What Challenges do you face?

 

How about doing a the Trail Challenge with a toddler? We took Aiden with us yesterday -- Charlie too. This little guy will turn 2 in a few months. 

At one time I was told that Charlie was too tiny of a dog to accomplish something like the Trail Challenge of 59+ miles. We did it.

A week ago, as I was hiking with Olive on one of our uncharted adventures, I mentioned the Trail Challenge. She mentioned that her hubby and she wanted to do some serious backpacking with Aiden this coming year.

What better way to get in shape but to hike locally on tough trails? When she got home, she printed up two copies of the 2023 Trail Challenge. One for her, one for me. 

I think I said something about trying this Challenge back to back one time. But I think I was kidding.

Now I am not.  

I suggested a trail hike on Sunday morning while the snow was still crisp but the temperatures still fairly mild. I asked if she'd like to bring Aiden along and we could put him in a sled and pull him on the snow. The answer was yes.

Olive negotiates coming down a steep
hill with Aiden in the sled.

The little adventure was a win for everyone. 

Charlie got to hike and enjoy a nice long walk, 

Aiden got to ride in a sled and play in the snow. 

Olive and I got to do the girl talk thing, and Olive's hubby got a break from the little guy! 

Aiden enjoyed the weather so much that when mom tried convince him to 'come along' he did this...

And...this:

I think he was telling us to...

Stop

And

Enjoy.

You just can't be in a hurry with little people along. 

I guess we/I are/am doing the Trail Challenge again. So here we go...

The Yellow was intentional and the pink line was an exploration to see if the ponds by the bird viewing area still had ice. The ponds were still iced over. But we still finished one more tiny section.

We had seen two swans on the Kickapoo River on our drive to the Reserve.

Happy Challenges!

Drifting in the Driftless

 I thought it was cool to come up with that: Drifting in the Driftless.

Because that is exactly what we did together. I had a goal in mind, but I abandoned that goal and just decided to drift back and forth like the tiny stream that meandered through this narrow valley. 

The stream is not indicated on the map so it must come from various springs along the way. The valley is no more than 50 yards wide at its widest spot. The north facing hillside is steep with many 'dry' runs and rock shelters.
The south facing side is nothing but bluffs dotted with caves that I did not explore [this time].

Charlie and I followed the valley from the west end to the east end where it ended at the new highway that was built in the 1970's. 

Photo of the Kickapoo River
taken with the Infrared Camera.

The ice 'slide' in IR.

Rock Shelter with ice, IR.

I made a series of very short video clips and stuck them together to form a little view of what it was like. The video of course doesn't do it justice but perhaps one can get the sense of just how narrow and secluded this area was. 

I'm keeping the location to myself as I am pretty sure there are some rare plant species that thrive in this micro climate that is so unusual. 

So in the first part of the video you will see a familiar spot of the Kickapoo River. It was frozen over but the grinding noise was the ice moving and trying to make passage through the river. It unnerved Charlie enough so he started to whine.

The rest is with no sound because I don't think anyone would enjoy listening to the mic noises.

The video is 1:44 seconds. To see and understand just how narrow and wild looking this place was...I had to do it as clips.

Hope it is worth your time.

I was going to go back today but needed and eyeball rest. I'll be going back on Wednesday to visit the hogback above the caves. At least that is the plan.

Happy Drifting

Peregrinating

and Maundering about....

Chillin'

I'm not going to complain too much about this cold spell. I've been able to get out and about in the big chill and not really suffer much.

We are got pretty cold over night but I am a bit luckier than those who live on flat lands or on the ridges.

We have the bone chillin' cold, but we miss some of the light wind. Perhaps it doesn't feel so bad? I don't know yet. The air temp outside my door is -15 F. I'm going to wait until the sun shines into our hollow before heading out to do the chores. 

Yesterday I did walk to the ridge with Charlie to get the mail in the morning. My coveralls didn't offer enough wind protection. 

I got cold heading back down the hill. Charlie stopped and asked to be picked up.

I went back out later with a different set of winter clothes and was super comfortable.

Charlie did not go with me.

He said he wouldn't wear the Goggles nor would he get dressed up at all.

'Give me a cookie and go out on your own dorky strange Human! I shall stay right here and protect the couch from invaders!'

Oversized Goggles for glasses are great eye/face protectors. All these years I've worn them with my glasses and have always been irritated that the glasses fog up. Now I carry my glasses in a case in my pocket and hike without glasses. I can see clearly enough to walk without glasses. 

It really helps keep my eyes from getting windburn and the masks I have keep most of my face warm. I am always pulling it down to grab a gulp or two of cold air.

I made it to the ridge to look around the area I like to watch the winter sun come up.

There were dozens of deer beds by next to the small copse of trees. It made sense as the deer could sleep out of the wind and keep an eye on the open land before them.

The light winds were still blowing the snow around and the air was filled with very fine snow. I decided to head back home through the woods to avoid the coldest air.

I followed some well made formed deer trails and once out of the sun it just was plain cold on my cheeks even with the face mask.

I sat with my back to the light breeze and studied the Barberry bushes. They litter this part of the forest. They are invasive but enchanting in the cold harsh days of winter with their tiny red berries.

Man o' man my face did freeze off by the time I got home! 

I spent the rest of the day warming up.

So Friday morning it was -14, when I went out to do chores. The wind chill was supposed to be colder. However it was from a different direction and I never got cold! Go figure.

I like crisp air. I don't like --it'll--freeze--your-lungs--air-- but I don't mind my mask which warms my breath.

And...

NO bugs!

This is me heading out to the creek around noon. It was up to something like 4 by then and the mules were all laying around taking turns sleeping in the sun.

Lazzzy critters!

I wanted to check the ice wall and see if the creek froze over. In places where the water moves slowly it has but in other spots the warm springs keep the water open.

Spring water keeping the ice thin:

Watering hole further up the creek in a sunny spot. Tracks are coyote, 'possum, deer, and mice all mashed together. 

Ice Wall

Frost on the moss and grasses from the moisture given off by the springs

This is why the creek and my daily walks are so important to me. The going can get rough in the cold weather with deep snow, but still it is worth it!

Yesterday afternoon I sat on a rock and listened to a very quiet woods. Eventually I was able to watch some deer browsing further down the valley.

A good chillin' day.

It was perfect.

Today I am headed off to guide/hike with my buddy Bill as we start our Trail Challenge and meet up with Jason [the geologist] and his dog Piper. 

It should make for an interesting hike!

Life ~ By Charlie

Charlie! Do you want to go for a Walk???

Hmmm. Hmmm. I'm currently holding down the couch and thinking about my camouflaged look. Don't bother me.

Aww come on, it is your Birthday!

As if I would recall that! Still, not impressed lady human. Go away.

I have cookies AND it is SNOWING!

Cookies? Snowing? COOOKIES??? Hmmmm. Hmmmm. Cookies. Yes! Let's go you fool!

It is simply amazing the amount of stuff that a people has to put on for a simple walk in the woods. It would be so much easier if humans just had fur like me and could go right out. 

However I imagine her feet would get cold while crossing the creek and walking in snow and ice.

She is always stopping to look at things. Always. I sniff around to find what is so interesting and she will tell me things like: Look at that ice forming!

And I am like. Hmmmm, no mice and no vole in the ice. I don't care. Let's keep moving!

Can we GO now???

Can we keep moving please?

There are deer carcasses to be sniffed and mice to be found. Let's go!

OH Wait. Um. Hmmm. Well, Okay, NOW I will be carried. I smell a kitty that is bigger than I am. 
Nope. Not afraid. Um, well. I think my feet are getting cold.

Perhaps if I shiver and look pitiful, she will pick me up and carry me through all this dangerous stuff. I smell cat. So I shiver and shake and look up at her ...I put my paws on her snowpants and implore with big Googly Eyes.

Oh goody. Coyote ~ Big Wild Dog too!

Sweet! I got a mini cookie and a lift! Phew, sometimes she can be awesome for a human person.

In fact she gave me a lift out of the scary place where the coyote and kitty have trails. Finally when we reached a 'good' place, she set me back down and off I ran. I can pounce and it makes her laugh. When she is so good to me, I like to make her laugh.

If I get too far ahead, she beeps me and I return. 

I don't know, but I kinda like these birthday walks, maybe I can have a lot more. 

Best part of these walks? SHE takes me home and I can resume my duties as a lap/couch/supervisor dog with the Him Human.

Life is good when you rule the house. Even better if you have Big Googly Eyes!