Just add imagination

"Do you want to go for a walk with the kids? We can go to the Reserve and do an nice easy trail...bring snacks?" I sent the question in an email to my neighbor.

We often went to my little creek for adventures, but the weather was supposed to be chilly. I wanted an excuse to get out of the house and visit with another female. And I wanted to go to my new favorite place. The Kickapoo Valley Reserve.

Off we went.

We took Harris Road Trail to the ponds. We detoured around the ponds which was good. 
That meant that I was knocking off one more trail that I had to complete for that Dam Trail Challenge. 
It is actually just called The Trail Challenge, I just like including the 'Dam' in it. 
This was one of those small intersecting trails that I'd missed the other times while hiking the south part of KVR.

The kids ran ahead while 'we' adults walked along behind just enjoying each other's company and conversation. 

The trail led around more than one frozen pond and of course the kids wanted to explore the ice. 

However with the recent warm days and melt downs I was super cautious and said emphatically NO! Lauren and I discussed our fears of falling through the ice and being trapped under it. 

Of course, I did something silly on the walk as we negotiated the path around the one pond. 
I blathered on to the kids about how in another month or so they could see Canada Geese, Mallards, a variety of ducks, and other birds. Did they want to keep an eye out for eagles?

I realized as I chattered on that Lauren was probably the only one hearing me. The kids were concentrated on the ice chunks in their path, the rocks, the stumps, and the pure adventure of the hike...and not the coming spring or birds.

I laughed to myself then. I thought, just enjoy the chatter of the children and the fresh but chilly air.

We came around a bend and there was a corn crib type structure. 
It was a blind set up with boards that you could open to watch those birds who would be coming to nest.
The kids ate snacks and enjoyed opening the little windows.

Sure, I tried to explain that this was a bird blind. That really did't impress my audience. Then I may have said that it was a way to spy on birds. Now that peaked their interest!

The only Eagle we saw at KVR was the finger puppet I added to my collection. 

I generally have a toy in my pocket of some kind even when I am hiking without children. 

Off we went again along the Old 131 Trail. The trail is flat and fairly straight. I think it was pretty boring to the kids. Up ahead near Star Valley there is a magnificent old pine that had been damaged by a storm. This pine became the place for the kids.

First we went to the benches and markers on Star Valley Trail. I wanted to show the kids the memorial. They were interested in the small pond created by the melt down. 
They were not being rude, they were exploring. A small pond with a mostly frozen surface is far more exciting than the little memorial. They could break ice up and throw it onto the surface of the flooded area and watch the ice splinter.

We had snacks and before the kids got wet, we moved away from the alluring little pond of ice and water.
The kids saw a trail that led across the field.

"Can we go this way?"
Of course! 
Off they ran, pausing at every area that had ice. 

Surely Mother Nature had put those little frozen places there just for them.

How can you compete with Mother Nature?

We went off trail as the kids wanted to see the river. They liked the huge chunks of ice that seemed stuck in it. I called them ice shoves, but they are actually ice floes. 

That did get some "cools!" from the kids.

I told them to lead on!
And they did.

I felt that the little trail would lead us back to the old damaged pine tree.
And it did.

However now the kids were busy. 
The adults merely stood back and let them play.

Play is the work of children.
It is very serious stuff.
~~ Bob Keeshan [Cpt. Kangaroo]

The tree and part of the branch that had broken off became something different that could only be seen through a child's imaginative eyes.
They played.

Lauren and I stood back and watched. 

I am always amazed at how quickly children can find something to play with. They don't need toys. Sticks, pieces of bark, or even a rock can become toys. A field of grass and a stump can become a fort or house.

Just let it go and let the children play, they will bring their own imagination.

Old Harrison Trail + More KVR Trail Challenge

I decided that this hike should be shown to my son who says I cannot take a hike without stopping numerous times to take photos.
He is absolutely correct. I am trying to develop an attitude that while on these hikes I bring just a small pocket camera to carry plus some food and water items.

I've been working with Dixie to see if I can get her to climb into the dog kennel in the back of the Subaru. She can.
So yesterday was her maiden car ride and she did pretty well. Lots of whining but she didn't use her loud hound voice to bark in protest.

I started this route at the Visitor Center. I followed the Old Harris Rd Trail to Old 131 and headed north to Star Valley Trail, I peeked in at the 4H trail and headed east.
Star Valley to Willow Trail.
Willow Trail to Old 131.
Old 131 south to River Crossing Trail to the Kickapoo River crossing and backtracked to Old 131 again.
I headed south through the ponds and headed back to the Visitor Center. I completed 8 segments in one fell swoop.
However, the segments were not hard and only had one elevation on Star Valley so it was pretty straight forward and flat.

Back tracking can't be avoided in some instances because the trails aren't laid out with loops so you have to create your own 'loops'. I really like this hike as it was swift and I was surprised at how much I saw and how beautiful it was.

Harrison Road Trail:
Shadows of Dixie and I

 Pretty straightforward trail with some interesting landscape.

Old 131 Trail headed north towards Star Valley:

Some 'lovers' kissing on the side of the trail. I thought they might stop and look at us while we walked by...but they were too busy.

Dixie was off leash for most of the walk. We stopped at the Memorial at Star Valley Trail.

We must never forget these people. I like that.
I can't imagine how life must have been in this area. The land is very fertile and the river floods here often. I do love this area.
I had some water and a snack while sitting on a bench near this memorial.

We then headed up Star Valley Trail:

At the equine campground we found the trail head to Willow Trail. I am glad we chose to go this way because the trail sign was missing at the other end on Old 131.

Dixie was very curious about my finger puppet buddy. I set Stinky down to take his picture and she came and nosed him over into the dirt a few times before I finally got a shot.

Later we played "Where's Dixie!"

Dixie kept 'photo bombing' most of my shots.

But that was okay because she kept checking in with me all of the time.

I went to Campsite "G" and followed the horse trail.

~~ Nearly the same spot in the beginning of December ~~

At that point an Eagle flew over us and we watched him glide to the dead trees in the ponds.

I was excited and Dixie wasn't.

I finally checked my cell phone and decided to head straight back towards the Visitor Center.

Some pretty birch trees:

Dixie had her first real bridge crossing and she suddenly did NOT like it!

I had to lead her across and then she was okay with it.

We headed towards the Visitor Center and went up the stairs.

I leashed her up and we found the Subaru.

She was pretty sure that she didn't want to get back into the crate. But I asked her nicely and she did.

Our first 'doggone' adventure went well. Dixie settled in and quit whining. When we got home she jumped out of the car and trotted around as if nothing ordinary had really happened.
I'm wondering if she'll want to go next time.
I figure it will only take a trip or two for her to figure out how much fun we can have together.

This was my 3rd hike out. The logistics of the trails will now be a bit more difficult. So I need to sit down and figure out how to do them.

My neighbor has offered to follow me out and let me drop a vehicle off at the end of a trail and then she'd drop me back to at a starting point.

I am having a blast.
I'm loving this challenge.
And I am really getting to know the Kickapoo Valley Reserve. There is nothing like hiking all the trails to really get to know a feel for the land.

This route was rather easy, the footing was good and there was only one hill to really walk up and that was a rather easy elevation from Old 131 up Star Valley. There was more to see than I thought there would be even with the dull landscape of February with very little snow.