I even applied some makeup. Yuck on reddish colored lipstick. But I used it.
Other fun notes.
Since I always wear a baseball cap outside doing work, my skin tone is different on my forehead and yes I have used sunscreen. 
Note to self. Keep the camera further away or wear a cap!

Then there is the scary person. Infrared! The eyes turn black! And of course I am holding a skull.

Then I decided to just sit in the woods and chill out for a while. 
If I stayed long enough I'd fade right into the forest.

[Layered photos one without me in it on top.] The magic of layers.

I can live with this one. I feel it is more true to myself in a way.

How I Go to the Woods by Mary Oliver

Ordinarily, I go into the woods alone, with not a single 
friend,  for they are all talkers and therefore unsuitable.

I really don't want to be witnessed talking to the catbirds
or hugging the old black oak tree. I have my way of praying,
as you no doubt have yours.

Besides, when I am alone I can be invisible. I can sit on top of a
dune as motionless as an uprise of weeds, 
until the foxes run by unconcerned. I can almost hear the unhearable
sound of the roses singing.

If you ever have gone into the woods with me, I must love you
very much.

Hot and Stuff

This is just going to be about things I've seen over the past week including things of beauty, things that make me curious and things I photographed just because.

Wednesday's storm front. I was on the way to CrossFit when I saw that I was driving into the heart of a huge cell. The closer I got to town, the meaner it looked. According to the weather service it was to go northeast of us. 
I don't like storms, I don't like to be in storms. 
I've been in two tornadoes and one really exceptional storm in 2007.

I pulled over to the side of the road and grabbed my camera. I only had my IR camera with the 850nm filter. It really only captures stark black and white and really highlights details in clouds. We had some winds when the front came through along with rain but thankfully no damage.

Other areas had hail and up to 3 inches of hard quick rain.

Shot of the neighbor's cattle pasture at dawn. Yes, the cow in the middle of the photo is pooping. 

Dogwood. I found some! 

Wild Grapes! They look plentiful and I wonder about making grape jelly.

That would take a LOT!

Sumac. It looks like it wants to start turning colors! Heat and drought stress?

Elderberry flowers. Most are done flowering now and the berries are turning dark. This one had a tiny bee on it.

Queen Anne's Lace in the meadow across the fence to the east of us.

Ohhhh!

Chicken of the Woods? I saw it, I didn't pick it because it was too beautiful. However I would like to have an expert by my side to try something like this. 

Apparently my soldiers will keep an eye on it. It was too bloody hot and stormy to continue wandering around the woods with the heat and 'thick' air. But I will get back to it!

Indian Pipes! Generally they grow near an old oak's roots especially those oaks that have 'health' issues. Interesting to note that so many life forms are so intertwined with the forest like that. I mean I knew it, but I didn't KNOW it.

Moving right along. 

Last thing. 

The storm Wednesday night. Uffdah. The winds were pretty nasty so it looks like today is my day to go see if trees fell on the fence. Our corn was flattened and I found branches this morning down by the stock tank which is over 100 ft from the trees in one direction. Branches were down in another direction too and some found way out east of the house. No damage to buildings but small branches on top of the shed too! Interesting. You may be able to guess what I will write about later!

Road Trip sort of

I had to go to LaCrosse for an checkup on our Subaru. I generally take a quick little side trip while I am there.

Yesterday I went over to Goose Island. It is a nice county park with little roads going to different parts of the island. I think there are something like 8 or more picnic shelters that can be reserved and several playgrounds. All along the river access are picnic tables and some trees for shade. There is a campground for tents and a grounds for RV's.

It is on a slough to the Mississippi River and between LaCrosse and Stoddard Wisconsin. It is beautifully maintained and the county road GI is well maintained with wide shoulders to pull off on.

I try to get there a couple of times a year just to enjoy driving around the place and seeing if I can find something to photograph. I'm always on a time crunch as the other half is keeping tabs on my time. I called him to let him know I was taking a drive through the park. 

Time to test more with that long lens!

Here is Chippy! A seven striped Chipmunk. I was tickled that he just sat there while I took his photo. I stayed in my car as not to spook him.

I saw this doe along the slough, so I parked the 'Ru and walked slowly back up the side of the road.

I was able to take 3 shots of her before she took off, bounding through the low lands.

Along WigWam Slough, I found these turtles. I've cropped this but if you can look at it full sized it looks like the turtle on the right is 'snarling' at the one on the left. 

So do you suppose turtles fight?

Ninja Turtles!

A view of the bluff on the other side of highway 35. In regular color and then in Infrared. Wink...wink. You know I couldn't help myself!

The shots were taken in different spots on the county road.

It was warm and the sky was amazing. The clouds kept changing and developing beautiful Cumulus clouds. 

I'll be headed back to get new tires next week. I'll grab my gear and walk to downtown LaCrosse and visit the Riverside Park while I wait for the car to be fitted with new rubber.

Perhaps I will be lucky enough to see one of the Steamboats go by while I am there.